There is an opportunity not to be missed on Saturday April 29th at 6.30pm when my former teacher and boss at Chester Cathedral, Roger Fisher comes to play a recital here at the Parish Church. I know from my time there and since what a tremendous player he is and he has been a great influence on my musical life. His repertoire is enormous and he plays many works which other players would shy away from due to the technical demands. One such work is the colourful first symphony for organ by Edwin Lemare. Edwin Henry Lemare (1865-1934) was a gifted English organist who became immensely popular throughout the world. While living in America, he held the post of municipal organist in San Francisco, Portland (Maine), and Chattanooga. He became the highest paid concert organist in the world. Of his 200 compositions, he is best remembered for his Andantino in D-flat, known to most as the tune of Moonlight and Roses! The concert also includes works by JS Bach, Elgar Durufle and MacCunn.
Roger Fisher took early retirement from Chester Cathedral in 1996 to concentrate on a career as a recitalist, teacher and adviser on organ construction. He has concentrated on frequent extensive recital tours of Europe, Scandinavia, North America, and South Africa.
Born in Woodford, Essex, Roger Fisher was educated at Bancroft’s School and studied at the Royal College of Music with such giants of English music as Harold Darke and Herbert Howells, gaining his ARCM, FRCO and CHM diplomas and winning the Geoffrey Tankard Prize for Organ playing.
In 1959 he was awarded an Organ Scholarship at Christ Church Oxford which gave him the opportunity to study with Dr Sydney Watson, Dr Bernard Rose and Dr H. Kennedy Andrews. Having graduated at Oxford, he moved to Hereford, accepting the posts of Assistant Organist at the Cathedral and Assistant Lecturer in Music at the College of Education. During this period he was closely involved with the Three Choirs Festival.
In 1967 he was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chester Cathedral and in 1992 directed the music for the Royal Maundy.
Upon completion of the rebuilt organ in 1970, he embarked on the first of many BBC broadcasts and numerous recordings (including several for EMI, Decca and RCA) which have had world-wide sales. He has recorded at many venues, not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the USA, Germany and South Africa.
His recent recital tours have included South Africa, Denmark, Germany and Australia.
Please do join us on the 29th to hear our wonderful organ put through its paces by Roger Fisher. This will be the first of a number of celebrity’ recitals, I hope
Lee Ward
Organ Recital with Roger Fisher
Lee Ward