Bach: Complete Organ Works Vol. 5 Sonatas / Trios / Concertos - ed. by Pieter Dirksen Organ Works Based on Compositions by Bach and Others Genres such as sonata, trio and concerto were initially uncommon in the keyboard music of the early 18th century. Thus it comes as no surprise that many of the pieces in this volume are arrangements by Bach of original compositions and of works by other composers. Next to the Sonatas BWV 525?530 and the Concertos or concerto movements based on pieces by other composers BWV 592?596, the volume also contains the Trio in D minor BWV 583, the Trio settings BWV 585?587 as well as the early versions of BWV 527 and 528. Moreover, the CD-ROM offers eight arrangements of trio movements by Bach made by others. In his detailed introduction, Pieter Dirksen discusses various aspects of these pieces' origins, inasmuch as they help us better understand the works. The organist will especially welcome the comments on performance practice and registration. It is precisely the fact that these works derive from chamber-music models that leads to individual considerations for each work group.

Thomas Hewitt Jones' Carnival. Composed 2010. Written for Martin Neary President of the Organists Charitable Trust. These five short works are all extracted from the excellent Little Organ Book from the Organists Charitable Trust edited by Martin Neary and first published by Novello in 2010. This is a wonderful resource of 11 mainly new works by British composers all of moderate difficulty and well-defined character. Iain Farrington’s Bluesday is full of delicious harmonies with a bold climax framed by a gentle beginning and ending. David Bednall’s Fanfare is a joyful work that would bea good recital opener or festival voluntary with a chance to unleash the big reeds. The simplicity of the title of Howells’s Cradle Song belies a richness and warmth that make this a moving miniature. John Rutter’s evening prelude from 1979 on the plainsong hymn Te lucis ante terminum is tender and clear with some surprisingly plangent harmonies. Thomas Hewitt Jones’s Carnival is an outburst of festivity and bravura. All these pieces are very much worth playing though organists interested in more than two of them would be better served purchasing a copy of the original anthology which is still very well priced (Little Organ Book Novello 9781849386814 £9.95). - Sunday by Sunday