“McVinnie’s approach is clear and unfussy, with different lines cleanly brought out.“
Dreamcatcher, performed by James McVinnie, is Limelight’s Editor’s Choice!
“There he is on the CD cover, standing with his eyes shut, in calm repose, presumably catching those dreams hinted at by the album’s title. McVinnie looks every inch the church musician in his suit and tie, and that’s where he cut his teeth, holding posts at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and St Albans Cathedrals. But this British organist and pianist also works and is friends with a host of contemporary composers including Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner and inti figgis vizueta – and it’s that part of his creative life which is showcased here.
He’s included two substantial organ works. Muhly’s Patterns is a four-movement piece that the composer himself describes as a quartet of “sort of rhythmic etudes”. McVinnie’s approach is clear and unfussy, with different lines cleanly brought out. Rhythm and pulse are absolutely rock-solid throughout, whether we’re talking about the persistent Move along or the chordal punctuations in Palindromes, or the “hiccoughs” (Muhly’s word) that interrupt the rippling Very Fast Music. Giles Swayne’s Riff-Raff, meanwhile, draws on African music, in particular from the Jola community in Casamance, southern Senegal. Over a good quarter of an hour, Swayne takes us on an invigorating musical journey that balances a sense of improvisation with underlying structure – and McVinnie is a thoroughly assured guide.”
Rebecca Franks
Read the full review HERE.
