DUTCH DELIGHT: ORGAN MUSIC FROM THE GOLDEN AGE

This selection of mostly early 17th-century Dutch keyboard music is played on a fine historical organ in quarter-comma meantone temperament at pitch A466 Hz. Composers include Sweelinck, Hendrick Speuy, van Noordt, Cornelis Schuyt and Gerhardus Havingha, plus anonymous pieces from the Susanne van Soldt, Camphuysen and Leningrad manuscripts. Genres include fantasias, secular variations, a psalm tune with variations, and various dances. The playing is well schooled, if somewhat deliberate in places. I found the 16ft pedal reed rather bizarre in Sweelinck although some of the dances come to life, and special mention should be made of the wonderful bird-song stop.

DAVID PONSFORD Read the full review on Agora Classica