SIMON
Press Notices
NEW YORK CITY “Simon Preston proved the ideal performer: it was hard to imagine that anyone could have displayed the mighty Skinner instrument of St. Bartholomew’s Church more fully and effectively.”
LOS ANGELES “BRITISH VIRTUOSO CLOSES ORGAN SERIES IN STYLE … closing the series’ 30th season in spectacular fashion.”
WASHINGTON “He is quite evidently a polished master of the king of instruments, and a superbly sensitive musician to boot.”
CHICAGO “Preston is an artist of remarkable musicality and accomplishment.”
MIAMI “Technically, Mr. Preston is one of the strongest virtuoso organ performers we have ever heard. He is apparently afraid of no work, however formidable, and can do anything he likes with the manuals and pedals, and at any tempo. The church was completely filled – surely evidence of the listener’s advance knowledge of Mr. Preston’s quality as an artist.”
HOUSTON “ENGLISH ORGANIST IS SUPERB.”
Houston Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO “... a virtuoso, but more importantly, a fine artist of superior musicianship on every count … an inordinately interesting selection of repertory … flawless sense of style.”
CLEVELAND “English organist Simon Preston performed with brilliant virtuosity ...”
CINCINNATI “Simon Preston’s recital at Christ Church can only be described as enthralling.”
ST. LOUIS “His technical accomplishment was never in question; his musicality animated a difficult program and made it interesting throughout.”
KANSAS CITY “Mr. Preston's program was a model of its kind, and his playing was absolutely thrilling.”
SHREVEPORT “After hearing Simon Preston play,
we can readily understand why he has been termed by British critics as perhaps
the most brilliant of his generation of
TORONTO “Superlatives seem the only logical commentary on Preston’s performance.”
LONDON “The main
enjoyment of the evening came from two of the qualities that have already made
Mr. Preston one of our leading
J. S. Bach: The Organ Works (Deutsche Grammophon)
“… a star performer of the world stage, possessed of little short of a genius for feeling the current of the rhythm.”
Organists’ Review
Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 with the
“... the balance between the orchestra and organ, here played so powerfully by Simon Preston, is well judged ... the organ entry in the finale is quite magnificent, the excitement of Preston thundering out the main theme physical in its impact ... yet absolutely clear and clean in focus.”
Gramophone (London)
Poulenc Organ Concerto with the
“... a warm, sumptuous
orchestral accompaniment, with just a hint of acerbity in the strings, provides
an appropriate backdrop for Simon Preston’s incisive, vigorous playing.”
Bach for Deutsche Grammophon:
“Charismatic Bach playing of quite another order comes via DG and Simon Preston, whose highly regarded Bach series is now roughly a third of the way through, inspiring the release of a boxed set devoted to the five discs issued so far, plus one that’s new – the Trio Sonatas (439 201-2GX6). The Organ Concertos are included, as is the Orgelbüchlein on a single CD, the Schübler Chorales and various of the larger pieces, including the Toccatas and Fugues in F and D minor and the Passacaglia. Various instruments have been used, all being of high quality, the recordings are exemplary and the playing superlative.”
Gramophone