Two masterly performances on the King of Instruments

The annual conference of the Scottish Federation of Organists, held in Dundee this weekend, was no closed shop. There were two opportunities for non-members to join in the celebration of the King of Instruments, or a kist o’ whistles as someone less enthusiastic once called an organ. One was in St Mary Magdalene’s Church, the other in the Caird Hall and both possess excellent organs.

On Friday Dundee’s own Gordon Stewart presided on the console with guest artists Alba Brass providing their own brand of musicianship. Excellent as they were, I could have done with more from Gordon, both as an individual and in the ensemble numbers. Gordon’s solo spots won the day, for me, particularly Gardonyi’s Mozart Changes, which gave a jazzy and interesting take on the great master’s music and its form. His amazing dexterity shone in sweelinck’s Unter der Linden Grune.

Fast forward to the Caird Hall on Saturday afternoon and the recital of Martin Baker. This was what I thought it would be, a truly virtuosic performance on the truly wonderful Caird Hall organ. Baker chose this occasion to give his first performance of JS Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue, transcribed for the organ by Max Reger. Gordon’s previous-night dexterity was replicated in some style by Baker in this tour de force.

Quiet and passive Musgrave and Howells mixed with Mendelssohn – his second sonata, which I have particular affinity with – and two works by Widor which contrasted both in colour and mood.

Baker showed improvisations can be fun with his quite inspired take on two tunes, Come Holy Ghost and the Piper O’ Dundee. This was improvisation at its very best, with Baker taking his time to provide everything from the softest pianissimo to the full-blooded full organ. Five- star performance? Undoubtedly.