Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This enjoyable recital features a selection of Charles Hubert Hastings Parry's organ music, played on the historic 19th century William Hill organ in the Chapel of Eton College - the school where Parry was educated as a boy in that century (his dates being 1848-1918). The wonderful Romantic Hill organ at Eton is the ideal vehicle for Parry's organ works and is set in a glorious acoustic, well recorded by Gary Cole. Organ buffs will appreciate the well illustrated profile of the instrument in the CD booklet. David Goode was a music scholar at Eton College and then organ scholar at King's College, Cambridge. From 1996 to 2001 he was Sub-Organist at Christ Church, Oxford. He won the top prizes awarded at the 1997 St Alban's Interpretation Competition and the Recital Gold Medal at the 1998 Calgary Competition. He is currently Organist of Eton College and here gives a splendid performance. There are other collections of Parry's organ music on the market but this one seems as good as any. It is book-ended with two pieces in G major: "Toccata and Fugue (The Wanderer)" to open and "Fantasia and Fugue" to close. In between (and the disc lasts 70 minutes so it is a good journey) we hear mainly Chorale Preludes and Fantasias on hymn tunes, including "O God Our Help", "The Old Hundredth", and "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" among others. For the general listener this is very pleasant and for the organ collector it is essential.

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