Clavecin

Two more true chamades by HNB which date from the very early 60s are Bradford Cathedral and Dunster, both around 1961/62. I played the Bradford organ a couple of times in my mid teens and remember enjoying it. The 'Purcell Trumpet' was part of the Nave organ which stood on 4 columns over the main aisle in the last bay of the nave. It occupied a very elegant Italian Renaissance style case (which looked a little like today's case at Portsmouth Cathedral) designed by Sir Edward Maufe who designed the new east end of the Cathedral and also Guildford Cathedral. The whole concept was most enlightened for the early 60s and it is very sad that the Cathedral authorities have since scrapped this nave section as part of a 're-ordering of the Cathedral', and replicated its resources with digital ranks. This nave organ is pictured on the cover of Herbert & John Normans' book 'The Organ Today', unfortunately I can't find a picture of it on the internet. The Purcell Trumpet has since been incorporated into the main chancel case, but no longer speaks straight down the nave. Memories of the Purcell Trumpet speaking from the west end were that it sounded distinctive, but didn't exactly 'grab you by the throat'. Were all HNB chamades of the same contruction, that is, like St. John's as opposed to spun brass? DT

Elvin's books says that this instrument was built by H&H (2 man, 13 stops) for experimental purposes, then used as a temporary organ, firstly at Westminster Abbey and later at St. Alban's during '59 to '62 whilst the rebuild was going on, then sold to Arthur Starke. DT

According to Laurence Elvin in his 'Harrison Story' pg. 211; the Monks Farm Positive was added 5 years after the the rest of the organ was set-up which would make it 1967. DT

Getting back to UK instruments; my first encounters with a 'Trompeta Real' type reed, and definitely the most striking organ sound I had heard as a 12/13 year old was the 1961 Walker at Ampleforth Abbey. This vast instrument features a 'Trompetta Argentea' which is situated away from the main organ in a small gallery at the base of the large central dome (rather like siting the Trompette Millitaire in the whispering gallery at St. Paul's), although not a true chamade the reflective effect and superb acoustics of the spacious chapel give this stop tremendous impact. If I remember correctly it is of the spun brass type and was silver plated (hence the name). This instrument (finished shortly after the influential rebuild at York Minster) was the first of 3 ground-breaking 60s instruments for major churches: Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Blackburn Cathedral. All feature chamades of varying resonator construction which sound quite different. Oh, not forgetting of course, Winbourne Minster. Walkers also included chamades in a number of their 'house style' tracker instruments from the 70s onwards; City of London School comes to mind, I'm sure there were others. Considering the size, quality and importance of the Ampleforth organ it is surprising how infrequently it has been recorded. Noted musician Philip Dore was the first organist and I think his son William now has some role there on the music staff. DT

No doubt you well correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought that in Iberian organs the 'Trompeta Real' was an internal rank, whilst the horizontal ranks in the facade were 'Trompeta Batalla' at 8ft pitch plus things like 'Clarin' at 4ft and 2ft pitch. I've included a link to an example from Gehard Grenzing's website, the spec. of his restoration at Zaragoza Cathedral shows which are interior ranks and which are horizontal. The whole website is worth having a look at, but isn't up to date. We heard a newly finished Grenzing restoration in May/June last year at Sant Francesca de Palma in Majorca, very impressive it sounded too. DT

You may well be right - I'm certainly not pedantic enough to troll through the whole set to check. However, there are certainly lots of indications to use 'Voix Humaine', 'Voix Humaine et Tremblant', or 'Tremblant'. I have always assumed that these 3 mean the same thing - Vox + Trem. The CF works which I play are from wide variety of editions; mostly old Novello. I recently bought the excellent value Dover complete works to do the Grande Piece Symphonique, but find that I still go back to the copies from which I originally learned to play the rest of the repertoire - must be something to do with the layout and the page turns. DT

I am now on my 2nd generation toaster at home, and it boasts a most profound and effective 32ft - Hotpoint 32! However, this stop doesn't have a drawstop in the traditional sense, it's only activated when 'the wife' is doing the washing. On spin cycle the washing machine generates a low pitched resonance which permeates the whole house, this is barely audible in my music room but combines superbly with the bottom end of the pedal 16ft registers. I've not been able to discern the exact pitch of this resonance, but it seems to be a harmonic which reacts with just about every note in the 16ft bottom octave to produce a superb Contra Bourdon effect which underpins the rest beautifully. It's most effective from bottom F to B (as are most quiet 32s) but is still there on the lowest notes. But, there's a bonus - when the washer goes onto its high-speed spin the effect becomes a more biting Contra Violone! I play a lot of Cesar Franck (lots of opportunities for quiet 32 under Celestes or Vox Humana/tremulant) and am currently learning 'Grande Piece Symphonique' - a rather time consuming task; and so try to time practice sessions with washing sessions. It's wonderful; no need for speakers the size of wardrobes, no need for those dreadful mutations which just add a hollow growl. Anyboby else got a Hoover 32, Ariston 32, Zanussi 32, Indesit 32? DT

York Minster has both Cornopean and Horn on the Swell, they appeared under these names in the 1960 Walker rebuild, but if you trace the history of the organ back though its various incarnations you will see two 8ft swell reeds with varying names going back to 1859/62. DT

My wife and I 'did' New York for our joint 50ths a couple of years ago and attended the Sunday Choral Evensong at St Thomas's. JS's choir sang extremely well then we were treated to an excellently performed recital by the 'associate' organist Jeremy Bruns - half an hour of Bach on the Taylor & Boody on the west gallery followed by half an hour of romantic music on the Skinner culminating in Rawsthorne's Hornpipe Humoresque. The new organ sounded very fine indeed, but I can't say that I liked what I heard of the Skinner either in the service or the recital. There was little warmth and it tended to shout as the volume increased. There didn't seem to be any quiet/refined solo voices. It's not a particularly big church, just nave and chancel with no transept, so the acoustics aren't particularly great; any organ up in the chancel is going to have a hard job! We also gate crashed a celebrity funeral at St. John the Divine - but that's another story! DT

Nachthorn, I PM'd you yesterday saying that I have copied out this chant and can send it to you. Did you not received this, I am aware that PM's don't always get through? David

To draw a link with a thread which was recently running - 'King's College Cambridge' and comparisons members have drawn, favourable or otherwise with St John's choir. St John's sounded on superb form yesterday morning under their current director Andrew Nethsingha. DT

All the Blackburn soundboards were replaced with new ones by David Wood in 2002 as part of the rebuild. This doesn't say much for the longevity of Walker's 1969 originals! Makes me wonder about the condition of the organ at the Met. Liverpool which Walkers built in 1967, I would have thought that the method of soundboard construction would be the same as Blackburn. DT

An undulant-related anecdote, which might amuse those members who knew either or both the gentlemen involved. Father Willis left his organ at Lincoln with 2 undulating ranks: a rather quiet Vox Angelica on the Swell and a gorgeous Voix Celeste on the Solo, the VA was tuned flat and the VC sharp. During the 70s Laurence Elvin (author of 'The Harrison Story' and several other organ books) who lived in Lincoln used to visit the organ loft for the Sunday Choral Matins. Laurence was extremely knowledgeable and endlessly enthusiastic about organ matters. Philip Marshall (O&C at the time) did not like the flat Vox Angelica, saying that it encouraged flat singing. So, Julian Paul was asked to retune it sharp (Julian who worked for Cousans also lived in Lincoln and saw to any minor problems with the organ, as well as visiting the organ loft for Saturday Evensong). The job was done, and the following Sunday Laurence Elvin appeared at 11.00 as usual. PM took every opportunity to use the Vox Angelica + Salicional during the service and steered the conversation towards 'Willis tuning practice', I of course had been primed as to what was going to happen and duly kept schtum! Needless to say, Laurence did not spot the retuning, next Sunday; the scenario was played out again. Laurence never spotted the difference and PM never told him. I wonder if anyone ever tuned the Vox back to flat? The present Lincoln incumbent: Colin Walsh, has created a 3rd undulant. The Swell Open Diapason No.2 has been retuned to undulate with the No.1 (don't know which direction though), at York too the same change on the Swell has been made. DT

The vergers, cathedral guides, several tourists and myself agree!! By the way Paul, Dave Harries has sent me a photo he'd taken towards the end of the Vierne, it clearly shows just what stops you'd drawn! DT

Chris, thank you for identifying George, I was about to ask who he was as he did a sterling job at evensong, but why did he keep putting headphones on during the rehearsal? Just to reiterate what others have said; many, many thanks to you and Adrian for making us so welcome, being so generous with your time and putting on a great programme for the day. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and look forward to travelling down more frequently to hear the occasional evensong. Regards, David

Toccata by G. Mushel is fun, suitably impressive either for a voluntary or recital, and about the standard Published by OUP and costs £6.00 from Allegro Music Good luck, DT

Greetings Guilmant, The late Charles Myres who was O&C at Clitheroe had an electronic with a huge 4 manual console in his home, the console was built by Nicholsons and no corners were cut on quality. CM claimed that it was the largest 4 man. console in the country at the time (1975ish), so it would have been bigger than the RAH. It contained a very comprehensive cathedral scheme, plus the whole of the Kensington Gore RCO organ (for teaching purposes). I am guessing that Makins supplied the electronics, there was one speaker - the size of a wardrobe! Memories of playing playing were that it didn't sound particularly pleasant. I don't know what happened to it after CMs death, George Sixsmith may well have taken it in, I know that George did not want to see it broken up for parts. Regards, David

My brother-in-law has just purchased one of these, an Olympus portable recording device which he considers superior to both the Edirol and the Zoom. He's not a musician, but a recording fanatic who owns professional equipment running to several thousands of pounds. He particularly rates this device for it's lack of compression and extremely low noise-floor levels. DT

[quote name='madorganist' date='Jan 24 2009, 11:33 AM' post='43660 If I recall correctly, the plan calls for the main organ to be restored to 4 manuals and voiced in the Willis style. I too read this in one of the journals, but despite searching, can't find it at present. However, I do remember that it was suggested that the rebuild of the main Willis organ was to include 'case work', but no more detail than that. I have a booklet which shows a drawing of a design for casework in the choir by John Oldrid Scott of 1885, he was the second son of Sir George Gilbert Scott and was responsible for much restoration work in Cathedrals and Greater Churches, including a number of organ cases. This was the year before the Father Willis organ was completed. The design looks very much like the old cases at Worcester but elongated vertically, occupying 1 bay of the arcade, set above the stone screen which separates the choir from the choir aisle. At the bottom of the case is a small gallery which would have contained the console. The design doesn't look like it would contain much of the original 1886 organ. I wonder if they intend to realise this design? DT

One of the lay clerks who has perfect pitch hums a tonic quietly. This is common practice in the higher echelons of the cathedral music world. DT

Anyone know the name of the Bob Chilcott carol they did this year (not sure whether it was on the radio or TV), very attractive! DT

What do fellow forum members think of the Christmas choral offerings from Kings, namely the live radio 3 broadcast and the pre-recorded BBC2 programme? The top line seems to have developed a pronounced vibrato; particularly evident amongst the various treble soloists, and a much more open sound than in previous years. Not something I would normally associate with Kings. This reminded me of Christopher Robinson's excellent CD series of various UK composers on the Naxos label, some of which benefit from very expressive top lines with accomplished treble soloists. DT

I've recommended this mic before on here: Rode NT4 Many colleagues in school music departments got very good results with this mic combined with either the Edirol or the Zoom. Not cheap: £250 to £300. DT

I thoroughly agree with Richard on this one, and think he has made the point perfectly. Yes, John Scott's pointing can be somewhat fussy where individual chords or bars are omitted from the chant, but I find the moving of the chant forward on early strong syllables, and the measured singing style necessary to convey this properly, very satisfying indeed. I purchased a copy of the St Paul's Psalter to go with the CDs. JS began the revisions to the pointing after the Hyperion series had begun, so although the chants used on the first couple of CDs are the same as the new Psalter, the actual pointing in different. Good to hear from you on the Forum Richard, I don't suppose you have as much time to look at it in your new position. DT

As promised, a few words about this organ. Had about an hour and a half at the Town Hall last week, the organ is exactly what NPOR says it is: an untouched 1903 Lewis & Co. It's not had a thorough restoration: a reconditioned blower and repairs to the winding systems, I was unable to ascertain who had done the work. There are still a lot of problems with the pneumatics: no manual couplers working, and pedal couplers very badly out of adjustment. The manual departments worked fine except for 2 stuck sliders, but the pedal was in need of attention; only the Sub Bass and Violon working, both with a lot of missing notes. However, and this is a big however, what was working sounded superb, helped by a very favourable acoustic. The quality of voicing and regulation of both flues and reeds was excellent. From the state of the console, I would guess that this organ has had very little use over it's 105 years. Given a thorough professional restoration, it would be a national treasure. The Town Hall authorities were quite happy for me to play and hoped the organ would get more use. If you're visting the area, arrange to try it, the Town Hall contact number is 0845 601 2020 DT