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On the other hand, is there really any merit (or musicality) in being able to obliterate the rest of the instrument with single notes on a tuba which may sound as if it were donated by the Merchant Navy? Notwithstanding, I was fascinated to read the tidbits supplied by Brian Childs - I also had heard that Willis viewed the Lincoln tuba ranks as, in effect, 'super' GO reeds - to add at a climax, rather than shout down the rest of the organ.

The organ music of Howells would probably sound good in Bristol Cathedral - it has a similar acoustic to Gloucester and the most wonderful romantic organ. There again, it would also sound effective at Ripon Cathedral - which still retains its family of trombi on the GO. In fact, there are quite a few organs in the UK which would be perfectly suitable vehicles for the performance of the music of Herbert Howells. Not all of them cathedrals, either. For example, the chapel at Charterhouse School, on which I believe there was a commercial recording of the organ music of Howells issued. The performer may have been Philip Scriven - but I am not sure.However, I would offer the conjecture that the chapel has a somewhat leaner acoustic environment than Gloucester Cathedral, though! However, I venture to state that the Rieger organ of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, is entirely unsuitable for the performance of the music of Howells! That is, if one wishes to re-create the ambience and timbres which Howells almost certainly had in mind when writing. No doubt people will think of many others.

In addition to possessing a copy of the Cochereau DVD, which I heartily recommend, I also have a copy of a video by Philippe Delacour, playing at S. Jean-Baptiste, Château-Salins and Nôtre-Dame, Metz. Even on video the sound and picture quality are very good. I also have a copy of the video made at the time of the re-opening of the Gloucester Cathedral organ. In mitigation, the fact that there is no footage of DB actually playing at the console during the concert is not entirely my fault. I was up in the loft turning pages for DB (and switching-on the spotlights he had rigged-up on the case). The sound chap had said "If you press the pause button when he starts playing, the video behind you will start recording". Did it? I think not. I pressed the button. I altered the angle of the remote. I pressed it several times. I went up to the machine and examined it for any helpful buttons. All to no avail. If it is any consolation, DB played really well - as can be heard from the soundtrack. Since he is not particularly demonstrative when he is playing (Simon Lindley looks as if he is changing light-bulbs) you are not really missing anything.... The point about all that was - I can certainly recommend the video of Philippe Delacour playing, if, that is, it is still available.

Interesting! A previous assitant tells me that it is noticeably louder than Salisbury. However, he did not mention the Tubas. This is all fascinating!

I would not necessarily agree with that statement! I beileve that I had a running discussion with John Hosking in connection with the Truro organ a few months ago. Naturally, he liked it very much. However, I am still of the opinion that he was viewing it through rose-tinted spectacles. My points are (having played it on several occasions): 1) It is a little too loud for the building. 2) With neither the Choir or (more seriously) the Solo being enclosed, there is a lack of subtlety and expression, particularly with regard to the quiet orchestral reeds. (There are, in my opinion, rather finer examples of these at Exeter, in any case.) 3) The GO really needs another quiet 8p flute (or a Stopped Diapason) - this was also the view of at least two of the previous organists. 4) Personally, I find tierce mixtures irritating after about ten seconds. Whilst I realise that Willis probably intended them to be drawn with the reeds (which do not, frankly, need their help) they are useless in contrapuntal music and merely confuse things in hymn-playing. Furthermore, both mixtures break back at F30. 5) The Pedal Ophicleide is useless for anything other that balancing Full Organ. This may be exciting, but it is certainly not versatile. 6) There is no 4p flute in the Swell - this is a real handicap , particularly when accompanying. 7) In addition to there being nothing above 8p pitch on the Pedal Organ, there is no quiet flute above 16p pitch. 8) The GO reeds (and the flue double) would be more useful if they were also available on the pedals and (in the case of the reeds) on the Choir Organ. 9) The 32p flue is irregular in speech and volume. AAAA is too loud, whils several other notes are somewhat indistinct. Of course, none of this is to say that it is a bad organ. This is clearly not the case. It does have real majesty and beauty. However, I would not personally term it the best Father Willis ever made!

Yes - I too have managed to acquire a copy of the Liszt at Salisbury, played by the late Peter G. le Huray. The playing is indeed superb and the organ sounds wonderful.

Thank you! Some good thoughts there. I am now off to play for a visiting choir in Oxford for the week - have a good one, everyone! Alastair, sorry I cannot be much help about French organs, Paris I know and Normandy, but apart from that, I can only recommend Bordeaux Cathedral (C-C). Nice case, too. On the way down (if you are arriving at Cherbourg, not Calais) you could try the big church in the old part of the town (S. Pierre?). Also Valognes (Eglise S. Malo) - nice, two claviers, chamades 8p and 4p on GO. The organ sits on concrete shelves in the rebuilt west end (the US forces managed to trash the town whilst liberating it). Or further to the east coast, there is S. Etienne, Caen (Abbaye aux Hommes) and, of course, the wonderful old C-C at Bayeux Cathedral. If you find some good ones further down, I would be very pleased to hear about them. Best wishes!

You make some interesting points! I am particularly interested to hear the thought that Canterbury surpassed Salisbury and Lincoln (in its un-restored state, presumably). I understand from a previous assistant at Lincoln (who is also extremely familiar with the Salisbury organ) that he certainly viewed Lincoln more favourably than Salisbury. He expressed the opinion that it was both louder and more magnificent. However, Canterbury is comparatively little talked-about as far as I know.

Hill organs are indeed often excellent. I much prefer the structure of Hill's diapason choruses - particularly when he capped them with a 19, 22, 26, 29 mixture. There is also generally a great variety of quiet ranks - take, for example the old Hill at Shrewsbury Abbey. Not well-known and with several stops still prepared-for, it is still a superb instrument. Certainly, a few years ago, the pneumatic action was still working well. There had been one or two alterations earlier in the last century (for example, the Swell Oboe had been converted to a 16p stop - I think stopping at TC). However, there was a great variety in the quieter ranks, notably the Choir Organ. I still cannot help wondering what Chester would have been like if Roger Fisher had just had R&D fit a new action and perhaps one or two minor alterations to the Pedal and Choir organs.

Yes, but it is not situated in Cornwall! For a rural Cornish church to have general pistons in the early 1950s was almost certainly unique. I am happy to confess blissful ignorance of cinema-type organs. This is not meant disparagingly - I just do not like them!

Many also suffer from syncopation (irregular movement from bar to bar).

Ha! ha! Well I would certainly concur with your thoughts on the BCP (1662) and the King James Version. At least it does not have those dreadful line drawings which are present in the Good News Version. We once had to hurriedly remove all the orders of service for a Confirmation from the choristers, most of whom were helpless with laughter. This was due to the rather innocent church secretary who had provided a cover design consisting of a line drawing of a candidate kneeling between a bishop's legs. The bishop had his hands on the candidate's head and... CENSORED! I am sure that you get the idea....

Yes, Kilkhampton is a good instrument. I particularly like the Pedal Sub Bass 32p and the Bombarde - a real French rank which is most exciting - when it does not have dead pigeons down the resonators.... Apparently Ron Watts became quite a good amateur organist before he died. He and Yates certainly did a good job designing that organ, although my preference would be to have a liitle more weight on the GO fonds - at present, in the tutti, the Pedal 32p and the Bombarde definitely win. I would also prefer a céleste in the Swell, instead of the Twelfth - in this, I do know that the present organist, Mr. Mike Richardson, a great friend, agrees with me. However, it is supposed to be a classical organ.

Yes, I think that this is a good idea. Interestingly, the organ in Kilkhampton Parish Church has quite cleverly arranged pistons. Apart from almost certainly having the first general pistons in the county (two, in 1953) the three thumb pistons for the Pedal/GO are set differently to the three foot pistons. This means that, if one uses thumb and foot pistons alternately, a very smooth crescendo is possible.

Thank you! I had not played it for a few years and so I had forgotten the stop-list. Davidstow I did not know about, I will have to check it out - if I can get down there this summer. Cornwall in the summer is just wonderful - I do miss it!

I agree about Blenheim Palace. I was also sorry to read about the parlous state of the organ in the Union Chapel. How about the extremely small three-clavier Willis in Kilkhampton Methodist Church (near Bude, North Cornwall)? I think that there are two stops per department but with the usual Bourdon only on the Pedale. Oxford Towm Hall - another wonderful Willis. I gave a recital there, last summer (well, actually swapped a recital for some money...) The organ was a joy to play, even with only four composition pedals each to Pedal/GO and Swell. The full organ was a most thrilling sound - the chorus reeds were quite brassy. The quieter registers were, without exception, extremely good. No doubt there are many others!

Yes - on the box. It also states that she has three working offices - busy girl....

So you did not write it??!!

Well, possibly! MM does appear to have an off-beat sense of humour. Yes, I agree that Conrad Eden's performance of the Schoenberg Variations is excellent. He really was a good organits. As you say, what a pity that there are not more recordings of his playing.

Hmm.... it is often difficult enough for organists to persuade other professional musicians to take the organ seriously as it is - particularly orchestral players. I remain unconvinced that percussion effects and other toys will serve to advance our cause. If one is going to add useful accessories, I would prefer a mini-bar. Perhaps even JSB could be wrong!

Southwark - I heard this organ on last year's Midnight Mass - it did indeed sound extremely good, even through the TV speakers. There is probably some truth and some exaggeration in this. It is certainly true that the GO Tromba 8p was slightly revoiced (probably some time in the 1960s) - John Winter (former Titulaire) told me that himself - and I have also read it in another source. However, I am sceptical of their statement that they had revoiced all the reeds. However, it would be interesting to obtain further information. I will ask Lance Foy, to see if he can shed any light on the matter. While on the subject of large Compton organs, I submit that St. Luke's, Chelsea is also a fine instrument, although I have not played it for a while. Consequently I do not know the current state of preservation of the instrument.

I sincerely hope not.

Well, I must agree with you regarding the choice of instruments on which the music of Howells was performed. However (I am sure you were expecting this) I have a problem with your Gloucester statements! Having heard/played it many times, it has never, to my ears, struggled to accompany Choral Evensong. The first time I heard a service there, DB was playing and his imaginitive and utterly musical accompaniment of Noble in B-minor was enchanting and entirely appropriate. In fact, it was the only time that I have been able to raise enthusiasm for this oft-performed setting. (Fortunately, at my own church, we do not do it too often, these days.) Furthermore, I have never heard the Gloucester organ in a foully out-of-tune state - not even in the height of summer! However, any organ can have its off-days. I have an old recording of Peterborough Cathedral organ. Christopher Gower is playing. I believe the last track is the Entrée Pontificale of Bossi. For the last three chords, treble E on the Tuba is hideously out-of-tune! Why? I would have checked such things before a recording. A stop speaking on 500mm is unlikely suddenly to slip so far out; and, if it did, I would have got someone to hold down the key whilst I went aloft and re-tuned the note! This is not an isolated case, either! I am pleased to note your comments re-recent recordings on the Gloucester organ. I shall try to obtain a copy of the Robert Houssart CD. I understand that he is also extremely gifted as an improviser, too. I will try to shut up about Gloucester now....

Excuse me? However, I would always recommend washing the cucumber before replacing it in the fridge.

Thanks - that is one mystery solved. I would not have done that, though. Probably not even for aparments in Florida and Paris...