AJJ

For 30K you can also be DOM at Newcastle Cathedral. AJJ

A friend recently brought me back a CD of this machine - some interesting sounds on there too - 'not at all what I expected. AJJ

I think Lance Foy/Michael Farley rebuilt it last - a contact with one of them might get the required info. AJJ

Nice! AJJ

Do get to this if you can - my local OA are involved and they do masses of work to keep this organ high profile. These concerts are usually good! AJJ

But having looked at the spec. - do you find that you really need all that this instrument offers? From a totally personal POV if I had one I would spend more time tinkering with the huge choice of 'alternatives' (what actually is a Rhodes Piano or a Flauto Cavo?) and do no practice at all. I have had a Wyvern Sonata fpr two years now and despite tempations I only bought something that would do what a pipe organ could do. Apart from the rather useless 'Auto Bass' and some quite handy parameter changing controls it can not change into Notre Dame de Paris, a typical Silbermann or even the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Consequently (most of) my time on it is spent (mostly) on the music - just a thought! AJJ

Interestingly - the church in Bristol where the current (excellent) Sydney DOM was previously incumbent had it's organ rebuilt not that long ago with added 'ammunition' presumably to give it more clout - I would guess not only because of the enthusiastic singing of the very large (and seemingly as evangelical as Sydney Cath.) congregations there but also for the repertoire too. To give them their due though - they manage to maintain all aspects of things with the expected guitars etc. as well as the 'trad.' and it does not seem as if the same attitude prevails there as was reported in the article above from the Dean of Sydney. (I seem to remember that his brother is the Bishop/Archbishop and that some quite choice remarks were made regarding significant points of discussion at the recent Lambeth conference.) Certainly though, Sydney has had it's share of controversy 'musicwise' in the past. This makes quite interesting reading from the former DOM there. AJJ

If the RAM names look marginally 'bigger' in general the RCM staff, in their fields are as strong. Sometimes a 'big name' organist will not necessarily be a more effective teacher. If I were young again and decidedly more adept I would probably sign up for both but with specific repertoire/technical requirement aimed at each establishment! AJJ

Many years ago when I was young and impressionable I heard it - very much on it's last legs - much rushing wind, opaque louder registrations but some nice quiet stuff. It was jammed in up to the roof and seemed far too big for the building. (I remember when the Metzler went in the Prof. of Music where I was studying played it with the then DOM Richard Marlow and was very impressed - and he did not give out praise unless it was really necessary.) AJJ

Reply by PM AJJ

Thanks! A

This DVD looks really exciting and I will probably buy it based on the youtube evidence - the organ at Waldsassen has been mentioned elsewhere on the 6 manuals topic but does anyone have a link to a spec. please? Also - I have not heard of Maxime Patel before but he seems to have a fearsome technique - does anyone know his background? AJJ

I have a transcription of Fanfare for the Common Man that works well and usually raises a few eyebrows. AJJ

We visited there sometime ago and it looked distictly cluttered - stuff everywhere! AJJ

With our host I think? AJJ

'Found it now - thanks! It looks fun. A

What is going in there Peter? A

I was interested to read about the following. This - the largest mechanical action instrument by an American builder in the 20th Century when installed in 1967 and an important element not only in US organ buildng but also in the work of the Fisk company is to be replaced by this in 2012. The confined 'chancel' (Appleton Chapel) area is to be restored including the opening up of a window now behind the older organ. In consequence the new organ will be built on the gallery of the main church (where the choir now sings from at the main Sunday services) and a 1929 Skinner organ installed in the original Appleton Chapel side chambers to accompany smaller daily services etc. The new organ will be named the Charles B. Fisk Memorial Organ - Fisk having been a Harvard alumnus and will be designed for 'choral accompaniment, hymn support and for organ music in services and concerts'. Interestingly Fisk originally wanted the older organ to be in the position the new one is to occupy - it it's present position it has always had to shout to be heard in the main building yet also needing to be subtle to accompany voices. Looking at the two stoplists and all that Fisk has done in between it is significant that the new organ has a much more 'romantic' and almost 'churchy' look to it's stoplist - as has been commented on in thse pages and elsewhere - styles do seem to go in cycles. The old organ is not being disposed of totally however - it is to be intalled in another church. Maybe one or two places over here could do with the same treatment - Jesus College Cambridge seems to have done something similar - certainly, a new instrument together with related re housing of the previous seems preferable to trying to alter an organ with a strong identity (the older Fisk being such an instrument) to suit new needs etc. Furthermore it also means that instruments of character and undoubted use such as the little 3 man. Mander from Jesus College are preserved and can be appreciated elsewhere. What do people think? AJJ

Congratulations David! A

Similarly 'If ye Love Me' by Tallis on Classic FM (ok - I listen to it in the car!) with the Sixteen performing almost like the Swingles and King's Singers combined. The 'lower voices' version was good but the seemless 'soft focus' sound was decidedly off putting. (Sometimes there is a boys choir on Songs of Praise that I find has the same visual effect.) Maybe this is what people want to hear these days rather than a search for so called 'authenticity'. AJJ

I quite like this and this. Great Yarmouth - St. Nicholas PC (S. Dykes Bower) and Birmingham - St. Chad's Cathedral (David Graebe). The first purely a facade but incredibly 'pseudo - whatever' (just waitig for something daring on mechanical action!) and the second totally functional etc. and mighty impressive in the building - both visually and sound wise. AJJ

Yes but doesn't the next bit about 'noble Diapasons.....our cathedral organs' etc. show where he was really coming from? I think you are probably correct Pierre but not altogether sure whether it was what RVW (FRCO too) meant - certainly not back then! AJJ

...mind you, with terminology things can get quite fanciful! - see here on the 'Recit' - ok it is a reed but there is a Salicet present also. AJJ

...and also 'Dulcet' seems to have been used mostly as the term for a 4' by the Harrisons, Walkers etc. in an early/mid 20th C scheme - sometimes when an extended rank is present - similar with 'Dulcetina' for the 2'. 'Not sure whether Greene etc. would have called it 'Dulcet' though - 'can't quite work out whether Sumner means that or just that Greene liked 4' Dulcianas! AJJ

Nice idea too. Re Dulcianas - coincidentally I had a happy hour here last week while on holiday in Norfolk. The Snetzler pipework sounded incredible - I could have taken the Dulcianas and the German Flute home with me! AJJ