Dignity & Impudence Reviews
Organists' Review Editors Choice May 2008 - full review
This is a superlative CD that should be on every organ music lover's shelf. William's playing is quite astounding: musicality, flawless technique and mindboggling organ management come together in a diverse programme that shows both the dignity and impudence of composer, performer and the Redcliffe organ. Registrations are imaginative, often unusual, but always highly effective. He even managed to find something akin to the Kinura (theatre-organ speak)! The playing is inspired and inspiring and the literature both known and unknown. I suspect many of us will be searching out Lynnwood Farnham's Toccata (Theodore Presser, $7.95, available from all good music shops (MDS)). The Steel Six Pieces of 1967 (dedicated to Basil Ramsey) were published by Novello in 1975 and have immediate appeal, harmonically, melodically and rhythmically. Intrada is an essay in sumptuous chords (he was a pupil of Hindemith), the catchy Flourish is based on syncopated rhythms and 'blue' notes, Nocturne echoes slow movements of Langlais, Dance is rich with chord shifts and false relations (a sort of 20th-century Purcell) and Postlude pure Malcolm Arnold! Perhaps less satisfying for me is a rather 'ordinary' Meditation. Hollins's Maytime Gavotte is a definite 'must' for those of us who like 'immediate appeal' (i.e. 'tacky') encores - all those pieces we weren't supposed to like or play when I was a lad. The Intermezzo in D flat is attractive but less significant. My love of Whitlock's music is no secret, and it's a great joy to have such a fine account of the Four Transcriptions by Malcolm Riley (Banks). While the pieces stand on their own, the opening five bars of Fanfare also introduce the emotive March 'Dignity and Impudence' which uses Pomp & Circumstance No.4 as its model (hence Dignity and Impudence!). These enclose the poignant song To Phoebe (shades of Elgar 2) and the moving “Elegy” from the Symphony in G minor. The Harwood First Sonata is very clean (especially impressive are those tricky broken chord flourishes in the first movement), though perhaps a little four-square for my tastes, and I was aching for the Great Reeds some time before they made their appearance in the coda of the third movement, but this is a minor quibble alongside the glories that abound! Congratulations, William, on a very fine and persuasive performance! Congratulations also to Gary Cole who has created a very integrated sound and produced a most readable and informative booklet.Andrew Fletcher
RSCM Church Music Quarterly June 2008
"William Saunders performs with fiery relish....clearly he is a young man with the drive and talent to go a long way."
Association of Anglican Musicians Feb 2008
"Here is an absolutely delightful recital of genuine rarities...The very wide dynamic range is expertly captured by the always-reliable Gary Cole with never a trace of distortion."
Music Webb March 2008
"It is great to hear the organ in St Mary's Redcliffe. A complete history of the instrument and its specification are given in the CD booklet. William Saunders playing complements this fine instrument and the impressive ecclesiastical setting.This is a great CD that explores some little known repertoire."