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I tend to agree with what has already been expressed, although it’s marginally better than it once was. Georgia Mann, for example, does her best. But how do you educate the listening public to know there’s more than the Widor Toccata which has been hackneyed to death. I now turn the sound off whenever it’s broadcast.

Echo your opinions on this subject completely. I think that trying to educate classic FM listeners into the exciting world of organ music would only result in even more overkilling of 565, Widor V, et.al. " Radio 3 Breakfast Music " doesn`t fare much better either ( IMHO only of course ) Who in their right mind at Aunty Beeb would ever select say, the Canonic Variations as an easy start to the day? The organ per se and the music that goes with it will always be ( IMHO only again ) viewed in Marmite terms. Try sexing it up and you will still have problems.

Yes, No. 3 in A. An excellent musical intro to an excellent series despite its shortcomings and omissions which Clarke himself was prepared to admit to in the preface to his book of the same title.

It was interesting to hear one of Cesar Franck's chorales used as the intro music to Kenneth Clarke's 'Civilisation', the first episode of which was rebroadcast by the BBC last Saturday evening. He was standing opposite Notre Dame in Paris.

Has anyone caught wind yet of what the plan is at St Paul's in terms of the top organists/s posts? William Fox was originally appointed Sub-Organist under Andrew Carwood and Simon Johnson, and then, upon the latter's departure for Westminster Cathedral, he was appointed Acting Organist and Assistant Director of Music. Now he is moving to St Albans as DoM that leaves two vacancies - Organist and Assistant DoM + Sub Organist. I realise that they are not short of organists at St Paul's, at least, not at the moment. In addition to two top level 'outreach/education' people who replaced Tom Daggett, Martin Ford has been playing there as Acting Sub-Organist and there is an FRCO Organ Scholar. I haven't seen any announcements or advertisements and it's some while now since WF's appointment to St Albans was announced. Elsewhere... Presumably Claudia Grinnell's post at Winchester will be re-filled. Are there other significant vacancies or posts to fill?

From Google April 21st is: World Curlew Day · National Tea Day · World Creativity and Innovation Day · National Yellow Bat Day · National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day Is it any surprise the media don’t necessarily pick all these up? International organ day is a pretty new concept. And an attempt by RCO to promote itself. Time will tell whether it takes off.

Alas, even my Alexa, which tells me about all kind of international days hadn't a clue that it was International Organ Day. Ah well... there's always next year.

I shouldn't imagine the BBC has anything against the organ per se. Rather, it probably has more to do with meeting the interests of the majority of listeners. The BBC quite likely thinks that there wouldn't be much point wasting even more hundreds of kilowatt-hours of RF energy by broadcasting to an R3 audience which is already tiny enough as it is. The organ just isn't up there at all when it comes to matters like this. Example - how many people actually knew it was International Organ Day yesterday? It's not just the BBC as I listened to a good few hours of Classic FM on and off throughout the day and it never figured at all. Then there's its repertoire - although large, much of it is regarded as absolute rubbish by an educated musical public, and they have a point. The majority of people I meet deride things like Franck's L'Organiste even if they've come across it, Elgar's Vesper Voluntaries, S S Wesley's later output consisting of endless Andantes etc, and so on. Even some of the latter's finest pieces such as the Larghetto in F sharp minor or the Andante in F are in the 'slow and funereal' category which typifies much organ music in the mind of many, and bores them to death. And, of course, a definite downside is that you have to go to church more often than not to hear live performances. And so it goes on. At the time I thought the BBC did us a favour by broadcasting a homage to the organ, lamenting the way it is vanishing, at Christmas 2022. What a bitter taste arises now that we know more about the man who presented it, himself an organist, though the blame for that can hardly be laid at the door of the BBC. But from time to time, programmes like this show that they do at least try. I'm not saying that I hold or support these views myself, but I can understand to some extent those who do. As I've said before on here more than once, until the organ world starts to comprehend the mindset of the 'customer' for the organ in its broadest sense, things are unlikely to get better, and they might even get worse.

Why not submit a programme about 25 minutes long, comprising interesting items that would appeal to a broad range of Radio 3 listeners? Perhaps even consider pieces that the Classic FM audience might enjoy? Nobody is going to promote the organ if its own players don't try. And we don't need to keep emphasising how many thousands of pipes there are and how clever organists are to drive this technology. The secret of success is in the music.

The BBC have missed out on a good opportunity here for a wall-to-wall Anna-Lapwood-a-thon! She is a star apparently, and the saviour of the organ!

Today, 20th April 2024, is International Organ Day. Perhaps I should have headed for Worcester. There has been, is and will be an impressive amount of innovative performing on offer: International Organ Day - 20th April - The Association of English Cathedrals However, R3 has managed ONE solo item (‘the’ Widor) on Breakfast. Despite much of the revised Saturday fare consisting of chat-type programmes, with a multiplicity of varied output, not one organist features. (Wayne Marshall’s sister, yes SISTER, appears in Jool’s Holland’s hour.) This was an ideal opportunity for organ-related programmes for the general, as well as specialist, listener. I find this incomprehensible. I remain most grateful to this station for how it has educated, entertained, consoled and puzzled me for most of my life. Also, for the world première and broadcast of one of my pieces (by the fabulous BBC Singers) but, as an organist, cannot help feeling short-changed today. If I have missed something, please add it below.

The only solo recording of the old Willis/Harrison organ in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (apart from mine in the British Sound Archive, which even I cannot access) which I have been unable to get a copy of has popped up in the Archive of Recorded Organ Music on YouTube. Played by Paul Morgan while organ scholar there. Carillon - Herbert Murrill Larghetto in F sharp minor - S.S. Wesley Fugue in E flat ("St. Anne") - J.S. Bach Sadly, the transcription has a lot of wow, and the end of the Wesley is missing. (My recordings in the British Sound Archive are of Paul rehearsing for this release, and also some hymn accompaniments he recorded for a missionary to use in his church....) Paul

That is Magnificat news ! But, inside gen ? Can you reveal more ?

The Trompeta is being kept

I think your assumption is correct. The latest information I have found on the Church website (incidentally a very impressive one) indicated as recently as last month “In 2025 we will be installing a four-manual pipe organ, currently in use in St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge, and are amid a major fundraising campaign to pay for the organ’s renovation and installation.”

I'll accept the accolade with grateful thanks. (Sorry: I couldn't resist !) But, seriously, I seem to have missed spotting which builder will be doing the work on the old St John's instrument and then installing it in Kennington. Perhaps it is not in the public domain, as yet. In any case, it will probably have to head West or North, before journeying to Cobbett's Great Wen. I'm still most interested to discover whether the 1955 Trompeta Real will be retained in Cambridge - re Tippett's Magnificat.

Very droll.

Thanks, that makes a lot more sense. (I wish this forum had likes / reations, rather than having to put up a whole post just to say thank you!)

It is pretty much the same size as the previous instrument but laid out very differently - the Mander has all the manual action soundboards in the west case with the pedals in the east. The old organ was laid out across the two bays - all manual action soundboards being directly behind the cases with pedal chests behind, so the sound got into the chapel much better

I'm a bit confused by this! I was under the impression that what everyone didn't like about the old Mander was that it was too big, and essentially muffled itself in the cramped chamber. But this new proposal is four stops bigger!

As I said, this is something of a mystery as the up to date specification was on the H&H website where I read it a few weeks ago. For future readers who are interested, the link I provided to NPOR N00289 is reliable and instant. Just add the new Vox Humana 8’ to the Swell reeds to complete the picture. Everything else is correct and up to date. There are photographs, including the famous (or infamous?) 32’ Bombarde!

Wasn't quite as simple as that but, with slightly more 'fiddling', it worked, thanks. The functionality on that website isn't the best.

The M11 ?

Is the route by which the former St John's organ will end up in Kennington to remain a mystery then?

Nice to see a Larigot! They seem to be rather unpopular these days for some reason. After all, it can't be a space problem!