DaveHarries
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Posts posted by DaveHarries
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It seems that the music setup at Belfast Cathedral is being "restructured" due to the cathedral's finances not being in a good state. Which, as we saw at Sheffield (IIRC) usually means only one thing.....
https://www.belfastcathedral.org/news/restructuring-of-belfast-cathedral-music-departmentBelfast's loss will be somewhere else's gain.
Dave
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Changes at Buckfast Abbey:
- Philip Arkwright (Organist and Master of the Music) to be Chief Executive Officer, Buckfast Abbey
- Matthew Searles (Assistant Master the Music) to be Organist and Master of the Music, Buckfast Abbey(Source: Facebook post from the "Music at Buckfast Abbey" page)
Dave
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I never knew the man but a cousin of mine was a chorister at Salisbury during the 1990s and speaks very warmly of Dr. Seal. I remember that one edition of Choir & Organ (I forget which but I have it in mind as mid-1990s) carried a photo of the choir of Salisbury on its front cover with my cousin in the photo and, of course, Dr. Seal. I still have it.
May he rest in peace.
Dave
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2 hours ago, Choir Man said:
Nicolson's have some photos of the work on their "smaller projects" page: http://www.nicholsonorgans.co.uk/pf/smaller-projects-2022/
It looks like the organ has escaped significant physical damage, however it looks like all the pipework has been removed from the north side for cleaning. I wonder if they are taking the opportunity to fix the other problems that have been mentioned?
Some of the pipework appears to have been damaged too going by the last few photos. I wasn't aware of any other problems though.
Dave
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6 hours ago, S_L said:
Stunning music superbly performed, stunning organ playing, great ceremony done well in a stunning location.
I watched the service and couldn't agree more. If anyone from St. Pauls' music department happens to read this: "well done ye!"
Dave
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9 hours ago, SomeChap said:
NPOR calls that the 'small organ' (I/5)
Interesting that they're buying in a 2nd hand organ. The Bicknell article mentions that some material from their own organ was found to be historic:
A most interesting quote: thank you for sharing it. The NPOR for the Lord Mayor's Chapel has no organ earlier than 1830 although I wouldn't be surprised if one had existed there before then.
Dave
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One organ which seems to have been missed is that of St. Mary's Priory, Abergavenny. The most recent entry on the NPOR (D08506) records that the organ sank (or began to, thanks apparently to a burial chamber that had not been known about) into the floor of the church and was subsequently dismantled by, and moved to the workshops of, Percy Daniel & Co. back in 1998. Despite approval in 2001 of a scheme to rebuild the organ an electronic was recorded as being in use in 2002 with no pipe organ as most recently, on the NPOR, as 2008.
At Bristol Cathedral we had, over the weekend of 23rd / 24th April, the choir of St. Mary's Priory as the visiting choir and very good they were too. After the service I talked to the person who had played the organ for the service and also to the choir's director. From that conversation I understand that it seems the organ which was at St. Mary's Priory (NPOR D08506) is not going to return there and the church still has the electronic organ in use. From what I understood, however, funds are being raised (or will be) for a replacement pipe organ. The organ that I was told is being considered for Abergavenny is the one from Highfield Church (listed as Christ Church), Portswood, Southampton (NPOR T00497) where the pipes have been redundant since 2012 with an electronic in use there since. If this info is correct and the scheme succeeds I don't know if there will be any alterations to the specification of the Portswood organ when it moves to Abergavenny. I couldn't find anything on the Priory's website though.
HTIOI,
Dave -
On 23/03/2022 at 08:18, Martin Cooke said:
New schemes awaited:
[.....]
Gloucester - ?? Paul Hale's website suggests that this is being thought about
When doing notices on Sunday 03rd April the Very Rev. Stephen Lake, outgoing Dean of Gloucester (I should call him the Rt. Rev. Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury: he had received his legal title as such on Friday 01st April - he will be enthroned sometime after Easter - but the Bishop of Gloucester said in her farewell remarks that she had decided to "give him permission to be in the Cathedral") informed the congregation that Jonathan Hope, the organist who had been playing for the service, had been playing it "with only about half of it working". Regardless of however much of it was working (or not) it sounded in fine voice. The words that Dean Stephen said can be heard here: it should start at the right point if the link given by YouTube to the timing point copied correctly.
Interesting that they are getting their temporary organ straight in rather than giving the pipe organ the chance to continue a bit longer though.
Dave
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6 hours ago, Paul Walton said:
Just to clarify, the electronic isn't fully installed - the main speakers will go on a platform yet to be built which will be opposite the pipe organ.
The documents were part of the CFCE application - there is to be a small expansion of the pipe organ stoplist (mostly putting back elements of the 1907 scheme lost over time) but there's no redundant pipework involved that I know of - unless anyone knows what happened to our Choir Clarinet in 1947!
Paul
Thanks for the clarification Paul and for giving some idea of what the stoplist changes will entail.
Dave
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On 23/03/2022 at 08:18, Martin Cooke said:
Hello - could we share a bit on what rebuild or new organ schemes we're either waiting to hear full news on or upon which we await a triumphant conclusion?
[.....]
Bristol - ? (or is that out??)
Latest from Bristol, from the point of view as a member of the congregation, is that the pipe organ is still active but clearly not in a great state because an electronic organ (Regent 356 SDK, 3 manuals) has been put in place in case the pipe organ, which it is planned will remain in use for as long as possible, suffers a major failure. According to a notice which went up in the cathedral advising of plans to install the electronic, the work on the pipe organ will take place "between January 2024 and August 2025". I believe I am right in saying that the contract has gone to H&H.
Documents were released on the Cathedral's website giving full details of the scheme: they are no longer available but, IIRC, things such as an expansion of the stoplist (partly using, again IIRC, redundant Walker pipework from elsewhere) were mentioned.Dave
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On 23/01/2022 at 14:02, David Cynan Jones said:
Simon Pearce currently Assistant Organist at St Davids Cathedral appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Ty Ddewi
Announcement on Twitter
The "Church Services" list in the Daily Telegraph says that Mr. Pearce will be installed this Sunday, 13th March, during Evensong. I would watch it online (Ty Dewi do have a YouTube channel) but it seems they don't steam / upload their services there nowadays.
Dave
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Wayne Marshall and Daniel Roth at St. Sulpice.
Dave
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7 hours ago, MikeK said:
I seem to remember being told that when the organ was worked on in 1990, a condition attached to a grant given by English Heritage(?) stipulated that the action was restored & not altered. I wonder if any such conditions have been attached to the proposed works?
No idea on that: I seem to recall reading / being told that it is proposed to change the action. The website of the cathedral said when the project was launched that the fundraising target was £1.5m and they were "already over half of the way" towards raising it but I don't know the current situation.
Dave
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6 hours ago, Andrew Butler said:
It didn't work?
Exactly. I recall hearing that, before COVID, a lunchtime recital was taking place (I forget who was playing) and the programme included improvisations on "Come Holy Ghost" which was, literally, what was heard because the wind supply packed up in mid-piece. That hasn't happened since (AFAIK) but presumably something like that or a failure of the action, for example.
Dave
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5 hours ago, Martin Cooke said:
In an update to the 'projects' section of their website, Harrison and Harrison have made some interesting announcements. The Norwich Cathedral project, which seems to be underway already, is described as a 'new organ'.
Yes. A "New organ re-using a nucleus of Norman & Beard pipework with addition" consisting of "4 manuals, 101 stops". A slightly smaller instrument if anything: NPOR (index number D05016) has the current organ as 4 manuals, 107 stops (or, when viewing the search result from typing in simply "Norwich Cathedral", 105 stops: I wonder what the stoplist will be in comparison to the present one.
Dave
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A quick bump to this thread. When in the cathedral recently for a service I saw a notice attached to the wooden screen in the north transept which indicates that the Dean and Chapter have applied to the cathedral's Fabric Advisory Committee for installation of a temporary (electronic) organ. In the same document, under the "Summary of the nature of work [...] [or, in the case of an object, a short description of it and details of the proposal]" it reads thus:
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"The Dean and Chapter of Bristol Cathedral will be undertaking a major restoration of the Cathedral organ. This work will be undertaken between January 2024 and August 2025. During this time the organ will be unusable and so a temporary organ will be installed. There are significant concerns that, due to its poor condition, the Cathedral organ as it is could fail before the restoration works begin. As such the Cathedral will be installing a temporary organ in early 2022, which will remain in place until the end of the restoration project. The temporary organ will come in two parts. The console is a (Viscount) Regent 356 SDK drawstop 3 manual organ, finished in dark Oak. It will be located in the Quire in between the choir screen and the Dean's stall. It has a 1.6mtr sq foot print. There will also be a package of twenty speakers which we are proposing to locate on and in a temporary freestanding structure built alongside the wooden screen in the south Quire aisle, to the same height."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -The proposal was made on 20th January 2022 with the closing date for comments being 17th February.
I am told that the plan is to carry on using the pipe organ for as long as possible once the electronic is in place but if the pipe organ suffers a major failure then the electronic will be used instead. I understand that the contract for work on the pipe organ has gone to Harrison & Harrison.
Dave
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The late and great Dr. Francis Jackson's house organ. It will be interesting to see what now becomes of this instrument.
Precise date unknown but in place at the house of Mr. G.B Strutt (Belper, nr. Derby) when altered by Stephen White (1796) and then again altered 1822-24 by A. Buckingham. Moved by J.H Adkins to St. Mark, Openwoodgate, Derbyshire in 1905 and then moved to Dr. Jackson's house in East Acklam by 1987. NPOR: N05404 and D03506.
Dave
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11 hours ago, Adnosad said:
Anyone know if there are any recordings of the instruments he built?
He seems to have done quite a bit of work - a search for the name "Edmonstone" turns up both A.F Edmonstone and Sandy Edmonstone - but no audio recording that I know of.
Dave
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13 hours ago, DHM said:
A very Interesting project, and glad to hear of its successful completion.
l am also glad that the project has been successfully done. For comparison:
1939: Engler's main case but minus the Positiv cases although it is clear where they were located which was either side of the shield on the balcony.
https://bi.im-g.pl/im/72/23/16/z23213938V,Organy-Michaela-Englera-w-kosciele-pw--sw--Elzbiet.jpg1976: After the fire of 9th June of which the cause was, I believe, never discovered. The fire also caused a considerable degree of damage to the rest of the interior of the church.
https://klais.de/_klais/bilder/fotos/Artikel/Wroclaw_Elisabeth/1976.JPG
2022: After the reconstruction: looks like a couple of finishing touches being made perhaps: shows replica main case and positiv cases.
https://wf1.xcdn.pl/files/22/01/20/673301_Fg78_DJI_0019_83.jpgI have seen an article online, dated 2018, at which time the value of the works was put at nearly PLN20,000,000 which, at the time I write this reply, is about £3.7m. The dedication recital is to be Friday 28th January at 1800hrs UK Time and will be broadcast live through the city's website - www.wroclaw.pl - or the YouTube channel of Ars Sonora at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAfOrX_plak
I will be tuning in!
Dave
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Well the work on this was finished in mid-November 2021. A Facebook page informs readers that the resulting instrument of 3 manuals, pedals and 54 speaking stops has the original specification as Engler left it when he finished the instrument in 1761 which is as follows:
Manual I - Ruckpositiv (10 stops):
Principal 8ft, Flute Amabile 8ft, Flaute Allemande 8ft, Quintadena 8ft, Octave 4ft, Quint 3ft, Super Octave 2ft, Mixture 4rks, Cimbel 3rks, Hautbois 8ftManual II - Hauptwerk (16 stops):
Violon 16ft, Salicet 16ft, Bordun 16ft, Quintadena 16ft, Principal 8ft, Flaute Major 8ft, Gemshorn 8ft, Salicet 8ft, Vox Humana 8ft, Octave 4ft, Nachthorn 4ft, Quint 3ft, Super Octave 2ft, Mixture VI, Cimbel 3rks, Trombet 8ftManual III - Oberwerk (14 stops):
Principal 8ft, Rhorflute 8ft, Trinuna 8ft (*), Unda Maris 9ft, Octave 4ft, Spitzflute 4ft, Minor Flute 4ft, Quint 1 1/3ft, Sedecima 1ft, Sesquialtera 2rks, Mixture 4rks, Chalumeau 8ftPedal (14 stops):
Major Bass 32ft, Principal 16ft, Violon-Bass 16ft, Salicet 16ft, QUintadena 16ft, Octave 8ft, Flute 8ft, Gemshorn Quint 6ft, Super Octave 4ft, Mixture 5rks, Posaune 32ft, Posaune 16ft, Trombet 8ft
There are also a Glockenspiel, Bells and a drum pedal. The coupling mechanism is by the old method of bringing the manuals in to line so that the mechanisms interlink.There are numerous pictures online and some YouTube footage as well (search YouTube for "Organy Englera" but without the speech marks). I remember visiting the church about 10 years ago and seeing the empty space at the back of the nave: anybody who visits there now will find it much beautified with the space taken by an instrument that very much goes with the interior of the building. THe destruction of the original Engler by fire (09th June 1976) was referred to by some as the loss of the glory of Silesia: the glory speaks once again.
Dave
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Greetings all. I thought this might be of interest to members of this forum.
Some of you may recall posts of 27th May 2018 - https://mander-organs-forum.invisionzone.com/topic/4336-st-elizabeth-wroclaw-historical-reconstruction/ - and others about the construction of the replica of the Engler organ (1752-1761) in St. Elizabeth's Church, Wroclaw, Poland: the work has been going on over the last couple of years by a 3-way consortium comprising Orgelbau Klais (Bonn, Germany), Organowy Zych (Wolomin, Poland) and Orgues Thomas (Stavelot, Belgium).
It is pleasing to note that the work is now finished and the details of the dedication service and recital are now online. The dedication concert is scheduled for Friday 28th January and is to be given by Lorenzo Ghielmi (Titular Organist of San Simpliciano, Milan) commencing at 1800hrs UK Time (1900 Polish Time). Wroclaw City Hall distributed free tickets for this event.
The service and recital above will be broadcast on the city's website at http://www.wroclaw.pl and, in addition, there are "6 to 8 organ concerts" planned for February "so that everyone who is interested can participate in such an event live" which suggests that these concerts may also be broadcast live on the city's website.
The above info is from https://www-elzbieta-archidiecezja-wroc-pl.translate.goog/?p=2446&_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=pl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB&_x_tr_pto=wapp which also gives details of the dedication mass which, even though I don't understand a single word of Polish, is in my diary along with the concert and I will be tuning in if able. If I was in Wroclaw (I have been: lovely city) I would love to go to that inaugural concert if I could!
I hope this is of interest.
Dave -
Clip from 2013 made by Rieger organ to do with their (then) new installation in the Pfarrkirche Lindenau, Austria.
No subtitles but I thought it might be interesting.
Dave -
5 hours ago, bam said:
There was a good obituary in yesterdays' Daily Telegraph (Saturday 15 January).
Indeed. I cut out the article and will put it with the next issue of C&O in which I imagine there will be a tribute of at least a page or 2.
Dave
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13 hours ago, Martin Cooke said:
What are fellow organists playing by way of tribute?
I imagine that quite a bit of his music will be heard in churches and cathedrals this coming weekend. Bristol Cathedral, of which I am a member of the congregation, had the Jackson in G for the service of Choral Evensong on Sunday 9th January which I unfortunately missed due to having to be elsewhere. The Eucharist for Sunday 16th is planned to comprise music by Ives, Rütti and Guilmant with Evensong that day being music by Clucas, Murrill and Mathias but I will be surprised if a short-notice change doesn't result in the appearance of something by FJ at one or both of those services.
Dave
Belfast Cathedral
in General discussion
Posted
Valid point but I think the changes at Buckfast are not a restructuring as nobody, AFAICT, is being made redundant. When the position of Chapter Clerk was advertised at Bristol Cathedral the job title given was "Chief Operating Officer (Chapter Clerk)" so perhaps a similar combination of roles exists (or is shortly to do so) at Buckfast on that front.
Dave