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choirandorgan.com

APRIL 2023 VOLUME 31 NUMBER 3 CONTENTS

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P H O T O G R A P H Y

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C O U R T E S Y

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14 FREDERICK SWANN

OBITUARY

Remembering a ‘titan’ among America’s organists and church musicians.

15 ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC

COVER STORY

Two worlds of music, one magazine April 2023 UK £6.95 choirandorgan.com

CELEBRATING

SOFI 30YEARS

SOFI JEANNIN The BBC Singers’ chief conductor talks to David Hill see page 26

PLATFORM TICKET New opportunities for organ students to deepen their scholarship, develop skills, and expand their horizons at London’s Royal Academy of Music

C P

CHOIR & ORGAN OFFERS Philip Moore’s Venite for SATB & organ see page 29

F in

FREE MUSIC DOWNLOAD in our New Music section visit choirandorgan.com

EARLY DAYS Performing Renaissance vocal music

VOICES OF WROCŁAW How Polish choral singing has blossomed

PASSPORT TO PIMLICO A Binns/Walker organ rebuilt by Nicholson & Co.

New prizes for organ students, continuo training, travel exchange programmes, and access to a recently acquired scholarly archive all contribute towards a fulfilling package of study at London’s oldest conservatoire. COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY BENJAMIN HARTE

20 RENAISSANCE SINGING

How the Tudor practice of singing from a single choir lectern can impact on performers and listeners alike.

26 DAVID HILL IN CONVERSATION…

Sofi Jeannin talks about the fun of conducting choirs, her fascination with contemporary music, and the uniqueness of the BBC Singers. SECONDARY COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY PATRICK ALLEN

30 HARALD VOGEL

‘ The single most influential global voice in historical north German organ art’ shares his thoughts.

39 NFM CHOIR

The crack Polish choir looks to expand its already wide repertoire base with a new French artistic director.

42 VAN DEN HEUVEL

Paul Hale casts an eye over recent projects that have passed through the Dutch builder’s workshop.

48 TRURO CATHEDRAL

How the music department at the Cornish cathedral punches well above its weight .

52 NICHOLSON & CO.

‘Warmth and colour’ characterise the Worcestershire builder’s organ for a church in Pimlico.

REGULARS 6 News | 13 Recital round-up | 13 Letters |

29 Readers’ offers | 33 Graeme Kay goes Freestyle | 57 Digital digest | 62 On release

35 FESTIVALS 2023

SUPPLEMENT

Dates for your diary. 60 TRAVELLER’S JOY

Lavender and medieval villages in France. 63 REVIEWS

Five stars for Tom Winpenny ’s Arnold Cooke CD and Bart Jacobs on the ‘Contius’ organ; Christophe Rousset presents Couperin’s secular works; Bach from Fifth Avenue; comparing three versions of Rachmaninov’s Vespers; the NFM Choir’s remembrance CD; Bavaria’s ‘excellent’ interpretation of Caplet ; and organ works by Cooman, Frahm and Karg-Elert . 74 ENCOUNTERS

Animateur and conductor Lucy Hollins.

APRIL 2023 CHOIR & ORGAN 5