Alexander Mason(b1974) received his early musical training as a chorister at Gloucester before becoming organ scholar at Worcester College‚ Oxford where he studied the organ with David Sanger. Subsequent tuition with Jos van der Kooy at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague left its mark; Mason is of the generation who have taken their improvisatory role models from such continental luminaries as Guy Bovet‚ Naji Hakim‚ Olivier Latry and Peter Planyavsky. Each of these large­scale pieces is made up of a number of movements‚ designed to demonstrate a particular tonal colour of the Gloucester instrument and the variety of improvisatory techniques. The opening 10 Variations on Veni Creator romp along merrily‚ whereas the Messe de la Pentecôte (cast in the usual five­movement form) is much meatier fare. The rhythmic motifs from the plainsong were created just 30 seconds before the red light went on. The wide­ranging Fantaisie is a collage based on Machaut’s virelai Je vivroie liement (I should lead a happy life). I greatly enjoyed the delightful Suite‚ especially the Minuet­Waltz (shades of The Magic Roundabout) and the Gigue alla RumbaÊ–Êan invigoratingly groovy Latin­American Cakewalk! While this music is obviously heavily indebted to French models‚ there is a truly inventive and fluent musical talent at work here. The Gloucester organ is eminently suitable and clearly recorded. Mason is definitely worth watchingÊ–Êand hearing.