Join Sowne of Organe and Glasgow Society of Organists for this free afternoon event profiling the endangered 1865 Father Willis organ at St Margaret’s Church in Knightswood, Glasgow. With the church having been closed by the Church of Scotland, there are two masterpieces in peril: the historic pipe organ and the exceptional building itself.

Famed Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer designed St Margaret’s Church, and it became the last church in Scotland to be built wholly of stone. This significant listed building is home to an equally important pipe organ, which was the first commission for a Scottish church by the leading Victorian organ builder, Henry ‘Father’ Willis.

The organ has already outlived homelessness once before, when its original church – Townhead Parish Church – was closed and subsequently demolished. In this joint event between Sowne & GSO, come and hear the instrument played by Chris Bragg, Andrew Forbes, Eilidh Harris and Steven McIntyre; learn about its remarkable survival; and help us fight for the future of two precious masterpieces.

Aesop Ensemble, which reimagines storytelling through song, consists of Jessica Leary (soprano), Andrew McTaggart (baritone), Andrew Forbes (piano), and Andrew Huggan (cello). They present a programme of specially arranged music with a sea-faring theme (including Stanford’s well-known ‘Songs of the Sea’) which was originally put together for the Tall Ships Festival in Aberdeen.

Ticket info available at this link

The Revd Mustard His Installation Prelude —Nico Muhly (b.1981)

 Fiesta — Emma Lou Diemer (1927–2024)

Adoration — Florence Price (1887–1953)

 Through Eden’s gates (from The Garden of Eden) — William Bolcom (b.1969) arr. Forbes 

from A Quaker Reader — Ned Rorem (1923–2022)
• “There Is a Spirit That Delights to Do No Evil...”
• The World of Silence
• “Bewitching attire of the most charming simplicity...”
• A Secret Power
• “...No darkness at all...”
• One Sigh Rightly Begotten
• Return Home to Within 

Hymn (from Flights of Fancy: Ballet for Organ) — William Albright (1944–1998)

 Fantasia on ‘How Firm a Foundation’ (from Gospel Preludes) — William Bolcom

Free entry, unticketed.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba George Frideric Handel

Andante (4 Orgelstücke) Elfrida Andrée

Larghetto (4 Orgelstücke) Elfrida Andrée

Nimrod (Enigma Variations) Edward Elgar

Tuba Tune Craig Sellar Lang

Morning Mood (Peer Gynt) Edvard Grieg

Piece d’Orgue, BWV 572 Johann Sebastian Bach

from Vesper Voluntaries, Op.14 — Edward Elgar (1857–1934)
• Adagio
• Andantino
• Allegretto piacevole & Intermezzo
• Poco lento
• Poco allegro & Adagio come prima

Sonata K.288 — Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757)

Kyrie cum jubilo — Roxanna Panufnik (b.1968)

Prelude and Fugue in D, Op.16 No.3 — Clara Schumann (1819–1896)

Prelude (Le Tombeau de Couperin) — Maurice Ravel (1875–1937), arr. Wiersinga

Offertorium — James MacMillan (b.1959)

Salve Regina — Olivier Latry (b.1962)

Tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/charity-organ-concert-tickets-1020148691197

Free entry, unticketed.

Star Wars main theme John Williams

Air Gerre Hancock

Scottish Legend, Op. 54 Amy Beach

Braveheart love theme James Horner

Elegiac Romance John Ireland

Kyrie (Missa cum jubilo) Roxanna Panufnik

Prelude (Tombeau de Couperin) Maurice Ravel

Those Americans Calvin Hampton

Fiesta! Emma Lou Diemer

Part of Durham Cathedral’s Summer Organ Recital Series, tickets and info available here

• Concert Fantasia in B flat – Albert Lister Peace (1844–1912)

•  Two Pieces, Op. 53 – Joseph Jongen (1873–1952 )

  • Chant de Mai

  • Menuet-scherzo

• Prelude and Fugue on the name of ALAIN – Maurice Duruflé (1902–1986)

• Where the Birds Sing – Grace-Evangeline Mason (b.1994)

• Messe de la Pentecôte – Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992)

  • Communion (Les oiseaux et les sources)

• Orpheus: Symphonic Poem – Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

• Missa cum Jubilo – Roxanna Panufnik (b.1968)

  • Kyrie

  • Gloria

Chris Bragg, Andrew Forbes and Steven McIntyre give a performance on the 1875 Walker organ of Weem Parish Church. After two days of thoroughly surveying and recording the instrument, the three organists will offer a short concert, interspersed with a presentation on what makes this organ special.

Free entry, unticketed.

Programme TBC

Free entry, unticketed.

The pipe organ of Govan Old Parish Church sits between two radically different musical styles, a dialogue captured in this late-night performance of kaledioscopic music by Pachelbel, Sweelinck, Buxtehude and Bach, featuring specially curated editions from the early 20th Century.

Originally built in 1888, this historic instrument underwent a major redesign just before the Second World War—the period when rich symphonic textures gave way to an era characterised instead by brightness and clarity. Blending these new ideals with the dazzling gestures and profound rhetoric of the Baroque organ tradition, editions by Karl Straube and Frederick Bridge showcase the Govan Old organ in this vibrant interpretation of historic masterpieces.

Tickets available here

• Praeludium in A minor, BWV 543 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

• Ciaccona in D minor – Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706)

• Toccata in F, BuxWV 156 – Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707)

• Fantasia in echo style (Dorian), D.5 – Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621)

• Ciaccona in E, BuxWV 160 – Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707 

• Nova Cyclopeias Harmonica – Georg Muffat (1653–1704)

• Fantasia super Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ – Samuel Scheidt (1587–1654)       

• Fantasia in G minor, BWV 542 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Aesop Ensemble, which reimagines storytelling through song, consists of Jessica Leary (soprano), Andrew McTaggart (baritone), Andrew Forbes (piano), and Andrew Huggan (cello). 

Tickets available at this link

Programme TBC

Free entry, unticketed.

• Toccata in F, BuxWV 156 – Dietrich Buxtehude

• Nova Cyclopeias Harmonica (from Apparatus Musico-Organisticus) – Georg Muffat

• Circuli – Franz Danksagmüller

• La lugubre gondola (from Mysteries for organ) – William Bolcom

• Orpheus, Symphonic Poem – Franz Liszt, arr. Jean Guillou                  

• Through Eden’s gates (from The Garden of Eden) – William Bolcom

• Where the Birds Sing – Grace-Evangeline Mason (b.1994) Irish premiere

• Fantasia on How Firm a Foundation (from Gospel Preludes) – William Bolcom

Tickets available here

Time and programme TBC

Chris Bragg, Andrew Forbes and Steven McIntyre give a performance on the 1899 Binns organ of Abbotshall Kirk. The short concert, interspersed with a presentation on what makes this organ special.

Free entry, unticketed.

Chris Bragg, Andrew Forbes and Steven McIntyre give a performance on the 1892 Willis organ of St Columba’s Parish Church, Largs. After two days of thoroughly surveying and recording the instrument, the three organists will offer a short concert, interspersed with a presentation on this exceptional organ. Built on a grand scale by 'Father' Henry Willis, the organ has remained both tonally and technically unaltered, unlike Willis's more famous instruments at the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul's Cathedral or the Cathedrals of Durham, Salisbury or Hereford, to name but three.

Free entry, unticketed.

• Arrival of the Queen of Sheba – George Frideric Handel

• Largo (Xerxes) – George Frideric Handel

• Morning Mood (Peer Gynt) – Edvard Grieg

• Prelude & Fugue in C, BWV 545 – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Movement in A flat – Elizabeth Stirling

• Allegro marziale – Frank Bridge

Free entry, unticketed.

Glasgow Bach Cantata Project aims to bring the glory of J.S. Bach’s 200+ cantatas to Glasgow under the musical direction of Frikki Walker and Michael Bawtree. Our 12th concert is our first in the mighty Glasgow Cathedral, featuring visiting singers from Eystanljóð choir (Faroe Islands). The conductor is Michael Bawtree, and the opening organ concerto within BWV 146 is performed by Andrew Forbes. There will be a retiring collection in aid of Glasgow City Mission.

BWV 146  Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal in das Reich Gottes eingehen
BWV 561  Fantasia and Fugue in A minor
BWV 104  Du Hirte Israel, höre

Download the programme here

• Grand March from ‘Aida’ – Giuseppe Verdi

• Piece d’Orgue, BWV 572 – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Air from Orchestral Suite in D – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Theme from ‘Interstellar’ – Hanz Zimmer

• Aria (Symphony No.1) – Rachel Laurin

• Prelude on ‘Pange lingua’ – Kerensa Briggs

• March on a theme by Handel – Alexandre Guilmant

Free entry, unticketed.

with Andy McTaggart (baritone)

A varied programme of English songs, inspired by folk traditions and the rich heritage of British poetry. Spanning the Atlantic over the last century, the programme features works by Samuel Barber, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Errollyn Wallen, Frank Bridge, Muriel Herbert, and includes the Scottish premiere performance of Nico Muhly’s Four Traditional Songs.

Tickets £12 (£2 students), more info here

• A Quaker Reader – Ned Rorem

  • “There Is a Spirit That Delights to Do No Evil...”

  • The World of Silence

  • “Bewitching attire of the most charming simplicity...”

  • “...No darkness at all...”

  • One Sigh Rightly Begotten

• Refined Reflection (from Baronian Suite) – Stephen Paulus

• The Revd Mustard His Installation Prelude – Nico Muhly

• Aria (from Symphonie No. 1, Op. 36) – Rachel Laurin

• Tango Fantastico (from Flights of Fancy) – William Albright

• Five Dances for Organ – Calvin Hampton

  • Those Americans

  • Everyone Dance

Tickets £5 (free for Music Centre members), more info here

• Arrival of the Queen of Sheba – George Frideric Handel

• Andante in E flat – Albert Lister Peace

• Prelude & Fugue in D – Clara Schumann

• Sonata in D, K288 – Domenico Scarlatti

• Spring Song – Herve Wilkins

• Allegro marziale – Frank Bridge

Free entry, unticketed.

• Toccata duodecima – Georg Muffat

• Garden of Eden cakewalk – William Bolcom 

• Voluntary in B flat – Theophania Cecil

• A Refined Reflection – Stephen Paulus

• Concert Fantasia in B flat – Albert Lister Peace

Free entry, unticketed.

A varied programme of English songs from both side of the Atlantic, exploring folk traditions and the rich heritage of British poetry with songs by Samuel Barber, Gerald Finzi, Frank Bridge, Herbert Howells, John Ireland, and Errollyn Wallen.

Part of the University of Aberdeen Concert Series; tickets here

• Pilgrim’s Chorus (Tannhauser) – Richard Wagner

• Adoration – Florence Price

• Scherzo – Joseph Jongen

• Toccata for the flutes – John Stanley

• Allegro alla marcia – Albert Lister Peace

Free entry, unticketed.

• Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Prelude on Quem pastores laudavere – George McPhee

• Meditation on Slane – Eric Thiman

• Vesper Voluntaries, Op.26 – Edward Elgar

  • Introduction

  • Allegro

  • Andantino

  • Allegretto piacevole & Intermezzo

  • Poco lento

  • Moderato

  • Allegretto pensoso

  • Poco allegro & Adagio come prima

• The Revd Mustard His Installation Prelude – Nico Muhly

• Concert Fantasia in B flat – Albert Lister Peace

Cottiers Theatre boasts a significant and outstanding three-manual Father Willis organ, fully restored in 2014 by H&H. To showcase this instrument, composer Dick Lee was commissioned to write a new work: Winds of Change, for organ and drumkit. This was first performed by Andrew Forbes and Tom Lee in 2022. This 2023 performance features Andrew again, with Stu Brown on drums.

• Overture to the oratorio ‘St Paul’ – Felix Mendelssohn, arr. W T Best

• Fantasia in C – William Byrd

• Where the Birds Sing – Grace-Evangeline Mason Scottish premiere

• Prelude and Fugue on the name of ALAIN – Maurice Duruflé

• The Revd Mustard His Installation Prelude – Nico Muhly

• Chorale Prelude ‘An Wasserflüssen Babylon’, BWV 653 – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Organ Symphony No.1, Op.14 –Louis Vierne

  • Allegro vivace

  • Andante

  • Final

• Toccata duodecima et ultima – Georg Muffat

• Three Protestant Chorales

  • Ein feste Burg – Calvin Hampton

  • Nicaea – Calvin Hampton

  • Ját’ jsem v tom rozveselen – Peter Eben

• Organ Sonata No.2 – Paul Hindemith

  • Lebhaft

  • Ruhig bewegt

  • Fuge. Mäßig bewegt, Heiter                                  

• Those Americans (from Five Dances for Organ) – Calvin Hampton

• Prayer – Alfred Hollins

• Allegro alla marcia – Albert Lister Peace

Chris Bragg, Katelyn Emerson, Andrew Forbes and Steven McIntyre give a concert on the 1867 Mirrlees organ of Our Holy Redeemer Church. After two days of thoroughly surveying and recording the instrument, the four organists will offer a short concert, interspersed with a presentation on what makes this organ special.

Free entry, unticketed.