Eloquence Classics

There were many worlds in George Malcolm’s (1917–1997) universe – organist, harpsichordist, pianist, composer, choral director and conductor – and this one demonstrates his unique skill as a solo performer who, throughout his career, more than any other individual defined the harpsichord’s identity in England. After World War II, Malcolm became the most famous English harpsichordist of his day with a brilliant technique, superb musicianship and an idiosyncratically modern approach to playing which, for his audiences, came to exemplify the very nature of the instrument itself.

A series of four releases on Decca Eloquence which includes CD premieres, pays tribute to this fascinating artist on his many recordings for Argo in the 1960s. The items on this collection were all recorded on several different examples of Thomas Goff’s instruments and demonstrate his brilliance as a performer as well as the aesthetic which Malcolm and Goff cultivated together. All of the works by Bach included here are taken from a 1961 Decca release (SXL 2259) which made quite an impression when it first appeared, its extraordinary use of frequent registration changes and crescendo/decrescendo effects astonishing even those critics who were used to the ‘Landowska’ style of modern harpsichord playing. In addition to the Bach works that form its core, this anthology demonstrates Malcolm’s approach to French harpsichord music. Malcolm’s art as arranger and composer is also documented here by way of his truly astonishing version of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ and his own ingenious fugal fantasia on the Sailor’s Hornpipe, ‘Bach before the Mast’. Notes are by Peter Watchorn, an Australian-born, US-based harpsichordist, one of whose teachers, Harold Lobb, was also an associate of Malcolm.