THOMAS MURRAY
Press Notices
NEW YORK CITY “Mr. Murray played this, and the whole program,
with almost a conductor’s sense of tempo relationships and long-term
pacing. His registrations were apt and
had, without ostentation, a bold quality of definition and specificity about
them.”
The New York Times
CLEVELAND “Murray’s elegant playing and astonishingly smooth control of the
instrument had the audience out of their seats the moment his hands came off
the keys …”
ClevelandClassical.com
BUFFALO (Organ Historical Society Convention) “Murray received a richly deserved standing ovation for his expert playing and was able to bring out the best from this somewhat unusually designed and very fundamental-toned organ (Ward Memorial Organ, Central Park UMC).”
The Diapason
CHICAGO “… a thrilling performance by Thomas Murray …
a perfect match of organ, program and artist. Murray justly received a tumultuous standing
ovation.”
The Diapason
BOSTON “Renowned for his scrupulous attention to
color and the mechanics of registration, he communicated the essence of each
phrase to an appreciative audience which responded with a standing ovation.”
The Diapason
SAN FRANCISCO “Murray played ... with a keen sense of style,
and technique to burn. He’s more than an
organist, he’s an artist.”
San Francisco Chronicle
LOS ANGELES “In the hands of a Thomas Murray the
revival of the Romantic organ repertory, disparaged for several decades by
Baroque organ proponents and faddists, seems assured ... his playing and
registrations throughout the recital were superlative.”
The Los Angeles Times
TOKYO “Murray played with exquisite skill and
colorful brilliance, together with a dynamism and variety of tempo which
convinced the audience they were listening to a master organist ... I have
attended several of the Great Organists Series concerts; this was the most
impressive and unforgettable.”
Ongaku
no Tomo
ATLANTA “Throughout the recital Mr. Murray displayed
that hallmark of the finest musicians: technique equal to the greatest challenges
yet placed in the interpretative service of the music. He demonstrated the rare ability to capture
the distinctive style of each piece and the imagination to elicit registrations
that both enthralled with their coloristic allure and illuminated through their
musical appropriateness.”
The Atlanta Constitution
MILWAUKEE “ORGAN
RECITAL IS A BIG SHOW” “... Murray, a
calm, quiet sort of performer, left his mark on the music ... it was impossible
not to feel the excitement, the splendid show of the recital ... the secret for
his success is clear: he’s a thoughtful, careful artist, sure of his music and
his technique.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(Copland
Symphony for Organ and Orchestra) “Delfs, Murray and the orchestra were very much on top of
the notes and gave the piece the aggressive energy it requires.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
ST. LOUIS “With a performer, instrument, hall and
program of the first order, last night’s concert ... was an occasion, and it
ended with the audience on its feet applauding happily.”
St. Louis Dispatch
NEW HAVEN (Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 with the Philharmonia Orchestra of Yale) “In the final movement Thomas Murray’s performance on the famous
Newberry Memorial organ stole the show, culminating in a great apotheosis of sound.”
New Haven Register
SPRINGFIELD, MA “Using
a multitude of colors he captured the essence of the symphonic organ in a
masterful and artistic rendition which capped a truly superb recital.”
The American Organist
HAMILTON, ON “This remarkable performer gives the
appearance of playing for himself, yet he’s a
communicator par excellence. There are
very few players who could not benefit from hearing his extraordinary skill in
shaping phrases and in creating from them a momentum that carries a piece from
start to finish with never a break in its artistic unity.”
The American Organist
WASHINGTON, D.C. “… the secret of his success as an interpreter lies in his
treatment of the organ as a great orchestra. His rendition of Maurice Duruflé’s Suite, Op.
5, which closed the concert, was a virtuoso romp that brought the audience to
its feet.”
The Washington Post
CLEVELAND, OH “So natural was his musicality and so secure his technique that the music seemed to play itself.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer
RECORDING REVIEWS
Great Organbuilders of
Thomas Murray, the Newberry memorial organ, Woolsey Hall,
“… commanding interpretations of the Mozart F minor Fantasia,
Reger’s introduction & Passacaglia in D and the Hindemith First Sonata from
Thomas Murray …” “… one has the
inescapable impression of an enthralling partnership of instrument and player,
both at the very peak of their considerable powers.”
Choir and Organ magazine
Elgar: Organ Music (Gothic Records)
“Murray’s performance and his handling of the immense resources of
the Woolsey Hall organ are beyond superlatives.”
American Record Guide
“Ever a thoughtful musician, Thomas Murray approaches his task
with seriousness and sensitivity ... As for the performances, they reveal consummate
skill and artistry ...”
High Fidelity
An
“Thomas Murray’s beautifully judged interpretation … warmly commended.”
Organists’ Review
The
“Professor Murray supplies a total workout and establishes himself
as a thoroughly witty and entertaining Romanticist. As an icon of the advanced stages of the
Romantic revival in organ performance DTR 8305 would be exceptional for its
musical integrity and dignity. But in
the abstract, Murray supplies rewarding listening in a varied recital which
achieves its principal goal to demonstrate an unusual, enjoyable, instrument.”
Fanfare
“As usual, Murray is the consummate musician, the organist’s
organist ... his towering technique negotiates the most difficult passages with
ease, but always serving the music rather than drawing attention to it.”
The American Organist
Thomas Murray: Music of Schumann and Mendelssohn (JAV Recordings)
“The hallmark Murray performance traits bring this gorgeous music
radiantly alive … this is music-making of the highest order …”
Organists’ Review