Gerard Brooks gives a brief survey of the organ works of Camille Saint-Saens, and describes what made him different from other organist-composers of his time.

In a film to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Richard Brasier looks at his working life and short career as an organist in Bonn. 

Graham Barber performs and discusses the organ music of organist and composer Francis Jackson, born in 1917.

This October marks the 150th anniversary of Louis Vierne’s birth, and here on iRCO we celebrate the anniversary with a new film presented by Andrew Cantrill-Fenwick discussing Vierne’s life and legacy, and point to other resources on the composer. 

A biographical sketch of the Dutch composer Kendrik Andriessen, with a discussion of his organ works.

‘Francis Grier’s remarkably individual music combines influences from diverse traditions with the experiences of a fascinating career inspired by some of Britain’s most distinguished organists,’ says Tom Winpenny, in this article which summarises Grier’s career as Cathedral organist, leading chamber musician, and composer. Winpenny discusses how Grier’s organ writing is often inspired by the experience […]

Sir Herbert Brewer (1865–1928) was Organist of Gloucester Cathedral from 1896 until his death, and Simon Carpenter’s recent research for a University of Gloucestershire MA (from which this article is derived) examined his place in British music history, his educational philosophy, and the effect he had on the careers of his teenage articled pupils. The […]

The Stavanger Konserthus in Norway aims to create innovative programming around its 2012 Ryde & Berg organ, and on 17th November 2018 will present Messiaen Complete – all the organ works of Olivier Messiaen in one day, over 9 hours with 8 international organists. The project combines the formal recital with a more free audience experience, and includes video projection and lighting design by one of the country’s leading video designers.

The year 1976 brought the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Royal Festival Hall, and to celebrate this the BBC commissioned a 20-minute work from Peter Racine Fricker for a concert of English music. Fricker chose to write a short single movement symphony, and as an FRCO, he decided to include an organ part. Gillian Weir was invited to be the soloist, and in this article from the RCO Journal of 2017 she describes the event, and also discusses the performance of a later concerto by Fricker, Laudi Concertati, which was dedicated to her.