Percy Whitlock (1903-1946) plays the 'Gigue' Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach BWV 577. Recorded October 1945 on the Compton Organ of St. Osmund's Parkstone.
Percy Whitlock was a close friend of my father (1893-1941) Charles Leeson who was the organist and choirmaster at Corpus Christi Church Boscombe (1919-1941) My father died following the bombing of our house in Southbourne. Charles also played at the Pavilion, Regent and Electric cinemas and in the early days the piano for silent films. It is a little known fact that Percy Whitlock had two thumbs on one hand!
My, some dumb comments here. The point is not how anyone would play this now - but the amazing document of performance practice 70-odd years ago. Fascinating indeed.
@advisorC101 I truly agree... Most rappers and pop "musicians" do well deserve a timely death however.
adamworth1979 9 months ago
@tonyleeson1, thank you for that.
advisorC101 1 year ago
Percy Whitlock was a close friend of my father (1893-1941) Charles Leeson who was the organist and choirmaster at Corpus Christi Church Boscombe (1919-1941) My father died following the bombing of our house in Southbourne. Charles also played at the Pavilion, Regent and Electric cinemas and in the early days the piano for silent films. It is a little known fact that Percy Whitlock had two thumbs on one hand!
tonyleeson1 1 year ago
My, some dumb comments here. The point is not how anyone would play this now - but the amazing document of performance practice 70-odd years ago. Fascinating indeed.
MEPPO06 1 year ago
A very good point you make, its just a way of emphasising my sympathy for him. I don't believe the time of death is fixed either.
It is strange.
advisorC101 2 years ago
Is death ever "timely"?
Whitlock's tuberculosis was diagnosed when he was 17, I believe. Other complications came later, including blindness at the end.
strangely many of his original manuscripts seem to have been lost.
1401JSC 2 years ago
What an awesome piece!
passacaglia28 2 years ago
TB.
advisorC101 2 years ago
Sad.
This brings false validity to the saying, "The goodie young."
From what did he die?
robertgift 2 years ago
I wish the quality wasn't so bad. I couldn't really hear much. -_-
pipeorganloverNJP 3 years ago