Mervyn Hogg – organ

The Programme

Music for the Annunciation, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week

from Poèmes Évangéliques, Op 7
1. L’Annonciation – Annunciation of Blessed Virgin Mary

from 12 Chorale Preludes on Gregorian themes, Op 8
1) Vexilla Regis – Prelude – The Royal Banners forward go

Chorale Preludes from the Orgelbüchlein ~
1) Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund, BWV 621
Seven Last Words
2) O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622
Passion meditation
3) Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 623
Passion thanksgiving
These three pieces are central to Bach’s liturgical sequence for Holy Week

An Wasserflüssen Babylon
(By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept)

The Artist

This year is around the 60th anniversary of when Mervyn began to study the organ in Enfield, with Leslie Gillett (Rialto Cinema) and Eric Pask (Enfield Parish Church). At Latymer School, Edmonton he played for the daily assembly. He went to University at Exeter, reading Physics and Mathematics, becaming organist and choirmaster in the university chapel studying organ with Christopher Gower and Paul Morgan, and singing with Reginald Moore and Prof Arthur Hutchings.

From Exeter he moved to Cardiff, working on Anaesthetic projects concerned with pain management and pharmacology. His music studies continued with Robert Joyce at Llandaff, and he was an organist at St German’s, Roath – a church with a notable Hill organ then used for broadcast recitals. From Cardiff he moved to London In 1977 and a new role as Medical Statistician in Glaxo R&D. Over many years this role expanded to embrace revolutions in Information Technology, Strategy and Business Management.

In 1978 he was appointed Organist and Choirmaster in St Martin’s Ruislip where he was able to build a good choir and the opportunity to sing evensong at St Paul’s and other UK Cathedrals. He was a pupil of Simon Williams and enjoyed various masterclasses with Peter Hurford, Naji Hakim and Marie Louis Langlais. This continued for 20 years and was followed by an assortment of roles: a fund-raising director of the St Alban’s IOF, examiner for RSCM awards, organiser of the St Paul’s Diocesan Choir (2005-2017), exploring the history of music in Westminster Cathedral for an MA music project and contributing to the Cathedral’s music review of 2021.

After Glaxo/GSK he managed the British Society of Rheumatology’s national register programme. With their offices in St Bride’s Lane this led to a long-enjoyed link with that Church and the opportunity for recitals in London; as well as St Bride’s among them being at Southwark Cathedral, St Margaret, Lothbury and St Stephen, Walbrook. He often deputises as organist and choirmaster in various London churches.