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bam

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About bam

  • Birthday 04/04/1956

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    Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire

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  1. It's made the news....... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-68223809
  2. The organ has now been completed..... https://www.pershoreabbey.org.uk/pipe-dreams/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-65652262 I think the final is spec is rather different to the one originally published.
  3. Fully agree - it sounded 'just right' to complement the Willcocks arrangement. I hope it gets published. When he took over, Daniel Hyde had a rather annoying habit of clipping the final chord of a verse or piece, but he seems to have dropped that now - mostly. Also good to hear Bach's In dulci jubilo played after the radio service in a clear and measured way.
  4. I agree, a very interesting solution to the problem of lack of space in the old case noted above. The main choruses are 'straight' and few cathedral organs had an independent pedal pre-1960. I'm looking forward to hearing the result. Also interesting is the reference to Schoenstein in the notes. Their first UK instrument has been projected for several years at St Bartholomew the Great in London, but I can't see any signs of progress at present. https://www.greatstbarts.com/worship/music-2/the-story-of-our-organs/
  5. We sing a lot of those from time to time - I don't think there will be a rush to replace the current version of A&M.
  6. Very sad. He joined a Bucks OA meeting I organised in 2016 to the GD&B at Dunchurch, which had been on his 'to do' list for a while and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to play it. RIP Tony.
  7. The 2005 restoration at St Helen's, Abingdon to close to the 1927 25 stop original is very successful, but I was disappointed by the Swell mixture. It has been restored to its 1927 composition of 15,19,22, breaking back a full octave at middle C to 8,12,15 so losing its brilliance just where it's needed. I don't think this is a typical period H&H composition so perhaps it was done to the wishes of the organist at the time. https://www.npor.org.uk/survey/E01126
  8. What is posted is usually worth reading - I would much rather not have to wade through lots of 'non-posts'. As an example I found the thread on the new Gloucester Cathedral organ fascinating, especially when read in conjunction with 'Baroque Tricks' and the booklet produced at the time of the HN&B instrument, when it was clear that those involved were absolutely convinced that what they were doing was right.
  9. He got a suspended sentence so didn't get locked up. He passed away in Wales a few years ago.
  10. Thanks Colin - a fine tribute. He did release a commercial CD before the lockdown which is still available: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/francis-monkman-the-bach-family/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvJyjBhApEiwAWz2nLaF7TTojCJdnv3p6QI0KULwdMkcQsBPawnmyTH6ousELJ3vlEkO4xhoCavIQAvD_BwE
  11. Some very sad news is that Francis Monkman passed away on 11 May: https://www.loudersound.com/news/curved-air-and-sky-founder-francis-monkman-has-died-aged-73 He had returned to his classical roots and done much research on the Bach family as well as the organs of south east Germany. He had the practice slot before me on the wonderful Willis at Stony Stratford. He was a very fine player - the last time I heard him was just before the lockdown when he was thundering out big Bach on the magnificent plenum - quite a sound! I last saw him a couple of months ago when he was clearly unwell but very upbeat about making a recovery. He will be greatly missed.
  12. Good article - thanks. The future of the church organ is inextricably bound up with the future of the church, and the leadership shown over the last few years does not fill me with confidence. The 'Save the Parish' movement is a shaft of light. I am told that theology/ordination courses include little if anything about music. After many years of trying the IBO finally set up an apprenticeship scheme for organ builders last year - we must hope it has long term success. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2156992797792795&set=pcb.2156992847792790
  13. Thanks for a very clear and well explained summary. It leaves me increasingly grateful for solid Victorian tracker action, but increasingly concerned that small country churches need to be very aware what they are taking on with modern electric actions. It's a different situation for large, well funded institutions with high six or seven figure rebuild costs where the initial cost and that of subsequent maintenance are (I suppose) considered to be part of keeping a big instrument.
  14. Thinking slowly about this a bit more, I wonder why organ electronics are so expensive? I guess most systems are bespoke and the market is small. My last involvement with computers other than as a user was in the days of HP9830s and DEC PDP-11s so I can only speculate from a position of ignorance, but wonder why a simpler, perhaps PC-based, transmission system is not available. Something like Hauptwerk is obviously not the same as a transmission but shows what can be done with a reasonably standard computer.
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