Malcolm Kemp

I am pretty much in agreement with Colin. One of the things that slightly surprised me when listening yesterday to the Heiller records for the first time in several decades was the number of times I felt he was not articulating something that I expected him to. These people were pioneers and I recall how excited and renewed my first serious organ teacher was by all this (and he was by then a man in his sixties who had been a pupil of Atkins at Worcester and Brewer at Gloucester). Perhaps our attitudes are not unlike those relating to liturgical reform in church. We started out with these pioneers of reform and historicity, took it all to fanatical and illogical extremes and, hopefully, we are now being more balanaced and sensible about it, helped by the benefit of hindsight and the mistakes of others. Perhaps that is how humanity progresses. Who knows how future generations will judge us? After all, in England we had Ralph Downes and we had people trying to turn every English romantic organ they could get their hands on into pseudo-Baroque squeak boxes. I am happy to think of current projects such as the new organ at Llandaff. I ask myself whether today Downes would be able to get away doing what he did at Gloucester. I think there is cause for optimism and I think this Forum (and probably others like it) helps the cause immensely. Malcolm Malcolm

Actually, I've now bought two Michael Schneider/Luneberg LPs from E bay and the one you describe is one of them. Malcolm

Bazuin - I'm so glad to read your comments above. I was afraid I would be "a voice crying in the wilderness" over Heiller and it's good to find that I am not. What surprises me is that until I mentioned him earlier today I don't think I've ever come across mention of Heiller's Bach recordings on this Forum. I've just bought (from E-Bay again) a replacement copy of another Bach organ LP that I first bought 40 or more years ago. This time it's Michael Schneider at Luneberg. It will be interesting to find my initial reaction to hearing that again after so many years. One of the most important lessons I've learned in recent years from such eminent teachers as William Whitehead and Mark Wardell is the importance of the integrity of the music one is playing and I think that is what most of the comments on this topic are getting at. This Forum has become a bit dull recently and it's suddenly become interesting again! Malcolm

We've rather got off the original topic of the New Colelge Organ here but, who cares! One of my favourite LPs 40 years ago was of Anton Heiller playing the "Wedge" P&F and the P&F in A major from Maria Kyrke, Halsingborg, Sweden. It was in the era of the Walcha and early Rogg recordings and I always thought it stood up well against both those players. As a matter of chance I bought a replacement copy of this LP, and two others of the same player and organ, on E-Bay a couple of days ago and they arrived this morning. I wouldn't agree with eveything thst Heiller did in terms of tempo, phrasing and articulation but his JSB interpretations still inspire me and I feel they have clarity, energy, grandeour and a sense of moving forwards, Perhaps in those days players were less fanatical about proving a historical point and more ocncerned about being musical, than some of the more recent players we have been discussing on this topic. Perhaps those more recent players would not have reached the point they are at without Walcha, Heiller and even Rogg coming first. Fashions come and go, as do ideas of historical accuracy, but I still find that Walcha and Heiller inspire me in a way that van Oortmerrson and Koopman do not. Perhaps I am just getting old. What do others think? Malcolm

I think the Buxtehude Passacaglia is beautifully played. Perhaps some people may find it unduly restrained but they are entitled to their opinion. To me it is beautifully controlled, you can hear every note and, most important of all, it is very musical. Malcolm

Provided a proper record is kept of all this, if the church at some time in the future wanted to have the organ rebuilt and they decided to apply to certain charities (I'm not sure which) for funding they would have a very much better chance of being considered for help if they could demonstrate that the organ was, and would remain, used by the wider community. Evidence that students, particularly those who were not necessarily worshippers at the church, were allowed to practice free of charge would help their case. Malcolm

Many thanks to Messrs Johnson and Mander for an excellent and most enjoyable evening which I thought was well supported considering that travelling would have been an issue for many members, not to mention some strange pastime that some people have called work! Thanks again. Malcolm

Franco-German Alliance? Malcolm

I played for my first Sunday service when I was 16 and took my first practice when I was 17. Since then I have gained a lot of experience in a number of different churches, aquired a lot of knowledge and practical experience both in music and liturgy and earned several highly regarded diplomas (including the RCO choir training diploma). Until three years ago I combined all this, as a church director of music. with being a full time civil servant. For the past three years I have been doing music only and I am now 61. Nothing unusual or particularly praiseworthy in any of that; I am sure there are many people in almost identical situations. As I have written elsewhere on this Board, I get a rather better income and considerably greater pastoral satisfaction playing regularly for funerals at local churches and at the two crematoria which are within ten minutes walking distance of my house. Why am I giving up church work at the end of May? Amongst other reasons - synodical government at all levels, worship committees, poor pay and working conditions, uninformed, manipulative and totally selfish individuals holding a whole parish to ransom so that they can get their own way in everything, far too many laity constantly telling everyone else (including the Vicar) how to do their job, difficulty recruiting choir members, serious doubts of whether there is actually a future role for a choir in that place. Over the years I have enjoyed being a church musician and have put a lot of time, sweat and effort into it. I have worked with some wonderful people including some very musical, supportive and pastorally superb clergy and we have had some superb musical services. But I have had enough. Because of all the aggro and admin I no longer enjoy it and I honestly feel that at the present time my abilities and service are better employed playing for funerals. Added to all that I have just taken delivery of a marvellous, custom built four manual console designed for use with the Haupwerk system (which by the way, promises to have Salisbury cathedral organ on offer for download by the end of this year). What more could I want for my increased leisure time? See some of you tomorrow evening, I hope. Malcolm

My two copies of the Lincoln Psalter arrived just now, only a very few days after I ordered them from the Friends' Office. A quick glance indicates very sensible and effective pointing, a superb (if occasionally unexpected) choice of chants (Howells chants for Psalms 42/43), beautifully laid out out, easy to read and uncomplicated. My only initial two questions are whether everyone would find the A4 portrait format convenient and whether the binding would stand up to constant use, not to mention whether it would stay open on the organ. It certainly is worth serious consideration by anyone thinking of introducing a new psalter. Malcolm

Thanks you all the interesting comments above. As a matter of interest, does anyone know whether the theme played by the bells (the fugue subject) is orginal or whether it comes from a pre-existent melody, perhaps a French hymn tune or song? I've been unable to establish this from any other source and I tend to agree with James Frazier's book on Durufle that the edition of the fugue currently available is not terribly helpful or erudite. Malcolm

Thanks for pointing out the new Lincoln Psalter; I've just ordered a couple of copies from their Friends. Seems a bargain at £10 plus £1.50 postage per copy. From the picture on the Friends' website it looks as if it's nicely laid out. A friend of mine was a bass lay clerk there from late Philip Marshall to early Colin Walsh time and they had some superb chants, particularly by Dr Marshall himself. Philip Marshall and Francis Jackson - both pupils of Bairstow - both had/have absolutely beautiful manuscript. Malcolm

I don't think there is much else. Albeit without chants, my first choice, if I could get hold of a second hand set, would be the (out of print) Oxford Psalter which is not a thousand miles in character from the Worcester Psalter. I get the impression that a lot of cathedrals &c., use their own home-grown photocopies which give you exactly what you want but may ultimately prove more expensive (and certainly less durable) over all. It might also raise copyright issues over some of the chants. I recall almost 45 years ago playing for Mattins at a strange church at very short notice. They used the Parish Psalter and, having launched into the Benedictus, I had to call out to a nearby choirman to ask whether they used the pointing in the main text or the alternative at the bottom of the page! Recently I bought a copy of Saint Dunstan's Plainchant Psalter on-line from the Lancelot Andrewes Press in the USA. Without having studied it too deeply yet it seems to compare very well with "Briggs and Frere" and with the All Saints' (Margaret Street) Plainchant Psalter. Malcolm

You can get it on-line as a Special Order Edition (ex Chester Edition) from Musicroom.Com This is how I got my own copy about a years ago; it arrived quite quickly without any bother and it is still shown in the Musicroom.Com on-line catalogue. Malcolm

Rather like Archimedes, it came to me in the bath last night.......... I'm sure the editor of this album was Purcell J Mansfield and that his name appears on the front cover. A very vague further thought is that it just might have been called "Comemoration Album" or something similar. Malcolm

My good friend Barry Williams - known to many as a former regular contributor to this Board - has asked me to copy and paste the following message that he sent me. With his legal expertise and experience he considers there is nothing in this message which is confidential, outside the public domain, or which is inappropriate to a discussion board such as this. He advises me that no names have been used inappropriately. As requested, I have not made any alterations to his message. Malcolm Dear Malcolm, Thank you for your telephone call. I am delighted to inform you about Re : St Mary's Balham. It was a dire case in 1976/77, arising from the reconstruction of a Hill organ by the parish and a one man organ builder, without the authority of a faculty. Putting the facts quite shortly, in June 1976 the churchwardens and certain parishioners sought a faculty to reconstruct a Hill organ that was reported as being musically inadequate for the needs of the church. The DAC felt unable to recommend the scheme, but the parish went ahead anyway. The parish was fully aware from the Archdeacon and correspondence with the DAC and Diocesan Registrar that the work was illegal, but they carried on notwithstanding. The then Diocesan Chancellor, the Worshipful and Reverend Dr Evelyn Garth Moore, held that they had acted in flagrant breach of the law in causing the organ to be dismantled without permission. Because it was not possible to reconstruct the original instrument, (which was the Order the Archdeacon had sought from the Consistory Court,) the Chancellor held that the work should proceed with such 'improvements' as were indicated by expert advice. Typically, Garth Moore gave a powerful and entirely appropriate judgment, reminding the parishioners etc of the Criminal Damage Act 1971 and the Archdeacon of the fact that he had failed to use the powers of the High Court to obtain an Injunction to stop the illegal work. (This would now not be necessary as the Consistory Court now has its own powers of Injunction, etc). He also commented that the incumbent (now deceased) "does not seem to have led his flock with any great determination. If he did lead them, then, like the Duke of Plaza Toro, he seems to have led them from behind, and was content to let them go ahead with something he must surely have known was a flagrant illegality." The organ builder was forced to do future work on this organ work under the supervision of the Archdeacon: "..which I have no doubt the Archdeacon will exercise through the appropriate expert or experts." The costs of putting the organ into the state permitted by the Court were to be borne by the four petitioners, as were all the legal costs. The late Michael Gillingham and the late Herbert Norman both gave expert evidence to the Court. The Court reminded everyone that there is no such thing as a retrospective faculty. A confirmatory faculty does not make an unlawful act lawful. The illegal act remains unlawful for all time. The confirmatory faculty merely legalises the work from the date it is granted. The perpetrators of the illegalities remain personally liable forever for any wrongs that they have committed. The full judgment can be found in the All England Law Reports [1978[ 1 All ER pages 993 to 998. It is well worth reading. (A few years later Garth Moore delivered the even more devastating judgment of In Re St Mary Barnes. That did not involve an organ, though the then Diocesan Bishop got it 'in the neck.' in the course of the judgment.) It was my great pleasure and privilege to appear before Garth Moore on quite a few occasions. He had an extremely quick and incisive mind, yet he was also pastoral and caring. Appearing before him was invariably exhausting yet always exhilarating. In these judgments, as in the earlier case of Woldingham Churchyard, (where a monumental mason had erected an inappropriate and unlawful memorial,) he showed that the Faculty Jurisdiction had teeth and could bite, albeit humanely. I have not mentioned the names of the living as many of the folk involved are still around. However, the judgment is very much in the public domain. Indeed, the case was widely reported on TV, Radio and in the Press at the time. If any of my friends from the Mander Invision Board would like a copy of the judgment please ask them to send me their snail mail address - through you if they do not have my details. With every good wish, Yours sincerely, Barry

Many thanks to all those who have taken the time and trouble to respond either on this board or by PM direct to me. Perhaps I did not make myself clear in my original request. I already have the Scotson Clark marches in all their vulgar glory (very popular with congregations!!!) in an Oecumuse edition which, I suspect, is more or less the same as the Schirmer edition in the Sibley/Rochester University library. I only mentioned Scotson Clark as an indication of the kind of marches contained in the album I am after; I think his Commemoration March is included but I recollect that there are a number of marches by other composers whose names I can't remember. Talking of Oecumuse, has anyone ever discover what actually happened to it's erstwhile proprietor? Theories have ranged from his leaving the country (apparently his car was abanboned near Norwich BR station) to his going back to being a London cabbie. Thanks again Malcolm

I'm trying to locate an album of marches for organ which I think was published by Bayley & Ferguson, had a dull cream colour cover with rather ornate Gothic style print in brown and contained, among a number of other items, the commemoration March by Scotson Clark (which I have in another album). Tthe Scotson clark is fairly typical of the rest of the peices in the collection. There might be an outline drawing of a church or cathedral on the cover. Slightly larger size than your average Novello or OUP album. Does anyone have a copy they don't want, please, or can anyone tell me the exact title? The irritating thing is that there was a copy amongst Clement McWilliam's music that they were selling off at the SCF last year in Winchester and I failed to note down the details and I had already piched up more second hand music than I could reasonably carry! Malcolm

The article in the Sidmouth paper reminds me of the very well known (and long deceased) musical Brighton vicar who once commented to me about the organist of another local church "They say she plays with her heart and soul; it's a pity she doesn't make more use of her hands and feet". He was rather like that - all charity and tact! Malcolm

My understanding is that in the UK we are not allowed to buy music direct from French publishers such as Leduc, Hammelle &c., so we must buy it via UMP, hence the prices because two firms have to make a profit. I know of at least one church music music retailer who has been protesting against this and trying to get it changed for a long time. When buying a lot of music it may well be cheaper to go to Paris and buy it there. I gather the French also have some rather curious ideas on when a copyright expires - such as saying that the war years don't count! If anyone has a different understanding of the situation I am open to correction. Malcolm

Another possibility in south east Engliand is David Houlgate whose high standard of work is well known. If you need his contact details pelease send me a PM Malcolm

Opinions on this psalter have already been well aired on another topic a few months back. I bought my copy when it first came out but have never had any desire to use it because Im too, think it is dreadful. I bought the first few of the accompanying Cds but they quickly went to the Oxfam shop or wherever. Do we know what psalter they are using at St Thomas's New York? Malcolm

I read in a book about the "Morse" programmes that the exterior shots of the church were filmed in Bray (presumbly near the studios) but it does not say whether the interior shots were of an actual church (wouldn't it be marvellous to have a church which did still look like that!!) or whether it was a studio "mock-up". It doesn't say which choir was singing. Perhaps it was one of the Oxford college choirs earning a bit of extra cash. I think Morse was one of those people - rather like Inspector Barnaby of Midsommer Murders - who one should avoid. His very presence in an area seems to provoke multiple murders. Malcolm

As has been said many times before on this forum this situation - and many similar ones - is well known to many people. There really is no hard and fast answer and each indiviual has to make up their own mind, taking everything into account in those particular circumstances. I have to say that I am more inclined to go along with requests that are not to my particular taste when playing at a crematorium than I am in church. You have to try persuasion and reason, putting your point of view across calmly and logically (whilst getting across that you don't take "orders" about how you are to play the organ.) Ultimately, if, for whatever, reason, you are unable to comply with requests and feel your musical or personal integrity is being compromised then you just don't do the job and eventually those who want/need to employ organists discover that there is not a shortage of organists but there is a shortage of organists who are willing to play for services, even if they are paid to do so. There are plenty of organists around here who fall into that category and the number is growing. I really do not think there is an answer which fits all situations. Malcolm

More to the point, do you yet have two fully fit legs with which to play the pedals? Malcolm