awkirk
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Posts posted by awkirk
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Did the congregation join in Dave? That sounds like an error on the part of whoever did the service orders - there are only 3 verses at the end of Hear my words - the first in unison, the second to a different tune sung by the semi-chorus and the third with the famous organ accompaniment before the Amens (I assume this is where this accompaniment originally came from?). The verse that is missed out is the one which has the line 'loud organs his glory forth tell in deep tone' (chance for cheesy loud to soft contrast going into the sweet harps on the next line!). I do wonder about the ability of anthems of this length to hold attention, but IMO it is well worth it and 'Hear my words' certainly has some glorious moments.
Sounds like an excellent service though - I do enjoy the Bairstow Mag & Nunc (not quite as good as Dyson but not far off!).
I can hold my hands up for this one!
The combined choir which I conducted (14 boys and 12 men supplemented by 6 sopranos and 2 contraltos from the chamber choir) sang the Parry anthem correctly from the choral scores.
The congregation joined in 'O Praise ye the Lord' at the end but unfortunately, verse three of the NEH version (which includes 'loud organs his glory forth tell..), which is not part of the anthem, got included in the order of service by accident. My apologies - I should have proof-read more efficiently.
The organ is sounding very well indeed. In the morning service the Widor Mass was performed with RVW Let all the world (and O Taste and see).
There are a few aisle tickets left for Thomas Trotter opening concert on Sat 27 Nov at 3pm but no guarantees of availability. Tel the parish office on 0117 929 1487 for further advice or come to a service!
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Shows that one should check the facts before posting. I've looked up the records now - one in Mark Venning's handwriting, so I think this will be correct!
The Harmonics IV (17-19-21-22) at F#43 breaks to 5-8-10-15
Hope this makes more sense. It is a rather obvious break - the one reinstated at All Saints Margaret Street in 2002/3 had a more subtle break at that point including a b14 I believe.
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Leicester Cathedral comes to mind. The Harmonics was converted to a quint mixture some years ago, I believe. More recently, the Great Trombas have been replaced with Trumpets in the interests of "blend". However, when I went to a recital I saw these great trumpets added on the big screen as the recitalist headed towards full organ and they made no noticable impact on my ears. This leaves the organ with no big reeds to bridge the gap between the Swell reeds and the enormous Solo Tuba.
Perhaps it would have been better to reinstate the Harmonics, leave the high pressure Trombas alone and add a quint mixture to the whole? I cannot help but think that once one tampers with the original scheme everything starts to come "out of joint".
I believe the Leicester Cathedral Harmonics IV (17-19-21-22) was replaced with a quint mixture (19-22-26-29) in 1972. I partly agree that the new English style Trumpets of 1998 do not have much impact but they certainly blend. I played the organ reasonably frequently when I was a pupil at Leicester Grammar School in the 1980s which was then next door to the cathedral. I rather liked the Trombas and their ultra-smooth tone - they had character. The Quint mixture is more versatile but it would have been beneficial to have had both mixtures.
At St Mary Redcliffe where the organ is now nearing the completion of its restoration by H&H, there are two mixtures on the great. This organ is from 1912, so Arthur Harrison after his Ely/Dixon experience was perhaps not immediately converted to having both mixtures? Our quint mixture (12-15-19-22-26) was only added in 1974 at the request of the organist Garth Benson (along with pedal upperwork too). This mixture has now been included on the main slider chest with improved chorus effect - it stood out a little previously on its separate chest which was at a higher level than the other fluework.
The Harmonics IV (17-19-21-22) with only one break at F#43 to 8-10-12-15 can be used in a number of ways. It can be occasionally used as a piquant reedy cornet colour with 8 and 4 flutes; it can be used as an alternative or additional mixture with the flues, and it adds sparkle to the Trombas (16, 8, 4 - separate ranks - all with a slightly different tonal spectrum). Since cleaning, and the integration of the quint mixture, the mixtures have perhaps changed roles. Formerly, the harmonics was added in hymn playing as the first mixture and then the quint second as a brighter/sharper sound. Now it appears that the harmonics might be better coming on after the quint mixture, perhaps even with the reeds as it may have originally been designated! I like the Harmonics and find it anything but useless if voiced well and in a sympathetic acoustic.
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The question doesn't arise for me, but the other day I was at a Bristol city centre church which pays each of its trebles £104 a term. I suspect, however, that the church is unusually well off. At any rate, it certainly was a quarter of a century ago, when its assets were netting it an annual income in six figures. The church does fully choral, BCP services (though possibly with chanted canticles in the evening).
I can assure readers that this Bristol Church is NOT St Mary Redcliffe Church (which has a reputation for being fairly wealthy too) but is the only other city centre church to have a boys/men choir (not counting Bristol Cathedral). I believe there are only a small number of boys at this other church. At Redcliffe the boys (we have 21 on the books at present) get termly pay of between £8 - £30 per term (3 times a year) depending on rankk. For weddings the boys only choir gets £123 and full choir (men and boys) £276 - this equates to £7-£12 per boys/wedding depending on rank and usually £20 per man (including teenagers). We have a separate girls choir too but they are not yet singing many weddings as their duties are much lighter.
Hope that helps!
St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol
in General discussion
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Sounds like an excellent service though - I do enjoy the Bairstow Mag & Nunc (not quite as good as Dyson but not far off!).
For popular appeal Dyson in D is great but in my opinion, Bairstow in D is a far superior work with much more musical interest and sensitivity to the text.