Francis Jackson (1917-2022) - Improvisation from 7 Pieces op 84 no 2

Описание: Known for his long and prestigious association with York Minster as the Director of Music (holding the post for 36 years from 1946-82), Francis Jackson held a pre-eminent position in the world of church music.

Jackson had been a chorister at St Michael's Church, Malton, until he joined the choir of York Minster in 1929, where he sang under Sir Edward Bairstow for four years, after which he returned to Malton to serve as organist at St Michael's from 1933 to 1940. He studied at Durham University and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) in 1937, winning the Limpus Prize. After active service during the Second World War, he returned to York Minster in 1946 to become Organist and Director of Music, succeeding Bairstow.

Jackson gave recitals and concerts all over the world and made numerous recordings of solo organ music and of choral music with the choir of York Minster. His extensive output of sacred and secular music includes canticles, anthems, hymn tunes (including the widely sung "East Acklam"), organ sonatas and other organ pieces such as "Diversion for Mixtures", but his 164 opus numbers range well beyond choral and solo organ music. There are two acclaimed monodramas – 'Daniel in Babylon' and 'A Time of Fire' – as well as the overture 'Brigantia', an organ concerto (1985), a symphony (1957), chamber music and solo songs.

Jackson's organ compositions adhere to the forms and structures of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic traditions but his style offers a different tonal palette: modal in feeling, spare in texture, but always with an acute and beautifully judged sense of the capabilities and sounds of the organ as an instrument.

'Improvisation' is the second of the 7 Pieces op 84 and its sombre dreaminess throughout encourages us to think of Jackson in the organ loft at York Minster, working up a pre-Evensong extemporisation in the manner of this well-crafted work.

Sample set: Hereford Cathedral from Lavender Audio (via Hauptwerk)