AJJ
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Posts posted by AJJ
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another good one from the late Gerre Hancock - I wish I could do things like this before hymns!
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Dear Board-members
I posted the following on piporg-l and apologise to anyone who feels annoyed by getting it twice......
Best wishes
Barry
Yesterday I attended the inauguration of a new instrument so interesting, that I feel I ought to make the effort to share some impressions.
The little town of Bardowick, a few kilometers north of Lüneburg, now seems so sleepy and suburban that it is difficult to imagine that 1000 years it was much more important than either Lüneburg or Hamburg. It is dominated by an extremely large church, known as the "Dom" (cathedral), which was probably intended by Charlemagne, who founded the place, to be a bishopric, but never was. An eventful history, including destruction by the Prince of Brunswick "Henry the Lion", means that the current building mostly dates from the 14th century. You can see it here:
http://www.kirche-ba...hen/derdom.html
The church has had a number of organs in the course of its history (Jacob Scherer is one illustrious name) but in 1867 Philipp Fürtwängler built a new 31 stop instrument on a newly designed gallery at the west end. Three attempts were made to adapt this instrument to changing tastes; the third of these, in 1997, gave the instrument a new mechanical action and attempted a complete rebuild with some old material. But the result was a disaster, the instrument was abandoned after less than 5 years, and the name of the responsible builder is now tactfully never mentioned.
Since the case was still in existence and under protection, the problem was to decide what sort of an instrument should go into it. It was felt that, since the region is still very rich in German romantic instruments, of which about two thirds are by Furtwängler, a reconstruction in this style was pointless; on the other hand, it was clear that the case was totally unsuitable for a north German-style romantic instrument. Harald Vogel was largely responsible for pointing the project in the direction of Thuringia, where baroque instruments (those which did not reuse old cases) abandoned the separate cases of the "Werkprinzip"-style instrument and reveal themselves as transitional, opening clearly the way towards a romantic style in construction and in tonal design. The Schuke firm, that is this one:
www.schuke.de
and NOT this one: http://www.schuke-berlin.de/
had restored the fabulous Eilert Köhler organ in Suhl (Thuringia) a few years ago and were chosen partly for that reason to undertake this project. The specification, as well as some interesting pictures, can be found here:
http://www.nomine.net/bardowick-dom
The pallette of beautiful sounds that this organ can make seems almost inexhaustible. The typical gentle strings and enchanting flutes of the Thuringian builders like Köhler and Trost are all present; one could listen to the combination of the Hohlfloit and Fagar of the Oberwerk for most of the night, whereas the Gamba of the Hauptwerk together with the Gemshorn is just as enchanting. The "Flute douce" 4' of the Oberwerk, a 2 rank stop, one rank a slightly conical wooden open flute and the other a wooden Gedackt - well, there is no way to describe it. The three weighty plena are all different in character, but all three are brilliant and incisive but not loud.
With this instrument Matthias Schuke and his crew have, I think, proved beyond doubt (even more than they did in "my" instrument), that they are capable of far more than solid, functional bread-and-butter organs, but are a force to be reckoned with. This instrument is no copy, but a new and innovative instrument in a styl which is underrepresented in modern organ building.
Wow - any soundbites?
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It IS amazing to think that 11 ranks of pipes can be made to do so much, so well. That was the other side of the company's extraordinary genius.
MM
And in the case of the Southampton organ (albeit 30 + years ago now) even manage provide a very lively and acceptable authentic sounding continuo and 'padding out' for performances of Messiah etc. by the Southampton University Choral Soc.
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Peter King discusses the 1997 rebuild at Bath at http://peterking.org...h_organ_18.html ,
A good many seem to have very polarised views on this instrument and it is interesting to read these when they surface. All this is very subjective of course but having practiced on and sung for a number of years regularly with the organ in its previous incarnation I agree with all of Dr Peter King's points made in the above article (which I had not seen before) about the old and the new following the Klais 'reorganisation'. As a reasonably frequent attendee at recitals in the Abbey and having played the organ albeit sometime ago this organ is one I like very much. To me at any rate it 'plays' well and certainly the sound is fantastically exciting either liturgically or in the hands of those willing not to just play 'by convention' but with open ears so to speak. The musicians who work with it sunday by sunday use it superbly within the first rate musical tradition at the Abbey and I feel sure none of them would have accepted anything second best when the work was done. Likewise many recitalists who play at Bath are favourably disposed towards it. It is to me proof that the dogged determination of Peter King et al in the early days (and with some not inconsiderable opposition from those supposedly 'in the know') to get something really effective and above all really musical paid off.
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The console is such a mammoth solid construction, and there are so many steps, that there really isn't any possibility of making it mobile. It's bizarre that the console is so solid because most of the rest of the instrument is made of hardboard and Tabopan.
Here it is!
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Happy new Year to all here!
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Because some of us can't see them if they are any smaller!! Another topic perhaps but I discovered this at a nearby crematorium yesterday. My organ glasses which work perfectly well at home or at church gave a decidedly dodgy view on the 2 manual electronic I played - following two minutes of 'getting used to'. The book that worked the best was H O & N - mind you I only had to cope with its wonky version of Dear Lord and Father.... and a bit of left foot bass for Give me Joy in my Heart. My A5 folder of 'useful music' was only just useful too. Probably a sign of age.
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Now sorted !
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If anyone has a copy of Egil Hovland's Toccata 'fra himmel hoyt' please could they PM me.
Many Thanks
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I recently got hold of a new Regent CD of the CC/HNB/Downes organ (recently rebuilt by H&H plus new 32' Bombarde and alterations to action and wind) in Paisley Abbey - not mentioned much here but the sound (and playing by George McPhee - organist since the 60s) is fabulous. I very nearly crashed the car at the end of Dieu Parmi Nous when listening en route to work. It is very interesting to compare the sound with Gloucester, St Albans etc. (Downes 'plus acoustic' as opposed to the RFH) in the light of their recent alterations and also with the London Oratory organ which I sometimes feel is underrated. The general 'fattening out' of the altered Downes instruments adds considerably to their appeal I think.
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The church deliberately projects this type of culture and presumably attracts people to whom it appeals. Not that this is any excuse, even if it is a reason.
This (to me at any rate) is an 'easy way out to achieve an easy way in' - in other words a sort of short term cop out to get people on seats and make them feel good. We do a great disservice (musically and intellectually whether it be in schools, church or generally) if we assume that the only way to engage is necessarily via that which is most easy on the brain. It is surely the responsibility of those in charge (musically or otherwise) to deal with the music (as with anything else) in such a way as to engage the enthusiasm and intellect of those at whom it is aimed. The trouble is that at times some in the driving seat do not see this and conseqently are decidedly condescending in both attitude and practice. The results are musically and intellectually low key and the effect such that in the first instance (rather in the manner of some 'power' drinks on sale) an initial 'rush' kicks in - and everything in the world is fantastic! The trouble is that this sort of approach is great fun and possibly hugely confidence building for some at least but it does nothing (as far as I can see at any rate) more than it says 'on the can' and ultimately the effects wear off leaving nothing much at all! The proof - in the right context - obscure 16th Century Italian polyphonic Christmas repertoire can move and interest a group of non church going 13 year olds as much as if not more than the sort of music that they are used to playing for the simple reason that it is not what they are used to so they can therefore come to it with no preconceptions and simply take it for what it is muscially, intellectually and if needs be from a religious angle. This needs hard work from both sides but in the end the results speak for themselves.
Rant over - Happy Christmas all!
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No disrespect to the ever delightful works of John Rutter, but doesn't it say something about our national music, or at least about the public perception of British music?
MM
Quite a lot!
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This morning, on Classic FM, the announcer said that John Rutter is the Nation's favourite composer.
Hmmm!
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Oh wow! I didn't know that. Many thanks. (I see that control minus will have the desired effect for those who find the font too large.)
..and Control # transposes you up...!
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Thanks.
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As a point of interest, has anyone else experienced the ghostly presence of the former monks of Lonlay who can be 'felt' processing from the vestry into the old chancel, particularly during the singing of the psalms?
Not at Stogursey but somewhere I used to play had a choir that to all intents and purposes created the same experience.
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I would like to get in touch with the French composer/organist Jean Dominique Pasquet - if anyone can help please PM
Thanks
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There is an excellent small example of his work local to me at West Buckland, Somerset
http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=B00126
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Is it worth a visit?
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.....from the other side of Somerset.
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Can anyone shed some light on the history of Auguste Gern?
As I understand things, he was works superintendent for Cavaille Coll, he came to UK to work on some CC commissions, then the Franco Prussian war broke out and, being a descendant of Berlin, he couldn't return home, nor could he return to France to work, so he stayed in the UK and set up his own organ works.
I would appreciate any pointers on where I could find further information about Gern, and books or studies etc. that are published about him. I've tried Googling him and not a lot turns up.
Many thanks in advance for any information offered.
Phil
Paul Joslin (via BIOS) knows most of what there is to know about Gern
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J-G Ropartz
in The Organ
Posted
I have just got hold of a CD set of his complete (I think) organ music - of it's type and time some of it is rather good. Does anyone play any of it?
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