Peter King plays German Romantic organ works on the Klais organ of Bath Abbey
REGENT REGCD198
72'55"
www.regentrecords.com

Peter King makes a magnificent entry on this disc with Max Reger’s Introduction and Passacaglia in D minor, putting us in touch with the German Romantics that fill this wonderful new recording. Liszt (‘not German’, I hear you say), Brahms, Rheinberger and Karg-Elert add to the mix and show off the Klais organ found at Bath Abbey to great effect. King’s take on the Romantics is a mature one that is never diminished in style, where heavy duty harmony is never put above clarity.

Liszt’s Évocation à la Chapelle Sixtine provides the first contrast in the programme, while Rheinberger’s Fantasie-Sonate No.17 in B, Opus 181 has four movements, the first of which, through it’s almost eight and a half minute charge, relies on delicate introspection that really puts the choice of registration to the test. King makes this all so easy, however, and continues to win my admiration throughout his recital. I particularly enjoyed the delicate playing of Karg-Elert’s evocation La Nuit from Trois Impressions, Opus 72, while Reger’s arrangement of Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue receives a performance worth every penny you spend on this disc.

DA