Tom Roberts - Nosferatu (Original Soundtrack) - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

On Tom Rainey's second CD on Intakt Records, he surprises listeners with standards from Brubeck, Monk and Ellington. For this recording he chose some of the finest players New York has to offer. 'The players are pretty scrupulous... melodic variation is the heart of their method - they acknowledge the changes, but are very much playing the tune not just the frame. Think of the collective improvisations as multiple obbligatos... ' - Kevin Whitehead, from the Liner Notes.

The larger part of the organ music of the American composer Vincent Persichetti (1915-87) was composed towards the end of his life, with of some of those pieces receiving their first recordings here. Several are based on hymn tunes, which can often be heard in the background - re-emerging in glorious affirmation in the Auden Variations. On occasion the language suggests a kaleidoscopic admixture of Hindemith and Messiaen, bristling with edgy flashes of color; and Do not go gentle, an essay for pedals alone after the Dylan Thomas poem, is a statement of austere power. What these highly contrasted works have in common is complete textural clarity Persichetti had been playing the organ since boyhood, and his writing for the instrument is that of a master. Tom Winpenny, who has already experienced much success with his organ recordings, presents Persichetti's organ works on this new .

Organ music holds a special affection for leading UK composer Judith Bingham, and the repertoire in this programme reflects a cross-section of her themes and work both recently composed and newly arranged.