Tony Newnham
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Posts posted by Tony Newnham
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Hi again
Change of plan. Microsnot refused the e-mails, so I've resorted to dropbox. Hopefully you will get a link & be able to download the files.
Every Blessing
TonyHi
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Hi
Hopefully the 3 people who asked for copies now have them.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi Paul
I dug out my old scanner and persuaded it to work. I've scanned the whole lot (but page 7 is seperate - don't know what happened but it was missing when I checked the PDF! If you (and anyone else who wants a copy lets me have an e-mail address I'll send you it.
It looks like it was one of the first lots of organ music I bought back in the late '60's - for the sum of 5s 6d. How times change.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
Only a basic phone and essential tremors make that an unlikely option, but I may investigate next week (too busy before then)
If you're close enough to Rugby you could call in & photo/scan the pages yourself.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi Paul
I have a copy, but I don't want to part with it as I often use a couple of the items at this time of year, and sadly, my scanner is no more. I could try & photograph the relevant pages if that's any help, or if it can wait until next week I might be able to coax some life into an old scanner/printer.
I find them useful short pieces - I've had the book for many years.
Every Blessing
Tony
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On 05/12/2014 at 23:47, John Robinson said:
Yes, a single diocese with three cathedrals: Ripon, Wakefield and Bradford. Strangely, I think it is now called the Diocese of Leeds(?).
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This is old news. This arrangement started to come3 into place when I was still in Bradford - and I've been retired nearly 9 years. The then fairly newly appointed Bishop of Bradford got the "top job" - not sure what the actual structure is - it wasn't relevant to me.
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I've always just asked for access to play organs, and rarely been refused - and that includes several cathedrals. One or two have required a limit on volume because of visitors - others just let you get on with it, and in one case, gave me the key to the building to lock up when I'd finished! Not tried lately, but no harm in contacting the organs/DoM and asking. (I have always made a donation. Obvi9osuly, this approach is unlikely to work in those venues that are charging )
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This is a very interesting instrument. We had it in Bradford Cathedral back in 2014 for the Bradford Organists' Association Centenary. I got to play it a couple of times - a fascinating experience. Details of the organ on NPOR at E00205. Info on the other Early English Organ Project organ are at E00491. G7G built another example which, if memory serves, is in a museum in Wales. You learn a lot about music of the period from playing these instruments.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
I use a generic 49 note MIDI controller, connected over USB. I find having the keyboard is easier when it comes to selecting notes, but (as far as I( know) you have to select the note length first - and remember to change it when you go from quavers to minims etc.! I find it a quick & convenient means of note entry once you get the hang of it.
Every Blessing
Tony
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To continue - a DBOB search for Kingsgate failed, but Davidson is there and provided the link to the firm. Not sure why Kingsgate didn't appear, but as always on NPOR, the secret is to use the minimum of search terms and find the info from the resulting list.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
DBOB (via the NPOR website) DOES have an entry for the firm. It reads:-
KINGSGATE DAVIDSON & CO LTD (1267) [DBOB-ref=1267]
Floruit: 1925D-1950+
Located: London
Trade: obAddresses used
Address From To Phoenix Str [Hampden House], London NW 1925D 1929D Elsa Str [Durning Hall], Stepney, London E 1946D Cranfield Rd [St.Peter's Hall] Brockley, London SE 1947D 1950+ Titles used by this firm
Kingsgate Musical Instrument Co. Ltd. 1921-1924 Kingsgate, Davidson & Co. Ltd. 1925-1950+ References for the information above
London Directories: Kelly 1925-44/46-50+
BOA corres Edmonds, B.B., 6.5.1998Cross references
Rushworth & Dreaper - taken over by
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Hi
If you're in the Rugby area on Saturday (6th August 2022) you may like to make your way to St Peter John (sic) church in Clifton Road, where I and a couple of other local organists are giving a short recital. The recital starts at 1 o-clock and refreshments are available from 12:00.
The recital is free (retiring collection). I'm playing 2 pieces, a rare hymn setting by George Shearing, and Geoffrey Burgon's "Brideshead Suite" in an organ transcription. I'm not totally sure what my colleagues aree playing, but I hear rumours of Buxtehude, Lloyd-Weber and possibly Durufle. One of our junior members, who recently attended our "Organ for Pianists" event is also playing - so come and support the younger generation. SSee you there.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
Martin's is a name I'd heard but know little about him, not having had much to do with the RSCM, having worked mainly in free churches with no choirs.
However, I'm playing at my local Parish Church the next couple of Sundays (St Mark, Bilton, RUGBY). I had an e-mail from the choir co-ordinator last night suggesting we sing Martin How's "Day by Day" as an anthem in his memory, and could I accompany it? A fitting memorial.
Looks reasonably straightforward, so hopefully that will go ahead. I gather that the service is live streamed starting around 9:50 (and I'm told the live stream includes both voluntaries!
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Presumably it's "Grand Organ" to differentiate it from other organs in the building!
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22 hours ago, bam said:
I would very much like to hear the Chapel organ again following the Nicholson work.
There's an opportunity in a couple of weeks - "
There is a public recital in the school chapel on the Friday evening (20th May), when Ian Wicks will be playing Bach Passacaglia, and the Reubke Psalm 94 sonata - 7.30pm, and free, you will be most welcome. A great opportunity to hear the chapel organ." You'll need to check with the school re. tickets/access - I understand that they are very strict about visitors at present." -
Hi
One organ in a church where I played occasionally did have couplers on the divisional pistons - and I found them a real nuisance! The organ started as a Hope-Jones, and after a few rebuilds, the current iteration (assuming it's still there) was down to Rushworth & Dreaper. Piston setting was via a switchboard behind the music rest. I didn't want to change anything as I only played it very occasionally, and I'd probably have forgotten to reset the changes at the end of the service. I prefer to keep couplers and tremulants off divisional pistons (although having the trem can be useful on rare occasions)
Every Blessing
Tony
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23 hours ago, innate said:
Given that before modern heating systems were installed in churches organs would not have had a “basic pitch” that remained constant through the seasons of the year I doubt we should attribute Wesley’s (or anyone else’s) response to different tunings to that.
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The temperature range typically in the UK produces less than a semi-tone pitch movement between a very cold winter's day and the heat of summer. I'm talking about the much larger variations in basic pitch that are often found. I have a reed organ here that is a shade under a semit0ne sharp to A=440Hz, and a Square piano that's currently tuned to A=415. Vastly more difference than the change in pitch of organ pipes with normal temperature flucutations in my experience.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
I too wonder with absolute pitch has a bearing on how we "hear" temperaments. Given that pitch relationships are logarhythmic rather than linear, could it be that the ear's response to different tunings varies according to the basic pitch? Just wondering. Has anyone ever done any research on this?
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
The reverb questions is really do you want to reproduce the actual sound of the organ in the room? Or produce a generally pleasing result without worrying over-much how the organ is recorded. Stereo recordings (rather than surround that pwhodges mentions has the additional issue that reverb comes from the same speakers (and hence the same direction) as the direct sound, which isn't what happens in the real venue. I have this issue with the Harmonium recording I made in my small music room for a virtual on-line concert just before Christmas. I decided to add some reverb (just using the default options in my audio editing programme) and although I found the result better than the dry original, it didn't sound as realistic as I'd hoped.
There is no "one size fits all" answer to recording pipe organs.
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Hi
Memories from Denis' post. I remember Holleyman's in Brighton & Hove, but not specifically for music or books about organs. Back in the day I was friendly with Mr Holleryman's son. I bought my copy of Sumner's "The Organ" from there.
I don't remember a good secondhand bookshop in Hastings, despite living near there for a number of years. Maybe it had gone before then? I'm still trying to complete my set of "The Organ".
As to secondhand bookshops, Badger Books in Worthing often have a small selection of organ books in their music section. There was another s/h bookshop in the town, just up the road from the Salvation Army Citadel that had a good range of sheet music as well as books, but they closed or moved elsewhere. I've not been to Worthing for about 6 years, but I found Badger books on the web just now. Another place that might be worth a look if you're in the area is the secondhand section of Carnforth Bookshop. I've not found any books about organs there (plenty of other books that I've bought though), and they had a small selection of sheet music.
I've bought quite a few books from David Shuker since I came across his web site a few years ago. There's usually a good selection - I'm running out of shelf space! Sadly, I can't afford some of the rarer titles he sometimes lists.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
In recent weeks I've had at least some of the congregation sit and listen to my concluding voluntaries - and applaud at the end. It does happen sometimes - but not often enough.
Every Blessing
Tony
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Hi
Thanks for the reminder of Charles MacDonald's shop in Steyning. I visited a few times when we were in the area.
As to De-noising, I've done a fair bit using basic software. The key is not to overdo the processing. Sometimes, a bit of residual noise is better than the degraded sound of heavy digital processing, which can produce various audible artefacts.
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Hi
Presto Music have a shop in Leamington - and they stock some organ music.
Going way back, there was a music shop in Rye whose name escapes me. When I used it (1970's) it was basically the base for a local piano tuning set up, but the shop had NOS folders of Oxford organ music - and they only charged the prices on the labels (some still in LSD). I got some bargain there.
Every Blessing
Tony
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There are a few, mainly old, books about DIY organ building such as those by Mark Wicks, Dickson & Milne, and much more recent ones by John Boersma (there's a review in the most recent Organists' Review). Beware of modern reprints of the older books - they often omit the large fold-out diagrams! A few people have successful built their own pipe organs - I played one in a private house in Lancashire a few years ago (there was an article in Organists' Review that put me on to it).
Good luck
Every Blessing
Tony
Who Are The Best Organists You've Heard Live?
in The Organ
Posted
Hi
I'll probably miss someone - memory isn't what it once was. But "best" organSIsts:-
Fernando Germini (My first organ recital soon after I started learning the organ)
Nigel SPooner
David Dunnett
Carlo CUrley
In the theatre organ realm:-
Ken Double
Michael Wooldridge
They are probably the best and most musical players I've seen/heard live.
Every Blessing
Tony