Paul Carr
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Posts posted by Paul Carr
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...I think she has realised that quite a substantial number of my collection feature one particular instrument....
Are you going to tell us which instrument that is?
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...Graham Barber's otherwise excellent recording from Coventry when he plays the Howells Sonata there!
Wasn't his recording of the Howells Sonata from Hereford? (Or has he recorded it more than once?)
P.
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Given that CC is a virtuoso performer as well as a virtuoso player (if you see what I mean), will he be playing Phoenix rather than he Hill?
Good point, although they do have two large cameras installed in the organ loft...
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Just for the record, he's been booked to appear at Victoria Hall, Hanley next September, so I presume he'll be doing a tour at that time.
...and Lichfield Cathedral the night before. (That's 11th and 12th September 2009)
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Sounds great, please count me in.
Shall we all wear badges to reveal our identities!?
P.
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Depends on what it means by 'electric', its certianly not a speaker if thats what you mean? I took some pictures of it before I became a southerner...
Thanks for these Richard, what a cool view of the organ case and console!
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Given that this project was undertaken by a student and not a professional animator, I thought it was quite a reasonable attempt. The target audience though I would have put at primary school.
The thing that has been bugging me though is that I can't remember the name of the little ditty used to demonstrate the flutes. I've heard it enough times as an encore, but the grey matter is letting me down.
Can anyone put me out of my misery?
Sq.
It's a few bars of the Toccatina for Flute by Yon.
P
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Ah, I see we're all waiting for someone else to say something because we're not sure whether we hate it or not...
I'm in the middle of making a choir recruitment DVD of similar length targetted at years 4-6 and as such have been doing a fair bit of research and discussion over what might work - and, moreover, the importance of having the 'follow-up' process (what in a previous life used to be known as the 'sales funnel') as slick, organised and under control as humanly possible before letting any marketing materials loose on a waiting world. My tuppence -
1) It's a nice simple narrative, presented by someone clearly 'regional' if you know what I mean (i.e. not a posh twit)
2) It pulls kids into wanting to have a go really well, with some great acting
3) It gave just the right amount of technical information and enough of a glance 'under the bonnet' to make the machine alive and interactive rather than just a sterile object with buttons, like a Wii
4) The music was well chosen and well played
But, on the other hand -
5) the animation/lipsync was a bit basic sometimes. I can forgive that, but a more computer game savvy young individual might not be so willing to.
6) I felt it was probably aiming a bit low in its age range, to kids who probably can't reach the pedals yet and will get bored and give up; older kids (11ish) I felt might feel spoken down to a bit
7) I thought the recording of the organ was a touch on the coarse side at times, especially in the treble, through my PC speakers - if turned up loud enough to play to a class it might be possible to say it was offputtingly unpleasant
but, worst of all - 8) I didn't feel from the website that they'd put serious thought into how they were going to match pupils with teachers, and felt there had been little consideration of whether the real-world experience of 'my first organ' would be in line with the expectations set by the film.
Instead, they point parents at the local organists association, for instance, where they will face the usual heartbreaking picture of cold churches making unrealistic charges (if it's even possible to get the door and console unlocked) and tuition of variable quality, and public recitals where they will be (again) in sadly familiar territory - in the company of between 6 and 40 individuals who (as those of us who do lunchtime recitals quite a lot have experienced) can sometimes be quite, er, unhinged, shall we say. You and I can look at a list of recitals and form a view on the player, the instrument, and the programme. A totally random lucky dip of organrecitals.com could yield almost anything.
I'd have started with the cathedrals - is there anyone in the UK more than 50 miles from one? Aren't cathedral musicians generally in touch with the best in their local area? Cathedrals themselves can run 'be a chorister' days when they want choirs - couldn't enough of them be persuaded to run 'be an organist' days? I doubt a single tourist would mind, if they knew what was going on. Then, those who can be convinced to stick with it can filter down through the higher-level organists and teachers in the diocese.
That way, the promise of how exciting it will be could actually be met by the first impression of the instrument. For some, it will be. I feel for the many who may sadly have their hopes dashed by a bumpy transition back to the real world.
I think that you speak a lot of sense, David.
The same point about the follow-up has concerned me too. At Birmingham Organists' Association I think we have it buttoned up: our Leonard-Gibbons fund will also provide some funding for either a course of lessons (and we 'approve' the teacher to be used) or to purchase music. The application for this is very simple, basically a letter. The BOA Council are very aware of the pit falls of cold locked churches, etc. and I hope that we steer those interested, maybe via 'Dan', towards those in the area that will encourage and nurture.
I think it has to be done locally, Dan may hook a few in on a national level and this will help greatly, but it's up to those on the ground to take it from there.
P.
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I just had an invite to join this Facebook Group... It may clarify the thinking of those stirring it up, it seems they want to keep it where it is.
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Basic Info
Type: Entertainment & Arts - Performing Arts
Description: The Cavaillé-Coll organ has been in the Parr Hall since the 1920's and it is an important, mostly unaltered instrument, one of the few outside of France, and one of the only Cavaillé-Coll concert organs anywhere. Its removal from the Parr Hall to create more space is a mistake which future generations will regret: it will devalue the Parr Hall as a concert venue. It is an important part of Warrington's cultural heritage.
Please sign the petition!
Contact Info
Email:
Website: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Cavaill...
Office: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Cavaillecoll/
Location: Warrington, United Kingdom
Recent NewsPlease remember to sign the petition and ask your friends to visit the site too!
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Cavaillecoll/
Quite frankly, we need people to make further contact with those in authority and tell them that :
The organ is used and wanted.
It is played much more than the 6 times a year the Organ Society have told the council by other organisations such as The Warrington Male Voice Choir and CODYS (A young persons musical theatre group).
Please feel free to add you own personal touch too!However, you must keep it polite and to the point for it to be taken seriously.
Try this to find your MP and contact them:
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm
You have to write to your own MP usually. You can also contact the Culture Secretary, Andy Burnham if you are from outside (or inside) Warrington:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/contact_us/default.aspx
You can also try this website: http://www.writetothem.com/ apparently you can contact your MP, Councillors, MEP, a member of the House of Lords etc...
You can also write to your MP of course, at:
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7219 3000
Warrington South: Helen Southworth Warrington North: Helen Jones
Other useful sites:
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P.
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Well apparently there is at least one more which thankfully focuses almost entirely on Dupre at the console instead of wandering around the interior of St Sulpice.
I received this email yesterday:
"The association of Les Amis de l'Art de Marcel Dupré has just released a fascinating 2-hour DVD of French television film footage of the great man. The films - made at Saint-Sulpice and at his home in Meudon - were recorded in 1955, 1965, 1967 and 1969.
In addition to chatting with another legend, Bernard Gavoty (one of his great allies), he can be seen playing music of Bach (including BWV565), Handel and himself (including the first movement of the Symphonie-Passion); there are several extended improvisations, including those on themes by Rolande Falcinelli and André Fleury. Despite his age - and that sadly Dupré was an old man by this time, his hands (and therefore his technique somewhat) ravaged by the arthritis that so distorted his fingers in his older years - he gets really "stuck in" to some of these!
The conversations between him and Gavoty as fascinating too, and the charm and humour of Dupré (so often spoken of by many as a kind of ogre) a joy to see. He reminisces about his beginnings as an organist, and even mimicks the irascible Saint-Saens! You can also see the ever-watchful and devoted Mme Dupré sitting listening to her husband in the music room of their home.
Until the end of October the cost is 30 € (excluding postage); after that, it will be 35 €."
I presume this is where the Youtube clips have originated... I was also sent an order form and payment details, complicated as they can't process card payments, which I can forward to anyone interested who sends a PM with their email address.
P.
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I guess that's after my time! There was a pub immediately at the end of the bit of road that leads to the church car parking, but I can't recall what that was called. Perhaps that's too much sampling of the same....
The Ropewalk. We go there a lot too!!
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I always think that the case housing the Walker in St Chad's Cathedral Birmingham is very impressive.
I never knew the instrument in there before 1993, but have seen pictures of it... row of grey chimneys and a chamade sums it up... so, if nothing else, it's a huge improvement!
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Thanks for the advice, heva.
I bought the Dupre Op. 7 score today and read through most of the B major and some of the G minor. Difficult difficult stuff, but they are manageable with careful practice.
The manual parts in the B major work aren't as scary as I had imagined. The pedal chords in G minor are tricky. My feet are very small, so it is hard to play the major third interval with one foot.
It may, or may not help - simply with balance more than anything else - to swap the RH and LH parts from 23 bars before the end (the Eb7 chord?) of the G minor Prelude until Dupré swaps them anyway 11 bars before the end...
I find either way comfortable/uncomfortable dependig on the instrument. Also it gives the LH a rest if the action's heavy.
Don't forget the F minor P&F Op7. Musically it has more 'depth' than the outer two... I'm learning it at the moment...
P.
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Hello everyone, hope you are all well, and enjoying your collective summers!
I hope I am not speaking out of place here, by wishing Paul Carr (very well known forum member, and marvellous organist!) all the best for his recital at Notre Dame Cathedral this Sunday! His programme looks to make for wonderful listening, and I hope he enjoys it as much as he has been looking forward to it!
Good luck Paul!
Thank you!
I really did enjoy it as much as I expected, it's a fabulous building, space and instrument! Rehearsing and really getting to know the instrument, which I've heard for so many years from downstairs and the tribune, from 11pm until 2.30am on the Friday before was incredible. It did produce a 'hangover' style head the next day though!!
And... GT-B's Elegy worked like a dream, many people commenting on how 'English' the ND organ can sound!
P.
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Olivier Latry at the Royal Albert Hall - Proms 2008
Great performance!!!
Wow! The way he effortlessly plays the last two pages of Transports... the unison bit, with complete accuracy, relaxed and yet still very exciting is incredible.
I've watched those last two pages six times now!!! Amazing.
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Good afternoon, gentlemen!
(Apologies to any ladies present!)
I've just posted my final set of photos (at least for the time being) which I hope you will enjoy. Inevitably there are a few small issues which we are still sorting out at the moment, but the sound of the instrument is truly wonderful and she is very comfortable to play, I think.
We've had quite a few visitors now to see and hear the organ and look forward to your support over the coming months as the instrument beds in to her ongoing work of playing the daily office. You already know about the initial recitals on August 8th (Gillian Weir) and October 4th (Thomas Trotter) and I hope you will be able to come along to one or both of those.
We will also be recording BBC choral evensong which is to be broadcast on Sunday 10th August and I am sure there will be a lot of interest in that.
I will be recording a CD in September which will be available at the October launch weekend.
Meanwhile, may I thank you for your interest and hope to see you in Worcester in the near future.
Adrian
Adrian,
As others have already said at various points during this thread, it's been extremely interesting to watch this new organ coming to life. I very much look forward to hearing it.
Very many thanks for taking the time to post here during what's been an extremely busy time for you.
With best wishes,
Paul.
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Erm, wasn't that David Briggs's Sortie (as also heard in King's College Chapel, Cambridge)? Some might say you could be forgiven for believing it to be the work of M Cochereau...I couldn't possibly comment.
and...
Erm, wasn't David Briggs' Sortie on 'In Dulci Jubilo'...
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...a more recent Dupré recording at Notre-Dame is still available...
Truely stunningly musical playing, the 2nd Symphony really 'makes sense' in his hands (and feet!)
It's one of the finest Dupré recordings available IMHO
The ND organ has been captured well too.
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... It has been fashionable for the past few years, and I played it a lot around 10 years ago, including at a couple of friends weddings, ...
We had it at ours - and it's our tenth anniversary at the end of the month.
...I first heard it on a recording from Blackburn Cathedral ; the ending was just glorious on that organ. ...Priory issued a CD of the best of the first 30 (I think) releases of 'Great European Organs' it was on that from the Blackburn recording, that's how I came to know it.
I think it is one of the great examples of the French Toccata.
P
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There is a superb CD of Simon Nieminski playing Reuchsel here - well worth getting for some really quite interesting pieces really well played.
AJJ
Yes, I enjoy Reuchsel's music too. Well worth exploring.
From Volume 1 of Promenades en Provence: Nuages ensoleillées sur le Cap Nègre (Sunlit clouds on Cap Nègre) is a spectacular toccata, its double pedalling gave the Divided Pedal an outing at Truro last summer.
I've learnt Tambourinaires sur la place des Vieux Salins, (Drummers in the place des Vieux Salins) too, but not given that a public outing yet!
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The bride this afternoon arrived ten minutes early.
Mine was on time, well actually I could see her at the west door 2 minutes early! And the nice parish secretary not only brought me the organ key over to the console on my arrival, but a cup of coffee too!!
(Perhaps she thought I looked like I needed keeping awake?! ) -
Could any board member please suggest a few, not over expensive, printed/published transcriptions that give good, contrasting, examples of Cochereau's improvisatory style and harmonic language? I have some CDs but would also like some printed scores. I have an idea that David Briggs might have produced some transcriptions but am not sure. Musicroom has all sorts of pieces by Cochereau available but some are quite expensive and it's not clear which ones would cover what I'm after.
Thanks
Malcolm Kemp
'Suite de danses' would be a good start. Lots of tricks and harmonic twists to study, and very much the Cochereau style IMO.
David Briggs' transcription and he's recorded them at Blackburn cathedral. Also the recording of the actual improvisation by Cochereau is available from Solstice...
However, as for 'not over expensive' - my score cost £30 in 2003...
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I bet the Americans composed for those top-notes.......what about Leo Sowerby?
MM
Yep, there are top F#s and Gs all over the place in Pagaent... Makes it unplayable if you don't have a 32 note pedalboard.
Well, that was my excuse until I moved church and now have a 32 note pedal board and, yes you've guessed it, the Sowerby is still unplayable! There are one or two top pedals Gs in Dupré's Cortège et Litanie too, St Sulpice does not have a top pedal G, but we know that dear Marcel spent a lot of time touring the States...
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To go one stage further - listen to the Cochereau recording; drowning that choir (without wishing to upset Msgr. Jehan Revert) might be considered advantageous.
For that matter, Cochereau may not have been entirely sober when he made the recording....
And... for all its imperfections it still has to be the most exciting recording of this work ever made. The new one (made last year?) is 'better' in some ways, but not as successful in raising hairs on the back of the neck!!
Desert Island Discs (sort Of...)
in The Organ
Posted
Ah ha... Mine would be very near; somewhere over the river on an isle!