AJJ

St Albans is in my opinion a really rather splendid instrument - you just need to use your ears rather than preconceived ideas when registering on it. Many years ago I sang there - along with about 1,000 other 'youths' with Simon Lindley at the console - it managed to keep the whole of that massive nave 'going' without the advantage of the soon to be added triforium section and it still sounded perfectly civilized. At the hands of Hurford it could sound magical in everything from Couperin to Franck - likewise with Simon Johnson the present assistant when 'backing up' their choir. It will be even better when its soon to be done restoration/enlargement work has been completed. Don't forget it wasn't just Downes - Peter Hurford had a large ammount of input and the minor adjustments to the mixtures since then have taken an ammount of youthful 'zing' away to good advantage. AJJ

It's all here http://www.lawrencephelps.com/ AJJ

My lot got this today - very well received!! AJJ

These look very much of their time though not having played or heard either can't really comment on just a stoplist. Interesting however is the 2' Great flute instead of an expected 15th (that was often the 'done thing' at that time - in the way of 'decomposing' Cornets etc.) and the 'perky' effects suggested by the rather skeletal choruses, mutations, quintadenas and other exotica floating about slightly illogically. The Stafford organ has been mentioned here before in the context (if I remember correctly) of the H & H at the other end of the building - I believe that H, N & B used bass sharing to fit it all into the case - on electric action too! AJJ

Isn't it right though that in some cases a high (often with tierce) Cimbel type mixture could be used in a solo context for colouristic bell like effects in which its foundations could therefore be flutes. There is a newish Peter Collins organ in a private house somewhere in N Wales where Roger Fisher recorded some Bach a few years ago where he used this sort of effect in a RH obligato type part in a chorale prelude and the effect was quite magical. My historical knowlege is sketchy on this but some of the recent renaissance/early baroque 'recreations' in Germany/Scandinavia have this kind of possibility - maybe this is what the 60s/70s builders got wrong when they tried to bolt on little 'toy' Positifs to Victorian/Edwardian instruments over here. AJJ

Yes. AJJ

I have a couple of CDs played by an Australian chap whose name I have temporarily forgotten that make me feel the same - superb technique but repertoire full of Haydn Trumpet Concerti and William Tell Overture etc. - one can get too much of it! AJJ

'Can vouch for this - the Paris organ as a whole is a veritable sonic treasure chest! AJJ

Ingenious - a bit like the 16 Bourdon on the Swell at Bath Abbey which from somewhere not too far up from the bass becomes a Quintaton in disguise. Early on we couldn't work out where the distinctive sounds where coming from till Peter King let on. It works well. AJJ

A slight interest to declare here as my mother in law lives in Topsham and I have known the organist at St Margaret's Church Topsham for many years though not been in contact for a few now. He runs a thriving music department and over the years has kept things at a consistently high standard. The Nicholson was to have been (is still to be?) rebuilt there (or so I was reliably told) by Michael Farley but lack of money to complete the project is possibly the issue at the moment. The present Hele organ there is in my opinion (having played it on a large number of occasions) rather horrid having more impact in the street outside than in the body of the church. I will see if I can get any more up to date information! As an aside - Roger Yates was also involved with this organ when first installed in Plymouth though I suspect not on the tonal side. AJJ

Interestingly also the Choir and smaller Solo reeds seem to have changed since the initial spec. where they were shared. AJJ

Have a look here for phase 1. http://www.tickell-organs.co.uk/specInfo/Worcesterspec.htm AJJ

'Good idea! AJJ

If I were a butterfly..................'can't remember the rest but I can't stand it! AJJ

It was the pride and joy of the late Denis Osborne - organist at St Michael's - he opened the instrument up at 10.00 one morning and showed me where to leave the key when I had finished. I was there till early afternoon! The Wyvern there now is almost the same spec. as the Nicholson which incidentally was voiced by Roger Yates with John Dykes Bower as consultant - I seem to remember. AJJ PS Sorry - this is off topic!

My wife gave me the Simon Preston complete JSB organ works for my birthday - all 14 cds - I'd better take those to Mars or wherever. Exciting stuff!! AJJ

I must have missed this - shame really as he wrote a lot of sense! AJJ

And there's also Brecon with David Gedge going next year. AJJ

Prelude Modale - Langlais before and Toccata - Timothy Miller after. AJJ

Greetings folks - good to be back! AJJ

What about the Mozart Church Sonatas? - get their strings to play - these pieces are quite light - good to listen to & one (can't remember the key - possibly F) is like a mini organ concerto. They are published not too expensively and all the string parts come too. One of my former A Level students played it with a school string group. Not British or German but 'would combine you & orchestra. AJJ

Something I have found - these days playing mostly small or medium sized instruments without pistons or with Victorian type iron composition pedals - I tend to register far more by hand than ever I used to - even when pistons are available. AJJ

.........though I would be quite interested to know, for instance how players manage on an instrument such as St Peter's Ruthin where at the last rebuild Willis (in its present guise) added a single row of generals (quite a lot) possibly duplicated by pedals. This sounds quite an interesting idea - with multiple levels. A more continental approach perhaps. AJJ