DaveHarries
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Posts posted by DaveHarries
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Hi all,
Whilst in Central Bristol today I popped into the Lord Mayor's Chapel which is open to the public on some days during the week. I purchased, out of interest, a list of all the previous Lord Mayors of Bristol. Amid the entries was this:
1551: David Harries
Yes, someone with the same name as me was Lord Mayor of Bristol in 1551!
Have you ever found mention of a person with the same name as you in a historical document? Perhaps not but it seems like a good idea for a topic.
Dave
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They seem to have had a good crop of assistants at Gloucester in recent years, besides Robert. I've always been impressed whenever I've heard David Bednall, and Ian Ball before him managed to emerge from Briggs' shadow.
David Bednall has joined Bristol Cathedral as sub-organist. It was in the cathedral's service sheet for Sunday 9th September.
Dave
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That doesn't really inspire confidence! ....
No it doesn't, does it? With Peter Collins currently rebuilding one of his own instruments (a not very old 2-manual 7 stop organ) for part of the University of Bristol I hope he will make a good job of the rebuild, the new case and the three new stops going into it.
Dave
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As with the great Noel Mander, the organ world is the poorer for Mr. Bicknell's passing. RIP.
Dave
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That organ at Armorbach (apropriate place name!) was quite hot stuff. Really enjoyed that.
What was the organ last week though? I missed that one.
Dave
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Cat 1 Best small organ (2 manuals under 20 stops)
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Brompton Regis, Somerset
2 manuals, 13 stops. Built by TC Lewis 1872 and restored by Osmond of Taunton at a later date.
I once had to play that one for a service and it was the priest there who asked me to do it. I was on holiday at the time and was only in the church by chance. But the regular organist had a broken arm.
Cat 2 Best medium-size instrument (Up to about 40 speaking stops - any number of manuals)
St. Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop, Bristol
3 manuals, 34 stops. Built by Vowles (1867) then rebuilt by Hele & Co (1909) & Daniel of Clevedon (1979)
Not necessarily the best in this category but the only organ of this size I think I've ever played as I used to use it for practice.
Cat 3 Best large organ (about 40 - 100 stops)
Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
3 manuals, 62 stops. Installed by Daniel of Clevedon, 1952 then rebuilt by Nicholson in 1963-66.
Lovely instrument frequently used for degree congregations by the university. I had lessons on this one at one time. However in 2003 there were plans to replace it with an electronic organ and that would never do! The organ was eventually restored for a considerable sum and it sounds great. Mr Nigel Nash (deputy organist of Bristol Cathedral) showed it off to the best when he played Messiaen's "Dieu Parmi Nous" (from La Nativite du Seigneur) at the end of the degree congregation where Jennifer Bate was given an honorary DMus in July.
Cat 4 Best very large organ (100+ stops)
Never heard an organ in this category. Will say Liverpool Anglican.
Cat 5 Best cathedral organ
Cathedral of the Holy Trintiy, Bristol
Renatus Harris (1685) and others.
This instrument is my favourite out of all the ones I have heard in Bristol.
Cat 6 Best city/town hall organ
No nomination.
Cat 7 The best of the best
No nomination
Dave
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One of the lights was for 'your playing the wrong tune'.
Hahahahahaha. Good one.
Dave
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Tewkesbury Abbey's website confirms that water has entered the Abbey for the first time since 1760. Worship is continuing mostly as usual by the sound of it.
http://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/Temporar...s/Flooding.html
From the pictures on the abbey's website it looks to me as if the Milton organ will be safe as it is on some kind of screen and I belive that the Grove organ is also on some kind of raised platform so those may survive. The instrument that strikes me as in the greatest danger at the Abbey is the T. Elliot chamber organ of 1813.
Dave
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I would go for a box organ (continuo) organ:
Manual 1: Stopped Flutes 8 + 4 and Picolo 2
Manual 2: Regal 8
Pedal: Bourdon 8
All ranks of wood, bar the regal which would be mountable on top of the rest of the organ. I would want something that could be transported around. Something like one opf Klop's chest organs in other words as my budget would not be a very big one and neither is the house.
Dave
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The degree for Jennifer Bate was, as scheduled, conferred on July 20th:
On the far left, wearing red, is Professor Stephen Bamfield, who delivered the oration. Jennifer Bate is the person on the right wearing the bright red gown and the hat. The hall's organ is behind. In the middle of the group of 5 on the front row is Professor David Clarke, a vice chancellor of the university, who was presiding over the ceremony and who conferred the degree.
Mention was, of course, made during the oration of Jennifer's father's friendship with Olivier Messiaen and it was therefore somewhat fitting that the organ music after the ceremony was Dieu Parmi Nous (from Messiaen's "La Nativite du Seigneur") which was superbly played by Mr. Nigel Nash (deputy organist, Bristol Cathedral) who made good use of the 32' reeds on the pedal.
Dave
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I have no problem with the new format either.
Dave
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Hi all,
Whilst sitting in the University of Bristol's great hall this morning for the 11:15am ceremony at which my cousin graduated I noticed that, among the list of honorary degrees for this week - which was printed in the running order - is that of Jenifer Bate, familliar to many in the organ world. She is to be given an honorary DMus (Doctor of Music) degree by the university.
The degree is to be conferred on Friday 20th July at the afternoon congregation and is a well deserved piece of recognition for her and I am sure we all wish her well done.
I shall be able to get to the ceremony and into the hall (my father works for the university) and cameras are allowed. Therefore a photo will follow here on Friday evening.
HTIOI,
Dave
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My local church - St. Mary's, Stoke Bishop, Bristol - used to charge me £1 per hour. It was done on an honesty basis though and users had to record the time spent practising in a book that was kept next to the console.
Dave
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As far as DCH is concerned, it is a Dave Harries, so it probably is you (there is an address, etc. in the database, but that's not public knowledge.
A couple of corrections, Tony.
Dave
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Sometimes it's quite interesting to try and work out who the sources are - some of us from here appear (the live ones at any rate) - mine is very obvious!
Mine might not be so obvious: if it has the letters DCH next to it then the information could well have come from me.
Dave
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Rumour had it, when I was there, that Dame Monica had given the money for the chapel on condition that no organ be ever erected in it. Can anyone else with Bristol connections confirm or deny that? Should we expect to find her in an ongoing burial rotation posture?
LOL. Maybe, and your message is the second time I have heard that bit about Dame Monica. But apparently a generous donation - specifically for this purpose, IIRC - has made this organ possible.
Dave
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Nice instrument this one in the Wills Memorial Building. I have heard it quite a bit and did, for a while, have lessons on it. It was restored a few years ago (2004/05, I think) for a considerable sum but before that restoration was sanctioned it was proposed - by someone among the powers that be within the university at the time, I won't say who - to replace it with a brand new electronic organ. My father told me of this and he joined the campaign to persuade the powers that be that the pipe organ should be restored, not replaced. Lastly, I should say that the organ there in the Great Hall is a three manual console, not 4: the third (top) keyboard controls 2 divisions.
The campaign was a success and the organ was subsequently restored for a considerable sum. It is in fine voice and is still used for degree congregations but there aren't so many recitals on it these days. My next chance to hear it is likely to come on 17th July when my cousin collects his 2:1 B.A degree in Theology.
As far as organs in Bristol University go as a whole, the organ normally used for purposes such as concerts is in the Victoria Rooms (2 manuals, 15 stops by William Drake in 1996).
Speaking of organs at Bristol University, I am aware that the organ of First Church of Christ Scientist, Clifton, Bristol has been sold to the university and is to be placed in the chapel at Wills Hall. The current specification of this Clifton instrument is:
First Church of Christ Scientist, Clifton, Bristol
Peter Collins, 1983 and sold to Wills Hall, UOB, 2007 due to closure of church.
Possible installation believed to be set for Summer 2007 and to be done by Peter Collins.
Pedal:
16' Subbass
Manual I:
8' Gemshorn
4' Principal
2' Octave
Manual II:
8' Gedact
4' Rhor Flute
1⅓ Spitz Quint
However, the organ is to be placed at the back of the chapel on a balcony which will mean some alterations to the instrument. The balcony to cieling space is thought not to be enough for a 16' pipe so something is to be done about that. In addition, there is to be a new case and three new stops. I don't have the names of the stops but I will try and find this out.
Dave
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........... so lets just go through in this van and see what happens shall we?
Heard about this clip in the newspaper today and it made me laugh like hell. The comments from the bystanders are good as well.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvdpYgX4f7Q
And I thought the police here in the UK had brains?!
Dave
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Hi all,
As part of my German course assessment at the end of this term, I have to do a presentation on any famous German person I choose and I have chosen to do Arp Schnitger.
I am going to be using MS PowerPoint for the job but I need a small favour. Does anyone know a good website where I would be able to obtain some good quality pictures of Schnitger organs? The presentation will not be a public one - only to the remaining 13 people or so who make up the rest of the class.
But I need some decent pictures: any ideas for sources, please? I have to have the presentation ready on 26th June (ie. next Tuesday).
Thanks,
Dave
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Hi all,
Which three organs would you most like to play if you were given the chance to do so? I think I would opt for:
- Cologne Cathedral
- St. Nicholas, Amsterdam (the one near Central Station: nice old organ by Sauer from about 1899)
- Some nice small old Schnitger. Don't mind where but should be in original condition if possible.
Dave
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TBH, an Electronic organ doesn't fool me. The Allen electronic that I had some lessons on whilst the Clifton College Chapel organ was being done up (1994, H&H) didn't sound too bad but sounded like an electric.
As for the electronic organ that was in the church where my Grandpa's funeral was held, that didn't fool me whatsoever.
IMO, an organ without pipes is not an organ - it is merely an electronic music machine.
Dave
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I still remember when, whilst I was in Clifton College Preparatory School. The pupils were in various house groups. On one occasion, I decided to play Clarke's "Trumpet Tune" during the North Town house concert and for this I used the organ in the school hall.
During the house tutor's introduction to my piece he said: "...David is our only organist in North Town house and so he is going to delight us by playing the Trumpet Tune by Jeremiah Clarke on the organ located in the balcony here in the hall".
That was OK but then immediately afterwards he muttered, in a voice just loud enough for me to hear him: "The organ is a bit of a squeezebox, but never mind.....". That remark caused so much amusement to me that I kept chuckling to myself whilst playing but fortunately I only made one error whilst playing.
The specification for the organ is at http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=E00643
Dave
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There is a story about a certain organist (long deceased) of Gloucester Cathedral that:
"....a singer from away with a good voice was asked to sing a solo anthem in the Cathedral, and for this purpose stood by the elbow of the organist. Stephen Jefferies, finding him trip in the performance, instead of helping him and setting him right, promptly rose from his seat and leaning over the gellery called aloud to the choir and to the whole congregation, "HE CAN'T SING IT!"....."
[stephen Jefferies was organist of Gloucester Cathedral 1682 - 1712/3. The organ at that time was in the south arch of the choir].
(Quoted from "Gloucester Cathedral Organ")
Dave
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The phone rang. On the other end was some woman who had been given my details. She explained that her father had recently died leaving a "wonderful Hammond organ" and she was hoping I could suggest a deserving organist or church who might buy it from her.
I remember once visiting a church just south of Bristol (I think it was St. Thomas, Publow? I will check it out next week) and I remember being suprised to find a Hammond in there. That was in 1995/96 though, IIRC, and the organist at the time was one Mr. John Merchant who presented - at around that time - the "Organ Stop" programme on the BBC Local Radio. That programme was compulsory listening for me and I very sorely miss it. I realise that Nigel Ogden has a programme on BBC Radio 2 but I never remember to listen to that one.
So (leaving aside the unquestionable superiority of pipe organs): was I being unfair about Hammonds?Some people might say yes you are, others might say no you aren't. Depends on musical taste I think.
Dave
40 Stop, 3 Manual Organ
in Nuts and bolts
Posted
Great idea for a topic. But if I wanted something seriously loud then I would go for a specification similar to the nave organ of Cologne Cathedral.
http://www.koelner-dommusik.de/fileadmin/u...ositionLang.pdf
But whilst that is 3 manuals it is 53 stops, without the Tremulants. First time I heard that organ in situ though it made me jump out of my skin.
Dave