Matthew Owens - Christmas Bells: Organ Music from Belfast Cathedral (2021)

For this recording organist Matthew Owens presents a diverse recital of some of the greatest Christmas music ever written for the instrument. Traditional tunes, whether Lutheran chorales, plainchant, French noëls, or medieval carols, have provided the inspiration for much Christmas organ music throughout the years, with much of this programme made up of pieces based on such tunes, from J.S. Bach’s Canonic variations on "Vom Himmel hoch" to Louis-Claude Daquin’s Noël Suisse. This recital also draws on more contemporary sources and presents several world premiere recordings including Howard Skempton’s Christmas Bells and Gary Davison’s Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium, both of which were written specially for this recording.
Tracklist
01. Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV 769a: I. Variation I
02. Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV 769a: II. Variation II
03. Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV 769a: III. Variation III
04. Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV 769a: IV. Variation IV
05. Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV 769a: V. Variation V
06. Livre de Noëls, Op. 60: II. Introduction et Variations sur un Ancien Noël Polonais
07. A Fugal Flourish on Personent Hodie
08. Nouveau Livre de Noëls: XII. Noël Suisse
09. Prelude on ‘Yorkshire’
10. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: I. Partita I
11. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: II. Partita II
12. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: III. Partita III
13. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: IV. Partita IV
14. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: V. Partita V
15. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: VI. Partita VI
16. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: VII. Partita VII
17. Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich’: VIII. Partita VIII
18. 30 Chorale Preludes, Op. 70: III. Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her
19. Prelude on Irby
20. Ding Dong! Merrily on High
21. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: I. Verset I
22. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: II. Verset II
23. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: III. Verset III
24. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: IV. Verset IV
25. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: V. Verset V
26. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: VI. Verset VI
27. Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium: VII. Verset VII
28. Livre de Noëls, Op. 60: I. Noël Écossais
29. Weinnachtsbaum, S.186: III. Die Hirten an der Krippe (In dulci jubilo)
30. Ten Chorale Preludes, Op. 68: VII. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
31. Christmas Bells
32. Christus Advenit (Second Christmas Suite): IV. Toccata on Vom Himmel hoch