David Briggs

Trinity College, Cambridge

Suite improvisée à la Française dans le style du Grand Siècle

1. Grand Plein Jeu

2. Fugue sur les Jeux d'Anches

3. Tierce en taille

4. Basse de Trompette

5. Flûtes

6. Grand Jeu

Tryptique Symphonique Improvisée sur deaux thèmes

7. Prelude

8. Adagio

9. Finale

Igreja da Lapa, Portgal

10, Improvisation in the style of Beethoven

Hofkirche, Luzern, Switzerland

Symphonie Improvisée en quatre mouvements

11. Presentation of the four themes

12. Introduction and Allegro

13. Andante espressivo

14. Scherzo

15. Finale

16. Encore - Introduction and Spinning Wheel

NB The mp3 download is 4 tracks - one for each major item

Premier recording of the new transcription for Choir, Soloists and Organ by David Briggs...

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, ‘RESURRECTION’

Featuring

Julia Morson (Soprano)

Christina Stelmacovich (Mezzo-Soprano)

City of Birmingham Choir

Renaissance Singers

David Briggs (Organ)

Conducted by

Dr Christopher Robinson

RECORDED IN BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL, UK

NB The downloadable "mp3" zip file now contains both mp3 AND lossless FLAC versions. (500MB download)

Premiere recording of the new transcription for Organ, Choir and Soloists by Organist David Briggs

New recording of my new organ/choral transcription of Mahler's 'Symphony of a Thousand', recorded live at St John the Divine, NYC on 7th April, coming out very soon  :).

You can pre-order it here at www.david-briggs.org.

380 singers, 8 soloists, SJD Skinner, incomparable acoustic ... this will blow your speakers! This organ really sounds like an orchestra.

A thrilling culmination to an 18-month project, magnificently conducted by Kent Tritle and brilliantly recorded and mastered by Fred Hohman of Pro Organo.

https://vimeo.com/185720512

Copious programme notes and photographs - and stunning recorded sound! Works by J S Bach, Marcel Dupré, Pierre Cochereau, Max Reger, Gustav Mahler, David Briggs, Jehan Alain, Maurice Ravel, Charles-Marie Widor and two large-scale improvisations.

Disc One

1. Sinfonia from Cantata 29 J S Bach (4:09)

2. Prelude and Fugue in F minor Marcel Dupré (9:31)

3. ‘Cantem toto la Gloria’ Pierre Cochereau (9:06)

4. Chorale-Fantasia: ‘Straf’ mich nicht in deinem Zorn’ Max Reger (13:26)

5. Adagietto (Symphony No 5) Gustav Mahler (Transcribed David Briggs) (9:45)

6. Disneyrama (2009) David Briggs (13:53)

Disc Two

1. Litanies Jehan Alain (4:58)

2. Pavane pour une enfante défunte Maurice Ravel arr. Emile Seutin (7:10)

3. Fugue à la Gigue BWV 577 J S Bach (3:20)

4. Chorale Prelude ‘O Mensch bewein, deine Sünde groß’ BWV 622 J S Bach (5:29)

5. Allegro (Symphony No 6) Charles-Marie Widor (10:14)

6. Improvisation on ‘Darwell’s 148’ and ‘B-A-C-H’ (8:27)

7. Improvisation on ‘Hereford’ (11:18)

Total duration 111 mins 5 seconds

CD 1

1 Prelude 'The New Commonwealth'

2 Overture: The Wasps (transcribed DJB)

3 Two Organ Preludes founded on Welsh Folk songs - 1

4 Two Organ Preludes founded on Welsh Folk songs - 2

5 Two movements from the Suite for Viola and Small Orchestra - 1

6 Two movements from the Suite for Viola and Small Orchestra - 2

7 A Wedding Tune for Ann

8 Wedding canon for Nancy

9 Fantasia on Aberystwyth (Henry Ley)

10 Largo Sostenuto from A Sea Symphony (transcribed by Henry Ley)

11 Prelude and Fugue in C Minor

CD 2

1 Three Preludes founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes - 1

2 Three Preludes founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes - 2

3 Three Preludes founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes - 3

4 Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis (transcribed by Peter Beardsley)

5 Dirge for Fidele

6 Passacaglia on BCG

7 Fantasia on Greensleeves

8 Land of our birth

9 Alla Sarabanda (transcribed by Henry Ley)

10 Slow movement from A London Symphony (transcribed by Henry Ley)

11 Antiphon - Let all the World (transcribed by Henry Ley)

Disk 1: Symphony No. 1 in A flat Op.55 - transcribed by David Briggs Disk2: Symphony No. 2 in E flat Op.63 - transcribed by David Briggs

Recorded at a live concert on 21st May 2011 on the Wiehl-Orgel in the church of St Katherine, Oppenheim, Germany

Prelude and Fugue in E min BWV 548 'The Wedge' - JS Bach

Kommst du nun, Jesu, von Himmel herunter BWV 650 - JS Bach

Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659 - JS Bach

Herr Gott nun schleuss den Himmel auf BWV 617 - JS Bach

In dir ist Freude BWV 615 - JS Bach

Symphonie Improvisee - David Briggs

Louis Vierne - Symphony No.3 in F# minor, Op.28

Charles-Marie Widor - Symphony No.5 in F minor, Op.42 No.1

Improvisations by David Briggs on the bell chime of St Sernin. (Lourdes hymn)

Recorded on the 100th anniversary of the death of Gustav Mahler on 18th February.

1-Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig - 24:48

2-Andante moderato - 15:57

3-Scherzo: Wuchtig - 13:17

4-Finale: Sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Allegro energico - 34:45

Built in 1962 (just like David Briggs!), the magnificent Klais organ in Himmerod Abbey, Germany is one of the finest organs in Europe, and is bathed in the abbey’s remarkable 11 second acoustic. David plays an exciting and varied programme containing music from four centuries, and finishes with a major symphonic improvisation, based on 'The Old Hundredth'. The sleeve contains numerous colour photos of both the abbey and the instrument as well as details about the recording sessions, music and instrument. Don't miss this opportunity to really put your sound system through its paces…

Grand Choeur Dialogué - Eugène Gigout - 5:34
Fugue on the Magnificat, BWV 733 - J.S.Bach - 5:29
Largetto in F sharp minor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley - 6:18
Fantasia and Fugue in G - Sir Charles H H Parry - 11:10
Scherzetto (Sonata in C minor) - Percy Whitlock - 4:30
Rhapsody in C# minor - Herbert Howells - 9:27
Popular Song (Façade Suite) - Sir William Walton - 2:12
Phantasie on 'Hallelujah, Gott zu loben' - Max Reger - 16:05
Improvisation on 'The Old Hundredth' - David Briggs - 18:14

This disc includes Briggs’ Messe pour Notre Dame, and features four movements of David Briggs’ own improvisations - the Introït, Offertoire, Élévation and Sortie. Very much aligned with French liturgical practice, this is Briggs captured in the heat of the improvised, unedited moment. These improvisations display a masterful range of mood and colour. There is delicacy, reflection and repose, alongside mighty bombast and truly gothic 'shock and awe'. Listening to them is an uniquely thrilling musical experience.
Also included are some of Briggs’ much more Anglophone anthems. The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, who have been winning increasing praise for their Hyperion recordings, perform with their inspirational director Stephen Layton, and the composer, of course, at the organ.