An organ recital in progress: part 116

Dear SMM Community,

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, the instrument is a musical facsimile of the great 'Father' Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral.

Today, I present Francis Jackson's Prelude on ‘East Acklam’.  

Francis Jackson (1917-2022) came to fame through his long and highly respected tenure as the organist of York Minster. A protégé of Edward Bairstow, in time he rivalled the illustrious musical career of his predecessor. Jackson’s  Prelude on ‘East Acklam’ is a setting of his own hymn tune (commonly sung to the text  For the fruits of all creation), named after the village northeast of York, where he lived. He wrote the hymn tune in 1957 as a replacement for  Ar hyd y nos, which he had tired of playing. Jackson passed away this week on Monday 10 January at the age of 104.

With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music