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AJJ

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Posts posted by AJJ

    Console Design Again

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    Likewise Philip Marshall at Lincoln - he was still in charge (just) when we moved there in the early 80s and his console control - psalms especially - was a revelation. In a different way a service at the console at St Albans with Peter Hurford playing was an interesting experience too - all the hymn verses were harmonized differently for a start. 'Not sure how the choir coped with this though.

     

    AJJ

    Console Design Again

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    For my money (or perhaps just a really good Vodka), no-one has yet beaten a good H&H console for elegance, logicality (is that a word?), ease of use and plain comfort.

     

    I once had to play after a service sung by a visiting choir on the H & H at St Albans Abbey - I had never played the instrument before the final hymn but everything I wanted was in the right place - the organ almost played itself!!

     

    AJJ

    Which Organ Would You Most Want To Marry?

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I know the present organist at Otterbourne and he thinks that little Lewis is wonderful. I must go and invite myself to have a look at it...

     

    The organist there in my time (and fellow Southampton undergrad.) is now Vicar of South Stoneham & Burgess Road!

     

    AJJ

     

    'Worth a visit if anyone likes Lewis' work on a small scale as well as Soutwark etc. and a lovely church too:-

    http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N18679

    Digital Futures....?

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    Thankfully, the organist of the next parish church up the road (St Cross) has kindly let me practice there when I want so I can remind myself every now and again what it is like to play a real organ.

     

     

    Now there's an organ and a building!! I did my PGCE in Winchester and remember St Cross well!!

     

    AJJ

    Digital Futures....?

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    I agree but when choir and organ both seem to be in terminal decline it all seems a bit sad! A digital piano pretending to be an organ with the real thing still functioning well yet unused in another part of the building is even more worrying.

     

    AJJ

    Digital Futures....?

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    My local town centre parish church has a large 3 manual in a north choir chamber and used to have a large choir (complete with repertoire) nearby as well. I went to deputize there earlier this month after an absence of a year or so and was directed to the north side of the main church where there is an electronic piano (with rhythm section and multitudes of other noises) along with seats for the much reduced choir and its 'choir leader'. The Vicar then re programmed this machine to give eight different 'organ' sounds ranging from very quiet to Royal Albert Hall - ''Those should do.'' He added.

    I played the hymns and setting (not using the sustain pedal - though the 'quiet' pedal did give an added set of dynamic variations) but not able to play any of the prepared pieces for after the service for obvious reasons.

    They pay well so I will probably go back - maybe next time I will head straight for the 'real' organ marooned in the chancel and refuse to move!!

     

    AJJ

     

    PS They are advertising for an organist - so far without any luck!

    J W Walker And Christian Science

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Can anyone suggest a possible reason for the preponderance of Walker organs in Christian Science churches?  Take London, for example - [et seq]

     

    There was a fairly detailed and well written article sometime ago in Organists' Review about the organs in Christian Science churches in London. I can't remember when this was and my copy is buried deep somewhere at present (pressure on space - young family etc!!) All I remember about the author was that he had done a degree thesis on funeral arrangements or something along similar lines!

     

    Not much help - sorry!

     

    AJJ

    Ampleforth Abbey

    in The Organ

    Posted

    ''The truth is, there are two superb organists on the school staff there (Ian Little and Simon Wright) either of whom would clearly have done an excellent CD of the organ if it were really in record-worthy condition.''

     

    Ian Little is still there but the assistant DOM and Organist is now William Dore MA, FRCO, who I think is the son of the late Philip Dore. Somewhere I have a '45' record of Ampleforth - bought years ago - 'can't remember what's on it but I seem to remember those horizontal trumpets getting an airing.

     

    AJJ

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