pcnd5584

Apparently he improvised virtually all of his voluntaries whilst at St. John's - dare I wonder if they all sounded similar?

Well, only, as far as I know, at St. John's College, Cambridge, where, for a time during WWII he was Acting Organist. I would be interested to read of anyone knowing whether or not he played anywhere else. No - if he did not like the Goucester organ as re-designed by RD, I doubt that he liked the RFH H&H/Downes either!

God - I hope that we are not proposing to contact David Niven ('on the other side') in order to design this organ.... Seriously, I have wondered the same thing. Even if there were mechanical failure, this can be rectified without recourse to scrapping the entire instrument. I cannot immediately recall who is Titulaire there, at present. I know that Paul Brough moved on a few years ago. It might be best to ascertain whether or not the organ did in fact suffer a catastrophic break-down. There does seen currently to be a trend of staring afresh, rather than replacing worn-out parts. Perhaps the cathedral authorities wish to take ths course of action. Certainly the old organ sounded OK to me on a recording (featuring Graham Matthews) made a few years ago. Anyone else have any ideas?

Thank you - I hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer break!

Really - that would be wonderful! May I contact you regarding this matter at your convenience, please?

Ha! Hope he has a hat.... Oh well - there go my chances of an introduction in order for me to petition you to allow me to play the wonderful instrument in your cathedral....

Good grief! What on earth is he doing there?!!

Not at all - I quite understand! A few years ago, I did spend some time trying (in vain) to make my 'own' church instrument sound like a vintage Harrison! Now, I just try to make it sound like N.-D. (1970s vintage) - but without the 32p! By the way, may I please trouble you to pass on my regards to Rev. Stephen Lake? - I think that he is your Sub-Dean. I was his organist (with a colleague as choirmaster) at his previous church for a few years. I have, unfortunately, lost touch with him! Thank you!

I really enjoyed reading your post, Mr. Lucas - thank you! Ironically (with regard to the low esteem with which some members hold the Gloucester organ) the music of Howells may sound more clear on the present instrument in Gloucester Cathedral. No - before people rush hot-foot to their computer keyboards to send off a stinging rebuke - (and get out little dolls and a box of pins) - I did not state that it would necessarily produce the expected timbres - just that it was likely to be less muddled! By the way - any further news on the proposed additions to the H&H organ of St. Alban's Abbey?

You may well ask! Presumably it was 'worn-out' - just like Worcester.... ! Surely, it was not as simple as that instrument being considered unfashionable? Any scheme for a replacement organ would need carefully to consider the fact that the cathedral has two points of axis, being, I believe, L-shaped. Consequently, in order to be effective in as many parts of the building as possible, the organ would need to speak clearly in at least two different directions. Of course, any scheme conceived without reference to the acoustic properties of the building, the musical requirements and available space will be unlikely to succeed. However, armchair designing does pass the time pleasurably - it also costs nothing! Here are my proposals (which, of course, ignore the caveat above!) PEDAL Sub Bourdon (Emp.) 32 Contra Bass (W) 16 Violone (M) 16 Sub Bass 16 Octave (M) 8 Stopped Flute 8 Fifteenth 4 Open Flute 4 Mixture (22, 26, 29) III Contra Trombone (Emp.) 32 Bombarde 16 Trombone (W) 16 Trumpet 8 Bassoon 8 Shawm 4 CHAIRE Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Prestant 4 Nason Flute 4 Nazard 2 2/3 Recorder 2 Tierce 1 3/5 Larigot 1 1/3 Twenty Second 1 Cimbel (29, 33, 36) III GREAT Contra Salicional 16 Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Harmonic Flute 8 Gamba 8 Octave 4 Principal 4 Wald Flute 4 Fifteenth 2 Furniture (19, 22, 26, 29) IV Cornet (1, 8, 12, 15, 17: TG) V Bass Trumpet 16 Posaune 8 Clarion 4 Great and Chaire Exchange SWELL Quintatön 16 Open Diapason Rohr Flöte Salicional 8 Vox Angelica (AA#) 8 Geigen Principal 4 Suabe Flöte 4 Flageolet 2 Mixture (15, 19, 22) III Sharp Mixture (22, 26, 29) III Hautbois 8 Tremulant Fagotto 16 Trumpet 8 Clarion 4 Sub Octave SOLO Viole de Gambe 8 Voix Célestes (CC) 8 Flûte Harmonique 8 Flûte Traversière 4 Cor de Basset (73 pipes) 16 Voix Humaine 8 Tremulant Tuba Magna 8 Trompette Harmonique 8 Clairon Harmonique 4 Sub Octave Unison Off Octave NAVE (Pedal) Bourdon 16 Violoncello (M) 8 (Manual) Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Octave 4 Spitz Flöte 4 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (15, 19, 22, 26, 29) V-VI Trompeta Réal 8 Naturally, I have just ignored my own advice, but it was an interesting exercise. Any serious scheme would of course need a site survey and take into account available space for soundboards. Incidentally, all soundboards in my instrument would be new and, no, it will not have mechanical action!

Well, I was thinking more of the out-of-character alterations to the Solo Organ, for example. Hill was not generally known for including Spitz-Principals, Blockflutes, mutations and a high-pitched Cymbal on his Solo divisions! Then there is the Chimney Flute, Larigot and the two chorus mixtures in the Swell Organ - also not, I suspect, original Hill - mostly alterations from the 1970s - often a bad decade for enlightened organ restorations. However, as you say, it is still a good instrument. Fernando Germani was quite fond of it too, I think!

It would almost certainly have been one of the incumbent organists at the console, since organists with visiting choirs are not permitted to play. Therefore, the organist probably knew well the effect of the instrument. I suspect that the key to the problem lies in where you sat. The organist was, I expect, registering to balance the choir as heard from the stalls - not halfway down the nave! Many organs would drown out a choir from such a vantage-point, particularly those where the organ is sited upon a (stone) pulpitum. This would have the effect of largely screening a listener in the nave from the sound of the choir. Since in many cathedrals, the congregation for Evensong tends to sit in or near the choir-stalls, the organist has to balance the volume of the organ for this part of the building - listeners in the nave or even the transepts would almost certainly be given the impression that the organ was overwhelming the singers!

That is a refreshing attitude! Actually, I was not entirely serious about the threat of a tsunami - I would like to visit the US. Perhaps I will start to save up for the air-fare. However, I think that I will have to content myself with a recording of Latry.

Not to me! I would be interested to hear more. Of course, I do know the wonderful Pierre Scyven organ at Antwerp Cathedral, having played it on a few occasions. I have in my possession a book entitled [/i]West-Vlaamse Orgelklanken, of which you may know, or have a copy. Apart from stop-lists and historical detalis, there are many excellent quality photographs of the organs of Belgium. I would be particularly interested to know what the organ of Sint-Salvatore's Cathedral, Brugge, is like. The oak (?) case, now blackened with age, with its gilt pipes looks superb. Any information will be gratefully received.

I did not understand what the person was originally asking. Was he unfamiliar with that type of organ or have I missed the point? I am tired - I did not have to play for Mass to-day - but it is hot here and I am fairly tired - I think that this is also excusable!

Yes - my only reservation is that he changes the prescribed registrations - in one case, drastically. The Scherzo in the 2me Symphonie, is marked to be played with reeds 8p and 4p on GPR, with a similar sound on the Pedale, with all Tirasses. However, Pincemaille uses 8p and 2p flutes and basically misses the bright, commanding effect which would have been afforded by the reeds. I have recently recorded the entire symphony (together with other repertoire) on my 'own' church instrument and I use the prescribed registration - I also managed to play it three seconds faster than Pincemaille!

Yes - I would agree with Roffensis. The Selby Abbey organ always sounds good. Even after the regular tinkering with the mixtures - particularly on the GO and Solo organs. As for Robert Gower - in my view, he is an excellent exponent of the works of Whitlock.

Would that be the version as played by Pierre Pincemaille, Titulaire at S. Denis? If so, I think that it is a stunning series - the organs sound excellent and his playing is almost always brilliant.

There is a recording of the sonata as played by John Scott, on the Hyperion label. However, the Gower recording is pretty good, I think.

No problem! It has to be said that we do get over-charged for our recorded music in the UK. In the US, things are a lot cheaper. In fact, even in France, the prices are less. Ah well, as you say, better to be safe than sorry.

Well, quite.... lmao

I am glad that you are only joking - it is comparatively easy to trace assigned IP addresses - a pseudonym would be about as much use as a chocolate chastity belt. Speaking as one who has played the organ on a few commercially-produced recordings, I would be distinctly annoyed if some misguided person were to copy it (using digital or analogue means) and subsequently post copies on the 'net. Personally, I find it much easier to listen to any recording if I know that it was produced legally. Incidentally, would that be Bournemouth to Boscombe piers? - or do you mean 'peer'....

Brian, I agree with much that you say. You make some very sensible points. As far as Liverpool is concerned - give me Nôtre-Dame as it was in the late 1970s any day!! Your Hill sounds wonderful - where is it? (If I may ask.) I used to play a three-clavier Hill organ, still with some ranks prepared-for. It has a tubular pneumatic action dating from about 1907. It was wonderful - even in its incomplete state. No scream, no harshness, it just filled the building with the most glorious sound. Now, I am going to put my hard hat on and wait for Richard to go on-line....

As in a genre of organ design - or a particular instrument? I am not sure I understand your original inference - sorry!

M. Lauweres raises some interesting points. Certainly, C-C used only the best materials. Secondly, his chests were not winded by means of 'Kopex', or any other flexible trunking! With reference to the points raised by M. Lauwers - another reason that English organs generally possess such strong basses may be due to the acoustic absorption and lack of resonance in many churches in this country. This is usually manifest in the acoustic phenomenon known as 'standing waves' - wherein a given fundamental pitch can apparently be virtually inaudible in some parts of the building but seem two or three times its actual strength in others. In addition, for his larger instruments, C-C often relied upon separate ranks of the 32p harmonic series (consisting of blandly-voiced pipes with virtually no harmonic development), in order to strengthen the fundamental. Such stops may be heard at Nôtre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur, for example and are pitched at 10 2/3, 6 2/5, 5 1/3 and 4 4/7 pieds. In fact, Vierne once commented that the [Grosse Tierce and] Septième on the Pedale at N.-D. was like 'a muster of double-basses'. Certainly at Nôtre-Dame, there is no sense whatsoever of inadequacy of the Pedal foundations, even though there is but a Contre-Basse and a Soubasse at 16p pitch. Furthermore, the expedient of 'acoustic coupling' to which Pierre alludes, is well-known. It is not uncommon, I believe, for some (continental) builders to place a rank of 'helpers' (usually of octave pitch to the fundamental) next to a 16p rank, in order to amplify the unison. Although not quite the same, at Exeter Cathedral (at the time of the latest restoration) the GO Dulciana was removed in favour of a large Octave 4p, which helps to strengthen the unison ranks and carry more effectively down the nave. This was something which I had suggested to Paul Morgan several years ago - along with converting the Solo Viole Octaviante into a Violes Célestes to contrast with the very quiet Swell Angelica. It is always nice when things work out! I know that some of the above does not exactly answer your original question. However, I hope that it may serve to provide some related thoughts. Я играю в органе