Concerts - Upcoming Events
Organ Music Holy Week 2024 [PDF doc]
2023
A visit to France's Champagne region
Friday 21st July at 8.30pm
St Florentin
James plays Bach, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Alain - organ in historic cases
made in 1969 and revived 2011
Diderik Buxtehude (1637-1707)
Präludium in C (BuxWV 138)
Johannes Brahms (1833-97)
Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele
O Gott, du frommer Gott
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Sonata no 2 in C minor
grave-adagio - allegro vivace e maestoso - fuga
James MacMillan (b.1959)
Gaudeamus in loci pace ('Let us rejoice in the peace of this place ...')
J S Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in A minor (BWV543)
Jehan Alain (1911-40)
Postlude pour l'Office de Complies
Saturday 22 July at 8.30pm
Les Riceys
James plays Baroque pieces by Weckmann, Böhm, Bach, and the English 18th
century
Matthias Weckmann (1616-1674)
Toccata (III) in E minor
William Walond (c.1727-1770)
Cornet Voluntary (op. 1 no. 5)
grave - [cornet, allegro]
Thomas Attwood (1765-1838)
Dirge for Lord Nelson, 1806
Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
Ach wie nichtig, Ach wie flüchtig (8 versets)
J S Bach (1685-1750)
Pastorale (BWV590)
[piffaro - allemande - allemande - gigue]
Thomas Arne (1710-78)
Introduction and Allegro
Sunday 23 July at 5pm
Chaource Saint-Jean-Baptiste
French repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries on glorious historic
instrument from 1698
Francois Couperin (1668-1733)
from Messe pour les Couvents
Gloria - Plein jeu - Petite fugue - Duo sur les Tierces - Basse de Trompette - Chromhorne sur la Taille -
Dialogue sur la Voix humaine -Trio - Recit de tierce - Dialogue sur les grands jeux
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (1676-1749)
Suite du Premier Ton
Grand Plein Jeu - Fugue - Duo - Trio - Basse et Dessus de Trompette -
Récits de Cromorne et de Cornet separé - Dialogue sure les Grands jeux
Concerts - Past Recitals
Banbury Organ Day
Saturday 15th July 10am to 4pm
St Mary's Church Banbury OX16 0AA
SO HERE'S WHY - YOU TOO WANT TO PLAY THE ORGAN !
James, widely-known for his organ playing, inspirational teaching and motivational approach, fronts BANBURY ORGAN DAY arranged by Dylan McCaig.
Thomas Arne (1710-78)
Introduction and Allegro
J S Bach (1685-1750)
'Gigue Fugue (BWV 577)
Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesus Christ (BWV 649) 'O stay with us, Lord Jesus Christ'
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Paean (from Six Pieces for Organ)
Jehan Alain (1911-40)
'The Hanging Garden'
Franz Liszt (1811-88)
Prelude (Fantasia) and Fugue on B.A.C.H.
James Parsons Organ Recital
Friday 25th November 2022 at 7.30pm
St Mary's RC Cathedral, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 5HH
St Mary's Cathedral Newcastle Specification [PDF doc]
Thursday 6 October 2022 at 1.10pm
All Saints' Church, George Row, Northampton NN1 1DF
All Saints' Church, George Row, Northampton [PDF doc]
PROGRAMME
Niels Gade (1817--1890)
Three pieces for organ (op.22)
moderato - allegretto - allegro
César Franck (1822--1890)
Pastorale (op.19)
J S Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 545)
Friday 16 September at 7.30pm
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon, Northamptonshire NN9 5NR
Set in a magnificent 14th century church, Finedon's historic organ was built c.1704 by 'Father' Smith, restyled in 1872 by G M Holdich, and restored in 2013/14 by Holmes & Swift.
Organ Recital The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon [PDF doc]
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon
The Organ
Organ Recital
Wednesday 17 August at 11.30am
The Church of St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay PE8 5HZ
for members of
The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club
Organ Recital for The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club [PDF doc]
John Miley, justly proud of his fine car, BWV 608
This happens to be the catalogue number of a short, charming piece by JS Bach: In dulci jubilo ('in sweet exultation ...')
James includes it in his recital to mark John's enterprise in coordinating this event.
Unlock the Organ - Unlock your organ playing
and 20th Anniversary Recital
Saturday 10th October 2020
(10am-5pm)
Fotheringhay
UNLOCK THE ORGAN - UNLOCK YOUR ORGAN PLAYING
James invites students and friends for an
ORGAN INSPIRATION DAY
at St Mary's and All Saints', Fotheringhay PE8 5HZ
SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2020
(10am to 5pm)
Sunday 11th October 2020 3pm
Fotheringhay
JAMES PARSONS
plays the
20th ANNIVERSARY RECITAL
on the Fotheringhay organ
SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER at 3pm
Organ Inspiration Day and 20th Anniversary Recital [PDF doc]
Thursday 31 October 2019
St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6RA at 1.15pm
James's programme includes Joseph Jongen's Sonata éroïca (op.94)
Organ - 1911 masterwork of Arthur Harrison - "the finest high-Romantic organ ever
constructed" (Dr William McVicker, Royal Festival Hall)
Sunday 13 October 2019
St Rumbald's Church, Stoke Doyle PE8 3TH
James plays inspiring music by Bach, Sweelinck, Buxtehude, Handel and Mendelssohn on the tiny organ with the big personality at St Rumbald's (maybe a couple of ear-ticklers too!) -St Rumbald's - handsome Georgian Church in a field organ by Nigel Church - never have five stops sounded more glorious!
Saturday 21 September 2019
St Cuthbert's Chapel, Ushaw College DH7 9RH at 2pm
Saturday 14 September 2019
St Nicholas, East Dereham NR19 1DN at 7.30pm
Organ Anniversary Celebrity Concert
Organ by Father Smith, Joseph Hart, William Hill and Richard Bower
Visit bower organs.co.uk [external link]
Wednesday 21 to Tuesday 27 August 2019
Cathedrals in Lagos, Nigeria. Discover more > > >
Cathedral of Christ, Marina, Lagos
Thursday 20 June 2019
Chester Cathedral CH1 2DY at 1.10pm
Saturday 25 May 2019
Church of St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay PE8 5HZ at 7pm
ECHOES OF THE PLANTAGENETS
James Parsons plays the Wingfield 'Early-English' Organ
Thursday 2 May 2019
St Laurence, Upminster RM14 2BB at 1.05pm
Organ by Kenneth Tickell & Co (2003)
Tuesday 27 November 2018
Exeter College Chapel, Oxford, at 1.10pm
James played:
Henri Mulet (1878--1967)
Tu es petra (from Esquisses byzantines)
César Franck (1822--1890)
Prière (Six Pièces, no. 5)
Charles Hubert H Parry (1848--1918)
Chorale Fantasia on an Old English Tune 'When I survey the wondrous Cross'
and
'Croft's 136th'
JS Bach (1685--1750)
Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter (BWV 650)
and Vor deinem Thron tret ich hiermit (BWV 668)
Bach's working of the chorale Vor deinem Thron ... played as the final piece in today's programme is reputed to be one of the composer's very last works.
James hopes that folk will consider the article by Wilfrid Mellers (1914 -2008), reworked in 2000 from his book Bach and the Dance of God. He muses on the iconic potency of the apparently sparse texture Bach adopts for this utterance - one in which he suggests Spinoza's "sequence of Perfection, Acquiescence, Delight and Love-of-God is surely incarnate ..."
From 1964 until 1981, Mellers was founding Professor and Head of the Music Department at the University of York, where he remained Emeritus Professor of Music until his death.
James was Parry/Wood Organ Scholar of Exeter College, 1969-72. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Parry's death, just a few weeks before the Armistice of 1918.
Chapel by Gilbert Scott (1859) in the manner of the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris; Organ by J. W. Walker & Sons (1994) in the manner of Aristide Cavaille-Coll.
Saturday 8 September 2018
St Mary's Finnish Lutheran Church, St Petersburg, at 6pm
PROGRAMME
Matthias Weckmann (1616--1674)
Toccata (III) in E minor
Paul Hindemith (1895--1963)
Sonata no. 3
('Ach Gott, wem soll ich's klagen' - 'Wach auf, mein Hort' - 'So wünsch ich ihr' )
J.S. Bach (1685--1750)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (BWV 564)
Arvo Pärt (1935-)
Pari intervallo
Nikolaus Bruhns (1665--1697)
Praeludium in E minor ('the Great')
Tuesday 11 September 2018
St Anne's and St Peter's German Lutheran Church, St Petersburg, at 7pm
PROGRAMME
Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817--1890)
Three Pieces for Organ (op. 22) (moderato - allegretto - allegro)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809--1847)
Andante with Variations
Paul Hindemith (1895--1963)
Sonata no. 1
Mässig schnell - lebhaft
Sehr langsam - Phantasie, frei - ruhig bewegt
James MacMillan (1959--)
Gaudeamus in loci pace
Herbert Howells (1892--1983)
Paean (from Six Pieces for organ)
J.S. Bach (1685--1750)
Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr (BWV 662) Fugue on 'Magnificat' (BWV 733)
Saturday 15 September 2018
Oraniebaum, St Petersburg
PROGRAMME
Henri Mulet (1878--1967)
Tu es petra (from Esquisses byzantines) César Franck (1822--1890)
Prière (Six Pièces, no. 5) J.S. Bach (1685--1750)
Prelude and Fugue in D (BWV 532)
William Mathias (1934--1992)
Partita (op. 19)
(maestoso/ allegro non troppo--lento alla marcia--allegro ma non troppo)
Charles Hubert H Parry (1848--1918)
Chorale Fantasia on an Old English Tune 'When I survey the wondrous Cross' and
'Croft's 136th'
Basil Harwood (1859--1949)
Sonata no. 1 in C sharp minor (op. 5)
(allegro appassionato--andante--maestoso/ con moto [Fugue])
Tuesday 3rd July 2018 at 8.00pm
Cromer Parish Church, NR27 9HH
PROGRAMME
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835--1921)
Fantaisie in E flat
(con moto - allegro di molto e con fuoco)
César Franck (1822--1890)
Prière (Six Pièces, no. 5)
Henri Mulet (1878--1967)
Tu es petra (from Esquisses byzantines)
JS Bach (1685--1750)
Prelude and Fugue in D (BWV 532)
Charles Hubert H Parry (1848--1918)
Chorale Fantasia on an Old English Tune 'When I survey the wondrous Cross' and 'Croft's 136th'
Basil Harwood (1859--1949)
Sonata no. 1 in C sharp minor (op. 5)
(allegro appasionato--andante--maestoso/ con moto [Fugue])
Friday 29th June 2018 at 7.30pm
St Dominic's Priory, Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 2TP
PROGRAMME
Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817-1890)
Three Pieces for Organ (op. 22)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Andante with Variations
Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
Sonata no. 3
JS Bach (1685--1750)
Prelude and Fugue in D (BWV 532)
William Mathias (1934--1992)
Partita (op. 19)
Charles Hubert H Parry (1848--1918)
Chorale Fantasia on an Old English Tune 'When I survey the wondrous Cross' and 'Croft's 136th'
Basil Harwood (1859--1949)
Sonata no. 1 in C sharp minor (op. 5)
Saturday 5 May 2018 at 2.30pm
St Cuthbert's Chapel, Ushaw College DH7 9RH
PROGRAMME
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835--1921) Fantaisie in E flat
(con moto - allegro di molto e con fuoco)
César Franck (1822--1890) Prière (Six Pièces, no. 5)
Henri Mulet (1878--1967)
Tu es petra (from Esquisses byzantines)
Louis Vierne (1870--1937) Impromptu (op. 54 no. 2)
Joseph Bonnet (1884--1944) Romance sans paroles (op. 7 no. 8)
Jehan Alain (1911--1940) Postlude pour l'Office de Complies
Marcel Dupré (1886--1971) Prelude and Fugue in G minor (op. 7 no. 3)
The Queen's College
Wednesday 7 February 2018
The Queen's College
Chapel of The Queen's College, Oxford OX1 4AW
(iconic Danish organ made by Frobenius in 1965)
James Parsons played music by
Mattias Weckmann, Diderik Buxtehude, J S Bach and Johann Ludwig Krebs
(programme includes Bach's - Six Schübler Chorales)
Oundle School Chapel
Friday 13th October 2017
Oundle School Chapel, Northamptonshire
James launched the 2017 Warmington Organ Weekend
with a virtuoso programme played on the
celebrated 1985 Frobenius organ in Oundle School Chapel,
an instrument which James instigated and designed.
Welshpool - Christ Church
Sunday 25th September 2017
Christ Church Welshpool
James performed at Christ Church Welshpool - More information and images
St Petersburg - Basilica of St Catharine, Nevsky
September 2017
St Mary's Church
James performed in St Petersburg in September 2017. Here are images of St Mary's Church and the organ in the style of Gottried Silbermann.
'phone/message