In 2016 we are pleased to present a series of demonstration tutorials played on one of our luxurious custom made instruments pictured above. This first video of a series of 6 features Howells Psalm Prelude No 2 from Set 2. Jonathan plays on a bespoke private client organ that has 84 speaking stops. It is a 3 manual instrument but with a floating solo division.
See the Organ Music Tutorial Series overview for links to more organ videos and information about them. There you will also be able to read more about Jonathan Kingston and the organs being played in this series.
Herbert Howells a prolific composer of choral and organ music
Howells was born in Lydney in 1892, the youngest of the six children of Oliver Howells, a plumber, painter, decorator and builder. His father played the organ at the local Baptist church, and Herbert himself showed early musical promise, first deputising for his father, and then moving at the age of eleven to the local church as choirboy and unofficial deputy organist.
Howells began music lessons in 1905 with Herbert Brewer, the organist of Gloucester Cathedral, and at sixteen became his pupil at the Cathedral alongside Ivor Novello and Ivor Gurney. As we know he became a prolific composer of choral and organ music that has become a corner stone of the Anglican Church Liturgy.
We hope you have enjoyed this presentation of one of our instruments and will look out for the future releases that will come out every couple of months. We will of course e mail you to bring them to your attention.
You can down load the midi file of the performance below.
If you would like to watch the video tutorial right now – here it is:
I have had a passion for church organs since the tender age of 12. I own and run Regent Classic Organs with a close attention to the detail that musicians appreciate; and a clear understanding of the benefits of digital technology and keeping to the traditional and emotional elements of organ playing.
