Byrd to Blow

Info & track listings

The opening pieces, by William Byrd, are performed on what would have been the full extent of the available stops of a large organ of the period. The opening Fancy is performed on a solo Open Diapason, the main foundation stop on the large organ. The opening section has a choral quality, with voices introduced one at a time. The second section opens with fanfare-like chords, and gradually lines break away and become more flamboyant, building to a grand final cadence.

For Salvator Mundi the hymn melody is heard in long notes between two embellished lines, and for the final grand Fantasia the full scale of the large organ is employed. The largest of the three Robin Walker enjoys a busy and varied musical career as performer, conductor, teacher and church musician.

He studied organ at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with honours and DipRAM, the Academy’s Gold Medal. He has held positions at Hinde Street Methodist Church, St Giles-in-the-Fields, H.M. Chapel Royal within the Tower of London, St Mary’s Hampstead, St Mark’s Florence, and is currently Organist of La Badia Fiorentina (Florence Abbey), where he plays the 1558 Zeffirini organ. Whilst serving at St Giles he began the project to restore the historic organ.