Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Thomas Laing-Reilly is organist and director of music at St Cuthbert's Church in Edinburgh, having previously studied with Flor Peeters in Belgium and Jean Langlais in France. In this excellent recital he sets the scene with "A Christmas Fantasy On Old English Carols" by William T Best and then presents us with a varied programme featuring six versions of Luther's "Von Himmel Hoch Da Komm' Ich Her" ("From Heaven Above To Earth I Come") with two by Johann Sebastian Bach, one by his cousin Johann Bernard Bach, two by Johann Pachelbel and one from Garth Edmundson. We also get two sets of variations on "Adestes Fideles" ("O Come All Ye Faithful") by Pierre Cochereau and Jeanne Demessieux as well as Christmas music from Max Reger, Jean-Francois Dandrieu, Louis-Claude d'Aquin, Alexandre Guilmant, Jean Langlais, John Ireland, Sir Arthur Somervell and Alfred Hollins. The organ at St Cuthbert's was rebuilt in 1998 by J W Walker & Sons and modified in 2003. Organ buffs will find all the relevant details in the informative CD booklet. The rest of us can enjoy and appreciate a varied recital played by an accomplished musician and recorded in telling detail. My first thought on receiving this CD was that it would make nice background music for Christmas but having listened I can affirm it deserves much closer attention.

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