Last updated 05:30, Friday, 18 July 2008

D’Arcy Trinkwon, Organ Recital, Carlisle Cathedral, Monday Olivier Messaien, born 100 years ago, composed some of the most evocative and influential music of the 20th century, and to hear some of his organ works performed in the cathedral by the concert organist D’Arcy Trinkwon was a delight.

When I look at modern paintings, I concentrate on the colours, rather than trying to find “real” pictures. Messaien’s music is aurally similar and there were wonderful colours in this performance.

Mr Trinkwon used the full palette, producing sounds from that organ I had never heard in 60 years (by the way, his sparing use of the tuba stop was just right!).

His combinations of flutes, célèstes, mutation stops and reeds were spellbinding. In over an hour of music, which included L’Ascension, Les Oiseaux, Les Ténèbres and the Prelude from La Nativité, I have space to pick three highlights – Majesté du Christ, illustrating prayer, Transports de Joie, perhaps the best known, which is about joy, albeit tempered by awe and fear, and Les Oiseaux, the best interpretation of the birds I have heard.

Wonderful French music, performed on Bastille Day – what a treat!

GEOFFREY PADDOCK