DaveHarries

And probably a memorial plaque in the choir of the minster. By Dr. Jackson's passing the world of church music has lost one of its greats. He lived a rich and fulfilling life and the music he composed in the course thereof doubtless inspired many of the church and cathedral musicians of today. My Father was a chorister while at school in Cheltenham (1960s) and told me this evening that he may well have sung some of FJ's music (although he can't remember which pieces). May he rest in peace and rise in glory. Dave

I believe that Andrew Carwood's MBE was for services to choral (and religious?) music - or something to that effect - but if anyone ever deserved something for services to choral and religious music it would take just two letters to convey who I am thinking about: FJ. Dave

I am not sure if this appeared here but the website of St. Mary's Church, Beaminster (Dorset) informs readers that their search for a new organist concluded in September 2021 with the appointment as organist of Dr. Peter Nardone (ex. Chelmsford Cahtedral and Worcester Cathedral) who had been covering for services over the summer and, in the words of the blog, "liked us so much that he decided to apply for the job." https://beaminsterteamchurches.org/beaminsters-new-organist/ Dave

From what I understand the contract for the work at Bristol was to be awarded to NP Mander (London) before that firm folded. Latest info on this is that the work will now be done by Harrison & Harrison which contract, last I heard, was shortly to be signed. I don't know when the work is due to start but I would think the next couple of years. The work proposed did include an expansion of the organ's stoplist - I mentioned this elsewhere on the forum back in April 2020: https://mander-organs-forum.invisionzone.com/topic/4578-bristol-cathedral/ - so let us hope the scheme goes ahead. The consultation link on the forum post linked to does not work now but it was an interesting read. Dave

Indeed we were. The central part of the nave was still full and we had replacements for the Gloria, etc. and the part during communion where the choir should have been singing was filled (very nicely) with two pieces by Buxtehude which were played by the Organist & Master of the Choristers and he got a round of applause for the Edmundson at the end. Credit to Norwich though whose midnight service I caught the end of on a live stream using YouTube last night: no lay clerks but just the boys & girls and the music I heard while watching that was excellent. Well done to all involved there. Dave

I am not an organist or DoM but will be in my local cathedral on the 25th on volunteer duty. The setting was to be W.A Mozart's "Missa Brevis in B flat" (KV 275) but the Cathedral choir has been stood down as the lay clerks are all out with COVID-19. The music at the end of the service is expected to be Garth Edmundson's "Toccata on Vom Himmel Hoch" which is one of my favourite pieces for this time of year but it won't be much of a service without the choir along with the brass and string players who normally accompany them on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas all, Dave

"The organ was not damaged during the incident, however we must safeguard and clean the instrument during the period of ongoing work, so we are disappointed to report that it too will be out of action for some time. We will continue to use our electric organ in the meantime." (Cathedral website) Pity to learn that the very fine Tickell will not be in use this Christmas but it is good to know that the situation is much better than it could have been. Dave

Found this clip earlier today. JS Bach's Toccata from BWV565 (Toccata and Fgue in D Minor) played by Konstantin Reymaier in St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna. The gallery organ (Rieger Orgelbau, 2017-2020) now finds itself the largest instrument in Austria (5 manuals, 130 stops, 12,616 pipes) playable from a mobile console in the nave. Certainly a powerful sound. Dave

I have to admit that my favourite take on this comes from Daniel Roth, the organist at St. Sulpice (Paris). That is available on YouTube but unfortunately has never been published. I will give those preludes a listen but Roth's improvisation is certainly worth a listen too. Dave

Thank you for sharing that Tony. The Christus Vincit is familiar to me as well because I am a shortwave radio listener. Sometimes I tune in to Vatican Radio for something a bit different to listen to and the Christus Vincit, albeit a slightly different version, is the interval signal (a tune used for a few minutes or so before a broadcast) of Vatican Radio. I also have it for a ringtone on my phone. Dave

I had an email back from Peter Latona, the Basilica's Director of Music. He kindly sent the SATB score for the version of "Lauda Jerusalem" used at the Basilica: above the score it says: Antiphon: Theodore Decker (1831-1930) Harm. Pablo Colino? Arr. Peter Latona (b. 1968) Mr. Latona also attached the score for the psalm verse as well. In his email, from which I quote, Mr. Latona said: "The antiphon we believe is harmonized by Colino...a tattered copy was in our files since before my time. The tune, of course has been around a long time and is by Decker. [...] By the way, I was able to follow some of the threads in the post you sent. For the record, I've been at the Basilica since 1997 and music director since 2001, having just celebrated 20 years as director this past August 1. Though I must say, it doesn't feel like a long time at all even thought 24 years is definitely a long time!!" Cheers, Dave

Greetings all. I hope this post finds you and yours well in these continued troubled times. I recently found this clip, from 2016, of an Ordination of Priests service at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Washington (USA) and the opening music is an improvisation on the responsory Psalm which follows. The verses of the responsory Psalm, however, do not seem to be all from the same Psalm: I worked out, from a web search, that one of the verses- but not the rest - is Psalm 147 v15. Here is the clip: Does anyone know the name of the piece and the composer of it? If not I will ask someone within the cathedral directly but I wondered if anyone here might know. The piece, by the way, is worth a listen the whole way through. Cheers, Dave

Great playing. I had the pleasure of hearing Nathan Laube play a recital for the Bristol and District Organists Association on the H&H (IVP/49) in the chapel of Clifton College back in 2019 (first time I had been to anything there since I left Clifton College back in 1995: it was great to be back) and the concert was splendid, played with little or no use of sheet music and a screen down below so we could see what Mr. Laube was doing. Dave

Greetings, The children and youth choir Libera has announced the sad news of the death, on Wednesday 08th September, of its founder and musical director Robert Prizeman at the age of 69. As well as being associated with the choir Libera he will also be remembered for his 1986 composition for BBC TV's "Songs of Praise". His passing will, of course, be a sad loss for all who knew him, including the members of Libera. I got my Mum a copy of their "Beyond" CD for Christmas back in 2018: it is much enjoyed. I note that another CD is due soon called "If" of which I note that the last track will be a piece called, perhaps appropriately in view of this news, "Lux aeterna". May he rest in peace and rise in glory. https://libera.org.uk/news/robert-prizeman-rip/ Dave

Indeed. I think he appeared in one of Howard Goodall's programmes Dave

This week's news bulletin from Southwark Cathedral informs its readers that James Gough - currently organist at St. Matthew's, Westminster - has been appointed as the cathedral's new Assistant Organist and Music Administrator. Dave

I ran a web search: the website is active so may have been a temporary glitch. The website says that Clevedon Organs is an amalgamation of Cawston Organs Ltd. and the former firm of Percy Daniel & Co. Contacts in Malvern (Worcestershire) and Dunkeswell (Devon). http://clevedonorgans.com/index.html Dave

Thanks. Post corrected. Dave

I never heard the original organ but I will listen to that clip. Interesting that I can't tell the pipe stops from the digital ones. Dave

And here is a rendition of Widor's Toccata played on the organ of the Hevig Eleonora Church, Stockholm, Sweden. Organ IVP/181 by Grönlund (1976, 58 stops) and Allen Organ Company (2017, 123 stops). Very good talent in someone so young, especially playing it without the music. A YouTube search turns up a number of clips of her and I would say that she clearly has a bright future ahead of him in the organ world. Dave

Here's something of potential interest. A new digital-only album is now available of the Klais organs in Cologne Cathedral, played by the cathedral's organist Winfried Bönig. A YouTube preview, with German comments from the organist (available with English subtitles) can be found at The Klais website gives more information, and download links, at https://klais.de/m.php?sid=560 HTIOI, Dave

Good to see that the MD of another company - Michael Sutcliffe (Foley-Baker, Inc. of Tolland, Conn - has started a GoFundMe to support employees of the Dobsons organ shop. The initial target of $10,000 was broken within well under 24 hours and, as I write this, the amount raised stands at $35,500; the highest donation recorded is $1500 which is good to see. News article: https://www.1380kcim.com/2021/06/24/industry-colleague-starts-gofundme-to-support-dobson-pipe-organ-builders-employees/ GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-replace-dobson-employees-tools?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer Meanwhile other firms in the organ building world and its associated trades are rallying around: the Dobsons page on Facebook informs readers that they have been loaned use of the woodworking shop of Paul Iverson and also have managed to purchase the tools and equipment of the Nelson Barden & Associates workshop in Waltham, Massachusetts. HTIOI, Dave

Some news from Sheffield Cathedral which emerged today, 29th June. Many members may recall the fiasco which broke out when the previous Dean of Sheffield, the Very Rev. Peter Bradley, decided to dispense with the choral provision at the Cathedral there back in July 2020. https://www.sheffieldcathedral.org/news/2020/7/21/sheffield-cathedral-choir The arguments went on for slightly over 3 months until Dean Bradley announced his resignation from the office of Dean of Sheffield on 04th October 2020. https://www.sheffieldcathedral.org/news/2020/10/4/announcement-from-the-dean-of-sheffield-cathedral There was also this: Anyone who might have wondered what the implications might have been of appointing someone not used to Cathedral life need not worry however: the announcement has now been made today, 29-Jun-2021, that the next Dean of Sheffield is to be Rev. Canon Abigail Thompson who is currently Acting Dean and Sub-Dean of St. Albans Cathedral but is no stranger to the Diocese of Sheffield or the cathedral there. In his introduction, which can be found on YouTube, the Bishop of Sheffield describes Canon Thompson as "an accomplished musician with a particularly strong track record for developing choirs." The introduction can be found at https://www.sheffieldcathedral.org/news/2021/6/29/new-dean-of-sheffield-announced-and-welcomed-to-cathedral Sorry this post is perhaps a bit long but HTIOI, Dave

I also think it would be a shame to get rid of the existing case at Wells. Also perhaps the only way to balance the sound more to the nave side might be to put some ranks in the nave triforium. Should be an interesting project. Dave

Really awful news. The website of Classic FM here in the UK reports that the cause was a fan which malfunctioned and caused sawdust to ignite. https://amp.classicfm.com/music-news/dobson-organ-workshop-building-fire-tragedy/ St. James, King Street, Sydney - who had recently awarded Dobson's the contract for a new organ - have posted on their Facebook page that "Dobsons advise that they are fully insured and that their intention is to continue in business." My thoughts and prayers are with all of the company's employees. I hope that the company will be able to rebuild and bounce back in due course and that the sounds for which the company has rightly earned recognition will be produced once again. Dave