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Barry Oakley

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Everything posted by Barry Oakley

  1. Doubtful. Several years ago I contacted the late Alistair Rushworth whose company had acquired the John Compton pipe organ business. I was horrified to learn from him that apparently all the Compton records had been discarded. I guess this also included drawings
  2. Minimise the amount of Bach; Give Percy Whitlock a very prolonged airing and add some Lefebure-Wely and some toe-tapping stuff that does not sound like Blackpool Ballroom.
  3. If only these contracts had been awarded to reputable British organ builders.
  4. Simply that news of the monks leaving en-masse from Downside has given rise to speculation about the wonderful Compton in the abbey church.
  5. I think in reality the true picture now is: F H Brown Incorporating Mander Organs
  6. Not often you see reference to Raymond Sunderland, but he and my late friend and former Hull City Organist, Peter Goodman, were great friends. I have a disc or two of Raymond Sunderland playing the organ at Bridlington Priory. A fine organist! I sang there as a boy chorister with the choir of Holy Trinity (now Hull Minster) shortly after Compton’s had rebuilt it in 1949. It was then a three-manual. My then master of choristers, Norman Strafford, predecessor of Peter Goodman, was consultant for the Compton rebuild. Some years ago, when Nicholson’s were finishing their organ at Southwell Minster, I met his son-in-law, Dennis Thurlow, who was supervising some final voicing. We chatted for some time about RS.
  7. Agreed. Sadly the probability of this forum not having long to run is potentially high.
  8. A wonderful piece of inspiration on John's part.
  9. So am I, but I have also registered with the recently launched "Organ Forum" as mentioned in Martin's last posting.
  10. Martin, you fully understand my point. And, yes, have a section on digital organs, providing it does not become a blatant advertising platform for manufacturers of some of the so-called digital organs.
  11. I, like many others, have been wondering when this forum will (may) be no more. I can perhaps understand the Mander policy of keeping it pipe only, but times are moving on and reputable pipe organ builders the world over are acknowledging that digitally produced sound can prove to be a saviour where space is at a premium and a hybrid organ is the best practical solution. (I sometimes wonder how many organ builders kicked up a stink when the diaphone appeared on the scene?} Steve's offer is most generous. The only addition I would make would be the facility to register approval of a posting by a simple tick.
  12. Me thinks the Dean has gilded the lily more than too much.
  13. I hope the Dean and Chapter were listening to this morning's BBC "Sunday" and listened particularly to the words of Bishop Michael Currie, leader of the American Episcopal Church who, whilst not referring to Sheffield, mentioned certain unsavoury things happening in the USA. He quoted, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."
  14. Local newspaper, The Star, Sheffield, reports disbanding of choir together with ambiguous statement by the cathedral's dean.
  15. I'm wondering what the outcome will be following today's statement from Sheffield Cathedral regarding music? https://www.sheffieldcathedral.org/news/2020/7/21/sheffield-cathedral-choir?fbclid=IwAR3btguaIx2pZ0TvaJq4D6CX0meRyRmQA_YGhRDA9lBiEpL82anpg1QSONo
  16. News is coming in of a fire in Nantes Cathedral. From pictures it appears firefighters are tackling the blaze externally from the cathedral's west end and suggests the organ is in danger of perishing.
  17. What if they only play, "Breathe on me breath of God."
  18. I wholeheartedly agree with you, Bach can be incredibly beautiful, but it can also become overly repetitious, and frenetic. It can be a big turn-off. I have heard several outstanding recitalists echo these thoughts.
  19. Equally sadly, I have none of her recordings. Without question she was one of the world's top recitalists, men and women. I have had to resort to YouTube to hear her once again but don't think the Blackburn recording is listed. I shall have to try Spotify.
  20. https://slippedisc.com/2020/06/sudden-death-of-an-organ-star/
  21. Have just learned some sad news that Jane Parker-Smith has died.
  22. Circa 30 years is nothing compared with Hull Minster's Forster & Andrews/John Compton organ that's not been touched for over 80 years. It has now lain silent for several years until the money can be raised for an extensive clean and overhaul. It's amazing how multi-millions can be found almost at the drop of a hat to restore organs in our cathedrals, whilst seemingly lesser buildings struggle to raise the funds. Hull Minster is the city's "cathedral."
  23. I wonder if Sheffield Cathedral is aware of this? Having promised to replace it's former Mander organ that disappeared many moons ago, this organ could form the basis of a much larger instrument suitable for the cathedral.
  24. Norman Strafford was also the City Organist, consultant for the rebuilt organ and shared the recital with Germani. I was there. I definitely don't recall the console having "rounded ends."
  25. I understand that when the Forster & Andrews/John Compton organ, including the console, in Hull Minster is overhauled, cleaned and renovated, the Compton luminous stopheads are to be retrofitted with LED’s. Have, I wonder, any other similar Compton consoles been so retrofitted? When, in 1939, the console was first used, the intensity of incoming natural light was so strong that it neutered the stops’ tungsten light output and individual brown paper discs were cut and inserted to produce warm glows when stops were actuated.
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