THE SOUND OF ST DAVID'S: CHORAL PRELUDES FROM THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES
Played by Rod Thomson
Franz Tunder (1614-1667)
Jesus Christus unser Heiland
Dietrich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707)
Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder
('O sacred head, sore wounded')
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
('A safe stronghold our God is still')
Nun bitten wir den heil'gen Geist
J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
From 'The Little Organ Book'
In dulci iubilo
('Good Christian men, rejoice')
Christum wir sollen loben schon
In Dir ist Freude
O Mensch, bewein dein' Sünde gross
Heut' triumphiert Gottes Sohn
Alle Menschen müssen sterben
From the 'Eighteen Choral Preludes'
Herr Jesu Christ Dich zu uns wend'
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
An Wässerflüssen Babylon
Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein
From the 'Clavierübung'
Valet will ich Dir geben
('All glory, laud and honour')
Vater unser im Himmelreich
(The 'Lord's Prayer')
Nun freut euch, liebe Christen g'mein
Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir
Kommst Du nun Jesu von Himmel herunter
Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780)
Ach Gott! erhör mein Seufzen Iohann
THE ORGANIST
Read about Professor Rod Thomson here.
THE MUSIC
The programme has been selected with several goals in mind: first and foremost, all of the music is beautiful, substantial, and a joy to play.
It also encompasses the wide range of moods, from the reflective and contemplative to the joyful and triumphant, of which the choral prelude form is capable. It follows that the programme also demonstrates the many colours of the St David's organ.
Finally, some individual pieces have been chosen because they are founded on chorales which have become well-known hymns across all denominations of the modern Church, such as Martin Luther's 'A safe stronghold'.