Concerto for two organs at Whanganui's Christ Church

Leonard Cave and Margaret Thompson will provide an organ recital on Sunday, November 1, at Christ Church. Photo / Supplied

To hear a concerto for two organs is a rarity in New Zealand for the simple reason that very few venues have two pipe organs.

It is very different in Spain where many churches have two or more organs in situ. This has led Spanish composers to write music for that combination.

In their programme of Spanish music Leonard Cave and Margaret Thompson will play three of Antonio Soler's six concertos for two organs.

Soler was both a keyboard virtuoso and a prolific composer. He was also a gifted teacher who taught harpsichord and organ to members of the Royal family. Surprisingly he experimented with microtones and built a keyboard instrument capable of playing them.

Between the Soler concertos Margaret and Leonard will play solo pieces composed between the 17th and 20th centuries.

Leonard Cave was born in Whanganui and studied at Auckland University and London's Guildhall School of Music. His career has been spent teaching, adjudicating and performing, but he has now "returned to Whanganui for a quiet retirement"!

Margaret Thompson studied music performance and musicology at the Universities of Auckland, Otago and York England, before returning to New Zealand as a secondary school teacher, her last post being at Taranaki Diocesan School for girls. She has taken early retirement and is now based in Marton where one of her projects is raising funds for the St Stephen's organ.

The custom built pipe organ was designed and built for Leonard Cave in 1994 by Bruce Thomson and associates. It can be divided into two sections so that only two people are needed to move it. It has a purpose built trailer. It will be placed in the Gallery for the Christ Church concert. Placement at St Stephens will require less exertion.

The first recital will be at Christ Church, Wicksteed St, Sunday, November 1 at 2pm. Tickets and programme at the door $25, $20 (friends) children free. Afternoon tea after.

The second recital will be at St Stephen's, Marton, Monday, November 2 at midday. Admission free, koha appreciated.