'Weir is to the organ what Heifetz was to the violin, and Casals to the cello –a phenomenon,' pronounced the celebrated broadcaster John Amis. Fittingly, this is a 22-CD celebration of the doyenne of organists –Dame Gillian Weir –on her 80th birthday (17 January 2021) spanning her illustrious career of nearly five decades.
It presents Gillian Weir's complete Argo recordings, selected recordings on other labels that have reverted to her, and most enticingly, no fewer than ten discs of previously unpublished BBC radio broadcasts –selected by Dame Gillian. The first twelve CDs in the set are made up of studio recordings and the remaining ten CDs comprise previously unpublished recordings of BBC broadcasts. The set also features sixteen organs from six countries and includes a 13,000-word booklet includes informative introductions to the recordings, with Gillian Weir's reminiscences andamusing anecdotes from the recording sessions and from her encounters with composers such as Olivier Messiaen and William Mathias.
"The contribution made to the world of the organ by Dame Gillian Weir is almost incalculable. Our instrument has hardly had such a skilled ambassador in modern times" Chris Bragg(Musicweb)
"Dame Gillian is one of the greatest of living artists; her playing shows a perfect mixture of hand and heart, a true musician with the technique to tackle anything.' John Amis, writer & critic"
