Prelude and Fugue in D, BuxWV139 - Buxtehude
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend - Bohm
Praeludium in C - Kellner
O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross BWV622 - Bach
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend BWV632 - Bach
Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn BWV630 - Bach
Das alte Jahr vergangen ist BWV614 - Bach
In dir ist Freude BWV615 - Bach
Sonata in D minor Op 65 No 6 - Mendelssohn
The final recital in this year's organ series at St Michael's, Dun Laoghaire, was given by the church's own organist and director of music, Anne Leahy, who is also co-director of the recital series there. She attracted one of the biggest audiences I have seen at St Michael's in a long time.
Her programme, she explained, was the outcome of an ongoing obsession with the Lutheran chorale, a productive obsession for any organist.
Ms Leahy's playing style is as spirited and enthusiastic as her manner of introducing the music. She goes at the more outgoing pieces with palpable gusto and takes a grip of the more reflective ones that is firm and not always inclined to allow phrases breathe with a natural rise and fall.
Last night's programme felt narrower in expressive range than others I have heard from her in recent years. It was as if a no-nonsense, teacherly, this-is-how-it-goes manner had got the upper hand.
The narrower focus certainly guaranteed a high level of security in the playing. But the enthusiasm did not translate into the wideness of range that the programme might have been expected to yield.
