Rochdale Town Hall organ recital - Jonathan Scott performs at sensational reopening concert

Rochdale Town Hall's organ was centre stage on Saturday 7 September 2024 when talented organist Jonathan Scott performed at a reopening concert after the renovation of the building.

When Rochdale Town Hall was finished in 1872 there were three empty arches in the Great Hall, intended to house a civic organ.

On 9 July 1913 on the visit of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary this was remedied with a magnificent instrument by James Jepson Binns, donated by Alderman Sir Samuel Turner JP.

Only then was the hall complete.

Over 100 years later some 400 people gathered to hear international organist Jonathan Scott’s sensational reopening concert.

Only then would the extensive renovation of the hall be complete.

Trained at Chetham’s and the Royal Northern College of Music, Jonathan, who is the Bridgewater Hall official organist came fresh from his live organ solo BBC Prom on 10 August 24 at The Royal Albert Hall.

Jonathan is one of those rare performers who has consummate ability and a popular touch able to engage readily with an audience.

He skillfully introduced and guided us through the varied orchestral sounds and combinations at his disposal. He has played the Binns instrument many times.

He affectionately remembered as a young student paying 50p per hour to practise and notably made a definitive video recording of it just before the pandemic.

A stupendous opening with Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture (arr. Lemare) was followed by Jonathan’s own remarkable transcriptions of JS Bach, Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Smetana’s Vltava, Norman Cocker’s Tuba Tune, Dvořak’s Rusalka’s Song to the Moon, and the celebrated Saint-Seans Organ Symphony finale.

Jonathan made the most of Rochdale’s world class Binns. More than letting the organ thunder, this was a masterclass in the subtleties and potential of a civic instrument.

The capacity audience demanded an encore and were treated to a beautiful Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni.

It should be mentioned that Jonathan and his talented brother Tom continued to entertain online throughout the pandemic featuring piano and harmonium duets from their home as well as Jonathan’s visits to organs in the UK and abroad.

The Scott Brothers Duo's videos on YouTube have achieved over 80 million views! We are fortunate to have such astonishing talent in our area.

Jonathan is also the honorary president of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside Organists’ Association, which was founded in 1908. The group will now resume their mission to promote organ music and the town hall instrument in particular.

When the town hall closed for renovation. Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside Organists’ Association became nomadic and explored other worthy organs in its patch. They will present their Brereton Memorial Concert with organist Graham Barber on Saturday 12 October 2024 at 3pm at Albion United Reform Church in Ashton-uder-Lyne.

Dr Joe Dawson