DaveHarries

Hi all, Anyone on this forum who is a fan of, or otherwise interested in, the work of TC Lewis may be interested to know that the parish of Brompton Regis (Exmoor, West Somerset) have been raising funds for the restoration of their 1872 TC Lewis organ. The Heritage Lottery Fund donated £6500 which has enabled the £27,500 target to be reached. Work is scheduled to start in January 2014 and take 4-5 months. The parish has a website and part of it contains a history, as well as photos, of the organ and also contact details for the church's organist should anyone wish to have a go on the organ. This can be found at http://http://www.bromptonregis.com/organ.html I remember once playing the beginning and end music for a service in this church some years back when there was a female organist here. Very nice instrument. HTIOI, Dave

Yes it was very nice and the small orchestra added to the atmosphere as well. I had a look in the Daily Telegraph on Christmas Eve where, in among the service times, the music being used in some of the Cathedrals was also listed. A wide variety of stuff! I think Worcester was using the same setting as Bristol but I can't remember. Dave

Was at Bristol Cathedral for the 10am Festival Eucharist. Music before the service: variations on "Greensleaves" (author unknown) Setting: Missa ad Praesepe (with small orchestra) (George Malcom) Music after the service: Sortie on "In dulci jubilo" (David Briggs) Preacher & President was the Bishop of Bristol and the sermon went on for 18 minutes which, IIRC, is 7 minutes less than last year. Merry Christmas and Happy 2014 to all at Mander Organs and to all my fellow members of this forum. Dave

A brief article, including a photo of CM, regarding the Carols by Candlelight service that took place at All Saints, Weston-super-Mare on 18th December can be found on the website of the Weston Mercury newspaper: http://http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/church_s_organist_mourned_1_3142578 Dave

Afternoon all, Just a heads-up that the yearly and always enjoyable broadcast of music from across the area covered by the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is now airing on BBC Radio 3. The schedule is as follows: 1pm - 2pm: Finland (just finishing as I write this) 2pm - 3pm: Estonia (St. Nicholas Church, Tallinn) Gregorian chant and Norwegian sacred folk songs Henning Sommerro (organ, accordion, voice) Schola Sanctae Sunnivae Anne Kleivset (director) Vox Clamantis Jaan-Eik Tulve (director) Sursum Corda Vocal Ensemble (3pm - 4pm: Choral Evensong) 4pm - 5pm: Czech Republic (St. Martin In The Wall, Prague) Rigatti: Magnificat Samuel Capricornus: Adesto mulitudo coelestis Samuel Capricornus: Missa Nativitatis Hana Blazíková (soprano) Gabriela Eibenová (soprano) Ensemble Inegal Adam Viktora (conductor) 5pm - 6pm: Germany (Studio 1, Bavarian Radio, Munich) Respighi: Lauda per la natività del Signore Bach: Chorale 'Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier' Britten: A Ceremony of Carols Bavarian Radio Chorus Uta Jungwirth (harp) Members of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Mirga Grazynte-Tyla (conductor) 6pm - 7pm: Hungary (Bela Bartok Concert Hall, Palace of the Arts, Budapest) Miklós Kocsár: O beautiful mysterious night Bruckner: Symphony No.1 in C minor (Scherzo) Bruckner: Te Deum Klára Kolonits (soprano) Judit Németh (mezzo-soprano) István Horváth (tenor) Krisztián Cser (bass) Hungarian Radio Chorus Hungarian Radio Children's Chorus Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Gergely Vajda (conductor) 7pm - 8pm: Belgium (Blauwe Zaal, deSingel, Antwerp) Bach: 3 Christmas Cantatas: Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40 Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248:1 Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 91 Hannah Morrison (soprano) Carlos Mena (alto) Hans Jörg Mammel (tenor) Matthias Vieweg (bass) Ricercar Consort Philippe Pierlot (conductor) Sounds good: get it on. (The radio that is!! ) Dave

Very sorry to hear this. I remember when I was a young man and had an interest in organ building which I hoped, despite being as young as I was, that I would pursue a career in on leaving school. I wrote to PD saying this and asking, IIRC, a few questions and put the letter in the post. Back came a letter from Chris Manners inviting me for a tour of the Clevedon works. My Father and I took the invitation up and the result was a thoroughly interesting afternoon. Chris was a thoroughly decent man and I pass on my condolences to his wife and all who knew him. May he rest in peace. Dave

Not sure if this clip has been posted but it is archive footage of the building of the organ at Guildford Cathedral in 1961. HTIOI, Dave

Had a message on Facebook this morning which was posted on the page of Norwich Cathedral: "Join our Organist, David Dunnett, and Priory Records for the launch of 'The Grand Organ of Norwich Cathedral' DVD next Thursday at 1.00pm - free to attend for everyone http://www.cathedral.org.uk/news/launch-of-dvd-to-celebrate-the--grand-organ-of-norwich-cathedral-.aspx" Clip here from the new Norwich DVD. The piece is "Live Wire" (Iain Farrington). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnJmbFns7xo Dave

None. Sorry about the appearance of that but it was unintentional. I believe that, in the case of the Tickell at Worcester Cathedral, the console was made in-house by one of K.T's staff. I seem to recall hearing that it was the first one the member of staff in question had made solo as well. Dave

No no no. Not a replacement for that superb (IMO) 4-manual organ. I thought it might be of interest to members of this forum to know that, within the last couple of months, Bristol Cathedral has acquired a new 1-manual organ of 4 stops. The instrument was built by Kenneth Tickell & Company (Northampton) and was paid for by private donation. The manual has 54 notes and the specification is: Stop Diapason 8 Principal 4 Flute 4 Octave 2 I have heard it in use during services and it sounds very nice. Photo: http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/14103794@N04/11090346115/ HTIOI, Dave

The BBC reports the death of Sir John Tavener at the age of 69 on Tuesday: http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24919332 A sad loss to music in general. RIP. Dave

Evening all, Among the various things I like to do in my spare time comes listening to foreign radio: I have a shortwave radio and I enjoy picking up English broadcasts from other countries across the globe. I think it is fascinating to get a perspective on world affairs from another country. My work involves driving cars. On Monday evening (about 6:30pm) I tuned around on the mediumwave band of the car I was driving back to the depot I worked from and, among the stations I picked up, was NOS5. For those not in the know, NOS is to Dutch broadcasting what the BBC is to broadcasting in the UK. The programme I tuned into was broadcasting classical music. Among the tunes I heard was one that was playing when I tuned in and I pulled over to get two sound samples. One clip is, I believe, the hymn "Great is thy Faithfulness" being sung in Dutch (the tune is right) and I am nearly 100% certain the Dutch word for "Great" could be heard. I am not fluent in the Dutch lingo: I just know a word or two. The classical music sample is a tune I can't identify. It seems to have some organ in it and quite a bit of orchestra. The quality of the audio isn't great as I used the sound recorder on my digital camera to record the sample. The tune can be heard though and I am wondering if someone would mind trying to ID the classical piece for me? The sound sample I got is only about 1 minute in length but after what I heard of it I would like to hear the rest of it. If anyone fancies a go then please give me a PM on this forum with your email address and I will send the classical clip and the "Great is thy faithfulness" clip. Thanks, Dave

Condolences to FJ.

Hi all, While browsing the "Ship of Fools" website I came across this review of a service of Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. http://http://ship-of-fools.com/mystery/2013/2562.html Rather slates the organ! Dave

A link from another clip lead me to this fairly old footage. It is Worcester Cathedral choir singing CHH Parry's "I Was Glad" under the direction of Donald Hunt. Not sure of the broadcast date on this. HTIOI, Dave

Whoa! Powerful stuff. Gotta say the grand organ sounds a bit overbearing here which is a pity. Good music though. Anyway, I just found this clip and it certainly takes me back. The organ is that of Clifton College Chapel, Bristol (England) and I remember this instrument well as I had lessons on it in the early 1990s. Good to hear it again here in the hands of Andrew Dewar. Dave

Here's a clip that I thought might cause some interest. Some time back there was a thread on this forum regarding the demise of the "Hour of Power" from (IIRC) Crystal Cathedral. Well here is an interesting clip from 1979. Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" from Garden Grove Church. The piece is "Tu es Petra" (Henri Mulet) and the organist is Virgil Fox! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzRPCV3nOCs Pity that the sound quality is not good on the clip. HTIOI, Dave

And indeed it was: I hope I get to hear JBD again before too long. The improvisation, for anyone wondering, was on the tune of "Praise My Soul The King of Heaven" Dave

Thought this might be of interest for anyone likely to be in Bristol on the date in question. Christ Church, Broad Street (Central Bristol) Wednesday 19th July 2013 | 1:10 - 1:45pm Owain Park (Organ Scholar, Wells Cathedral) Music to be by Bach, Franck & Reger. Anyone who still has the edition in question will find Owain in the "New Music" section of Choir & Organ, May / June 2012 issue. Dave

Friedrich, Thank you for the reply. What a superb case: I thought it looked quite old but I didn't know it was as old as that! Is it known if there is any pipework left from the 1429 instrument or is that all long-gone by now? I would like to think some might survive. Either way I would like to assume that this is the oldest organ case remaining in France? If not then where would that be? Mit gute wünschen, Dave

Found this the other day as a related link: The organ seen before the start of the clip (and at about 57 seconds in) looks rather historic. Anyone know where it is and its builder? Dave

Hi all, Just been looking in the radio times to see what Choral Evensong is for the coming week and the info, quoting from the Radio Times, is an archive broadcast from Canterbury Cathedral first aired on 7 February 1988, marking the Accession of Her Majesty the Queen. - - - - - - - - - - Introit: "O Lord, Make Thy Servant, Elizabeth" [byrd] Responses: Anthony Piccolo Psalms: 20, 101, 121 [Felton, Cooper, Walford Davies] First Lesson: Joshua 1, vv1-9 Canticles: Brian Chapple Second Lesson: Revelation 21, v22-end; 22, vv1-4 Anthem: "Zadok the Priest" [Handel] Organ Voluntary: "Orb and Sceptre" [William Walton] Organist: Allan Wicks Assistant Organist: Michael Harris - - - - - - - - - - Sounds like it will be good. Hope I remember to listen in. Dave

Hi all, Related to music, albeit not to the organ, is that the passing has been announced of Sir Colin Davis (Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra 1995 - 2006 and President since 2007) at the age of 85. A loss to music. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22148334 Dave

Hi all, Anyone else listening to BBC Radio 3's "Christmas Around Europe" today? Usual fabulous music. Current hour (6pm - 7pm) is from the German Church in Stockholm (Sweden) and the last hour until 8pm is from Nuremburg. The Sweden hour, however, is containing some passages on the church's elaborately decorated organ and is, as has all the music I have heard this afternoon, well worth a listen. Dave

Hi all, Not sure how organ relevant this is but the email update that came my way from Classical Music magazine reports that the composer Jonathan Harvey has died at the age of 73.. Dave