112 keyless Carl Frei concert organ - The Thursford Collection

A film of The Thursford Collection's 112 keyless Carl Frei concert organ playing at its Gala Day on Sunday 7th July 2024.
Anyone who is familiar with the famous Decca LP of this organ produced in 1966, just a year after the organ was built by Carl Frei junior for George Cushing, will recognise both of these arrangements from the LP. These are contained on one of the long playing books and as such as very rarely heard live. With former resident organ builder Bob Ince at the keyframe, it was a nice opportunity to hear this selection.
00:00 Per Aspera ad Astra March (composer Ernst Urbach)
03:53 Mattinata (composer Ruggero Leoncavallo)

[@RaggyAl1971]

This instrument has such lovely diverse sound due to the Carl Frei/Mortier mix of pipe work,it works so well.

[@bietebouwer]

The first title is "Per aspera ad astra", comp.Ernst Urbach. Thanks for posting - I've always loved the sound of this organ.

[@perleeman]

Thanks Bjorn, now corrected. Having discovered a military band recording of the march, I'm impressed by how much detail has been replicated in the organ arrangement (e.g. trills on counter melody) presumably by Carl Frei senior, as sometimes his arrangements incorporated many of his own embellishments. ruclips.net/video/qOD1K4gW9bQ/видео.htmlsi=kg1Nos--MGV_AgLq