On the first Sunday of November 1996 Alexander Fiseisky gave the UK première of the Azeri composer Mirzoyev's Organ Symphony in Westminster Abbey, at an occasion arranged by the Azerbaijan Embassy, to which over 200 cultural, diplomatic, industrial and financial representatives had been invited.  The Abbey was full with the largest audience that had been seen for a long time.

    Mirzoyev's work is based on the music of the Azeri high Mugam, an oriental music form, which he has artfully adapted to the occidental music of the organ.  Alexander has performed this work on many occasions in Russia, and has demonstrably mastered the interpretation of it on the English cathedral organ.  Mirzoyev first heard it played on such an instrument when Alexander played it to him on the new (and first in Russia) English cathedral organ in the Russian Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow.  He was overjoyed with the immense compass of mood, gentleness and power of the instrument, and felt it was the ideal vehicle for his composition.

    The performance was received as stunning and masterly, of a work new in form to occidental ears, so  reminiscent of Bach, yet so evocatively based on the oriental.

    In the evenings preceding the recital there was much playing for practice and recording  . . . . .

.....Did the Speaker's Office really ring to
say they couldn't hear the Prime Minister
speaking in the House?