We are delighted to welcome renowned Organist, Conductor and Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral, Adrian Partington to our Lunchtime Concert series.
Ahead of his performance he has shared some of his background and inspiration behind his programme.
Throughout your career, you’ve done many recitals both nationally and internationally. How do you decide a programme on a new organ you’re visiting for the first time?
I try to find out as much as possible about the unfamiliar organ in question and try to imagine what music would be a) suitable and b) possible on it. I then always make the programme as eclectic as possible, i.e. include music from a range of traditions.
Please describe the programme you’ve chosen for us at Chelmsford Cathedral?
At Chelmsford, I will play some German music (J.S.Bach), some French music (Henri Mulet), a British piece (Thomas Tomkins), and an American piece. Music of four centuries is represented.
Gloucester Cathedral is due to install a mostly brand-new organ after years of planning and work. Are there any pieces that you’re particularly excited to play and hear on it for the first time?
Our new organ should be ready for use in early May. I am looking forward most to hearing/playing some “Romantic” repertoire, which did not sound well on the organ. I am thinking of the Elgar Sonata, or the Liszt or Reger Fantasias.
In our services and organ recitals we hear lots of music by Herbert Howells, with whom you studied. What was it like working with him?
It was a huge privilege for me to study with Herbert Howells! He was a gentle and kind man, very small and always immaculate. He liked to reminisce as much as talk about music. It was amazing to hear him talk about Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Stanford and so on.
And he was very incisive and observant as a teacher. He wouldn’t let you get away with anything!
In your role at Gloucester Cathedral, you’re also one of the Artistic Directors for the world-famous Three Choirs Festival. What are some memories of which you are particularly proud?
It has been another privilege for me to work at so many Three Choirs Festivals! I have had so many amazing experiences, conducting a huge number of the great choral-orchestral, and orchestral classics, and all with the Philharmonia- one of the world’s great orchestras.
I could give you almost fifty memories, but I’ll choose six of which I am especially proud: Mahler’s Eighth Symphony; Berlioz La Damnation de Faust; Elgar Falstaff; Elgar Violin Concerto; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; Shostakovich Symphony Number 12. I’ve been very lucky.
Adrian's lunchtime concert will take place on Friday 6 March at 12pm, with tea and coffee served from 11.30am.