“Nosferatu” (1922) with live improvised organ accompaniment  by Otto Kraemer; Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.

This special event was a part of the series of Monday Gala Organ Concerts with visiting organists performing on the Hall’s recently restored and reconstructed Hill /Harrison organ. Otto Kraemer, guest tutor on the London organ improvisation course, breathed life and emotion into the film through his wonderful interpretation. The sheer scale of the organ was demonstrated to remarkable effect – at times through well-chosen solo stops and combinations across the whole pitch range. At other times there were spine-tingling sequences with full-bodied chorus work. We also heard Tremulants and celestes as well as imaginative use of mutations. The versatility of this truly orchestral organ was shown to the full.

Otto Kraemer showed himself to be a master of improvisation. Sometimes the music was to the fore, at other times in the background, but always enhancing and enlivening the action on the screen. There were clever quotations from popular music – Rod Stewart’s Sailing, Sur le pont d’Avignon and even The Magnificent Seven! Each was expertly and seamlessly woven into the soundtrack. As the film ended the organ built to a thrilling climax to what had been an immensely enjoyable evening. What a pity that there were only about 30 of us in the audience – in a hall advertised as seating up to 2160.  SP

Trafalgar Day and what a glorious start to the new season. Worries about cost seem to have been tossed aside to make a real impact from the word go. The Brighton Festival Chorus and a full range of international soloists joined the orchestra under Barry Wordsworth for Haydn’s Nelson Mass. The unusual conception of the work, scored without woodwind but with a strongly written organ part and full brass, makes for a very lively impact. The weight of choral singing is matched by the intensity of the orchestra which at times seems closer to late Beethoven that early Mozart.

Soprano Elizabeth Donovan impressed with a lyric but forceful coloratura but did not overshadow her fellow soloists. Alistair Young spun a fine organ line without over-egging the texture, given the potential of the Dome’s organ. Barry Wordsworth was clearly enjoying himself and it showed in the liveliness of the tempi and the sense of fire throughout.

After the interval we were in a different sound world altogether with Elgar’s Sea Pictures. Where the Haydn had been extrovert and thrilling, the Elgar was as intimate and heart-catching, even in what can be more extrovert moments. Barry Wordsworth and soloist Elizabeth Sikora understand the delicate balance within these songs and the need to cherish the music as it opens to us. Her wide vocal range was ideal but she never allowed the voice to push itself too far. There were times when it almost disappeared, like the waves themselves, only to resurface even stronger a second later. The naiveté of In Haven and Where Corals Lie were beautifully captured and the rapture of Oh brave white horses was thrilling.

Maybe we earned a moment of relaxation at the end. Certainly Barry Wordsworth thought so as he gave us a rollicking rendition of Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs. These are so familiar from the Proms that it seems strange that they are actually very short in performance. All the more reason to let us sing Rule Britannia twice! Roll on the rest of the season which continues with Mozart Piano Concerto No 23 and Sibelius Symphony No 5 on 11 November. www.brightonphil.org.uk  BH