REVIEW ESSAY

Harvey Stansfield is a player of much potential – that is obvious from the opening notes. The organ responds well to his interpretation: his playing is more deliberate in the Fanfare than I am used to, but the performance is enhanced as a result, not least because it gives the music time to breathe. His articulation is impeccable throughout. At times I felt that the chorus reeds dominated, but the entry of the Tuba put paid to any concerns overall!

As Stansfield points out ‘the Sonata in C minor is a landmark in Whitlock’s compositional development, and as one of the greatest sonatas in the 20th century organ repertoire. This is a fine performance, especially in the more reflective sections, where the softer registers of the Compton evince the builder’s mastery of the art of voicing. The Two Fantasie Chorals of 1931 complete the CD. In the performer’s words ‘they mark an advancement, in terms of both musical structure and harmonic content, on the earlier Five Short Pieces (1929). Again, the performances are of a high quality.

Just occasionally, I found the tutti thin and the overall sound harsh, but I do not blame the organist for that! Stansfield provides informative sleeve notes which add much to the listener’s appreciation of the recording. It is good to be reminded of Whitlock’s genius as a composer of some of the great organ music of the 20th century by such an up-andcoming player.

Prof. David Baker