Barry Oakley
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Posts posted by Barry Oakley
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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
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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.
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10 hours ago, Contrabombarde said:
My only experience with the Manchester Bridgewater Marcussen was in a stand off between Wayne Marshall and a full orchestra playing the Jongen Symphonie Concertante. I certainly didn't get the impression the organ was struggling to keep its head above water, despite the organ seemingly having a reputation for being on the softer side. I preferred it to the Birmingham Klais sound which is very confident but I find a little brash.
If only these contracts had been awarded to reputable British organ builders.
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Simply that news of the monks leaving en-masse from Downside has given rise to speculation about the wonderful Compton in the abbey church.
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15 hours ago, John Robinson said:
I'm sure we all echo that. Wow! What a turn up for the books!
I hope I'm not expecting too much but perhaps to follow this good news wouldn't it be great if, after this covid thing is long gone, there is a possibility that Mander Organs might be resurrected?I think in reality the true picture now is: F H Brown Incorporating Mander Organs
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11 hours ago, Paul_H said:
Well I shall make my way over to the new forum. I'm not "in the business" like many of you, but thanks Raymond Sunderland, an inspirational choirmaster to 7-yr old me back in 1972, I have a lifelong love of the organ (particularly its innards) and organ music. We can't all be fine performers and I might not have ever played all that well, but it's something that's given me pleasure for nearly half a century. And I'm a good listener!
I shall add my voice to that of so many others and say a fond farewell to Manders - and thanks to them for setting up this forum, on which I've wasted many a happy hour reading everyone's opinions. I've learned a lot.
See you over the other side...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.
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9 hours ago, John Robinson said:
I joined the new forum, and I am grateful that someone has stepped in to continue the good work of this, the Mander forum, should it cease to exist.
I shall also be pleased to continue to visit this forum for as long as it continues and thank those generous people responsible for its upkeep over all these years.Agreed. Sadly the probability of this forum not having long to run is potentially high.
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7 hours ago, Vox Humana said:
Hear, hear!
A wonderful piece of inspiration on John's part.
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14 hours ago, DaveHarries said:
I am happy staying here for as long as this forum continues to exist.
Dave
So am I, but I have also registered with the recently launched "Organ Forum" as mentioned in Martin's last posting.
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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.
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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.
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Me thinks the Dean has gilded the lily more than too much.
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14 hours ago, DaveHarries said:
Tomorrow's service from Sheffield Cathedral could be interesting: I wonder what the Dean will have to say for himself. If I was he I would be choosing my words rather carefully in view of the backlash from the disbandment of the choir.
Dave
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."
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Local newspaper, The Star, Sheffield, reports disbanding of choir together with ambiguous statement by the cathedral's dean.
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I'm wondering what the outcome will be following today's statement from Sheffield Cathedral regarding music?
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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.
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What if they only play, "Breathe on me breath of God."
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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.
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On 27/06/2020 at 09:05, handsoff said:
i'm very sad to hear this news. Jane Parker-Smith's recording released on LP from Blackburn Cathedral was one of my early purchases and was played almost to destruction on a Dansette stereo unit with a tracking weight probably measured in ounces. I shall dig out the disc later today and raise a glass to her memory.
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.
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Have just learned some sad news that Jane Parker-Smith has died.
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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."
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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.
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3 hours ago, philipmgwright said:
Just to add Compton ,when rebuilding the organ ,installed one of their luminous stop consoles, which was mobile and located on the stage usually with the player sitting with his back to the instrument.
Memory has the console being very compact with rounded ends.
Fernando Germani opened it April 1951 as guest of Norman Strafford - Organist, Holy Trinity,Hull
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."
Youtube
in General discussion
Posted
It's one of my favourite recordings, too. Andrew Lucas is a fine organist. Many decades ago I had an LP of this work played by a former organist at Beverley Minster, David Ingate. It sounded equally spectacular.