Organist and pianist James McVinnie released his new album Dreamcatcher last week, featuring works by several Wise Music Group composers. A mesmerising sonic trip, Dreamcatcher reflects the unique artistic persona of McVinnie, whose mastery of core organ repertoire extends to an extensive body of work written for him by leading contemporary classical composers, as well as collaborations in the world of electronic and experimental music. The album features works by Nico Muhly, John Adams, Giles Swayne, Bryce Dessner.
Muhly's four-part work from 2014, Patterns, is the first time the magnificent organ of St Albans Cathedral, featured throughout, is heard on the album. The work's exploration of movement through four sections, each a sort of rhytmic étude, emphasises the vast range and potential of the instrument.
Dreamcatcher also presents the first ever recording of Giles Swayne’s Riff-raff, made on the St Albans organ for which the work was written in 1983—McVinnie’s rendition embodying a perfect synergy between the piece’s minimalist roots and the modernist tonal philosophy of this instrument.
In contrast, the piano segments of the album, recorded on an exceptionally beautiful Steinway D, include Adams' palindromic China Gates and Dessner's short Song for Octave which brings the album to a close.
Through his boundless approach to music making, innovative programming and captivating musicianship, James McVinnie has carved out a unique career as an organist and keyboard player.
