AJJ

I used to be a member of my local rural based association for a number of years - numbers were/still are low and not a lot goes on - 'mainly (in my opinion anyway) the fault of the council and similar things to those outlined above. I now belong to a city based association some distance to the west of here - they have an excellent website, organise good outings etc., sponsor recitals and even go abroad on occasions. They have even contributed to the upkeep of the above city's 1956 H & H concert organ and keep recitals on it very high profile in the area and indeed nationally. I do not get to many meetings (family etc.) but the rather neatly produced newsletter makes up for that and my Organists' Review comes as part of the membership package. Above all it seems to be taken seriously in the area, has a good number of cathedral (and similar) musicians on board and is therefore flourishing. It all seems to depend on where one is and who is willing to get and keep things going. AJJ

I was brought up on 'sprit' but always felt it to be rather twee. The service was good - I got home early enough to listen on my new DAB - very clear and balanced. I enjoyed the Harvey anthem - 'reminded me of his composition sessions at Southampton in the late 70s - I am sure he used to dispair at my Stainer-like creations but was always too polite to say it out loud! AJJ

'Will have a look after school tonight & see what I can unearth! AJJ

'Spotted this today - another Downes scheme rebuilt/restored with a few extras added. Interesting (see elsewhere) to see the Swell Cimbel going back albeit with a Mixture as well. I think it looks as if it is going to be good - especially the augmented Great reeds and the C de B available at 8' on the Choir. It is a really splendid organ as it stands but this will add flexibility and grandeur - also the much needed 32' reed. In the past every stop has had to pay its way in the vast nave so the Nave organ will help too. I've known this organ since I was a child (home diocesan cathedral etc. - visiting choir once a year latterly being allowed to play before/after the service) have heard it in action at the Organ Festival, in services and backing up a full house at the Easter youth pigrimage and it never ceases to amaze - it also plays like a dream! http://www.harrison-organs.co.uk/stalbanspec.html AJJ

Sorry - a bit of self publicity - please see Organist's Review, November 1993 p 307 following. I can supply a copy if needs be but as it was not done on a pc it will have to be a photocopy. the result of quite a lot of research - one or two small mistakes discovered since but there is as much as Elvin found. AJJ I also did a piece on Newquay for 'The Organ' - in its former manifestation I hasten to add not the journal as it is now! I can not remember the exact date and all my copies are boxed up while the builders are here but could find a copy if necessary too.

There are touches (I think anyway) of big film score stuff in the quieter sections and in the last movement when it really gets going - after the more academic start - also in one of the other movements where he uses antiphonal effects with the reeds in a sort of scherzo. There is also an amazing section where all the bells etc. are used. I play some of the real Star Wars music occasionally - from a piano score - the main theme etc. One of the JAV CDs also has some recorded though I can't remember which. The Hancock CD is worth having for the improvisations alone though - quite 'considered' and almost Marcel Dupre like in places - not very 'Cochereau' though. It was recorded at a live recital so there is a touch of the 'audiece pleaser' about it - but that's not really so bad! AJJ

Mind you - at the end of the improvised symphony from Gerre Hancock recorded there recently by JAV it comes over pretty impressively. I wonder whether they will keep it when the whole lot is 'rejigged' soon? AJJ PS The Hancock improvisation is very impessive too - everything from Marcel Dupre to quasi Star Wars!!

Are we sure it isn't a Kebab? AJJ

We had one put on here in '84. It is rather unconventional but sounds very nice - it has projection but blends well into the tutti - can solo well against the Great (being on the Swell manual and therefore central in the case - the Great/Pedal being didvided C/C#) or works chordally with the rest of the Swell chorus. It can also function as a cantus firmus effectively from the Pedal - the 8' reed there being smaller and more an adjuct to the more 'homely' 16' Bassoon. http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N07978 AJJ

I've not heard it though would guess that the flue work would be quite tame so the contrast between the horizontal reed and the rest might be quite marked. The re opening day at St Annes Limehouse (older G & D but similar on paper at least except for the chamade) is coming up and it will be interesting to hear also how that has done after the recent Bill Drake restoration. Last time I played there - even in its then rather faded state the Great and Pedal reeds were absolutely incredible. No surprise perhaps that Thomas Trotter will be playing some Widor in the opening recital. http://www.londonorgan.co.uk/stanneslimehouse.htm http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N16712 I've never heard the Bradford organ - it looks a little odd on paper at least. Maybe the Rev. Tony can enlighten us - I seem to remember some mention of it here before though. AJJ

Here is the G & D at Usk - Chamade still in place and all restored recently by Nicholson I believe. This is the organ that used to be at Llandaff. http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N09835 AJJ PS Bradford Cathedral has one too - if diminutive - judging from the photo!! http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/PSearch...dex=A00542&no=2

I play the Kodaly (the only time I have artistically used a crescendo pedal - at St Mary's Southampton as a student - to register this) and my former teacher David K Patrick (not David M Patrick who recorded French music at Buckfast and Coventry etc.) has given recitals on the Adema organ on a number of occasions being aquainted with Bernard Bartelink for many years. It is very fine! AJJ

No - it was a piece from one of the Mayhew volumes - the piece was a Toccata by Robert Jones and the volume entitled 'Fiesta'. AJJ

'Played under the influence of a double dose of Benylin day & night 'flu cure on Sunday - flower festival etc. The rather nice newish communion setting by our esteemed local cathedral DOM was decidedly more spiced with 'quasi Langlais' harmonies than usual and the tune Guiting Power for the final hymn sounded even more like something from the first night of an RSCM course than it usually does - at a reasonable speed though. The semiquavers of the final voluntary - even on my one manual - had a life of their own. Strangely the congregation and choir seemed unaware of all this and applauded at the end - although one did think that the piece was the theme from BBC's Casualty! Do any others have experiences of medication (or otherwise) induced services such as this? Only those that can be aired in public though. AJJ PS Before anyone starts a line about hymn tunes I actually think Guiting Power is quite a good tune - it just reminds me of the first night of RSCM courses - along with 'midweek evensong' type Mags. and Nuncs. and anthems by past and present cathedral organists that sound vaguely tudor with the wrong accidentals!

This is indeed a super little instrument - I was lucky enough to meet and talk with the incumbent Ronald Watts (an organist himself) who instigated the Yates work - he was still at the church in the late 70s when I was researching the work of Roger Yates for an OR article. Another contributor to these discussions has also much experience of the organ - hence its mention on quite a few occasions. 'Well worth a visit for anyone in the area - it was a bit in need of TLC last time I was there but I believe in more recent years Lance Foy has taken over its care and it is now in better health. AJJ

The not too pleasant Rushworth at St Michael's Basset in Southampton has some similarly nasty synthetic solo stops derived from extended mutations. http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N11632 Some similar things on the Compton at Downside are also not the nicest noises around either. AJJ

After about 9 years my congregation and Rector are only now getting used to the fact that I play mostly faster than the other rota organists. I am unapologetic about this - I feel that I am employed for my musical, liturgical and interprative skills and if the congregation think I am going too fast then maybe they could sing at their own pace without an organ at all - if they do not feel that this is appropriate then ultimately maybe I am not the organist for them!! Mercifully the Rector is an acomplished musician, he and I can share a joke about speeds etc. and the congregation and choir are appreciative of what I do - seemingly anyway! Seriously though - I see my musical role in the service to lead the congregation musically in an appropriate way for the liturgy - sometimes a democracy is appropriate but equally so sometimes is a dictatorship! The market around here is such that for all those who are not appreciative there are many more who do value one's efforts - at whatever speed. AJJ PS And if they want something slow for a meaningful reason they can ask - and more often than not they get what they want!

Thanks Paul - it looks like fun - I might mention it to my wife tonight and see if we can have one. !! AJJ

It would be interesting to see the spec. Paul - is it on line anywhere? AJJ

''I believe that the old FHW console of LIncoln Cathedral is stored somewhere in the triforium.'' When we lived in Lincoln in the '80s it was on show in the Museum of Lincolnshire Life. AJJ

I one heard (after evensong on an RSCM course in Bath Abbey - years ago) one organist play the first and middle section then another took over and instead of the last section we got the Toccata bit from Dieu Parmi Nous!! It sort of worked. AJJ

I could be right after all! http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=D08090 AJJ

I'd be interested to know where this is now. Somewhere in the back of my mind I seem to remember something about the Chamade ending up at Crewkerne PC - on the rear wall - but this might be completely wrong! Sometime I'll pop down and have a look. AJJ

Too True!! AJJ PS Thanks for the other info. Pierre

Do we know who will build this? My Dutch is not up to trying to find out from the text! AJJ