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Ian Tracey In Liverpool


mrbouffant

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Well, Mr Bouffant, you can hardly criticize a recitalist for including the Reubke in programmes five years apart -- it's hardly overdoing it! I don't think I know Guilmant 8, though. Interesting piece?

 

How many times have you actually had your hubcaps nicked in Liverpool?

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Guest Andrew Butler
Well, Mr Bouffant, you can hardly criticize a recitalist for including the Reubke in programmes five years apart -- it's hardly overdoing it! I don't think I know Guilmant 8, though. Interesting piece?

 

How many times have you actually had your hubcaps nicked in Liverpool?

 

Bloke breaks down in Liverpool, gets out, puts up the bonnet and peers beneath it. Fiddles with a few things, then goes to try starting it up. He finds the car up on bricks and some lads walking away with his wheels. He says "What the he;ll are you doing?" They reply "Well, your having the engine so we figured we might as well have the wheels!"

 

Before anyone starts defending the Liverpudlians, I would point out that I am one!

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I must point out I am married to a Scouse lass and therefore hold "honorary" Scouse status myself. Missing hubcaps notwithstanding, I also hold a Scouse passport as proof :)

 

Guilmant 8 is an excellent piece, and in orchestral guise it quite blows one away (cf Chandos' recording of Ian Tracey / BBC Phil / Tortelier) ...

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Oh, in that case I do know no. 8! And I agree it's a fine piece. Never heard it in its solo guise though. Apart from no. 1, I don't know any of the other sonatas actually. I wonder whether they are like Vierne symphonies -- you hunt down an unfamiliar one, then immediately realize why people only ever play one or two of the others! Quite a lot of dull and tedious music there -- do you agree?

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As I have never visited Liverpool, I will make every effort to attend this recital, bearing in mind the excellent concerts given by the Professor at Alexandra Palace in recent years,

I have heard the organ on songs of Praise, and it is obvious that Harrisons? or is it David Wells ? are doing an excellent job in maintaining the organ as one would expect.

Colin Richell

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As I have never visited Liverpool, I will make every effort to attend this recital, bearing in mind the excellent concerts given by the Professor at Alexandra Palace in recent years,

I have heard the organ on songs of Praise, and it is obvious that Harrisons? or is it David Wells ? are doing an excellent job in maintaining the organ as one would expect.

Colin Richell

 

David Wells.

 

It is kept in absolutely superb condition. Mr. Wells is a true artist.

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David Wells.

 

It is kept in absolutely superb condition. Mr. Wells is a true artist.

 

I'll second that. I heard the instrument last June, and everything sounded spot-on - quite an achievement for such a large instrument after some extreme weather.

 

David Wells was celebrating 25 years of looking after the instrument under his own steam (after many years prior to that with Willis/Harrisons, I guess)

 

JJK

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  • 5 weeks later...
Having just returned from the sodden north, I'm wondering if anyone went to the Anniversary Recital and if so, what did they think? (especially about the bit of not applauding between each piece since it was 'not appropriate' for that particular recital....)

 

Was the recital dedicated to the memory of someone connected with Liverpool - or the organ world at large?

 

If not, I am also not certain what useful purpose such an instruction would serve.

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Where on earth did the habit of not applauding until the end of recitals come from?

 

It can give the whole occassion the atmosphere of a cold night in the morgue.

I'm all for applause, but (at the risk of sounding ungracious) it can get a bit wearing to have to keep hopping off the seat to take a bow at the end of each piece. Personally I prefer to play pieces in groups - it has the advantage of limiting the amount of tomato and egg stains that get onto my clothes.
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Sounds like the usual pompous Liverpool nonsense.

Where on earth did the habit of not applauding until the end of recitals come from?

It can give the whole occassion the atmosphere of a cold night in the morgue.

 

After the first work (Hebrides Overture trans. Goss-Custard/Tracey) some began to applaud and a loud, pompous shout of "NOOOOOOOOOO" came from behind me.

That ruined the atmosphere more than the clapping did.

 

I can only assume, since the Prof. gave the recital "on the newly refurbished Choir Console" (i.e. the one up in the air) that it was felt more appropriate to take applause from such a lofty position at the end rather than throughout.

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After the first work (Hebrides Overture trans. Goss-Custard/Tracey) some began to applaud and a loud, pompous shout of "NOOOOOOOOOO" came from behind me.

That ruined the atmosphere more than the clapping did.

Oh, for heaven's sake! Surely this person must have had an idea of what they were in for before they sat down? In any case, what is the point of deliberately trying to ruin others' enjoyment by making an outburst like this? To show everyone what an ego you have? As I have said before, I dislike orchestral transcriptions on a matter of principal, but it costs nothing to sit there quietly and wait for the next piece.

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Oh, for heaven's sake! Surely this person must have had an idea of what they were in for before they sat down? In any case, what is the point of deliberately trying to ruin others' enjoyment by making an outburst like this? To show everyone what an ego you have? As I have said before, I dislike orchestral transcriptions on a matter of principal, but it costs nothing to sit there quietly and wait for the next piece.

I took that to mean that the NOOOOO related to the clapping, not the piece...

 

Paul

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After the first work (Hebrides Overture trans. Goss-Custard/Tracey) some began to applaud and a loud, pompous shout of "NOOOOOOOOOO" came from behind me.

That ruined the atmosphere more than the clapping did.

 

I can only assume, since the Prof. gave the recital "on the newly refurbished Choir Console" (i.e. the one up in the air) that it was felt more appropriate to take applause from such a lofty position at the end rather than throughout.

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After the first work (Hebrides Overture trans. Goss-Custard/Tracey) some began to applaud and a loud, pompous shout of "NOOOOOOOOOO" came from behind me.

That ruined the atmosphere more than the clapping did.

 

I can only assume, since the Prof. gave the recital "on the newly refurbished Choir Console" (i.e. the one up in the air) that it was felt more appropriate to take applause from such a lofty position at the end rather than throughout.

Anybody any idea what became of the 1940 Central Space console?

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Hi

 

The info on NPOR is reasonably up to date - I did a big update a couple of years ago.  IIRC the previous centre space console (2m) is stored somewhere in the Cathedral.

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

Thanks for this, but the console you refer to was installed in the mid-1960's. I'm actually referring to the 1940 5-manual console, on which the drawstops for various prepared-for (and ultimately unrealised) divisions were provided. It may have been removed in the late 1970's, but under what circumstances I don't know. Thanks again for your trouble.

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Thanks for this, but the console you refer to was installed in the mid-1960's. I'm actually referring to the 1940 5-manual console, on which the drawstops for various prepared-for (and ultimately unrealised) divisions were provided. It may have been removed in the late 1970's, but under what circumstances I don't know. Thanks again for your trouble.

 

The 5m central space console has certainly gone - although the oak enclosure is still there and used as a cupboard. There must have been a lot of nice ivory in it!

 

JJK

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This afternoon I was talking to an organist who used to live in Liverpool in his youth and who knew Harry Goss-Custard. He told me that the original plan was for the organ to have a six-manual console. The implication was that he heard this from RG-C himself. Anyone know anything further about this?

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This afternoon I was talking to an organist who used to live in Liverpool in his youth and who knew Harry Goss-Custard. He told me that the original plan was for the organ to have a six-manual console. The implication was that he heard this from RG-C himself. Anyone know anything further about this?

 

 

There's nothing in any literature I've ever read to suggest a six-manual console was ever envisaged -- certainly not for the instrument as originally contracted, and neither as far as I know to cater for the additions that were planned in 1940. I've never heard anyone mention this before either. As for the fate of the five-manual 1940 console, it was disconnected by 1965, when the mobile two-manual console was installed, and removed from the cathedral in the early 1970s (by Willis, I think). I believe that when plans were forming for the 1989 mobile five-manual console, the remains (if indeed there were any) of the 1940 console were considered for use. But I've no idea whether any of it still existed by that date. The two-manual console is stored in the cathedral basement and is from time to time mooted as a possible mobile console for use with the Lady Chapel organ.

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Quote: JEPHTHA

" As for the fate of the five-manual 1940 console, it was disconnected by 1965, when the mobile two-manual console was installed, and removed from the cathedral in the early 1970s (by Willis, I think)".

 

 

The 5-manual nave console was indeed removed by Willis, much to the consternation of the authorities! Mr. Willis sent several men with trolleys etc., to dismantle and remove it and when there were protestations made ..... "you can't do that!"... he arrived calmly carrying the contract and other relevant paperwork which demonstrated quite obviously that it had never been paid for. :P

 

A common problem isn't it? Those who should know better, often forget from where they've had the greatest support.

 

I have the 'remains' - as Jeptha so politiely refered to it - in the factory here. All interesting stuff. :D

 

David Wyld

Henry Willis & Sons

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