The inaugural recital on the organ of St Mary's Church, Welwyn, was given by Peter Hurford on Saturday 15th February 1992. In 1993 the BBC recorded him playing the instrument for Radio 3 but a change of policy reduced the number of broadcasts of organ music and the un-broadcast recordings were stored in the BBC's tape archive. Now the BBC has agreed to St Mary's releasing the recording for the first time to the public. Following work to produce an acceptable CD-sound, Peter Hurford also kindly agreed to allow copies of the recording to be made available and sold for the benefit of St Mary's. St Mary's Church is part of the Church of England in the Diocese of St Albans which is situated in the south of the UK.
Born on St Cecilia's Day 1930, Peter Hurford studied at the Royal College of Music before going to Cambridge University, where he took degrees in music and law. While Master of the Music at St Alban's Cathedral (from which he retired in 1978 after 21 years' service) he founded the International Organ Festival which has done much to restore the organ to the mainstream of music making, and through its competitions, has launched many now famous artists.
Peter Hurford's recital career spans 41 years and he is one of the most recorded instrumentalists of the past twenty years, well known particularly for his interpretation of Bach's complete organ music, recently reissued by Decca on 17 CDs. His Bach recordings for the BBC occupied 34 weekly broadcast programmes in 1980, and were repeated two years later. In 1997 he performed fifteen concerts of Bach's organ works at the 50th Edinburgh International Festival, to capacity audiences and widespread critical acclaim.
From 1980 to 1982 Peter Hurford was President of the Royal College of Organists and Visiting Artist-in-Residence to Sydney Opera House. He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Music and of the Royal School of Church Music. He was honoured with the O.B.E. in 1984.
The CD is 36 minutes long and includes works by Bach, Pachelbel, Christian Ritter, John Stanley and Mendelssohn. Seventy individually numbered CD Jewel Cases have been signed by Peter Hurford, one for each year of his life and copy number 1 with its CD has been presented to him. Signed copies are £18.00 each plus postage and packing if appropriate and, once the 69 available for sale have gone, no more will ever be issued.
The CD is now available and can be purchased through Stephen Jupp, Churchwarden, 1 North Ride, Welwyn, Herts AL6 9RD or email stephen.jupp@iee.org.
Read the CD's Brochure and Track Listing by clicking here.