Reviews
"a brilliant organist"
"en fremragende orgelspiller"
Gudbrandsdalen og Lillehammer Tilskuer
"During the opening number by John Parry, you could close your eyes and dream of the eighteenth century. Bach's C-minor Passacaglia danced with strength and fullness in its music"
"Under åpningsnummeret av John Parry kunne en lukke øynene og drømme seg til syttenhundretallet. Bachs Passacaglia i c-moll [var] en dans med kraft og fylde i musikken"
Finnmark Dagblad
"Organ music of the highest class"
"Orgelmusikk av ypperste klasse"
Sør-Varanger Avis
"We hope that this organist will return to Harstad for we really want to hear him again"
"Organisten vonar vi legg turen innom Harstad ein annan gong for han høyrer vi gjerne igjen"
Harstad Tidende
"For an hour and a half the church was filled with the music of Vivaldi, Brahms, Bach and Mendelssohn, performed by Dr Tim Rishton ... and every single face was lit up by happy smiles"
"I halvannen time ble kirkerommet fylt med verker av Vivaldi, Brahms, Bach og Mendelssohn, framført av dr. Tim Rishton ... og salige smil strålte i hvert eneste ansikt"
Framtid i Nord
"Astoundingly good ... a world-class organist"
"Helt utrolig flott ... organist i verdensklasse"
Romsdals Budstikke
"Fabulous organ playing ... was greatly enjoyed"
"Glimrande orgelspel ... vekte stor begeistring"
Sogn Dagblad
Review of Joyful Noise
Abridged version of review by Canon Jeremy Fletcher (Precentor of York Minster) on The Foundation for Church Leadership website, 2007Tim Rishton is Director in Continuing Studies in Music at the University of Lancaster, and an organist with a wide experience in churches in the UK and in Norway. Married to a priest, he sets out in Joyful Noise to right a perceived imbalance between the theological and musical apitudes of the leaders of music in churches, and to provide a theological underpinning to the use of music in worship. Starting with a wide-ranging reflection on the purpose of music and moving to detailed practical hints, much of the book is addressed to music leaders, though ‘non musical’ church will find something of interest and value too.
[There] are some gems for which I am thankful. It is always helpful to be reminded that music has a number of functions in worship, that a church leadership team should include the musical leader(s), and that genuine collaboration is essential, not an unattainable holy grail. The book is good on the processes which have lead to the angry marginalisation of many organists and music leaders, and rightly points out that its is their very specialism in music alone to the detriment of liturgical and theological knowledge that puts many musicians and their clergy on a collision course. The same is not true of Lutheran Churches, where music leaders need to demonstrate theological competence before using their music in a liturgical context. It is something which the RSCM is now giving impressive weight to, but this will take a decade or two to make a real difference.
There is a brilliant passage where Rishton gives a forensic diagnosis of how organists can come to be isolated from the purpose and life changing nature of worship, because of their very concentration on doing the best possible professional job. Focussing on their tasks within a service can mean not concentrating on the worship as a whole, and organists can become arrogantly superior, he says, while denying themselves the opportunity to be changed and to journey through the service with the rest of the congregation. “It is not surprising that so many organists withdraw from an active expression of faith within the congregation: the wonder is that any retain a living personal faith at all”. A discussion of this passage alone between Vicar and Organist could be incredibly fruitful.
The practical sections for organists are detailed and helpful, if at the most basic of levels. Given the dearth of organists and music leaders today this is probably about right.
Review of course for church organists
"On Saturday 9 November [2002], All Saints [Burton in Lonsdale] was host for a group of organists from the Deanery and surrounding region who met together for the day with Professor Tim Rishton from Kelbrook - including our own organists from Thornton and Burton. The meeting was organised by Anthony Smith, organist at St Margaret's Church, High Bentham.The sessions comprised both discussion and practical work on the organ. Dr Rishton has a particular ministry in guiding and encouraging organists and after the session grateful comments could be heard for his skilled guidance, for his friendly style of teaching and for getting the level right for those participating. He seeks to bring together clear Christian faith and professional expertise in the worship of our Lord.
This was the first of these meetings in the Diocese and it is now planned for similar meetings to be held in other deaneries, and for further possible workships here in Ewecross. We look forward to that."
Ewecross Deanery News, December 2002
Biographical articles
Romsdals Budstikke 19 August 1995 (Large PDF file - 18MB)Åndalsnes Avis 5 February 1994 (Large PDF file - 19MB)
Wikipedia article
