Paul Carr

I used to play it - had to learn it for a 1960s concert in 1996 as part of the "Towards the Millennium" series, a while ago but I found it charming enough to re-visit a few times since... Andrew Fletcher has recorded it at Warwick. P.

Yes, thanks Nigel - how exciting!! Are we going to be able to arrange a board members' visit like the one to Malborough last year? Apologies if this has already been asked... P

Ooooo, same thing's happened to me!! Thanks Patrick too, with your tip it's sorted and back to normal!!

...and in this case: neither!

On unsaid organ did you ever work out how to get to the middle of the swell Bassoon? I haven't. A friend got married a couple of years ago and I tickled the reeds, which were surprisingly easy to tune considering the 'pick 'n' mix' nature and generally poor quality of all of the reeds. Anyway, I tuned the top end and the bottom end (so fine for the Pedal reed borrowed stop) but couldn't see how to get around the Diapason to even see, let alone reach the middle! Played round it, so wasn't a problem... I don't touch them normally, especially as with an organ appeal looming it works in our favour for it not to sound as good as it can! Plus it gives the French stuff a satisfying edge!! P.

Mmmm, I think I know where that is, and they're still all saying that it shouldn't be allowed!!!

Many thanks Alistair McEwan, it took a few wrong turns, but I've found it and I am listening to it now - very Cochereau! Alastair J - this may work, it's just copied straight out of the address line in the other window where it's playing right now... http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.s.../afternoon3_tue Cheers, P.

I missed it too! (unless you count the faded out first bar on Christmas Eve underneath the presenter talking!)

I had mine from Allegro Music (www.allegro.co.uk) but I think David sells scores directly through his own publishing company/website Chestnut Music rather than Allegro these days. However, they still have some of his music there, or at least they did last time I was there in the summer. If you don't get any luck with that send David an email directly (from his website) and I'm sure he'll sort you out. The Double CD of the Opening concert, with the original impro on was a limited edition I think, but again he may have one knocking around that he'd be happy to sell... Cheers, P

http://www.david-briggs.org.uk/compinfo.php?sel=70 The above link should (if I've got the technology right) take you to the page on DB's site about In Dulci. The Fugue-Toccata on 'I vow to Thee' has been around a while - I played it in a recital in August 2005. It's a transcription from a recording (also available) of the final movement of an improvised Symphony on themes from The Planets which DB improvised at the inaugural concert on at Gloucester following the rebuild. It's not all that difficult, but very effective. P

Yes, I have the recording and we were at the première, in Blackburn Cathedral - it's a fabulous work. The recording can be purchased directly from DB's website, I believe. P.

Wow, that sounds a fabulous idea... We've talked, amongst friends about something similar in Birmingham, mainly to rescue organs that are about to be scrapped. (Not those that would, musically speaking, benefit from being scrapped though!!) This project could be a good blue print... P

Ah ha, that'd be the wedding I played for which featured a hidden, but not very hidden* to anyone who was really listening, Darth Vader theme during the improvisation just before the entrance of the bride. Well, that's what someone, who was listening, told me it sounded like - I couldn't possibly comment on whether or not it was deliberate. (Those of you who've twigged and know the bride will also know the answer to that one anyway!) * infact, only slightly hidden - well, just about not UNISON!!! Mmmm, don't think Google will pick up too much from that!

I've got that CD - it's amazing. Fantastic solo reed (chamade-like rather than Tuba-like) which always takes me by surprise in the fanfare sections! There's a transcription/arrangement of the Star Wars Main Theme in "Music from the Movies: The Organist Entertains book 3" (Ooops have I confessed too much about the music I own?) I used it after the morning service the last time I played for Hereford Cathedral School in 1992. (It was the last time because I'd finished there, not because of that piece )

Common Praise again! You know the tradition/set up at our place, it won't have changed since you were there and it fits in perfectly. They'd recently purchased it when I arrived four years ago - the then vicar encouraged me to explore it, introducing previously unknown hymns. We got away with this until Shine Jesus Shine popped up... One of the bases declared "I charge extra if I have to polish the Almighty!" It was only ever used once... They're well-made too, no covers have fallen off, etc. yet. P.

His daughter later made up for that though....

Well it does make an impressive noise, and ought to with all those big reeds and all those speakers, BUT I didn't find anything of real charm or beauty once I'd got over my extensive tour of the tutti!! In fairness though, it's still being tweaked... P

Oh yes!

My first two piano teachers were anti-organ. My piano playing suffered due to this conflict, especially as I was so into the organ in my teens. I gave up the piano at 15. When I arrived at Music College I had to do a second study, I really didn't want to return to the piano, as I thought the previous conflict would re-surface. Luckily, I had a superb piano teacher (the head of the department - I'm still not sure if that was an admin error at the time, or if he just wanted a break from the string of excellent future concert pianists!!) who respected the organ, worked with me to explore how the two complemented each other and restored my childhood enjoyment of the instrument. These days I don't get time to practise the piano, and don't have one here. A new piano at school last year inspired me to work up a couple of pieces (the Gershwin Preludes) and that was great fun. I think with the right approach, and time, you can play both well... And in answer to the question: Jean Guillou. P.

If the first place was "shef...things sheep and cows stand in" (don't you just love talking in code to avoid the search engines and getting sued) then that's interesting as its replaced insides I believe are by the same company that recently installed a handsome 4 manual near a church you used to be organist at... They get good reviews and some folk are raving about them. My experience was that it looks and feels superb, in my opinion, but that's about it - the 'on' switch starts a downhill trend which includes some stops with less charm than a primitive transistor radio!!

My voluntaries get listened to each Sunday evening, even when they last 10 or 15 minutes! (St Anne P&F, Jongen Sonata Eroica, etc) and there's applause, which I'm never sure how to, or whether to, acknowledge - after all it's not a concert... There is sometimes one key-jangling exception to the general appreciation of the voluntaries, but we won't go there... Coffee is served on the gallery, occasionally two or three people head up there and listen with their coffee. The only exception is at the carol service where even I don't really hear the voluntary through the noise of the post service chat, etc! P.

I just get my fingers on as many notes as possible, black and white, but below the right hand chords (due to the flat sign in front of the cluster) I do think it's worth the effort, if only to play the outrageous harmonisation of the tune on the last page!! It is one of those pieces that, once learnt, sounds better the faster it is though! Didn't the then Bishop of Birmingham and now York choose it as one of his Desert Island Discs? P.

A wonderful visit! I think everything has been already said above, so I'd like to just add my thanks to all at Manders. How many of us had a photo sitting at the new St Paul's console? Yes, and pulling out the Royal Trumpet stops... well you have to really, don't you?!!! P.

Actually, thinking about it / him; he probably just played it from the full score - in his memory that is!!! An arrangement may not exist...