David Stevens (organ)

Recently appointed as Director of Music of All Saints’ Church Hove, David Stevens has already made significant contributions to local music education. This concert programme was for the organ enthusiasts of the Brighton and District Organist Association. The Introduction and Passacaglia from Rheinberger’s Sonata No. 8 made a bold and impressive opening. It needed that to counter the thunderstorm that had just begun outside. There is something very comforting to be embraced by rich, romantic organ music while torrents of rain are causing havoc the other side of the glass doors!

The body of this programme was the nineteenth century American composer Horatio Parker’s Organ Sonata. These four varied movements allowed Stevens to show what the St Bart’s organ can do and he found some stops I had never heard before. He ended with the Allegro vivace non troppo from Dudley Buck’s second Organ Sonata, another American work. This was much more lively and made an stirring finale to an excellent concert.

St Bartholomew’s Church,
24 May 2022
Rating:
Andrew Connal