Colin Richell

Perhaps I should have said 5 to 7 years rather than always. I do not dispute that David Briggs is an excellent recitalist, but who decided the cost of admission ? I hope this includes the cost of a programme. Look at Stephen Smith's web site and you will find countless organ concerts where admission is free (retiring collection) and where I consider that the recitalist is often as competent as David Briggs. In my days as a concert organiser the recitalist fees ranged from £300 to £1,000 so I accept that the ticket price has to reflect these outgoings, and perhaps David Briggs puts himself in the higher bracket. I agree that West End concerts attract a much higher ticket price, but we are talking about an organ concert often in a cold building with uncomfortable seats, and not always professionally organised. Is this why organ concerts are losing popularity.? When I have sold tickets at concerts, my experience is that certainly the older persons, or indeed the younger students expect concessions, . I could understand it if it was a fund raising concert, and included an attractive programme, but I think this is not the case, I note a concert on this site on 6th October in St Mary the Virgin, Twyford, with admission at £10, and concessions £8, but this includes a glass of wine and refreshments, now that is value, and should attract the punters. I maintain that the organisers of the David Briggs concert are arrogant, but this, is. of course my own view. Colin Richell.

I have always believed that the maximum that should be charged for a concert or recital, whatever you call it, is £10 with concessions , and I say this being aware of recitalists fees. I am shocked, therefore to note that David Brigg's concert will cost you £15 and no concessions. Is the recitalist aware that this monstrous admission fee is being charged with the aged and students paying exactly the same-? disgraceful. I certainly will not be there. I thought there was a recession.on. Colin Richell.

To be honest I am not sure but it is a Hewlett Packard which is an American Company. I just hope that UK organ builders were given the opportunity to tender, assuming that they were interested. Colin Richell.

I wonder how many people attending the concert were aware that it was a fund raising event for a pipe organ to be built abroad, probably less than 10%.? I agree that many people would not care, and thats fair enough, but I certainly would not contribute to any organ restoration which did not involve an English organ builder., but that is my right. I still cannot see why a foreign builder would produce something which our Uk builders could not. Is organ building so complicated and complex ? And as another contibutor asked "Why could the exisiting organ not be restored, rebuilt or whatever" probably at a fraction of the cost thus saving the hard earned money of people who have donated.? Colin Richell

Really ? so where will the money come from to build the new organ the UK or abroad ? Was a tendering process put in place and were all the larger organ builders invited to tender ? The whole point is that it is the ROYAL Academy of Music, and one would expect some loyalty to its mother country. I do not know anything about organ building, but surely like any other trade, you submit a specification to the Company which will either say, yes we can do, or no we cannot do. Just to say that it is their organ their money is nonsense, because the majority of funding will be provided by us., so we do have the right to make a comment. There is just no loyalty anymore I am afraid. What is the view of John Mander ? Colin Richell.

So the RAM does not consider that an English organ builder is competent to build a new organ ? Disgraceful and disloyal in my opinion. Colin Richell.

In tonight's Evening Standard I read that Elton John is playing a concert to raise funds for the Royal Academy Of Music's organ which needs £1.2 million pounds. Perhaps I should be delighted, having spent many years unsuccesfully raising funds for another organ, but we were never fortunate enough to obtain that kind of support. I am sure that many contributors to the Mander web site. will themselves have been involved with fund raising, but also were not fortunate enough to secure such noble financial support. Perhaps the word "Royal" tickled the fancy of Elton. The article talks about a new instrument, but I assume that the existing one is being refurbished, Does anyone know which organ builder has been nominated to undertake the work, and what work is being carried out ? The concert was held at The Albert Hall, and I wonder whether the organ was featured ? Colin Richell

Marvellous playing, and what a wonderful organ ! Surely Paul Jacobs is a younger version of Carlo Curley, bring him to the UK ! Colin Richell.

Is there some other way I can make contact because I

Thanks Stephen that is very helpful. Perhaps it would not be suitable for the Ally Pally theatre which is a very large theatre. Colin Richell.

There was a report in my local paper last week titled "Encore for a cinema organ" and relates to an "unloved organ" which used to stand in Haringey's Coliseum cinema, and parts of the historic instrument, which is said to have been the first ever organ installed in a cinema in the UK, are now stored in Hall Place, Bexley, Kent. The museum will offer the organ free to any one as long as they are serious collectors. Up to now no-one has wanted the organ, and I did write a letter to the paper stating that offering the organ for free, is not really an enticement , because the cost of removal and restoration would cost serious money. Given the fact that the organ appears to be historic, and it is a pipe organ although designed for the cinema, is there a chance that it might be restored ? I know there are many pipe organs without homes, and that there is a redundant pipe organ register, but is this suitable for ex-cinema organs ? I am not aware of the date of manufacture, or the makers name. Advice please. Colin Richell PS I could contact the Cinema theatre Association perhaps.

I have subscribed to "Pipedreams" for many years, and whilst they e-mail me on a regular basis, I have never been able to play any music, but perhaps I do not have the right equipment. I was notified yesterday about the Proms, and I think you have 5 days to pick this up. It is worth subscribing to. I could try John's suggestion re recordings. Good publicity for Manders and other English organ builders. Colin Richell.

I agree with Handsoff regarding Carlo Curley. He makes organ music entertaining and you can see that he enjoys himself when he is playing unlike some recitalists who appear to want to be somewhere else. Carlo brought thousands to Ally Pally in the 1980's most of who probably didn't even know that they were not listening to a real pipe organ, but his light classical programme and personality suited the audience who returned again and again wanting more. . Personally I don't like the heavy stuff, but I wonder whether recitalists study their audience or do they play what they want to play?. A request programme might be an idea for some concerts. would that work ? Colin Richell.

I think I know what I was doing wrong. Many thanks for your help. We live and learn ! Colin Richell

I am not sure what is happening, and anything I have done is purely coincidental. Strange things happen, often the web site will not allow me to log in, and when I try to post a message, without logging in a page comes up telling me that my internet page has expired. Apologies for any confusion, and I promise that I will try and do better ! There is fast reply and reply and perhaps that is the problem. I don't think we have decided whether the recitalist rather than the programme and venue is the essential factor in filling a venue. Colin Richell.

When I engaged Nigel Ogden many years ago at Ally Pally he was most emphatic that any publicity should describe the event as a concert and NOT a recital.. Attendance wise that was one of our most succesful concerts, but was it because Nigel is so well known, and is an excellent recitalist, or could it have been that he was playing light classical, or venue, organ timing of concert etc? Given the fact that the event attracted over 170 people, I suspect that Nigel was the draw. What does anyone think ? Colin Richell.

Yes Peter, it is a common thing, its just still loading, you have to pause the clip and wait for the bar at the bottom of the clip to turn all red. Colin