SUMMER ORGAN RECITAL

Recitalist: Henry Wallace, formerly Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh.

Join us for the 4th of our series of 6 Organ Recitals. Tea & coffee in the church from 10.30am. Free entry with retiring collection.

HENRY WALLACE

Northumberland

Sonata I in F minor                                                                                   Felix Mendelssohn

Allegro w Adagio w Andante recitativo w Allegro assai vivace                   (1809–1847)

Psalm Prelude Set 1, No.1                                                                            Herbert Howells

(1892–1983)

Fugue on the Magnificat, BWV 733                                                 Johann Sebastian Bach

(1685–1750)

Clair de lune (Pièces de Fantaisie, 2^me Suite)                                                     Louis Vierne

(1870–1937)

Elegy                                                                                                      George Thalben-Ball

(1896–1987)

Prelude on an old Irish church melody (Gartan)                             Charles Villiers Stanford

(1852–1924)

Chorale Prelude on “Dundee”, Set 1, No.1                                                       Hubert Parry

(1848–1918)

Henry Wallace was born and educated in Scotland. In his sabbatical year after leaving school, he was Assistant Organist at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. He then studied Music at Cambridge University, where he was Organ Scholar at St. Catharine’s College, studying organ with Peter Hurford and David Sanger, and piano with Hilda Bor. During his time directing them, the St. Catharine’s College Choir toured abroad for the first time, to Italy, and published their first recording, “Music of the Second English Renaissance”.

After graduating, Henry moved to Northumberland. He was Assistant Organist at Hexham Abbey, while also working as a music teacher, firstly as Head of Music at Mowden Hall School for two years, then freelance.

Henry’s first solo organ recording, made on Hexham Abbey’s Phelps organ, is devoted entirely to 19th and 20th Century French organ music. The second recording was made on the pre-restored Lewis organ in St. George’s Cullercoats, in aid of the restoration of the instrument. A third recording was made a few years later, on the Walker organ in St. Mungo’s Simonburn, Northumberland.

Over the years Henry conducted several local choirs in the north east of England. After a few years in teaching, he embarked on a postgraduate degree in Computing Science at Newcastle University, during which time he was also the University Organ Scholar. Following that he pursued a career in the computer software industry, while continuing his work in musical fields as both conductor and organist.

After 16 years at Hexham Abbey, Henry returned to live in Scotland, working as a software engineer. He was Organist and Choirmaster at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. After 22 years at Greyfriars Kirk, Henry retired and moved back to Northumberland.