His career as a performer was launched when he won first prize in two international competitions:St Albans,England in 1969 andKiel,Germany in 1972. After this, he toured as a solorecitalist. Hisdiscography spans the music of several centuries, and includes the complete organ works ofFranck, the complete organ symphonies ofLouis Vierne, and works byLiszt andLefébure-Wély. He also recorded the complete organ music ofBach forMeridian Records.
He toured many countries as recitalist – Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, France, Russia, Iceland, the United States, Mexico and South Korea – as well as giving many recitals in the British Isles, notably at theBBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall,The Royal Festival Hall, theCity of London Festival, theBath Festival, the Chester Festival, the West Riding Cathedrals' Festival, and many similar occasions. He gave Master Classes in many places including Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, and was 'Headmaster' of the Church Music Seminar in Bergen for fourteen years. He was frequently partnered byHans Fagius from Sweden for Organ Duet Concerts.
As a recording artist he made over 20 CDs. His début on the organ was withPolydor (DG Début Series) with Bach and Franck recorded in Munich. He recorded the complete organ works of César Franck at theKatarina Church in Stockholm (before the fire) for BIS. His Meridian recordings of Vierne's Six Organ Symphonies received wide acclaim and he was close to completing his recordings of the complete organ works of Bach. The most recent Bach CDs were recorded on the newly constructed, historic-style, Carsten Lund organ in Copenhagen's Garnisons Church.
In addition to his performing career, Sanger was ateacher of the organ. He wasprofessor of organ at theRoyal Academy of Music inLondon, and chairman of the organ department there from 1987 to 1989. Between 1989 and 1997 he was a Consultant Professor at the RAM. He was guest professor for two years at theRoyal Danish Academy of Music,Copenhagen. He was a Visiting Tutor in organ studies at theRoyal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, and teacher of organ atOxford andCambridge Universities. He was appointed as Consultant Tutor at the Birmingham Conservatoire. He had many successful students at international competition level, including two winners at the Calgary International Organ Competition.
Sanger appeared in the jury of many international organ competitions; St Albans, Paisley, Speyer, Biarritz, Alkmaar, Odense Nűrnberg and Lucerne. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1985.[2]
After being a member since age 15, Sanger was appointed president of theRoyal College of Organists in October 2008, a position he served in until his resignation a week before his death.[3]
On 25 May 2010 Sanger appeared in court, charged with four counts of indecent assault and four of gross indecency, all against a boy under the age of 14 and under the age of 16 and all alleged to have taken place between 1978 and 1982.[4] Sanger denied all charges and was released on conditional bail, pending a hearing scheduled for 21 July 2010.[4] Three days later, on 28 May 2010, police announced that Sanger had been found dead at his converted former chapel (which housed a church organ)[5] inEmbleton, nearCockermouth,Cumbria.
After Sanger's body had been found, Police stated that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the death.[6] Aninquest was opened 1 June 2010.[7] The inquest subsequently ruled in January 2011 that the cause of death wasasphyxia caused by a plastic bag andligature[8] and that Sanger had killed himself.[9]
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. I – Meridian Records CDE 84081
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. II – Meridian Records CDE 84144
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. III – Meridian Records CDE 84203
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. IV – Meridian Records CDE 84209
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. V – Meridian Records CDE 84235
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. VI – Meridian Records CDE 84326
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. VII – Meridian Records CDE 84377
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. VIII – Meridian Records CDE 84378
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. IX – Euridice (unpublished recordings [April 2010] from Bodin Parish church, Norway. Organ 2003 by Heiko Lorenz, Wilhelmshaven)
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. X – Euridice (unpublished recordings [April 2010] from Bodin Parish church, Norway. Organ 2003 by Heiko Lorenz, Wilhelmshaven)
The Complete Organ Works of J S Bach Vol. XI – Euridice (unpublished recordings [April 2010] from Bodin Parish church, Norway. Organ 2003 by Heiko Lorenz, Wilhelmshaven)
Lefébure-Wély popular organ works – Meridian Records CDE 84296
Carols from Salisbury – the Cathedral Choir conducted by Richard Seal, accompanied by Colin Walsh – Meridian Records CDE 84068
Vierne Organ Symphonies 1 & 2 – Meridian Records CDE 84192
