It is 30 years since the Walker organ was installed in Exeter College Chapel and the College is celebrating this milestone with a festival of organ music across the 2024/25 academic year. Some of the world’s most accomplished organists will come to Oxford over the year, as part of the ‘French Colours’ series, which is being staged in collaboration with Music at Oxford.
The first concert, with organist David Briggs, will take place on Thursday 14 November and tickets are on sale now.
The three concerts of the International Organ Series will present electrifying music with wide appeal. For the organ cognoscenti, however, there’s deeper interest, with the concerts reflecting the style and heritage of Exeter College’s Walker organ, which has led to the French theme of the series.
Each of the concerts will focus on various aspects of French organ music from the 19th and 20th centuries, seeking not to just feature the ‘usual suspects’ but to present fascinating music that is not known as well as it should be in the UK.
The opening concert on 14 November will be a tribute to the famed French organist Pierre Cochereau, formerly of Notre-Dame in Paris. Cochereau’s music brought his own flair and flamboyance to the French symphonic style and, as is the tradition in French cathedrals, much of his playing was improvised. His musical genius could therefore have been easily lost to posterity, but organist David Briggs, who appears in this first recital, has transcribed many of Cochereau’s performances from recordings, allowing us to continue to enjoy his music.
In January the brilliant young rising star Lucile Dollat appears in the series. She winds the clock back, looking at the music which influenced Pierre Cochereau, that of French Impressionism, a musical style which ran in parallel to the popular style of visual artists such as Monet and Cézanne. Dollat will be performing organ adaptations of orchestral music by Debussy and Ravel, as well as her own improvisations, and music by composer Elsa Barraine. Despite being described by the Grove Musical Dictionary as “one of the outstanding French composers of the mid-20th century”, Barraine’s music is today rarely heard.
While he’s not a household name outside of organ circles, such was Pierre Cochereau’s impact and legacy that he had a lasting influence on organists and composers that came after him. In the final concert of the series in May, organist Stephen Tharp, from New York, looks at music that was influenced by and builds upon Cochereau’s style. The recital features music by Daniel Roth, Gaston Litaize and Jeanne Demessieux, as well as compositions by Stephen Tharp’s own mentor Jean Guillou, whose musical style attempts to explore the many hidden colours, sound effects and emotions of the organ in an idiosyncratic, yet always deeply convincing way. The programme will also include music by George Baker, an American who was deeply influenced by the musical style of Cochereau and his French contemporaries.
Michael Koenig, Exeter College Graduate Organist, said:
“Generally speaking, organ recitals could do with more fire and panache, and that’s something we’re aiming to put right with this series of events. We’re programming music that is really fresh, which will thrill both those new to organ recitals and those who are already fans of the instrument. The three organists joining us across the series are truly outstanding – passionate, consummate musicians, all at the top of their game, each of them on a par with the greatest of pianists. I’m so looking forward to introducing them and their programmes to Oxford audiences!”
Tickets for all concerts are on sale now, and there are opportunities to join exclusive drinks receptions and post-concert dinners for the January and May events, allowing concert-goers to experience more of the wonderful surroundings of Exeter College.
- David Briggs, Thursday 14 November – buy tickets and find out more
- Lucile Dollat, Saturday 25 January – buy tickets and find out more
- Stephen Tharp, Thursday 15 May – buy tickets and find out more
Further events celebrating 30 years of the Walker Organ will take place throughout the 2024/25 academic year. These will include:
- 17-26 January: visit of the choir and organists of Williams College, MA (joint performances with the choir and organists of Exeter)
- 27 February: An evening of organ music inspired by Exeter alumnus J.R.R. Tolkien, with Professor Stuart Lee and Owen Chan
- 14 June: Recital with Exeter alumnus Christopher Herrick (organ music by Exonian composers: Hubert Parry and Herbert Brewer)
- 19 June: Harry Potter at the organ: Ewa Belmas plays film tunes from the Harry Potter series; held in conjunction with the Exeter College Outreach team
The Walker organ pipes actually sit behind the ornate pipes of the Chapel’s original Hill organ. Read more about Exeter’s past and current organs here.
