The newly released Oxford Book of Funeral and Memorial Music for Organ contains something from every era. From eight short J. S. Bach chorale preludes, to Attwood's 'Grand Dirge' for Admiral Lord Nelson, to standard gems from the Romantic era, this volume concludes with two lovely commissions by Rebecca Groom te Velde: 'On Eagles' Wings' and 'Crimond'. If I were a new organist looking for the best collection of standard classical memorial literature, I would start with this volume. * Christopher Cook, The American Organist, October 2018 *
From this litany of composers it must be clear that the range of music is wide, but has all been carefully selected for popular appeal, ease of technical demands on the player and the suitability for the occasion. In short, the combination of intelligent selection, technical adroitness and musical quality, alongside the excellence of presentation, makes this a fine volume which ought to be in the library of any organist. * Robert Matthew-Walker, The Organ, Autumn 2018 *
Here we have 28 pieces, including Elgar's 'Nimrod' (Enigma Variations), Louis Vierne's Berceuse and Handel's 'Ombra mai fu' (the Largo from Serse) . . . Bach is well represented [with] his alternative canonic arrangement of Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier [and] his chorale prelude Nun danket alle Gott, which is perhaps the trickiest piece in the book . . . As I played through I was pleasantly surprised to find some delightful choices: among others Satie's GymnopA (c)die no 1, Brahms's 'How lovely' (the German Requiem chorus edited musically to 68 bars) and Schubert's Andante from the 'Death and the Maiden' String Quartet. The collection is said to be for players of a moderate level of competence; nearly all are scored for manuals and pedals. I suspect many organists will be glad to have a clutch of appropriate contemplative pieces in one book rather than several. * Stuart Robinson, Sunday by Sunday (RSCM), December 18 *
