{TABLE} Fantasia and Fugue in G mi BWV542 ..................... Bach Engelsche Foryuyn ..................................... Sweelinck Est-ce Mars ........................................... Sweelinck Hexachord Fantasia .................................... Sweelinck Pastorale in F BWV590 ................................. Bach Praeludium in F sharp mi BuxWV149 ..................... Buxtehude Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV689 ................. Bach Fantasia in G BWV572 .................................. Bach {/TABLE} SHANE BRENNAN'S organ recital last night at St Michael's, Dun Laoghaire, was a mix of strong characterisation and annoying mannerism. His playing always left the impression of a musician who had strong views of how each piece ought to go.
Bach Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV542, which opened the programme typified the strengths and limitations of Brennan's approach. The Fugue rattled along with a speed and clarity at once chirpy and sturdy. Less pleasing were some manual changes which sat oddly with the music's main structural points.
Brennans slow pacing of the Fantasia, and of the Fantasia in G, BWV572, which ended the recital, seemed old fashioned. In itself, that is no bad thing but mixing slow pacing with flexible shaping requires a judgment surer than was shown on this occasion. Under this limitation, these two fantasias, and Buxtehude's Praeludium in F sharp minor BuxWV149 sounded too fragmented and lacked that spontaneity essential to the stylus phantasicus.
This was due largely to a tendency to over calculate certain types of gesture. Intermediate closes were too prominent, contrasted speeds often seemed unrelated and flexible pacing tended not to accumulate tension.
As the recital progressed, these features became annoying mannerisms and this was pity, for the definition and rhythmic immediacy of Brennan's playing suggested other possibilities. It was significant that some of the more persuasive performances were of Sweelinck's variations on Engelsche Fortuyn and Est-ce Mars (the latter was excellent), for the terse phrasing of this music leaves less room for such over calculation.
