The Organ of St Bavo, Haarlem
Joseph Nolan marks his 10th release on Signum Classics with a recording on the remarkable 1738 Christian Muller organ of St Bavo in the Dutch city of Haarlem. Housed in one of the most spectacular organ cases in the world, the instrument’s renowned clarity of tone makes it perfectly suited to Reubke’s Sonata on the 94th Psalm, which forms the heart Nolan’s programme alongside works by Bach, Buxtehude, and Mendelssohn.
Midnight at St Etienne du Mont
With a title inspired by Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris (the opening scenes of which were filmed on the church steps), Midnight at St Etienne du Mont explores the music of Duruflé, who was Titular Organist there from 1929 until his death in 1986. As well as Duruflé’s own Suite Op. 5, at the centre of the programme is the premiere recording of David Briggs’ Le Tombeau de Duruflé — a brilliant work built on plainsong themes that Duruflé so loved himself.
British-Australian organist and choral conductor Joseph Nolan has been hailed by ABC Classic FM as “an extraordinary musician”, BBC Radio 3 CD Review as a “virtuoso”, and Limelight Magazine, Australia as a “remarkable musician”. In 2016 he was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government for services to French music.
The Organ of Saint Sulpice, Paris
The Organ of Saint Sulpice, Paris, is widely considered to be a prime example of the pinnacle of 19th-Century French organ building. Joseph Nolan expertly demonstrates the full capabilities of this mighty organ with this programme of Romantic organ music, performing favourite works by Boëllmann, Elgar, Liszt and Thalben-Ball.
The Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom
Following the success of Joseph Nolan’s appearance in Music for the Coronation of James II, he returns to Signum with a solo disc of organ music, capturing music from some of the finest composers of the instrument. With J.S. Bach’s famous Passacaglia in C Minor to Noel Rawsthorne’s Dance Suite, with inspiration from Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, this disc certainly pushes the boundaries of organ music.
Fresh from a tour of the USA in 2007, Nolan has found international recognition as well as his commitments as organist at Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal where he was appointed in 2004.
Charles-Marie Widor: Solo Organ Works
Joseph Nolan follows his five internationally acclaimed volumes of the Complete Organ Symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor with a collection of the composer’s other works for solo organ. The disc includes his Trois Nouvelles Pièces, March Américaine, Marche Nuptiale and Memento — a collection of transcriptions of works by J.S. Bach.
This release completes a collection of 6 CDs that span Widor’s complete solo organ works, performed by Nolan on period Cavaillé-Coll organs from the French churches of St Sernin, Toulouse; St François-de Sales, Lyon; and La Madeleine, Paris.
In April 2016, Joseph Nolan was made a Chevalier (Knight) in the Order of French Arts and Letters for his services to French Music.
Organ Collection (featuring Joseph Nolan)
The organ collection combines works by world-class performers (including Simon Preston, David Goode, Jeremy Filsell, Naji Hakim, Joseph Nolan and more) recorded on organs from Freiberg, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey & Cathedral, the Royal Albert Hall and more — all selected from titles across the Signum catalogue.
Widor: The Organ Symphonies, vol. 1
Organ Symphony No. 6 in G minor, Op. 42; Organ Symphony No. 5 in in F minor, Op. 42
Volume 1 in a new collection of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain — his Organ Symphonies were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues — including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris, is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
Widor: The Organ Symphonies, vol. 5
Symphonie gothique, op. 70; Symphonie romane, op. 73.
The fifth volume in our series of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaille-Coll organs of La Madeleine, Paris and Saint-Sernin, Toulouse.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain — his Organ Symphonies were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues — including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris, is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
Widor: The Organ Symphonies, vol. 4
Symphony No. 7, op. 42; Symphony No. 8, op. 42.
The fourth volume in our series of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain — his Organ Symphonies were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues — including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris, is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
Widor: The Organ Symphonies, vol. 3
Symphony No. 3, Op. 13; Symphony No. 4, Op. 13.
The third volume in our series of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain — his Organ Symphonies were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues — including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris, is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
Widor: The Organ Symphonies, vol. 2
Organ Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 13; Organ Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 13.
Volume 2 in a new collection of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain — his Organ Symphonies were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues — including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris, is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
Widor, Guilmant, Roger-Ducasse
Widor: Organ Symphony No. 4; Guilmant: Organ Sonata; Roger-Ducasse: Pastorale In F
Widor: Organ Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
Toccare Incandescent
Hailed by Diapason Magazine, USA for his flawlessly performed debut recital in Pittsburgh and impeccable technique, Joseph Nolan is gaining recognition as an organist of considerable note. Joseph was appointed to Her Majestys Chapel Royal, St Jamess Palace in 2004, where he plays for the regular services and assists in training the Royal Choristers.
He has broadcast with the choir on Radio 3 and Classic FM and was organist for a new disc of Handel anthems, released on the Naxos label. Joseph also plays regularly at the Wren church, St Brides Fleet St, which features a professional choir of international repute.
Toccare Incandescent (2003/04) was commissioned by the Royal Festival Hall, London, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its unique Harrison & Harrison organ. The uniqueness of this instrument lies in the installation of its pipes, which are horizontal ranks across the large orchestra stage, rather than a vertical stack above the consul, as one might expect in a church or town hall.
Consequently an unusual stereo effect was available and exploited. This work, however, was also designed to be played on more standard configurations and it is this version that is presented here. Toccare is the Italian word meaning to touch, hit, or tap, and is the root of the popular 16th century term toccata, which has come to mean a virtuoso composition for keyboard or plucked instrument characterised by brilliant passage work.
Toccare Incandescent expands some of the traditional ideas for organ writing into a 21st century showpiece. It is dedicated to David Titterington who performed the premiere in February, 2004, and it is published by United Music Publishers, UK.
Supernova
As well as its orchestral form, Holsts Suite The Planets exists in versions for keyboard: Holsts original working version for piano duet, a version for two pianos arranged by the composer himself, and a transcription for organ by the distinguished organist Arthur Wills, of which three movements are recorded on this CD.
The piano versions convey the power, energy, and delicacy of Holsts writing but the added dimension of the organs tonal spectrum makes it an ideal instrument to approach the colours of the original orchestration with great effect.With concurrent careers as a solo organist, conductor, and piano accompanist, Joseph Nolan is making his name as a versatile performer.
As an organist he has performed at most of the major British venues, including Westminster Abbey and St Pauls Cathedral, London, and at the Harrow and Hastings Organ Festivals. This CD is his début recording.