AJJ
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Posts posted by AJJ
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Furthermore, the source of the online petition that refers to the 'destruction' of this organ seems to me at least to be not totally reliable. We do perhaps need to exercise caution....
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Not Nantes Cathedral but another church in the city. The Cathedral (Ss. Peter & Paul) is medieval whereas this basilica is 19th Century.
Here is the Cathedral organ:
http://www.musiqueorguequebec.ca/orgues/france/nantescsp.html
'Not sure what is in the place with the fire.
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Is that necessarily a regression though? In some ways it could be said to be but in others perhaps not.Unusual stop-list. With regard to chorus-work, it appears to have regressed to the era of E.M. Skinner.
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'Larghetto' from Serenade for Strings op. 20 by Elgar. Lovely (and easy) arrangement in 'The Reflective Elgar' pub. Animus.
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'Schoenstein's tonal director, Jack Bethards, wrote a long and detailed article ("A Brief for the Symphonic Organ") about this type of instrument...............The article was in BIOS Journal volume 26, 2002.'
As one of the editors of this BIOS Journal I had quite a bit of correspondence with Jack Bethards at the time. He is a great enthusiast for the British organ of the late 19th and early 20th centuries with a huge knowlege of builders, instruments and styles etc.
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A new Schoenstein is heading for London soon too I believe.
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This is interesting as I was not a great enthusiast for this instrument until fairly recently. I have sung at Redcliffe a few times with visiting choirs and have certainly found that it does seem to do the right thing for the expected settings, anthems, psalms and similar from the choir's point of view at least. Granted, these services were not huge affairs from a congregational point of view so not much 'big noise' was needed.You may be disappointed, Friedrich.
I played this large instrument for a visiting choir a few months ago and, whilst the quieter ranks were quite beautiful, I thought that anything above mezzoforte was ghastly. It is the only organ which I have played where I considered it necessary to remove all of the chorus reeds (in every department) from every single piston. Even the Swell reeds (right next to the player) sounded like a family of Tuba ranks. None of these stops could be used to accompany the choir - which consisted of adults who were experienced singers and who made a good, strong sound themselves.
I am afraid that I cannot see the point of an organ so wretchedly loud, that much of it can never be used - unless the building is packed tight with Methodists singing their hearts out.
I have also been able to get to the regular lunchtime concerts and from a repertoire angle things have at times been more difficult to judge. At the hands of the 'resident team' or more local players things usually work well but with others things are not always quite so subtle perhaps. Two recent exceptions however, one a recitalist from Germany (who coincidentally happens to be a friend of mine) and another an occasional contributor on here from Scotland. Both gave splendid recitals and got under the skin of the organ so to speak managing to really make the music come alive. More specifically, the music they chose to play worked well with the Redcliffe sound.
To be honest my affinity has never really been for instruments of this type and from this era but I do feel that it can work well liturgically and in the right repertoire areas though I suspect only following a decent period of familiarisation from the point of view of the player. As a player pcnd is far more experienced in both these areas than I am but as a singer and listener I have grown more used to the organ with familiarity and am now perhaps appreciating its undoubted artistry more that I was previously.
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This looks interesting:
http://cbfisk.com/sites/default/files/instruments/specifications/147_spec.pdf
Granted this is is only a stoplist and the building has yet to be completed but from what we already know about this firm I am sure the result will be exciting. The brief apparently was one with repertoire and liturgy in mind and certainly the copious 'fonds' and different levels of celestes throughout will no doubt assist with the latter. The tierce mixture on the Choir is interesting as is the lack of mixture and double enclosure of reeds on the Swell. With ultimately two 'big' reeds, three 32' stops, a pedal non unison designed to adapt to its surroundings and what looks like a fairly sturdy Great flue chorus the whole thing should be capable of a large dynamic spectrum. Choir and organ will be on a west gallery.
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And if you want to hear Edwardian organ building at its best go to St. Mary Redcliffe in Bristol now in first class working order following major work a few years ago. It is an instrument that needs thought and understanding to get the best from but one that in the right hands can sound quite splendid! Up till fairly recently I always felt that I should appreciate this instrument more than I actally did but having recently heard the resources there very skilfully utilised I am becoming more convinced as to its artistry.
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"I must say I was going to post a new thread on the heavily restored organ at St Andrews Parish Church, Enfield, Middlesex, the work being undertaken by David Wells of Liverpool. I have the revised stop list to hand, having visited the new console yesterday. But given the ridiculous comments regarding stop lists, I'm inclined not to do it."
That's a shame!
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File dated 1st April (!) - scroll down till you find it - if not, a message to Maurizio would secure I feel sure!
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Free arrangement on Maurizio Machella's 'Amazing Organ Transcriptions' fb page!
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In my experience the best instruments produce the best music. That is how I would decide whether the organ is a good one rather than by stoplist analysis before it has even been built.
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There is a fantastic recording available of the complete Duruflé by David M Patrick from Coventry. It shows off the organ superbly and especially the stereo effect of the pipework in its placement. It reminds me of the sound of S. Etienne du Mont in Paris where Duruflé played.
Incidentally - I also tend to bracket St Albans with Coventry and Windsor soundwise. I've only actually played St Albans and that was years ago but it was a decidedly pleasureable experience. Moreover, in its most recent incartation it is sounding even better and generally more polished.
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If you go to a good builder they will have experience and will be able to advise.
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The Cuckoo movement from Carnival of the Animals works quite well. I used the piano version from IMSLP in a lollipops recital once.
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Slightly off tangent - in France I have been extremely lucky to have gained access to a number of cathedral and church organs and in each case the organist has been very welcoming, opened up the console and left me to it for as long as I wish. The 'working inhabitants' of these establishments have always been pleasant and the tourists often sit and listen and have even been known to engage in meaningful conversation. I always go armed with 'up to scratch' repertoire to play and if improvising try at least to make it sound as if I know where I am heading.
There must be time for practice if one is a expected to play for a service or recital on a strange instrument and I do feel that if establishments encourage these then they need at least to facilitate this and if not then provide a staff organist to do the job. It can however be decidedly stress inducing when someone is playing repeated chunks of whatever on near full organ and one is working, touring or dare I say it praying in a church or cathedral. And don't get me going on some organists' association visits when on occasions an 'anything goes' method of touring the instrumental resources seems to lead to the abandonment of all musicality!
Consideration all round needs to be the name of the game I feel.
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New Diocesan DoM coming from Leeds Cathedral sometime this year I think.
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There was an interesting review in a recent edition of the Choir & Organ mag.
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This is great news - I've heard both and their playing is superb. What with the similarly superb team now installed at La Trinité and the interesting liturgical initiatives at Notre Dame, Paris is even more of a draw!In fact, no real surprise: the 2 best ones have been appointed.
I'm particularly happy for Baptiste-Florian Marle-Ouvrard (BFMO) whom I know very well.
Everybody thinks he deserves this appointment: a part being a great improvisor (and composer) he is also a nice open-minded person!
Thomas Ospital has a basque origin, he is with BFMO a former student of Pierre Pincemaille who trained them both at the improvisation school of Saint-Maur des Fossés (Paris' suburbs) some years ago.
Do not hesitate to meet them and listen to them when in Paris!!!!!
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I could be mistaken but doesn't Paul Derrett have them?
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Has anyone heard or played the new Ruffatti near Dublin yet?
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Or maybe one of the 'travelling Tudor' instruments?
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I once asked a noted French organ scholar about where/how to 'do' notes inégales - I received a gallic shrug and the advice to do what sounds right!
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St. Mary Abbots, Kensington, London.
in The Organ
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It seems to me that the incumbent at the above church has put his point concisely and succinctly and I await news of further developments with interest.
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