Reporter: Dr Joe Dawson
Date online: 12/06/2008

ORTOA (Oldham, Rochdale & Tameside Organists Association) do a splendid job in promoting organ music in the area and our own Town Hall instrument in particular. Given that it is renowned as a European instrument, the council ought to keep it in better order. I am told that there are potentially serious faults developing. But despite these problems their Honorary President created some superb sounds in the Brereton Memorial Recital.

Ronald Frost is one of the North West's leading musicians having been Director of Music at St Ann's Manchester from 1978 to the present day, where he has given nearly 750 organ recitals; closely involved with the Halle for 40 years as accompanist then Chorus master and principal organist until 1996. Similarly with the RMCM (now RNCM) for 50 years as a student and tutor and has received many honours for his contributions to music.

In his carefully chosen programme for the instrument I heard new sounds and combinations even though I have been reviewing Town Hall Organ Recitals for fourteen years.

Maestro Frost's mastery of registration was evident from the beginning with Walther's transcription of a Torelli Violin Concerto, followed by Chorale preludes by Vogler and Buttstedt.

In JS Bach's Fantasia in G (BWV 572) he illuminated the counterpoint over a thunderous Baroque bass line. Further revelations came from works by Kee, Novak, Rheinberger, Flor Peeters culminating in a superb rendering of Lemare's Opus 98 Toccata and Fugue.

An attractive little lollipop encore ended a memorable and inspiring concert.

The Brereton Fund is named after two late committee stalwarts, Philip & Gwen, and is used for bursaries for students. The programme also included information about the association that reminded us of how significant has been the role of organists in the area since its inception in 1908.

Ronald Frost
Brereton Memorial Organ Recital
Rochdale Town Hall
26 October 2002