Thomas Heywood performs the celebrated Sortie in E-flat by the French romantic-era organist-composer Louis Lefébure-Wély on Australia's newest Grand Concert Organ.
Recorded live at the Grand Organ Concert in Aikman Hall, Haileybury on Sunday 21 November 2010.
Grand Concert Organ
Aikman Hall - Haileybury
Melbourne - Australia
Originally built in 1887 for Perth City Hall, Scotland by Scottish organ builder John R. Miller and rebuilt in 1957 by the famous English firm led by Henry Willis III, this historic large 4-manual instrument was gifted to Australia's largest school, Haileybury, Melbourne by the Royal Burgh of Perth.
With Thomas Heywood as Consultant, the Western Australian firm of Pipe Organs W.A. rebuilt and installed the instrument in Aikman Hall - Haileybury's large concert hall, after the instrument had sat silent for many years in Scotland.
Housed behind new twin cases divided in the hall's side galleries - an unusual location for a concert organ - this unique instrument's luxuriously romantic sound has to be heard to be believed!
The Grand Concert Organ in Aikman Hall, Haileybury was opened by Thomas Heywood on Sunday 17 May 2009.
Launched at the opening concert, the must-have premiere recording on Australia's newest Grand Concert Organ - "Sleeping Beauty Awakes!" - really does awaken this stunning "Sleeping Beauty"!
Thomas Heywood's "beyond brilliant" performances of some of the greatest music of all time will rouse the spirits in a programme from Bach to Offenbach!
Programme highlights include:
Offenbach's Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Beethoven's Coriolan - Overture
Tchaikovsky's Suite from The Sleeping Beauty
Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Wagner's Grand March from Tannhäuser
Chopin's 'Military' Polonaise in A major
And much more!
Full Programme of "Sleeping Beauty Awakes!":
Jacques Offenbach, transcribed by Thomas Heywood
Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Ludwig van Beethoven, trans. Thomas Heywood
Coriolan - Overture, Op. 62
George Frideric Handel, trans. Thomas Heywood
'Arrival of the Queen of Sheba' from Solomon
Richard Wagner, trans. Thomas Heywood
'Grand March' from Tannhäuser
Sir Edward Elgar, trans. Thomas Heywood
Salut d'amour, Op. 12
Frédéric Chopin, trans. W.T. Best
'Military' Polonaise in A major, Op. 40 No. 1
Felix Mendelssohn, edited by Thomas Heywood
Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 65 No. 1
Sergey Rachmaninoff, trans. Thomas Heywood
Vocalise from Fourteen Songs, Op. 34 No. 14
Pyotr Tchaikovsky, trans. Thomas Heywood
Suite from The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66
Introduction - 'Garland' Waltz - 'Rose' Adagio
Johann Sebastian Bach, edited by Thomas Heywood
Fugue à la Gigue, BWV 577
Available from concertorgan.com
