The highlight of this concert is unequivocally the fact that the Royal Albert Hall welcomed a full capacity audience for a performance by a classical organist—a rarity that harkens back to the days of Anton Bruckner in 1871.

Anna Lapwood has clearly transcended traditional boundaries, attracting a diverse audience that may not typically frequent classical concerts or organ recitals. Her success on social media, particularly on TikTok where she has amassed 1.2 million followers, is just one facet of her appeal. Additionally, her engaging personality, a refreshing contrast to the predominantly male organist demographic, adds to her widespread charm.

During the concert, Lapwood combined music with relatable, personal anecdotes, inviting the audience to join in singing Happy Birthday to her grandmother, turning what could have been overly sentimental into a delightful moment that resonated with the 5,000 attendees.

The third element contributing to her appeal lies in her carefully curated musical selections, designed to resonate with a broader audience. This concert featured only a single nod to the traditional organ repertoire: Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of André de Ridder, who has recently been appointed as the new music director for English National Opera. The audience seemed to particularly anticipate the powerful finale where the organ made a dramatic entrance.

Aside from the symphony, the program included adaptations of film music, with an immersive experience created by dimming the lights for the dreamy segments of Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar soundtrack. There were also two newly commissioned compositions, one being Kristina Arakelyan’s Toccata, which cleverly blended gothic harmonies with lively exchanges between organ and orchestra.

In contrast, Max Richter’s Cosmology, which consisted of four movements for organ and orchestra supplemented with vocal harmonies, felt considerably longer and lacked engagement. It aimed to depict a cosmic journey but progressed at a notably leisurely pace. However, the performance concluded on a high note, with the Pembroke College girl choristers and members of the Philharmonia Chorus breaking through the orchestral ambiance with an ethereal descant based on Bach’s chorale Wachet auf. ★★★★☆