AJJ

'Would do exactly what you have done re the 4 stop except I would enclose the whole lot in a decent and artistic looking swell box - if you are doing the Romantics then this would be all part of the 'ambience' etc. even though it would cost more. The 4' flute could also even be harmonic for part of it's compass if you want something particularly lush. AJJ

I seem to remember him doing a demo LP recording on an Allen somewhere around then - very good playing - wasn't he based in Brighton at some point? AJJ

This instrument has a complete division en chamade including smaller reeds - unusual in an organ so relatively small. These stops however were very useful in that position and surprisingly versatile - no geriatric croakers here. The RP pipework is 'historic' - an ingenious solution to preservation yet achieving more resources. Incidentally - this (along with many others) was a real 'ear opener' when I visited Denmark (some 20 years ago now) - amazing sounds on amazing actions - like nothing I had ever heard in the UK - even a 1950s Frobenius - 3 man 50 stops - totally unenclosed - one of the best Bach recitals I've heard 'live' - despite the fact that the Passacaglia was played on full organ from start to finish! AJJ

Isn't a Vieja an old lady - in Spanish (if I remember my 'O' level days properly) - presumably a slightly more characterful sounding version of a Vox Humana and protruding from the case. Now there's a thought! AJJ

Of course! AJJ

Wouldn't that be an interesting starting point for a new instrument - the 'Grove' that is. AJJ

Ditto! AJJ

The only thing I can think of remotely approaching (albeit relating to a generation behind and on mechanical action mostly) is this - I see what you mean! AJJ

Here it is - from OR advert from Nicholsons - GREAT Double D. 16 Open I 8 Open II 8 Harm. F. 8 St. D. 8 Gamba 8 Oct 4 Pr 4 Wald F. 4 12th 2-2/3 15th 2 17th 1-3/5 Fourniture 2 IV Sh Mix 2/3 III C. Posaune 16 Pos. 8 Clar. 4 WEST GREAT Pr 8 Oct 4 S' Oct 2 Mix 2 V SWELL C. Salicional 16 Open 8 St. Flute 8 Salic. 8 V. C. 8 Pr. 4 Nason F. 4 15th 2 Mix 2 III Plein Jeu I-1/3 IV D. Trumpet 16 Cornop. 8 Oboe 8 Clar. 4 Trem. CHOIR Bdn. 16 Open 8 Bdn. 8 Pr. 4 Chimney F. 4 Nazard 2-2/3 15th 2 Block F 2 Tierce 1-3/5 Larigot 1-1/3 Mix. 1-1/3 III Cremona 8 Trem. SOLO C. Gamba 16 Viol d'O 8 Viole C. 8 Hohl F. 8 Octave V. 4 Harm. F. 4 Harm. P. 2 Vox H. 8 Cor Ang. 8 Corno di B. 8 Trem. Orch Tpt. 8 Tuba 8 (Unenclosed) PEDAL Double O.W.32 O.W. 16 Violone 16 O. D (Gt) 16 Gamba (So) 16 Bdn. 16 Echo Bdn. (Ch) 16 Oct. 8 Pr. 8 Bass F. 8 15th 4 Mix. 4 III C. Tromb. 32 Bombarde 16 Tromb. 16 D. Tpt. (Sw) 16 Bombarde Clarion 8 Trumpet 8 Divided each side of the choir - presumably electric/electro pneumatic action. No Pipework from previous used - ' not sure about where the 'West' organ is going - ' nothing said about the pulpitum where the Positive currently resides. Ready for Easter 2010 Is this post neo.... Pierre? - as far as one can tell anything from a stoplist that is. They have throw out all the old work - and wasn't there some Hope Jones in there somewhere too? AJJ

The new Landaff spec. is shown in the latest Organists' Review (no time to quote here now but maybe later) - Solo that would make Arthur Harrison proud - romantic English style Swell and Great (2 Opens etc.) - middle of the road Choir - lots of wood in the lower regions and big pedal reeds etc. Also 3 stop West Great. Plenty of mixture work and mutations though. What does anyone who has seen it think? Is this the reform of the reform? AJJ

Most of the organs I play around here are variations on this though with a proper Oboe 8 - as Colin`says, they are ideal for most things they are called upon to do. AJJ

Back in the late '70s we used this organ for concerts - the combined forces of the Uni. Choral Soc., Southampton Philharmonic Choir and usually one of the Bournemouth orchestras - everything from the Britten War Requiem to Messiah. Mostly the organ was played then by Robin Bowman from the University Music Dept. a fearsomely splendid player - now better known for his work on French Song. It coped with much that was put before it including the continuo and 'padding out' parts of Messiah. Not quite an organ played by Handel but it did the job well - I seem to remember the lighter choruses as being decidedly sprightly. 'Never touched the theatre side console - it wasn't the done thing for us seriously musical types at the time!!! AJJ

Sutton Veny near Warminster. AJJ

!!!!! Off to France now. A

And we'd probably be the worse off if you did not remind us every so often of our responsibilities! AJJ

There is a large ammount of N&B and HN&B pipework still there - to preserve this was part of the rationale of the Klais work. Whether they succeded or not is another matter but it could be suggested that there is more genuine 'English Romantic-ness' around in Bath than in Worcester. I could not possibly comment however.....! Also...I try to avoid the 'theirs and ours' - having an eye and an ear for good music on a fine instrument mostly allows me enthuse about whatever. I can get as much pleasure from Kings College Cambridge as from St John's College Oxford. I know what you mean though Paul and I was being ever so slightly tongue in cheek! AJJ

Consider thoughts thoroughly provoked! When you come to hear Worcester come and see the spa too...and the Klais. A :)

As ever Pierre I see your point - set out very succinctly. But the fact is that there is a splendid new instrument sitting in Worcester Cathedral (which possibly in another 100 years others could be having a similar discussion about) - it has been designed by those who will be using it (for the time being at least) and by those who have experience of planning such matters. The relevant authorities who allow for such things to happen have allowed the project to go through (and they are often the hardest to please - numerous examples can be quoted of failed attempts but this is not the place to air these) and presumably the old material has been removed in an acceptable manner too - certainly I have not heard to the contrary. Throughout the process Adrian L. has been generous and open at all stages of the building work and has also answered questions as they have been put to him. As one of our senior cathedral musicians I would find it very hard to accuse him of leading an instance of philosophical or ethical vandalism! Having for the last nearly 20 years had 'second hand' experience of the planning and conservation issues relating to a World Heritage Georgian city not a million miles from where we live I have come across many of your arguments in different guises. Similarly here the fact remains though that in the middle of the above city sits a brand new spa resource which kicked up many of your points made above when it was being planned (and ok went miles over budget too) but is now quite a splendid part of the 'cityscape'. And to play devils advocate there is also a splendid Klais organ less than half a mile from the above new Spa that replaced something that from the 'total' musical point of view could only be described as dodgy (however good parts of it were to - play with hands and feet sounding at different synchronations on pipework assembled in a very haphazard way is not musical however anyone views the ethics of the matter)! As to riding up our road in your car - if ever you do please drop in for a chat first but I am not quite sure that your argument here quite fits the Worcester discussion - running someone over is not really the same as a considered approach to a musical need is it? AJJ

'Daft question maybe but how come there was no problem with this in the days of John Dykes Bower, William Harris et al - no doubt the answer is a simple one but all the same.......? AJJ

Ditto Tomas Trotter, Simon Preston, Thomas Murray etc. AJJ

Me too - personally though I would rather the music spoke for itself - I find all the theatricals too much of a distraction - some of it even brings to mind much of the likes of the nude organist on Monty Python! No wonder we are looked on as being a rather strange breed - and just look at some of the 'write ups' in the AGO mag. - recitals round about Halloween where the players dress up as witches etc - 'can't imagine DGW or Dr Bate doing that! OK Cameron Carpenter has a superb and solid technique - in the same way as Virgil Fox etc. but the rest is surely for effect - somewhere along the line 'publicity' is kicking in. What is more I would suggest that there are many others with similar talent who are less well known because they do not indulge themselves quite as much. I may be totally wrong and I would not wish to diminish in any way CC's (Carpenter that is - not anyone else alive or not with those initials!) work which seems to be totally sincere and in it's way aimed firmly in a musical direction. Mind you - that multi fangled machine at Trinity Church NYC must be a temptation for anyone to take liberties - that with all the lighting effects and the slick operation that seems to publicise music there. Oooer - I think I am turning into a grumpy old man!! AJJ

I find this also - and since the arrival of my home 'machine' even more so - ditto at church too. AJJ

Oops! A

..and (cop out perhaps) my choir work now is solely at school - in 'church mode' I do not deal with the choir other than play - I am lucky that my Rector trains them etc. - a good cooperative arrangement. AJJ

Thank heavens for some practical sense - 'must be Hampshire or something - many sing enthusiastically at my 11 - 16 school - the Year 6s were singing when I went and spent a morning with them just before the end of term - the younger ones were also singing when I visited them. There is masses to trawl from now it has become a 'national initiative' - just look at the Sing Up website though sorry - there are MP3 backing files around should anyone wish to use them. I think that the problem with church music is with some of the churches and with some of the people that inhabit them. I still get the feeling from some of the contributions here that it is felt that if we in schools did our job properly then church choirs would be full of musically literate, liturgically educated, repertoire wise top notch vocalists. Here where we live - the main town church choir (full SATB plus matching repertoire) faded quietly some years ago and they use an electronic piano plus 'worship leader' - 4 or 5 people now make up the choir and the congregation is almost as large and quite aged. Another of the four churches has an instrumental group etc. and because of its 'tradition' is full and noisy. The other two churches have choirs - one adult and one (where I am about to deputize) has youngsters too. The DOM here is an ARCO etc. and has a background in junior schools - the music is of a good standard, the choir well attended, concerts take place etc. and there is a real buzz about the place. I have said this before - the youngsters vote with their feet - if they enjoy the singing, feel challenged and respect the person in charge then they will sing - after that it is up to us! AJJ