Greensleeves - Nigel Ogden at his home Compton organ

Описание: Like many in the organ world and the musical world in general, I was very sad to hear of the passing of the legendary organist and presenter of the long running BBC radio show 'The Organist Entertains' Nigel Ogden. Nigel was born in 1954 and was 'promoted to glory' on 27th January 2026.

Nigel could get sounds out of an organ that nobody else could and I remember seeing him in concert for the first time when I was 12 at Brierley Hill Methodist Church in 1991 and leaving totally spellbound. I had never heard a church organ played in cinema organ style before.

Since then I have collected almost all of Nigel's recordings of him playing cinema organs, a Hammond organ and a few church organs.

However, like me Nigel was a huge admirer of Compton electronic organs and although I did not know it, he had been watching my youtube channel with interest and we began exchanging emails and I found out he had a Compton electronic organ model 363 at his home. He sent me a number of recordings of him playing this so here is 'Greensleeves'.

Thank you for the music Nigel and may you rest in peace.

Please note that this video is sound only.

A TRIBUTE FROM THE THEATRE ORGAN CLUB:

Nigel was a fine, all-round musician who was equally at home on pipe organ and electronics. He was a clever transcriber of light orchestral music on both church and theatre organ and also had the ability to play jazz, which was much influenced by Bryan Rodwell, with whom he had worked and who he admired. In addition, he was a much respected classical organist.

However, Nigel’s first musical love was the theatre organ, and he spent most of his career travelling the country and playing for the many clubs and societies that lovingly cared for them. Nigel had the ability to get the best from them all, not one to just set the same pistons, he took time to find out what each organ did best and he would plan his programme to suit it, and those programmes were always professionally and informatively presented.

Nigel was born in Manchester, his father was a church organist who was friendly with Sandy Macpherson, at that time touring Methodist churches, and had previously had lessons from theatre organist, Gordon Banner. Piano lessons were followed by organ tuition from the age of twelve.
A family trip to Blackpool resulted in an introduction to the sounds of the Tower Wurlitzer, played by Reginald Dixon, and he was, like so many, hooked.

After teacher training, Nigel decided his future lay in music, initially working as a demonstrator for David and Joyce Alldred in their music shop before starting his own retail business, and it was Joyce that gave young Nigel help and encouragement at the Davenport Theatre in Stockport, where she was house organist.

Nigel first appeared on ‘The Organist Entertains’ in 1972, before taking over the presentation from Robin Richmond in 1980, and presented the programme for the next 38 years.

Nigel had a keen sense of humour and an equally keen wit. He was able to give impressions of other organists, both verbally and musically, especially at more intimate venues, such as the Plough in Great Munden, where he was a frequent performer on the Compton.

Nigel was three times Patron of the Theatre Organ Club and did much to keep the theatre organ in the public eye.

As well as being a composer of note, Nigel found time to provide organ music for Radio and TV, perhaps most notably in Channel Four’s production of ‘Lipstick On Your Collar’ in 1993 when he provided the music for Roy Hudd’s seedy cinema organist, Harold Atterbow, at the State Grays.

Nigel will be much missed by his many friends and admirers, gained over a 50 year career of music making.