Jump to content
Mander Organ Builders Forum

The Interesting Recitals Thread


deadsheepstew

Recommended Posts

There must be tons of concerts that make a loss because people don't know about them. Let's do something useful by sharing the information. Here goes: Friday August 5, Romsey Abbey, 7.30pm: David Briggs improvising to a silent film. £8.50 on the door. They have to fill the nave to break even on this. Perhaps a pint beforehand, anyone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There must be tons of concerts that make a loss because people don't know about them.  Let's do something useful by sharing the information.  Here goes:  Friday August 5, Romsey Abbey, 7.30pm:  David Briggs improvising to a silent film.  £8.50 on the door.  They have to fill the nave to break even on this.  Perhaps a pint beforehand, anyone?

 

And Naji Hakim at Farnborough Abbey (CC/Mutin ?) on the following Sunday - 3.00pm - what's on Saturday?

AJJ

 

ps Could we persuade Mr Mander to run a 'Concerts' option? - there seem to be enough of us reading here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, organrecitals.com is an excellent source of information about recitals - far better in many cases than the venues' own websites!

 

You will even find details of recitals at my own church, Halifax Parish Church, which has a splendid 52 stop H&H (1929 and little altered since).

 

Aha?

 

A genuine Arthur Harrison's?

With Trombas and Harmonics?

 

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aha?

 

A genuine Arthur Harrison's?

With Trombas and Harmonics?

 

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers

 

 

Alas, the Harmonics is the one item that has been changed. It has been replaced by a quint mixture. Harrison's are trying to persuade us to put it back as Arthur Harrison left it.

 

But the trombas are there (separate ranks at 16', 8' and 4') and there's an enormous tuba on the solo. There's also a lovely 16' Dulciana on the choir/pedal - so much metal for so little sound! And a gorgeous clarinet on the Solo.

 

There is a small amount of Snetzler pipework remaining from the organ of 1766.

 

No mutations, of course, except for the Octave Quint (2 2/3') in the Great diapason chorus. But the swell flutes have strong 12th and sound quite nazard-like.

 

Sir Edward Bairstow was the consultant. There's a photograph of him with Arthur Harrison and the vicar outside the west door circa 1929, possibly the occasion of Bairstow giving the opening recital.

 

Full specification and further information is available from the Halifax Parish Church Web Site

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alas, the Harmonics is the one item that has been changed. It has been replaced by a quint mixture. Harrison's are trying to persuade us to put it back as Arthur Harrison left it.

 

I would not hesitate to let them do...

 

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm - I think that I would ask myself a few questions, first:

1) Does the replacement mixture blend satisfactorily?

2) Was it installed and voiced by H&H?

3) How musical and useful would a new 17, 19, flat21, 22 mixture be? (Have you heard the surviving stop at Crediton, Devon?) It is original, but it is also anti-social. It is no use for Bach or other Baroque composers and whilst it is brilliant (it does not break back until well up the compass) it is strident and very reedy.

 

I am all for authenticity - but never at the expense of musicality and general usefulness. However, it is, of course, your decision.

 

The rest of the organ sounds superb, though!

 

Best wishes :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are "musicality" and "usefullness"?

 

These two are subject to change, and often with that.

I think the Harmonics stop must be understood in

relation with the Trombas, tough it seems Arthur Harrison

pretended it was an ordinary chorus top.

Reedy, non-classic mixtures in romantic organs are better

and better understand today. They have roots in the baroque

tradition, moreover.

Weigle of Stuttgart used tierce and flat twenty-first ranks in

mixtures that were intended to work with his high-pressure

flue stops.

So maybe we just don't know enough of the matter to

not reconstitute these stops before it's too late.

 

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It might be interesting (in the context of the above) to hear the effect of the mixture shown below - on the newish Walt Disney Concert Hall organ by Rolsales/Glatter Goetz in LA - in the 'Bombarde' division. There is also a large quint mixture starting at 2-2/3 pitch.

 

Note 1: 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 15: 2, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 27: 2-2/3, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 43: 4, 2-2/3, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7,

Note 47: 4, 2-2/3, 2, 1-3/5

Note 51: 8, 4, 2-2/3, 2

Note 61: 8, 4, 2-2/3, 2

 

The stop is actually called Compuestas and the IVth Manual on this instrument is titled Llamarada - terminology possibly to suite the Hispanic roots of city and builder. The 'write up' in The American Organist mag. (Jonathan Ambrosino) says that the stop gives 'clang and added richness' - there are also high pressure reeds and principals - all enclosed in what must surely be some sort of 'super swell' division.

AJJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It may be interesting to compare this clang with Gilbert Benham's words in 1947 ("The organ quarterly") about the RAH's Harmonics:

this stop was to be drawn after the mixture and the Cymbale, and even at least one or two reed stops; it intervened like a big slam

 

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry - 1st attempt at setting out the composition of the above stop was decidedly dodgy so I redid it - my submission is now corrected - not quick enough for M.Lauwers though!!.

AJJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm - I think that I would ask myself a few questions, first:

1) Does the replacement mixture blend satisfactorily?

2) Was it installed and voiced by H&H?

3) How musical and useful would a new 17, 19, flat21, 22 mixture be? (Have you heard the surviving stop at Crediton, Devon?) It is original, but it is also anti-social. It is no use for Bach or other Baroque composers and whilst it is brilliant (it does not break back until well up the compass) it is strident and very reedy.

 

I am all for authenticity - but never at the expense of musicality and general usefulness. However, it is, of course, your decision.

 

The rest of the organ sounds superb, though!

 

Best wishes :P

 

It blends pretty well, and I like it, but then I have never been a great fan of tierce mixtures. Some people consider it rather harsh - principally, I think, members of the choir, who hear it from the chancel, where it does sound rather strident. Down the nave it is much more mellow.

 

Walker's installed it during the 1970's renovation. It was originally two ranks but was later made into three.

 

Yes, I have heard a recital at Crediton. The Harmonics is indeed very reedy. I thought it suited the style of the instrument very well, but as you say, it is not suitable for Bach.

 

The Halifax PC H&H is indeed a fine instrument, and you can hear a recital on it every Saturday from Easter to October.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Did any one else hear Kevin Bowyer's stunning recital at Durham Cathedral this evening? Those who missed it - bad luck!! A superb programme on a fabulous organ. Amongst other treats such as St. Francis on the Waves (Liszt arr. Reger), and Iain Farrington's new suite "Fiesta", were two preludes for pedal piano by Alkan. These were superb and for those that are interested they are featured on Kevin's new Alkan disc due out shortly.

 

The more miscievous side of me also delighted in Giles Swayne's "Mr. Bach's Bottle Bank" - a gigue fugue on "10 Green Bottles"...... I'm not joking.

 

As this is a strand about interesting recitals I thought I'd also plug the Durham Cathedral Organ Recital Series that takes place every summer. The organ (1877 Willis and 1905/1935/1970 Harrison and Harrison of 98 stops) and the building are both glorious and need no introduction. James Lancelot, Keith Wright and the resident cathedral organ scholar always provide great programmes as do their guests who have recently included John Kitchen, David Goode, Roger Sayer and James Vivian all of whom have dug around and found some really interesting music to play.

 

The series has now ended for 2005 but if you want to support them in 2006 please keep viewing www.duresme.org.uk which is Richard Hird's website and always includes an up to date list of all the recitals in the North East, which boasts many fine romantic organs which can all be heard reasonably regularly in concert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did any one else hear Kevin Bowyer's stunning recital at Durham Cathedral this evening? Those who missed it - bad luck!! A superb programme on a fabulous organ. Amongst other treats such as St. Francis on the Waves (Liszt arr. Reger), and Iain Farrington's new suite "Fiesta", were two preludes for pedal piano by Alkan. These were superb and for those that are interested they are featured on Kevin's new Alkan disc due out shortly.

 

The more miscievous side of me also delighted in Giles Swayne's "Mr. Bach's Bottle Bank" - a gigue fugue on "10 Green Bottles"...... I'm not joking.

 

As this is a strand about interesting recitals I thought I'd also plug the Durham Cathedral Organ Recital Series that takes place every summer. The organ (1877 Willis and 1905/1935/1970 Harrison and Harrison of 98 stops) and the building are both glorious and need no introduction. James Lancelot, Keith Wright and the resident cathedral organ scholar always provide great programmes as do their guests who have recently included John Kitchen, David Goode, Roger Sayer and James Vivian all of whom have dug around and found some really interesting music to play.

 

The series has now ended for 2005 but if you want to support them in 2006 please keep viewing www.duresme.org.uk which is Richard Hird's website and always includes an up to date list of all the recitals in the North East, which boasts many fine romantic organs which can all be heard reasonably regularly in concert.

I must admit at not having gone to any of this years recitals, working till 6.30 and having a 60 mile journey did prohibit me ;) but when living in Durham ( I was born there) I used to go all the time, and I still think the H & H organ is one of the finest in the land ( I may be a bit biased ). I remember James Lancelot and a friend from the local organist association ( Andrew Christer) and I , locked in at 10.00pm and James playing for us, I will never forget the 32ft open wood at the end of Master Tallis's Testament, it just "shimmered" marvelous stuff, and I just happened to have a DAT recorder and a pair of AKG microphonedsw with me , I have just edited the tape and it brings back happy memories :P

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Roffensis
Hmm - I think that I would ask myself a few questions, first:

1) Does the replacement mixture blend satisfactorily?

2) Was it installed and voiced by H&H?

3) How musical and useful would a new 17, 19, flat21, 22 mixture be? (Have you heard the surviving stop at Crediton, Devon?) It is original, but it is also anti-social. It is no use for Bach or other Baroque composers and whilst it is brilliant (it does not break back until well up the compass) it is strident and very reedy.

 

I am all for authenticity - but never at the expense of musicality and general usefulness. However, it is, of course, your decision.

 

The rest of the organ sounds superb, though!

 

Best wishes ;)

 

The "Harmonics" are a typical Harrison trademark, and I reckon should always be preserved or reinstated. Quints are more Hills court.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ideally, I would prefer both the 'Harmonics' and a Quint Mixture - that way one has authenticity and versatility. Westminster Abbey did both and Hereford did something slightly similar. However, these instruments are presumably somewhat larger, so there will always be some form of compromise.

 

I would still want to ask myself how often I would acutally use an 'Harmonics' stop. Authenticity must be balanced with practicality, surely - otherwise all that is achieved is to preserve an anachronism.

 

However, if everything else is largely as Arthur Harrison left it - including the family of trombi on the GO, then it may be best to re-instate it.

 

I do appreciate your dilemma, though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

Info. on 2 forthcoming concerts that I'm giving:-

 

Victorian Reed Organ Museum, Victoria Road, Saltaire, W. Yorkshire - Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th. Short demonstration recitals at 12:00 & 2:00 each day. Free admission (donations welcome). This event is part of Saltaire Festival. I will be playing a selection of organs from the collection, including a Debain harmonium, Estey American organ and a Mustel "art-harmonium" - as well as the Mustel Harmonium/Celeste.

 

Heaton Baptist Church, Leylands Lane, Heaton, Bradford BD9. "Music for a Summer's Evening". Saturday August 24th. 6:30 p.m. Featuring a Manborg American organ, the churches' chamber organ, recorders, etc. A variety of music for all tastes. Free admission, collection for Baptist Home Mission and Baptist Missionary Society.

 

Hope I might see some of you at one or other (or both!) events.

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
It might be interesting (in the context of the above) to hear the effect of the mixture shown below - on the newish Walt Disney Concert Hall organ by Rosales/Glatter-Goetz in LA - in the 'Bombarde' division. There is also a large quint mixture starting at 2-2/3 pitch.

 

Note 1:  1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 15: 2, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 27: 2-2/3, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7, 1, 8/9

Note 43: 4, 2-2/3, 1-3/5, 1-1/3, 1-1/7,

Note 47: 4, 2-2/3, 2, 1-3/5

Note 51: 8, 4, 2-2/3, 2

Note 61: 8, 4, 2-2/3, 2

 

        The stop is actually called Compuestas and the IVth Manual on this instrument is titled Llamarada - terminology possibly to suite the Hispanic roots of city and builder. The 'write up' in The American Organist mag. (Jonathan Ambrosino) says that the stop gives 'clang and added richness' - there are also  high pressure reeds and principals - all enclosed in what must surely be some sort of 'super swell' division.

AJJ

 

Mr. Rosales and I corresponded about this stop as it was being designed and built. As I recall, the tierce rank is scaled two half-tones narrower than the octaves and quints, then the septième two half-tones narrower than the tierce, and the neuvième two half-tones narrower yet. Yet all ranks are full-blown, and the entire Llamarada principal chorus is made up of flared pipes. The base wind-pressure for this division is 8" (c. 200mm).

 

When Rosales had voiced and tested sample pipes in the shop, he told me was thrilled with the result, saying it had a very distinctive flavor like a good curry! I asked him later about the final result in the completed organ, and he said the stop had something of a "wild" effect. I have yet to hear it for myself. He also said at some point that he now wished that it had been possible to have these mutation ranks on separate sliders, as they would be useful colors apart from that mixture.

 

I do think there is something to be said for using scaling to control the colume of remote mutation pitches in mixtures rather than voicing them more softly (e.g. at the toe). I find that mixtures work best when their members are all voiced in a similar manner, and that manner being one of good, solid strength. A soft rank among louder ranks in a chorus doesn't really integrate successfully.

 

- Timothy Tikker

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do think there is something to be said for using scaling to control the colume of remote mutation pitches in mixtures rather than voicing them more softly (e.g. at the toe). I find that mixtures work best when their members are all voiced in a similar manner, and that manner being one of good, solid strength. A soft rank among louder ranks in a chorus doesn't really integrate successfully.

(Quote)

 

This is certainly true in "classical" organ-building, tough even the differences in scaling

can be disturbing -narrower ranks will be richer in harmonics and interfere with higher-pitched ranks-.

As Mr Bicknell explains, a classic Diapason chorus is made with the same scaling and voicing troughout; if one wants to "soften" any part of it, suffice to build less duplications, or no duplication of it, and/or to place its pipes deeper in the organ-case.

This is exactly what you find in the baroque organs here in Belgium.

But in romantic organs, this may be the reverse. You may have a Mixture that's made

to work with different families of stops (no "pure" chorus), with one rank Lieblich Gedackt, the next Principal, then Gemshorn, then a Principal the kind of a Dulciana,

and the last say a Spitzflöte.

Examples are to be find in the (rare...) Walcker and Link organs in Germany

and Belgium.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Mr. Rosales and I corresponded about this stop as it was being designed and built.  As I recall, the tierce rank is scaled two half-tones narrower than the octaves and quints, then the septième two half-tones narrower than the tierce, and the neuvième two half-tones narrower yet.  Yet all ranks are full-blown, and the entire Llamarada principal chorus is made up of flared pipes.  The base wind-pressure for this division is 8" (c. 200mm).

 

When Rosales had voiced and tested sample pipes in the shop, he told me was thrilled with the result, saying it had a very distinctive flavor like a good curry!  I asked him later about the final result in the completed organ, and he said the stop had something of a "wild" effect. I have yet to hear it for myself.  He also said at some point that he now wished that it had been possible to have these mutation ranks on separate sliders, as they would be useful colors apart from that mixture.

 

I do think there is something to be said for using scaling to control the colume of remote mutation pitches in mixtures rather than voicing them more softly (e.g. at the toe).  I find that mixtures work best when their members are all voiced in a similar manner, and that manner being one of good, solid strength.  A soft rank among louder ranks in a chorus doesn't really integrate successfully.

 

- Timothy Tikker

 

I like the open minded rather experimental feel of all this (especially the 'wild' and 'curry' aspects) - viable new sounds and effects can always add to the art of playing organ music more effectively - hopefully the instrument will be available on CD soon so us on this side of the Atlantic can all experience its undoubtedly success for ourselves (and in my case unlikely to get to LA to hear it live in the forseeable future). Does anyone know if/when this is likely?

 

AJJ

 

PS Mr Tikker's CD of the Rosales organ at Claremont California (Raven OAR 670) is worth buying too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...