Fireworks & Fanfares Stuart Nicholson

• Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990): Fanfare for the Common Man:
• 1 Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man 04:05
• Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981): Adagio for strings:
• 2 Barber: Adagio for strings 08:42
• Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990): Overture to ‘Candide’:
• 3 Bernstein: Overture to ‘Candide’ 05:05
• George Gershwin (1898 - 1937): Promenade (Walking the dog from ‘Shall we dance?’):
• 4 Gershwin: Promenade (Walking the dog from ‘Shall we dance?’) 03:14
• Anonymous: Simple Gifts:
• 5 Anonymous: Simple Gifts 04:02
• Samuel A Ward (1848 - 1903): America the beautiful:
• 6 Ward: America the beautiful 05:29
• Anonymous: Homage to Fritz Kreisler (Londonderry Air):
• 7 Anonymous: Homage to Fritz Kreisler (Londonderry Air) 05:12
• John Philip Sousa (1854 - 1932): The Stars and Stripes forever:
• 8 Sousa: The Stars and Stripes forever 03:54
• Harold Arlen (1905 - 1986): Finale from Fantasy-Sonata ‘Over the rainbow’:
• 9 Arlen: Finale from Fantasy-Sonata ‘Over the rainbow’ 05:43
• Henry Mancini (1924 - 1994): Baby Elephant Walk from ‘Hatari’:
• 10 Mancini: Baby Elephant Walk from ‘Hatari’ 02:58
• Elmer Bernstein (1922 - 2004): Ghostbusters:
• 11 Bernstein: Ghostbusters 03:29
• John Williams (b. 1932): Cantina Band from ‘Star Wars’:
• 12 Williams: Cantina Band from ‘Star Wars’ 02:01
• David Arnold (b. 1962): Independence Day [End titles]:
• 13 Arnold: Independence Day [End titles] 10:06
• Total Runtime 01:04:00

Info for Fireworks & Fanfares

Released for St Patrick’s Day, Stuart Nicholson and friends invite us to a transatlantic celebration of popular classical and film music from twentieth-century America, in virtuoso arrangements demonstrating the versatility of the historic Willis organ in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. In some of the items, Nicholson – Director of Music at the Cathedral – is joined by his organ duet partner, Harry Meehan, Victoria Green on alto sax and flute, Áine Balfe on flute and piccolo, and in the first and last items Richard O’Donnell, Bernard Rielly, and Dylan Quinn on percussion, adding a kaleidoscope of additional colours.

The recording opens with Aaron Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ – the repeated fortissimo pounding from the percussion resounding dramatically in the Cathedral’s acoustic. The dazzling organ duet arrangements of the Overture to Leonard Bernstein’s colourful operetta, ‘Candide’, and John Philip Sousa’s rousing ‘The Stars and Stripes forever’, bring some virtuoso fireworks to the proceedings, and the end titles of David Arnold’s ‘Independence Day’ film score which close the recording unleashes the full range and power of the St Patrick’s organ and percussion. Interspersed throughout the programme are more reflective organ solos, including Barber’s famous ‘Adagio’, and ‘Homage to Fritz Kreisler’ – a wistful arrangement of the Londonderry Air – together with lyrical organ duets and arrangements featuring alto sax, flute, and piccolo of well-known hits from George Gershwin, Henri Mancini, Elmer Bernstein (Ghostbusters), and John Williams (Star Wars). The finale from British composer, Paul Ayres’s Fantasy-Sonata ‘Over the rainbow’, based on the famous song from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, offers a quirky and jaw-droppingly pyrotechnic interlude!

In 1902 a new organ was built for St Patrick’s Cathedral by Henry Willis and Sons incorporating some of the pipework from an earlier instrument. The organ had been planned by ‘Father’ Henry Willis – the foremost organ builder of the Victorian age – in consultation with Sir George Martin, organist of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London, where there is an earlier ‘Father’ Willis instrument. Willis didn’t live to see the fruits of his design and the instrument was completed by his son – also named Henry – who distinguished himself in his treatment of the powerful reed stops heard to advantage in this recording.

Stuart Nicholson, organ
Harry Meehan, organ, director
Victoria Green, saxophone, flute
Áine Balfe, flute, piccolo
Richard O’Donnell, percussion
Bernard Rielly, percussion
Dylan Quinn, percussion

Stuart Nicholson
born in Essex in 1975, Stuart studied the organ at the Royal College of Music with John Birch, graduating in 1997 with a first class degree. During his studies, Stuart held various positions in London including the organ scholarship at St Paul's Cathedral, St Bride's Fleet Street and the Temple Church.

During his time at the Royal College of Music, he gave over 100 performances of pieces written by college composers, past and present, and in particular the organ works of Alastair Stout.

During 1998, Stewart was made acting assistant organist at St Mary"s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, where he accompanied daily services, toured America and Switzerland, and broadcast regularly on Radios 3 and 4.

As a soloist, Stuart has performed in many major venues across the country. He has played at both of the capital"s Anglican Cathedrals, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, and at London's Royal Albert and Queen Elizabeth Halls. Stuart now maintains a busy career as organist in and around London.

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