Organ - Research & Creative Activity

Research

Research interests of the Organ Studies Unit have focussed in the past on Baroque performance practice in particular. Philip Swanton’s ground-breaking publication Der Generalbass in J.S. Bachs Kantaten mit obligater Orgel (Basler Jahrbuch für historische Musikpraxis IX, 1985, 89ff) has been often quoted in subsequent Bach research. He recently completed an extensive survey of expatriate Australian organists, entitled Australian Organists Overseas (The Sydney Organ Journal, Vol 36, 2; 43ff).

Students’ research topics in recent years have included:

• “The use of plainchant in French 20th century organ music from Tournemire to Messiaen”
• “Roman and Venetian liturgical practice and the Italian Organ Mass in the era of Girolamo Frescobaldi”
• the preparation of a modern edition of Johann Georg Albrechtsberger’s “Six Preludes and Fugues for harpsichord or organ (Op.6)”
• “The influences and techniques related to the arrangement of non-organ music for the organ in the early part of the twentieth century”
• “The application of the ‘Barnes’ tempering system to the organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach

Creative Activity

Staff and students of the Organ Studies Unit are heavily engaged in a wide variety of performance and recording activities, both locally and overseas, including:

• solo performances at major recital venues in Australia and Europe
• concert tours to regional NSW with the Ensemble Studies Unit
• radio recordings for ABC-FM (both studio and live)
• appearances as associate artists with a variety of local choral organisations and orchestras including Sydney Youth Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Choir, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and others.