Celebrity Organ Recital by James Orford

Join us under the Dome to hear our world-famous Grand Organ in the hands of some of the world's finest players with our 2026 Season of Celebrity Organ Recitals. This year's theme is 'Legacy of Legends'.

In the second half of the 19th Century, César Franck split open the world of French organ composition.

By composing works that used the organ as a symphonic instrument, César Franck was at the forefront of the movement that paved the way for the enormously important French 20th Century Organ Tradition. His innovations in organ composition had a knock-on effect on other French composers leading right down the the present day.

At the same time, Aristide Cavaille-Coll was revolutionising the organs themselves, making them much more symphonic and colourful in nature. One of his pioneering organs was in St Clotilde in Paris where Franck was the Titular Organist for 30 years, alongside composing and teaching at the Paris Conservatoire. Among his students were Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Henri Duparc, and Vincent d'Indy.

This concert will present a programme of works by Franck and some of those he taught and influenced, including Vierne, Tournemire, and Paul Dukas.

James Orford has been the Organist at St Paul's Cathedral since 2024. He is a prize-winning organist and pianist and has previously held posts at Westminster Cathedral and Eton College. He is an active recitalist in the UK and abroad, performing in many prestigious venues and has contributed to multiple recordings and radio broadcasts.

Tickets cost £15, or £12 for seniors, students and children.