Thursday, June 11, 2009

Organist Iann Quinn Plays William Grant Still's 'Reverie' on CD 'Variations on America'






[Variations on America: Iann Quinn plays American Organ Works on the Organ of Coventry Cathedral; William Grant Still: Reverie; Chandos CHAN 10489 (2009); William Grant Still (Photo is the sole property of William Grant Still Music, and is used with permission)]

The new CD Variations on America, Chandos CHAN 10489 (2009) includes a performance by organist Iann Quinn of William Grant Still's Reverie (4:38).
InfoDad.com: Family-Focused Reviews
June 11, 2009
“There is no instrument with a greater range than that of the modern keyboard: 11 octaves on a piano and potentially even more on an organ. Indeed, Iain Quinn takes full advantage of the 61-note manual compass and 32-note pedal compass of the organ of England’s Coventry Cathedral for his fascinating CD of some very American music. Quinn has made an excellent selection of better-known works and little-known ones, including some recording premieres. He has a real way with the music of Charles Ives, presenting Variations on 'America' with great flair, and including the two ad lib bitonal interludes that Ives added to the piece two decades after he originally wrote it. The other Ives works here, all early ones, have their own charms, with the surprising end of the Fugue in E flat major being particularly characteristic. Quinn brings his fine sense of style and proportion to all the organ works on this CD, from Barber’s well-structured, rather Romantic prelude and fugue to Cowell’s fairly bouncy fugal work, from William Grant Still’s effective miniature Reverie to Barber’s serious but not overly solemn Wondrous Love variations. The CD is particularly nicely laid out, opening with Copland’s Preamble, created in connection with the Declaration of Human Rights, and ending with Stephen Paulus’ Triptych, inspired by hymn texts and written in 2000 for the 150th anniversary of the House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.”

Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma's entry on Reverie reads:
Reverie, for organ (1962). Los Angeles: Avant Music, Western International Music, 1962 (A.G.O prelude book). Première: 1962/III/12; Pasadena; Pasadena Presbyterian Church; Robert Pritchard, organ. Duration: 3:56. Library: Library of Congress (holograph).” [The complete Works List by Dr. De Lerma is found on the William Grant Still page at AfriClassical.com]





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