CENTENARY ORGAN RECITAL

Samuel Giddy, organ

Canberra City Uniting Church May 10

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Exactly 100 years ago, on 10 May 1925, the opening recital took place of a new organ built for the new St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Goulburn NSW. The organ had been dedicated as a memorial to those who had fought and fell in the Great War.

It was donated to the Canberra City Uniting Church in 1987, where it was rebuilt and re-dedicated in 2012. It fits harmoniously into the modern architecture of the church and, with the sun shining in, it was the perfect setting for a recital celebrating the organ’s centenary. Samuel Giddy was the recitalist for the afternoon’s program.

Born in Yass NSW, Giddy began his organ studies at the ACT Organ School in 2011. Studying then at the Sydney Conservatorium, he graduated in 2019 with first-class honours and the Frank Hutchens Student of the Year Award.

Giddy has won many international prizes and, in 2023, he was appointed music minister of St. John’s Anglican Church, Darlinghurst NSW. He was also appointed Music Director at St. Mark’s Darling Point NSW in 2025.

Samuel Giddy, recitalist

The large program for the recital commenced with J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which was fitting as it was also played at the 1925 recital in Goulburn. A haunting work, it seemed to achieve another dimension live and in the hands of Giddy, who gave it a superb performance.

The program worked chronologically from Bach in the early 18^th century through the baroque and classical era to the modern day, giving examples of the work of various composers such as John Stanley, Johann Gottfried Müthel, César Franck, Louis Vierne, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Flor Peeters.

The program was well-chosen with both grand works and quieter, reflective works. It was an instructive and entertaining journey, all played with skill and feeling.

Giddy introduced each of these works with interesting details about them and their composers. His down to earth, friendly style built an immediate rapport with the audience and his enthusiasm for this music and instrument was infectious.

Attending a live organ recital is the best way to appreciate the power of this instrument and the music written for it. This was an excellent and very enjoyable recital.

 

Photo by Len Power

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 11 May 2025.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.