Stanford University Organist Robert Huw Morgan

MORGAN'S ORGAN VIRTUOSITY SHINES IN ALL BACH RECITAL IN SCHROEDER

Robert Huw Morgan, Stanford University’s consummate organist, returned to the Green Music Center’s Schroeder Hall October 16 to play a thrilling recital of great Bach organ music from mostly Bach’s Cöthen period.

Professor Morgan’s eclectic program included the Prelude and Fugue in E Flat Major, BWV 552a and 552b; Trio Sonata No. 5 in C major, BWV 529; Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537; Pastorale for Organ in F major, BWV 590; and two chorale preludes: “Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele”, BWV 624 and “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier”, BWV 731.

Mr. Morgan performed this technically challenging program with an effortless, articulated touch on the two manuals and pedals. The artist’s articulation of the rapidly executed phrases was amazingly clear and even throughout the entire performance. He played Bach’s complicated ornamental figures so gently listeners might have believed they were only figments of imagination!

Bach’s wonderful E Flat prelude from the Third Part of the Clavier Übung opened the program grandly in the pompous style of a French entrée grandé overture. The E Flat fugue, in three parts, often known as the St. Anne, closed the program in equally magisterial style. The fugal sections are firstly a grand chorale, then a swirl of fantasy on a fragment of the same motif, and lastly an exuberant dance of triplets in 12/8 time.

Much could be said about the performance of each of these seminal works. All parts of this magnificent recital were played with authentic organ stop registration typical of Bach’s own time and with consummate skill. Mr. Morgan showed his appreciation for the Schroeder’s Baroque North German mechanical (also known as “tracker”) instrument by generously attributing all of the musical credit for the program to the organ, rather than to himself. He commented from the organ loft at the concert’s beginning that the instrument was an inspirational joy to play, but not always easy task to accomplish.

The nearly full audience instinctively knew that Mr. Morgan’s virtuosic playing would be wonderful on any instrument.