Brereton Memorial Recital - Anthony Gray

Anthony Gray

Oldham, Rochdale & Tameside Organists’ Association (est. 1908), presented its annual Brereton Memorial Recital at St Chad’s, Rochdale Parish Church on Saturday 14 October.

The Brereton Memorial Fund was founded in memory of Philip and Gwen Brereton who died in December 2000. They were lifelong volunteers for the Incorporated Association of Organists, the Royal College of Organists and ORTOA. Their daughter, Prof Jude Brereton, the current administrator, spoke of its continued support for young performers and organisations since 2001.

The guest performer was Anthony Gray, organist, choral director and composer based in Yorkshire. Formerly organ scholar of Robinson College, Cambridge, he is now director of music of St Wilfrid’s Church, Harrogate, assistant director of music and sub-organist at Bradford Cathedral, and conductor of Halifax Choral Society.

Fresh, keen-eyed enthusiasm guided his programme choices beginning with a masterful performance of JS Bach’s Fantasia in G Minor ‘The Great’. He confessed to a ‘town hall style’ as opposed to traditional church-based interpretation, which accurately summed up the whole recital.

This was a fascinating survey of English music: Frank Bridge’s Adagio in E, Trevor Widdicombe’s Elegy (incidentally, Anthony’s great-grandfather), Elgar’s Imperial March, Grayston Ives’ Partita and Finzi’s Eclogue. A refreshing and varied repertoire that put the fine instrument at St Chad’s through a kaleidoscope of sound to the audience’s delight.

Undoubtedly, the crowning glory was the piece commissioned for the coronation of King Charles III, Iain Farrington’s Voices of the World. This glittering syncopated finale was like a commonwealth song contest meets ‘And all that Jazz’, complete with Westminster Chimes. Great fun.

All this was worthy of ‘town hall style’, to which ORTOA looks forward as it eagerly waits to resume recitals at the renovated Rochdale Town Hall next year. Watch this space.

Dr Joe Dawson