Prelude on 'Down Ampney' - Henry George Ley // Armley Schulze

The Cotswold village of Down Ampney was the birthplace of Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), whose father was the vicar of All Saints Church. In 1906, Vaughan Williams named his tune for the great Pentecost hymn, 'Come down, O love divine' after his birthplace.
Like Vaughan Williams, his near contemporary Henry George Ley (1887-1962) was the son of a clergyman and also born in the west of England. After serving as organist at Christ Church Cathedral, Ley was charge of chapel music at both Eton and Radley Colleges before his retirement in 1945. His setting of Vaughan Williams' tune is a simple one: the famous melody is framed by two identical passages and is first clearly stated in the tenor before Ley repeats it an octave higher. There is, perhaps, more than a passing resemblance to Vaughan Williams' beautiful prelude on 'Rhosymedre'.
The 'Harrison & Harrison' organ which Ley would have known at Christ Church Cathedral is not too dissimilar to the Schulze organ of St Bartholomew's Church in Armley, Leeds, which is a fine example of Victorian organ building. Like the Christ Church organ, it has a clarinet on the choir division, which sound glorious in the tenor register. Although not indicated in his suggested registration, I suspect that Ley may well have used the clarinet for the first solo, as I have in this performance.
Organ detail: www.lavenderau...
#hauptwerk #lavenderaudio #armley
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Thank you for watching. 😀
Marcus

[@jerrymartin79]

Just catching up on this beautiful piece now - thanks Marcus! Gorgeous!!

[@MarcusReeves]

Aww, thank you Jerry. 🙏🏻

[@RalphLooij]

Just beautiful, Marcus. A very nice and atmospheric piece.

[@MarcusReeves]

Many thanks, Ralph!

[@nakorganist]

What soothing organ music! It couldn't be better suited to this instrument. The organ stops you use are beautiful. Many greetings dear Marcus.

[@MarcusReeves]

Thank you very much!

[@TimMusic63]

Thanks Marcus. Isn't it a lovely piece? I will be playing it on Sunday. Tim

[@MarcusReeves]

Yes, it’s such a tranquil setting. I think it will be making an appearance at Mass this Sunday too. Thank you for the comment.