From July 22nd to 26th I attended the I.A.O. (Incorporated Associations of Organists) Congress, held this year in the interesting city of Nottingham. The delegates were treated to another heady mixture of classy recitals, an informative master class, together with interesting and challenging lectures and seminars, all of which were of the usual high standard. On Saturday afternoon there was an optional trip to the Critch tramway museum for those who wanted a change from music. Contemporaneous with that event, others assembled in Derby Cathedral for a recording of hymns to be broadcast on Radio Two's "Sunday Half Hour" slot around the New Year period. Another highlight was a performance in the cathedral of Dr. Francis Jackson's musical setting of "A Time Of Fire", which chronicled the events of the life of William Tyndale. It was sung by the St. Peter's Singers, directed by Dr. Simon Lindley (of Leeds Parish Church) in the presence of the composer, who was warmly applauded at the end.

The first-night recital, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, by Philip McCann on cornet and Dr. Lindley on organ, was especially interesting for the use of an Echo Cornet, which has an extra piston to enable the sound to come out of a second, smaller bell located under the main one. However, perhaps the most outstanding event was the organ and piano concert (a rarely heard combination) by the Scott brothers Jonathan (organ) and Tom (piano). Here were two exceptional musicians whose programme included major works by Peeters ("Concerto for Organ and Piano" Opus 74) and Dupre ("Variations on Two Themes" Opus 35) and Guilmant's delightful "Pastorale" Opus 26, which stole the show for me. The festival concluded with a master class featuring two young organists, whose initial performances of works by J.S.Bach, Elgar and Eric Thiman were enhanced by Dr. Lindley's skilful and gentle guidance. He dexterously "thinned out" an initial registration of the Bach E Minor Little Prelude and Fugue to accentuate the top line, added a more positive registration by the addition of an Oboe and Double Trumpet to Elgar's "Imperial March", with transforming results.

He also suggested a more rubato approach to Thiman's "A Simple Air" to give a more romantic flavour. Then came the final concert, consisting of solo vocal items by Sophie Wellings, an outstanding teenage soprano, and Philip Martin, a fine young tenor, accompanied with discreet panache by Dr. Lindley, which rounded off the proceedings most satisfactorily. Next year the Congress Roadshow moves to Cologne, which promises to be an exciting prospect!