A special organ recital will take place at the Unitarian Church in Horsham, celebrating the beauty and versatility of the organ. The performance, set for 1 pm, will be presented by Gerald Taylor, who will guide the audience through a carefully curated programme that spans centuries, featuring works from both European and American composers.
Luca Imperiale, a spokesperson for the event, explained: “This recital showcases the organ’s emotional depth and flexibility, with a thoughtfully selected range of music that will captivate audiences.”
The recital will begin with Rigaudon from Idoménée by André Campra, a lively French Baroque dance that sets an energetic tone with its rhythmic appeal and joyful spirit. Following this, the performance will move to a contemporary American piece, Fiat Lux by Charles Callahan. The title, meaning Let There Be Light, highlights the organ’s grand scale, bringing warmth and brilliance to the space.
The programme then transitions to the Baroque period with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Giant Fugue, a complex and cohesive work that reflects the era’s affinity for structure and emotional depth. The mood shifts to a more introspective tone with the Adagio from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, a piece that exemplifies the Romantic era’s capacity for serene and majestic expression, offering a peaceful moment of reflection.
Next, Théodore Dubois’ Toccata in B minor brings a burst of late Romantic energy, showcasing technical brilliance and dramatic intensity. This is followed by Joseph Bonnet’s playful Elfes, a whimsical piece that transports listeners into a magical, fairy-tale realm, blending light-heartedness with the elegance of the Romantic tradition.
The mood becomes reflective with Sigfrid Karg-Elert’s Narcissus, a dreamy and contemplative work, before transitioning into Ethelbert Nevin’s Rigaudon in E-flat. This piece, with its Provençal-inspired dance rhythms, ties back to Campra’s Baroque style while incorporating folk influences.
The recital concludes with Eugène Gigout’s Toccata in B minor, a powerful and technically demanding piece that brings the performance to an exhilarating close.
“This recital is a celebration of the organ’s vast emotional range and its ability to connect audiences across time and culture,” Imperiale said.
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