hackej

One problem I find on every recording of this old instrument is the extent to which the large mixtures squeal over the chorus. The richness of the sound is attractive on record but I imagine it was nowhere near as balanced in person.

Full organ on the Great sounds rather crap on this recording, although the MF sections are quite grand and imposing. Full Swell is very bass-ey and aggressive. It's got character, certainly.

See above :-)

An interesting recording of the old hybrid organ at Worcester Cathedral has surfaced on YouTube. It's a performance of Howell's Rhapsody No.3. I think it dates from the early 1990s and the recording quality is excellent. It sounds like it was recorded in the Quire facing west at close range. An interesting historical curiosity for those who fancy it.

Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Adrian Lucas and his team on the superb new Quire Organ at Worcester. It was a truly brave decision to remove the oddity that was the previous instrument and it has paid dividends. Listening to the new CD back to back with the last recording of the old organ really shows the difference. This has had me wondering if there has been any progress on the Transept Organ phase of the project? Are there any details to share as of yet? John

And a very fine CD it is too - it really shows the organ off to its fullest. The end of the Vierne is pretty grand!

I also attended the recital. Thomas Trotter was superb as always. He is a very unpretentious person and I was very impressed with his thorough tour and explanation of the organ and his commentary on the pieces he played. It really made the concert accessible and entertaining to those who don't have the familiarity with the instrument that perhaps we do. As for the organ itself, Thomas Trotter's demonstration showed the sheer quality of the individual stops and timbres of the instrument. It is very fine in tone, very well balanced and has a real warmth to the ensemble. I have one slight reservation though. We were sitting just by the pipework in the Quire and I just didn't get the impression of power on Full Organ that I was hoping for. It didn't have any gravitas in the lower range and didn't move me as much as I would have liked when it was being played loudly. The people who attended with me all made the same comments as well. Perhaps it is a little too subtle? I don't know. I also noticed that the top end was going out of tune on the final two pieces, particularly the Elgar encore. I don't know if it was the temperature changes in the Cathedral on the night or something more complex, but it was there. Adrian's CD shows the organ off extremely well and makes great use of what I think is its finest feature - that wonderful collection of superb individual stops and colours. So overall, a great night and a lovely instrument. Just a little concerned about a lack of power and gravitas.

Super - thanks Adrian. Do you have any photos of the old cases from behind - i.e. from the side aisles?

Adrian, That instrument is absolutely beautiful. It really lifts the whole Quire area and complements the existing fittings very well. Compared to the stumpy cases of the old organ, it has presence, style and impact. I commend you and the cathedral on a fantastic piece of art. What impact will the transept pedal stops have in the Quire? Will the 32's be audible up there? What was the effect in the old installation? Best, John

Adrian, I have to say thank you for these wonderful photos of the new organ going in over the last few months. I have really enjoyed coming on here every day while at work to see how things were going. I am really pleased the Cathedral took the bold decision to do this - your photographic record shows the artistic integrity that has gone into the new instrument and helps to prove that it was the right thing to do. With that said, how does the sound compare to the old organ in terms or projection into the building, balancing etc. as far as you can tell at this stage? Also, is the organ voiced with a modern tone or is it designed to sound similar to the old instrument?

I myself am an atheist but still find religion interesting, even entertaining to behold and study. That goes for religious music. The organ must be one of the most powerful and moving instruments to have been invented and therefore lends itself to such music, where emotional impact and resonance is of great importance.

I know what you mean - I ought to have qualified my remark with the rider that I only enjoy select portions of it... much of it is rather dirge-like to my ears. As an aside, I can never forget sitting in the choir stalls at Liverpool Cathedral while the choir from my parent's church (the aforementioned St. Mary's Kingswinford) sang that piece at a unity choir event. Towards the end, where there is a solo organ section played entirely on pedals with interspersed dischords on an Oboe stop or similar, the grand organ hit a low note which sounded exactly like someone breaking wind. Both myself and my mate who was sitting next to me were in stitches while everyone else was being reverent. To make matters worse, he turned to me just after we heard it and said "pardon me" in a low whisper. Believe me, it was extremely funny at the time. Ian Tracey must have used the Contre Vindaloo 32' at that point.....

I thought this may be an interesting topic - how many of the participants on this forum are not Christians or church-goers but who appreciate the organ and/or sacred music? I myself am no longer a Christian but can still sit and listen to such pieces as Stainer's Crucifixion or similar. My love of the organ came from hearing the instrument at my local church (St. Mary's, Kingswinford, anyone familiar with it?) during services I attended as a child and in my early teens. I would love to hear the stories of how people came to know and love the organ also.

I am not suprised by the responses here - it is without a doubt one of my favourite organs. I find its strident and fiery tone to be unique. Furthermore, the sheer clarity of every nuance and timbre of the instrument is startling, both on CD and live. I would assume this is the result of the caseless design? I remember speaking to Rupert Jeffcoat after a Monday lunchtime recital a couple of years ago and he commented that the stereo split effect of the layout could occasionally be troublesome when certain registrations were used.

I'd be interested to know what the community on this forum thinks about the Harrison & Harrison 4 manual organ at Coventry Cathedral. I have heard it played live on several occasions and it strikes me as being very fiery in tone - quite clear and strident. It was much louder on the whole than I found Liverpool Cathedral to be at a recent concert. What are people's opinions of it? I would be really interested to see some discussion of this instrument.