pcnd5584

Indeed. (Particularly with regard to the G.O. reeds.) In fact, there was a space for one further stop-key on the G.O. (between the mixtures and the reeds, if I recall correctly). I once asked the then organist Dom Sebastian Wolff, OSB, what it was for and he replied "Oh, a spare slide - if anyone had any ideas." I suggested a decent 16ft. chorus reed might be a good idea. However, I have no idea exactly how much room was available in the case, nor even on what soundboard (flues or reeds) the spare slide was situated. I

Hanover Square console - absolutely. What was the point? (Some of it looks plastic.) Buckfast - I played it once or twice. It was quite an exciting sound in the reverberant acoustics of the abbey. It also had a number of beautiful quiet stops. It was known (amongst some locals) as 'the clarinet organ' - since it had one on the Pedal - but in three pitches (from the Swell), another on the Choir and the afore-mentioned one in the Swell, available in two pitches. However, in the abbey, it made a good sound - and also recorded quite well. (David M. Patrick's LP of Duruflé's Suite, Op. 5, came over crystal clear - and not at all stringy or weak.)

I note that, on paper, it is virtually identical to several other four-clavier vintage Harrisons - except, perhaps for the Choir Gross Geigen and the Pedal Saxophone (which is almost certainly the Solo Corno di Bassetto borrowed down to the Pedal Organ). Does anyone know how playable it is at present?

I wonder if he had in mind a dry acoustic (and therefore a particular building and instrument) in mind; this might account for the apparently unnatural articulation.

That is really odd. I wonder why an organ builder would do that? Presumably all the motorised vehicles in this part of the country do not have their accelerators arranged in a similar fashoin?

Indeed. The Marmite of the organ world.

Having played this instrument on many occasions, I can state that this console is quite comfortable in every respect. Even the combination pedals are easy to find. I have never had any trouble locating the Swell (or Solo) expression pedal - although I am glad that they replaced the HWIII 'Infinite speed and gradation' mechanism. (I am sure that, if he sees this post, David Drinkell will write that he likes this - but I encountered it on one instrument and preferred conventional balanced pedals.) I am also glad that H&H have gradually removed all of the ebony finish on the jambs, key-slips and key-cheeks. This loft is not particularly well-lit, and it used to be a bit like playing inside a bag.

Absolutely, Vox. The two instruments which you list above also possess the most comfortable pedal-boards which I have ever played - ours here is awful. UI suspect that there is a layout error somewhere in the middle of the board. With regard to H&H losing their console dimensions - I understand that the new console at Saint David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire looks right - but feels wrong. However, I would be interested to learn if anyone has played Cirencester Parish Church, or Saint Edmundsbury Cathedral - and whether these consoles feel like older H&H models. Regarding the foghorn: by the time that I first played this behemoth (late 1970s), the console felt reasonably comfortable - which was more than could be said for my ears, when JB was demonstrating it....

Thank you for these. It certainly looks better, now. I wonder how many Harrison organs were left with no proper case - just a row of 16ft. Geigen pipes, with dark-stained plywood over the building-frame below impost level? (They even did something similar at Westminster Abbey for several years.)

We have one of these, too. We have also experienced a perhaps even more spectacular display of canine behaviour. A couple of years ago, the service had just started, when the door opened again, to admit a little old lady and her (female) poodle, who then proceeded up the aisle. The church fell silent as about twelve (male) dogs all turned, their eyes fixed on this vision of loveliness, while pints of drool formed puddles on the stone floor . The silence continued for a few seconds, then chaos ensued as twelve dogs simultaneously attempted to drag their owners across other members of the congregation, in order to um, 'make themselves known' to the new arrival.

.... And presumably, if the software to run the instrument were to be provided by a certain well-known company, a small screen would be needed, in order to display dialogue boxes such as: 'Are you sure you want the Full Organ to deploy?' and 'Windows has just shut down the blowers in order to prevent damage to your system.' or perhaps 'You have just performed an illegal operation - push in the Tuba.' or even 'No network service available. Please switch off your system and purchase copies of Gray, in F minor.' On the plus side, I suppose one could install anti-virus software, in order to search and destroy tierce and flat twenty-first ranks in the mixtures....

I am amazed that anyone was doing this as early as 1977. This was still the era of mutations which were capable of upsetting the local dog population and mixtures which sounded like glass being deposited in a bottle bank.

I was thinking more of the lack of flue doubles; providing that it is not a badly voiced Bourdon, with an indistinct bass and a muddy treble, a good flue double on the Swell Organ can be invaluable, particularly when accompanying Psalms. As far as the G.O. is concerned, it should be possible to provide something. Is the bass octave of the Pedal Open Metal any use for the lowest twelve notes (in order to save space), or is the scale too big? If not this, what about the Violone - or is this a wooden rank? It does seem odd that there are four chorus reeds on the G.O. (albeit with one stop being an extension), but no sub-unison tone of any kind.

Indeed. I also regret this. A similar dumbing-down of the upper-work took place at Exeter Cathedral in 2000 and again more recently. I have an idea where this trend comes from with the firm in question.

Yes - there was - replete with a 'Purcell Trumpet' and an undulating rank, (And a controversial four-faced case, by Sir Edward Maufe.) This was, I believe, later replaced by some kind of electronic division, I believe - which had an almost identical stop-list to the old pipe section. Out of interest, what happened to the pipe-work from the old Nave organ? and will the new department be sited in a similar position? However, it is good to hear the news of the console and electrical upgrade. On paper, the scheme of the main organ looks to be reasonably sensible (save for the lack of sub-unison tone on the G.O. and a Solo Organ which does not know what it wants to be) - is it as useful in practice? Also, are there any photographs of the upgraded console which are available, please?

I agree. I cannot help but wonder whether it is not rather like the situation which obtained at Nôtre-Dame de Paris, after the 1990-92 rebuild (when the organ was controlled by computer, using Hall-type sensors and a load of software from Synaptel). It broke down - frequently (and often spectacularly and inconveniently). I should have thought that a good quality electro-pneumatic action would have been infinitely preferable. Given that I have yet to experience a faultless wi-fi connection for domestic computer equipment (and when I am not trying to play complex organ music in public), I remain skeptical, both of the perceived need for such a system and also of its supposed reliability.

He certainly mentioned this as well - although he also assured us of the former on a few occasions, citing his ADCM as 'proof'.

Probably rather low by comparison with English cathedral organists - although, as has been suggested, the work-load is also rather less than would be expected in an English cathedral. For one thing, it is extremely unlikely that ant French titulaire would ever have to take a choir practice, conduct a choir - or, in fact, have anything to do with a choir - unless they chose to run their own choir which simply happened to rehearse in the church at which they were titulaire. Cochereau used to claim that the salary he received from Nôtre-Dame de Paris kept him supplied with Gauloises - but not much else. As far as I understand it, the kudos of being able to put 'Organiste Titulaire, Nôtre0Dame de Paris' (or similar) on one's business card, is considered almost to be sufficient reward in itself. It is generally expected that titulaires of cathedrals, abbeys or other large churches will also have teaching careers, or - like Cochereau - actually hold the post of director of a prestigious conservatoire de musique.

I considered this point, too. However, he appears to be so arrogant (in some respects) - and given that there are only five other Anglican cathedrals in Wales - that I believe he may have meant England as well; not least because in a similar context, he cites the qualifications of the organists at three or four English cathedrals. In addition, he rarely seems to speak of the situation in Wales, but rather compares Llandaff (and himself) with many other English cathedrals and organists at several points throughout the book.

Ah - I had understood incorrectly that he was sole Titulaire. Thank you for this, Alastair. I would be interested to hear more of the choir - and your impressions of the organs in the cathedral, please.

Geoffrey Marshall - to be strictly accurate. As far as I know, he is (or at least was) the Titulaire of the Grandes Orgues. As David and handsoff imply, it is a rather different skill set which is required for such a post. I am interested to note the absence of certain French names which I might have expected to be considered, though.

Indeed. This is an interesting sound document, since it is a record of the instrument as it sounded between 1958 and 1975.

Are you able to impart more information, please? I had heard that this instrument was due for further work, but understood that it was largely restoration, the tonal scheme being left almost entirely as it stands currently. Is this in fact not the case? It is worth remembering that there are a few other instruments of this vintage (or largely restored to their original schemes and voicing): Leicester Cathedral - restored, H&H 2003. Although the G.O. is still without its trademark 'Harmonics', the family of Tromba ranks was re-created at the last rebuild, along with the re-instatement of two or three of the old Choir Organ ranks. (In the case of the latter, they were, as far as I know, supplied with new pipe-work. I do not think that Leicester Cathedral was as cautious as Saint David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, with regard to the storing of old pipe-work in part of the old Deanery.) Saint Mary Redcliffe, Bristol - H&H, 1912. Alterations and restoration in 1932, 1947, 1974, 1990 and 2010. Despite the perhaps worryingly long list of subsequent work, at the latest restoration (by the original firm), this instrument has regained virtually all of its original tonal characteristics. (However, the 1947 work largely involved re-creating the entire Swell Organ and the Pedal 32ft. and 16ft. Trombone rank, after a disastrous fire.) The G.O. has its 'Harmonics' - and a slightly odd five-rank quint Mixture, which has been altered once or twice and now comprises 12-15-19-22-26. Why it was not altered to re-crate Arthur Harrison's standard second Mixture on his larger instruments (15-19-22-26-29), I cannot imagine. However, this stop is at least now on the main G.O. sound-board. All Saint's, Margaret Street, W.1. - restored H&H, 2002. In this case, the G.O. reeds remain as a family of (enclosed) Trumpets, but the 'Harmonics' has been re-instated - at the expense of the 4ft. Principal. There is now only one 4ft. flue rank on the G.O. (Personally, I regard this as a retrograde step; particularly since the G.O. reeds are musical and useful - and definitely not of Tromba tone; thus there is not real excuse for re-instating the old compound stop. I was interested to note that, at the first break, the flat twenty-first drops out.) Temple Church - restored H&H, 2011-13. Despite the new additions to the G.O. (Principal, Fifteenth and Seventeenth), this instrument is arguably closer to its original state*, as left by Arthur Harrison, than either Durham Cathedral or Kings, Cambridge. However, Temple Church is also still without its 'Harmonics' - the 19-22-26-29 Mixture, installed in 2000' remains in situ. Ripon Cathedral - restored H&H 1963-64 (but with alterations in 1972 and 1987). Although the Choir, Great and Swell organs still contain vestiges of the former Lewis instrument, these are, in some cases, only now recogniseable in the stop names. I have played this organ on several occasions and Arthur Harrison's 'voice' is clearly to be heard, not least in the Pedal and Solo organs - and in the full G.O., which still has its family of very powerful Tromba ranks. I had thought that there were, in addition, some more recent tonal alterations - notably to the Choir Organ. However, the most recent scheme I have been able to find is this: https://app.box.com/s/mfjajzx3chg5127s76kc - there appears to be no further alteration to the stop-list. Although once again, this organ is without the standard Arthur Harrison 'Harmonics', in fact the original Lewis quint Mixture (19-22-26-29) had been altered by Arthur Harrison, back as long ago as 1926, when the breaks were re-arranged, in order to make the overall pitch lower. Halifax Parish Church - H&H, 1929; renovated by J.W. Walker, 1968, 1979. As far as I am aware, the only tonal alteration to this instrument was the removal of the G.O. 'Harmonics' and its replacement (somewhat oddly) by what may be either a two- or three-rank quint Mixture: either 19-22 or 19-22-26 respectively†. Why they did not simply replace it with a standard 19-22-26-29 four-rank Mixture, I cannot imagine; I doubt that the cost would have been much greater. Crediton Parish Church - H&H, 1921. Restored, Michael Farley, 2001. Aside from the extension of the Pedal Ophicleide to the 32ft. octave (with twelve half-length resonators) and the extension of the G.O. Double Geigen to 8ft. pitch - and a new action and combination system, this instrument remains tonally as originally finished by Arthur Harrison. It even still possesses its G.O. 'Harmonics'. I realise that most of these buildings are not cathedrals (neither is King's, Cambridge, for that matter). However, in most cases, the instruments are of cathedral size and retain much of their original tonal characteristics and overall design. With regard to the organ in the church of Saint Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, this building has a cathedral-like acoustic ambiance and is thus perhaps the most truly representative of Arthur Harrison's style. (The fact that I dislike all of the chorus reeds and the large Open Diapason stops on the Pedal Organ and G.O., is neither here nor there, for the purposes of this post.) * I have not forgotten that virtually the entire instrument was tonally re-balanced in 1957, at its installation. However, as far as I am aware, the original voicing was respected. It had been built originally for a chamber in Lord Glentanar's Ballroom, and it was found necessary to reduce the power of the instrument, once it was heard in the rather more agreeable acoustic ambiance of Temple Church. † The NPOR is a little hazy on the details at this point.

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Oh good. Thank you, David. I must admit that, on the strength of one of the Regent CDs (I realise that this can be quite unlike the actual sound and effect of an instrument in a particular building), I actually quite liked the 'restored' sound of the Ely organ. I thought that I would hate it, but the revoiced reeds do integrate better with the flue-work. (This was one of the concerns which I always had with larger schemes by Ralph Downes - I was never convinced by the superimposition of quasi-French style chorus reeds on to what was a basically Anglo-Dutch (not German) chorus. They always sounded gritty and rather stood apart. Neither could I fathom why Downes failed to observe that all the French reeds which he liked so much were speaking into vast, resonant stone buildings and that in the arid acoustic ambiance of the RFH they were likely to sound rather different. Given that, right from the earliest planning stages of the hall, the acoustics were intended to be dry, surely it was not beyond the wit of someone to conclude that a different style of chorus reed might be required, in order to counteract the deadening - and thinning- properties of the hall's acoustic.) Anyway, to return to Ely Cathedral: The 2001 scheme seems to have made sensible changes - although I should have preferred a quiet 16ft. Bassoon on the Swell, instead of the Echo Cornet; this [bassoon] I would find of great use in choral accompaniment. Perhaps the only other thing which I would change would be the G.O. Quint (5 1/3). There are already two contrasting sub-unison ranks (and a 32ft. Sub Bourdon), to say nothing of two Open Diapason stops, a Hohl Flute and a Salicional. Here, I should prefer a Rohr Flute 8ft., since the Hohl Flute is likely to be rather large - although I note that it was revoiced in 1962, at the instigation of Dr. Arthur Wills. One thing which I had not realised before, was that the G.O. reeds were entirely new in 2001 (a new soundboard was also constructed, since the old one was too small to accommodate the new pipe-work). I had previously thought that only the tongues, shallots and perhaps the blocks had been either replaced or modified. I hope that the mixtures have not been altered too much; I think that there has been an unfortunate tendency to remove too much upper-work over the last twenty years or so. A building the size of Ely Cathedral needs one or two really bright mixtures - including in the treble regions, in order to make some impact. If all that is left above C37 is simply a smaller-scaled version of G.O. to fifteenth, then the choruses are likely to be rather lacking in excitement. A case in point is Exeter Cathedral. Prior to its latest rebuild, it had already been shorn of some of its upper-work; now, once again, apparently this has been altered - to its detriment. The G.O. Mixture (19-22-26-29) was, in any case, never very successful; it did not really supply either brilliance or clarity - it just sounded 'quinty'.