THOMAS MURRAY
Press Notices
NEW YORK CITY "Mr. Murray played this, and the whole program, with almost a
conductor's sense of tempo relationships and long-term pacing. His registrations were apt and had, without
ostentation, a bold quality of definition and specificity about them."
The New York Times
BUFFALO (Organ
Historical Society Convention) “Murray
received a richly deserved standing ovation for his expert playing and was able
to bring out the best from this somewhat unusually designed and very
fundamental-toned organ (Ward Memorial Organ, Central Park UMC).”
The Diapason
CHICAGO “… a thrilling performance by Thomas Murray… a
perfect match of organ, program and artist. Murray justly received a tumultuous standing
ovation
The Diapason
BOSTON "Renowned for his scrupulous attention to color and the mechanics
of registration, he communicated the essence of each phrase to an appreciative
audience which responded with a standing ovation."
The Diapason
SAN FRANCISCO "Murray
played....with a keen sense of style, and technique to burn. He's more than an organist, he's an
artist."
San Francisco Chronicle
LOS
ANGELES "In the hands of a Thomas Murray the revival of the Romantic organ
repertory, disparaged for several decades by Baroque organ proponents and
faddists, seems assured...his playing and registrations throughout the recital
were superlative."
The Los
Angeles Times
TOKYO "Murray played with
exquisite skill and colorful brilliance, together with a dynamism and variety
of tempo which convinced the audience they were listening to a master
organist....I have attended several of the Great Organists Series concerts;
this was the most impressive and unforgettable."
Ongaku no Tomo
ATLANTA "Throughout the recital Mr. Murray displayed that hallmark of the
finest musicians: technique equal to the greatest challenges yet placed in the
interpretative service of the music. He
demonstrated the rare ability to capture the distinctive style of each piece
and the imagination to elicit registrations that both enthralled with their coloristic allure and illuminated through their musical
appropriateness."
The Atlanta Constitution
MILWAUKEE "ORGAN RECITAL IS A BIG SHOW" "....Murray, a calm, quiet sort of performer,
left his mark on the music...it was impossible not to feel the excitement, the
splendid show of the recital....the secret for his success is clear: He's a
thoughtful, careful artist, sure of his music and his technique."
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(Copland
Symphony for Organ and Orchestra) “Delfs, Murray and the orchestra were very much on top of
the notes and gave the piece the aggressive energy it requires.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
ST. LOUIS "With a performer, instrument, hall and program of the first order,
last night's concert....was an occasion, and it ended with the audience on its
feet applauding happily."
St. Louis Dispatch
NEW
HAVEN (Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 with the Philharmonia
Orchestra of Yale) "In the final movement Thomas Murray's performance on
the famous Newberry Memorial organ stole the show, culminating in a great
apotheosis of sound."
New Haven Register
SPRINGFIELD, MA "Using a multitude of colors he captured the essence of the
symphonic organ in a masterful and artistic rendition which capped a truly
superb recital."
The American Organist
HAMILTON, ON "This remarkable performer gives the appearance of playing for
himself, yet he's a communicator par excellence. There are very few players who could not
benefit from hearing his extraordinary skill in shaping phrases and in creating
from them a momentum that carries a piece from start to finish with never a
break in its artistic unity."
The American Organist
WASHINGTON, D.C. “…the secret of his success as an interpreter lies in his
treatment of the organ as a great orchestra. His rendition of Maurice Duruflé’s
Suite, Op. 5, which closed the concert, was a virtuoso romp that brought the
audience to its feet.”
The Washington Post
CLEVELAND,
OH “So natural was his musicality and so secure
his technique that the music seemed to play itself.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer
RECORDING REVIEWS
Great
Organbuilders of America: A retrospective - Vol. 14
Thomas
Murray, the Newberry memorial organ, Woolsey Hall, Yale University
“…commanding interpretations of the Mozart F minor Fantasia,
Reger’s introduction & Passacaglia in D and the Hindemith First Sonata from
Thomas Murray….” “… one
has the inescapable impression of an enthralling partnership of instrument and
player, both at the very peak of their considerable powers.”
Choir and Organ magazine
Elgar:
Organ Music (Gothic Records)
"Murray's performance and his handling of the immense resources of the
Woolsey Hall organ are beyond superlatives."
American Record Guide
"Ever a thoughtful musician, Thomas Murray approaches his
task with seriousness and sensitivity....As for the performances, they reveal
consummate skill and artistry...."
High Fidelity
An Elm Court Musicale (JAV Recordings)
“Thomas
Murray’s beautifully judged interpretation … warmly commended.”
Organists’ Review
The
Longwood Gardens Organ, Volume 1 (DTR 8305)
"Professor Murray supplies a total workout and establishes
himself as a thoroughly witty and entertaining Romanticist. As an icon of the advanced stages of the
Romantic revival in organ performance DTR 8305 would be exceptional for its
musical integrity and dignity. But in
the abstract, Murray supplies rewarding listening in a varied recital which achieves
its principal goal to demonstrate an unusual, enjoyable, instrument."
Fanfare
"As usual, Murray is the
consummate musician, the organist's organist....his towering technique
negotiates the most difficult passages with ease, but always serving the music
rather than drawing attention to it."
The American Organist
Thomas
Murray: Music of Schumann and Mendelssohn (JAV Recordings)
“The hallmark Murray performance traits bring this gorgeous music radiantly
alive….this is music-making of the highest order….”
Organists’ Review