Three pieces from The Carnival of the Animals: The Elephant, The Cuckoo, The Swan ; Danse Macabre ; Organ Symphony No. 3: Poco Adagio, Maestoso ; O Salutaris hostia, from Mass Op. 4 ; Prelude: Pastorale in the style of J. S. Bach, from The Christmas Oratorio ; Prelude to The Flood ; Priere ; Softly awakes my heart, from Samson and Delilah
Martin Setchell is an international concert organist who promotes entertaining organ music to a wide audience. Born and educated in England, he is based in New Zealand, as curator of the Rieger organ in Christchurch Town Hall, and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Canterbury. He regularly performs throughout the world, including tours in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Japan. He has recorded several CDs, including A Taste of Shropshire, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series, and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music. Martin is often heard on BBC radio's The Organist Entertains, the USA's Pipe Dreams, and Radio New Zealand's concert programme. He has arranged Faure, Bizet, and Sousa (Kevin Mayhew Music), and edited OUP's A Saint-Saens Organ Album. He holds a Civic Award from the City of Christchurch for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.
'This is an outstanding book and will meet a wide variety of needs.' Trevor Webb, Church Music Quarterly September 2007 'The Saint-Saens Organ Album is a much more varied and subtle collection of arrangements. It is prefaced with an informative introduction and there are very full and useful notes on each piece. The volume is beautifully produced and the covers feature details from the organ case (1849) in St Eustache, Paris ... This collection proves the point and is highly recommended.' Bruce Steele, Organ Australia, Sept 07