Yes, the opening night of the BBC proms at the Royal Albert Hall got me excited becasue not only was a piece by Messiaen (Dieu Parmi Nous) being played on the wonderful organ but, Wayne Marshall, a black organist (not sure where hes from though) who I love was playing.

I love him because I have a CD of him playing transcriptions of well known pieces very well and with lots of force and energy.

The Messiaen, however, was played with too much force in my opinion. I could see he was using the Leduc publication, but he couldnt stop rushing the piece as if he wanted to show off his skill - 'look at me'. I got out my copy of the Leduc Score and followed it while he played but the tempo markings where all over the place.
Now the recording of the same piece by Naji Hakim at La Trinite in Paris seems more controlled and you can make out the notes.

Is it down to interpretation when you play modern music just like when you play baroque?

The Albert Hall doesnt have very good acoustics yet the piece sounded blurry.

Id love to hear Wayne play something baroque

I agree

But why play THAT piece? How often does a a solo organist get TV time? How often does ANYorgan/organist get TV time?

At risk of sounding.....whatever..... how many of the viewing public would have enjoyed that? How many would have asked themselves "What on earth is he playing?". The organ as the "King of Instruments" is rarely featured in music programmes whether on TV or radio, I am quite sure that Classic FM has only three organ tracks in it's whole CD collection (Widor Toccata from 5th Symphony, Bach Dminor and Saint-Saens) and here was a golden opportunity to present a piece that may have encouraged the general viewing audience to want to hear more and to boost the popularity of the organ.

and I am not alone amongst fellow organists in thinking this.

My husband did say he thought it would have been good if something more accessible was played. Something more appealing to the general public who don't know what an organ is (beyond 'that thing in churches') never mind fancy modern stuff for organ.

This is from someone who will listen to most music but doesn't play anything and doesn't have much musical knowledge of background - he did actually ask me if they'd brought Mr. Marshall's 'keyboard' in for him to play (I explained that organists play the instrument that is in the building, because that variety of organ is not particularly portable - I had to go on to explain why there were four keyboards, what he was doing with his feet, and what all the knobs and buttons were for!)

The piece was a very good choice - the playing was just too fast.

As i said on another forum 'virtuosity at the expense of musicianship'

I hear that sadly Dr. Who did not appear to play the organ at the RAH yesterday, as per that episode which included Wells Cathedral recently. Apparently the TARDIS sat in front of the organ console, next to the bust of Sir Henry Wood, thrumming away...

Carlo Curley was involved ??!!

I've never listened to Messiaen but I've gathered that he's not the easiest of composers to appreciate, if I can put it that way

Anyway I was quite looking forward to seeing what I thought of it, but I have to admit that I couldn't listen to it - too stressful!

I really hated that peice to be honest, but i did like some of the other stuff... i hate to say it also, but that was the first time ive ever seen a black organist :S

Nothing wrong in saying that - I know its early on a saturday morning, but other than Wayne, i can't think of another eminent Black organist. Perhaps this is because so many people who learn the Organ do so out of the Choral traditions of the world rather than as a 'pure instrument' (like the piano etc) and it is predominantly used in Anglicanism, stereotypically a white religion?

I cannot stand Wayne Marshall - he playes eveything too quickly and loud just to show off. I find no musicality in him at all. He murdered Messaiens 'Transports de Joie' at the proms a few years ago also. I cannot undetsand how people enthuse about him.

Do you remember the BBC radio 3 'Bach week' a few years ago, when they invited organists all over the country to play the Dmi Toccata and Fugue.....and broadcast WM's version? It was far too fast and just a mess.

I think I played it better myself!

Did anyone here Simon Preston today though?

Superb might start to cover what i thought of it... a fantastic display of passion understanding and emotion in the music.

Was this upstaged by Gardiner-English Baroque doing Johannes Passion tonight though?

Definitely agree about the Preston recital -- I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Johannes Passion was good but I felt that some of the soloists were struggling a bit with the fast tempi.

Totally agree! Everything is at the speed of light with Marshall, never liked his style...He pretty much ruined that amazing piece that evening.