Deep Purple – The Organ

This selection of close harmony arrangements offers several well-known items by composers as diverse as Kern, Gershwin and Mancini, but also includes some newer works, including a Vasari commission from Bob Chilcott called Dances in the streets and Birthday Madrigals by John Rutter. The recording is very close as one might expect for this repertoire, and though this makes for a vivid and fresh sound, it does highlight some inconsistencies in tuning and blend with some breathy tone apparent, particularly in the tenor and soprano parts. That said, it doesn’t detract at all from the overall spirit of the recording, which is rather jolly – even eliciting an occasional smile on my part. Not quite up to the usual standard from this group (the recent Dupré discs have been superb), but a worthwhile departure nonetheless and I would imagine one or two may end up with this in a Christmas stocking?

JJ
The Organ