wolsey

If I understand the SBC newsletter from Jan 2007 correctly, there are new, automated doors concealing the organ. The following comes from Harrison & Harrison's website: "In August 2005 the organ was dismantled and stored in a separate warehouse in Durham. The Hall has been completely reconstructed with improved acoustics; it reopened in June 2007. The organ is being reconfigured to suit the new architectural and acoustic requirements: its depth has been reduced by 1.1m but the basic principles of the layout have been respected. The Great and Swell Organs and the Pedal Principal 32ft (forming the left-hand portion of the organ) have been reinstated, together with the console, and will be followed by the central and right-hand sections at a later date." The SBC's website link is self-explanatory: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/organinfo/ Full details of the how the larger concert platform would affect the organ chamber and the layout of the instrument were provided by the SBC Organ Curator, Willam McVicker, in the 2004-5 RFH Organ Recital Series programme.

Yes indeed. I remember that concert as well; it was televised.

I agree about the Poulenc. Those who treasure the Duruflé/Prêtre recording should ensure that they have the 2003 remastered version in EMI's Great Recordings of the Century series; it's coupled with two other keyboard concertos. Compare it to an older LP-CD transfer, and you'll notice the difference in the sound. John Porter is, to my mind, a much missed player. Having heard him live and in broadcasts, the elan in his playing was unmistakeable.

Yes, immediately after graduating from King's, Cambridge.

...And it was on that same Allen organ at Winchester Cathedral during the Harrison resoration that I was accompanying Blair in B minor. I aimed my right toe at one of the *very* many pistons arrayed on the RH side ready for the final B major chord; I could have sworn blind that my foot was correctly positioned. Instead of a thrilling tutti complete with 32' reed, the choir's "Amen" was underpinned with the strings and 32' flue which another organist had used to adorn the end of Rutter's 'The Lord bless you and keep you' which had been sung by the choir at the morning service.

Enjoy!

Ralph Davier? There were recordings of him playing the RAH organ in the early 70s, and I heard him (according to the recital programme in front of me) at Westminster Cathedral on 28 August 1974.

Have you not been watching lately? Daleks can now fly, so I wouldn't put it past them...

Incidentally, many happy returns to Lucian Nethsingha who's 71 today.

George Guest was the first organ student (1947). A list - complete to 1994 - appears in his book 'A Guest at Cambridge' (Paraclete Press 1994) No. Lincoln College, Oxford, then Corpus Christi, Cambridge

I was going to mention Richard Popplewell and [Professor] Hugh McLean, but happily the photo in the link does that for me. For what its worth, Philip Ledger (b.1937) and Lucian Nethsingha (b.1936) - contemporaries of Simon Preston (b. 1938) - read music at King's, but didn't hold the organ scholarship.

Under the terms of the Competition Act 1998 which came into force in 2000, neither the ISM - nor any other professional body in any discipline, e.g. architects - may now recommend fees; this applies to the RSCM as well. It is permissible, however, to publish the results of a survey of fees (independently conducted) charged by members, and the ISM Information Sheet link which you mention is indeed a survey of fees charged by ISM members working as professional organists in places of worship between September 2004 and September 2005. As you'll see at the link, the survey was carried out by the Statistical Services Centre at Reading University; associations which hitherto recommended fees are not allowed to conduct these surveys.

People have beliefs and opinions, of course, and this is the place for them. This thread, however, covers a more serious subject than others here, touching on matters of both employment and canon law, and affecting a good many of us. It is also good that discussion on the topic has benfited from the contributions of lawyers such as Barry Williams who has corrected some inaccuracies which have muddied or confused the discussion. On this particular thread then, the snipe at the RCO was out of place and unhelpful.

Of course it has. But it doesn' t justify the posting on this thread of what is arguably an untruth, and I was inviting a substantiation of the comment.

Pardon? What's the basis for this claim?

Not sure why the 'newer qualifications' should be treated less seriously; I can't imagine the assessment criteria are less rigorously applied. As Adrian Lucas has said, Davidb, a respected teacher is essential, and why not download the details of the RCO's examination requirements and see for yourself what is assessed in the College's five diplomas/certificate, as well as the objectives of each examination. The descriptors for the mark bands of all the examinations are also available for you and everyone else to see. Remember, as well, that the CertRCO, ARCO and FRCO are now modular, and the sections of these examinations can be entered *separately*.

For what it's worth, both these organs were designed by Sidney Campbell.

I don't recall David Hill recording the Vierne with the Westminster Cathedral choir. Are you thinking of his Langlais Messe Solennelle recording?