JOHANN Sebastian Bach once said that there was nothing to playing the organ – just hit the right notes at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
To judge by a festival being held this month by the Jersey Music Association, the famous 18th-century composer was probably being ironic.
The range and power of the organ will be on display for all in a combination of celebrity recitals, lunchtime concerts and demonstrations illustrating just what a remarkable instrument it is.
The festival, which is being supported by the government’s Culture Department, begins on 11 September with a recital at the Town Church by Daniel Moult, professor of organ at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
For the concert, the organ console will be fully visible to the audience, so that they will be able to see how the combination of stops is used to create different sounds appropriate to the mixed programme chosen by the soloist.
On Wednesday 18 September Christopher Too, a former organ scholar at King’s College Cambridge and now organ scholar at St Paul’s Cathedral, includes Hans Zimmer’s music from the film Interstellar at the heart of the second recital at the Town Church.
Guernseyman Stephen Le Prevost – now director of music at the Town Church in Guernsey, and previously organist at Ely cathedral and for ten years at Westminster Abbey – completes a trio of performances on what is the largest pipe organ in the Channel Islands on Wednesday 25 September.
The venue shifts to St Thomas’ Church two days later for what is billed as a battle of the organs in which Jersey-based performers Francis Murton and Michael Wynne are joined by the Wonderbrass Quintet.
In addition, there are three lunchtime concerts, a meet-the-organ day, and a Sunday choir and organ event.
Full details are available on the Jersey Music Association website, jma.org.je/jof, and tickets are available through the Jersey Opera House using the link jerseyoperahouse.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/event-categories/48228.
Commenting on the festival, Mr Murton, chair of the Jersey Music Association, said: “We are so pleased that the government of Jersey is supporting us at the JMA in providing these opportunities for everyone to hear the king of instruments.”
