Kenneth Leighton - Fantasy on 'Veni Emmanuel' - Ben Bloor

Fantasy on 'Veni Emmanuel', No. 5 from Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes (Op. 72) by Kenneth Leighton performed by Ben Bloor in a live concert on the 82 stop Harrison & Harrison/Wood & Woodsworth & Co./A.J. Carter organ of the Leeds Minster on Friday 1st November 2024. The English composer and pianist/organist, Kenneth Leighton, was widely regarded during his lifetime for his distinctive compositional flair - biting chromaticism, tight counterpoint, harmony often in fourths and fifths (providing a stark modernity) and a fluently organic way of steadily building tension, are all hallmarks of this incredible musical mind. Composed in August 1975, the Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes (Op. 72) were written when Leighton had recently been appointed Reid Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh. They are dedicated to the then Organist of St Giles' Cathedral, Herrick Bunney. The most extended of the set, the Fantasy on 'Veni Emmanuel' really imbues the expectant feeling of the season of Advent. A slow, chromatic, fugal build-up eventually leads to a dialogue between tuba and chorus, and the piece has an unexpected hushed ending. Many thanks to Alex Woodrow for the invitation to play in Leeds Minster. Ben Bloor is Organist at the London Oratory Church and School Organist at Westminster School. For more information, please visit https://www.benbloor.com Tipjar - https://tpjr.us/chiffchat Twitter - Ben Bloor:   / benjybloor   Facebook - Ben Bloor Organist:   / benbloororganist   Tiktok - @bloorganist:   / bloorganist   Website - https://www.benbloor.com/