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Sanderman26

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Posts posted by Sanderman26

  1. On 11/05/2020 at 18:50, SomeChap said:

    Leo van Doeselaar is titular organist at the Martinikerk in Groningen, organist at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw (did I spell that right?), and I think he is (was?) also organist at the Pieterskerk in Leiden, with its awesome 17th-Century van Hagerbeer organ, still with Blokwerk on the Hoofdmanuaal.   He has quite a CV, to put it mildly!

    AllofBach is surely one of the best things to happen in my lifetime.  (It's even a bit too good to be true, all being available freely to everyone.... I can't help wondering if there's someone a bit shady paying for it all, but that could just be me being paranoid!) They are using a nice selection of Dutch organists for the project, Doeselaar is perhaps their primus inter pares but there are others as well.  I really enjoyed some I didn't know previously - for example Reitze Smits playing BWV662 on an organ not familiar to me or Bart Jacobs playing BWV545 at Haarlem or Dorien Schouten playing BWV578 on the Koororgel at Kampen. I also enjoy the interviews with the players about each piece.

    The concerted works are phenomenally good as well - we watched their Matthew Passion on Good Friday and it was sublime.  ETA:  Doeselaar does a lot of their continuo organ playing, often on 'real' organs rather than box organs - eg the short but spectacular motet Nun Ist Das Heil BWV50 at the Maartinikerk Groningen.

    Yes, you spelled Amsterdam Concertgebouw correctly 🙂

    This organ you're not familiar with (played by Reitze Smits) is the Bätz organ of the Evangelisch Lutherse kerk in The Hague, a very fine instrument built in 1762. The young Mozart is said to have visited the organ in 1765. Details: http://www.hetbatzorgel.nl/het-orgel/orgel-dispositie/

    But on topic, talking about YouTube and the magnificent organ of Martinikerk Groningen: I can encourage to visit this concert by 4 organists (Leo van Doeselaar, Erwin Wiersinga, Stef Tuinstra and Sietze de Vries) 

     

  2. Saturday, February 25, Keble College Oxford at 8 pm:

    The new Tickell organ http://www.tickell-organs.co.uk/KebleCollegeOxford.htm

     

    Keble-photo_000.jpg

     

    Four centuries of Dutch organ music

     

    Toccata – Marius Monnikendam (1896-1977)

     

    Echo Fantasia – Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621)

     

    Psalm 24 (3 verses) – Anthonie van Noordt (? – 1675)

     

    Fantasie-Sonate nr. 2 – Samuel de Lange Sr. (1811-1884)

    (Maestoso – Andante – Allegro con fuoco)

     

    Transcription über die Arie „Agnus Dei“ aus der h moll-Messe von J.S. Bach, op. 16 nr. 3 – Johannes Barend Litzau (1822-1893)

     

    Premier Choral – Hendrik Andriessen (1892-1981)

     

    Aeolsharfe, op. 54/6 – Gerard Bunk (1888-1958)

     

    Nos récits rythmeront nos louanges – Dick Sanderman (*1956)

     

    ------

     

     

    Afterwards, I will have a short break in London from Monday 27 to Wednesday, February 29. Does anyone have suggestions for accessing organs in London? I have been able to make an appointment at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, but my schedule has room for more organs.

     

    Dick

  3. Tonight in Oxford:

     

    Keble College Music Society presents the internationally acclaimed improviser, composer, conductor, and organist Alexander Mason improvising to Lon Chaney's silent movie masterpiece "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925).

     

    Come and enjoy this classic black and white horror movie in the Neo-Gothic setting of the splendid Keble College Chapel accompanied by the newly installed Keble pipe organ in its full glory.

     

    Tickets (on the door):

    Free for Keble students

    £5 for other students / concessions

    £10 for general public

     

    211155_234805873245573_1603391834_n.jpg

  4. There are instances where you find that it is possible to transfer everything to the Positive keyboard. It perhaps was a tradition in making a huge solo line for the leading of singing using a strong and fundamental accompaniment that also helped the solo line - the RP being positioned nearest to the congregation.

    That's exactly right. Most Dutch organs were built solely to accompany the congregational singing, not for playing organ literature. To accompany the hymn singing, the Cornet of the Rugpositief was a vital stop. This stop is able to lead the singing congregation. The accompaniment was played on the Great. Great was coupled to the Rugpositief, so the sound of the Rugpositief (with that loud Cornet in it) was enforced with the Great pleno.

     

    Cheers,

    Dick

  5. Impressive? Yes, in its way. Good gallery position and a bold tone.

     

    I was kindly allowed to use it for personal practice for a few years 1995-7ish, and ended up giving a few recitals upon it (by kind permission) in the fringe of the Cheltenham Festival. I also got called in to accompany a few evening chapel services from time to time - great fun they were - a good chapel choir, excellent director of music, a terrific 'congregation' and a 100% 'take no prisoners' attitude to rhythm!

     

    The Chapel is splendid - anyone who has seen 'If' by Lindsay Anderson has seen it - a large bright, open, neo-perpendicular barn. The organ is largely an old Norman and Beard, with later Harrison and Harrison additions. It's fairly thick in tone, but a 'stonker' and that's definitely what the chapel needs because of the 'congregation' as above and the way that they really sing. I'm sure Cheltenham College is not rare in this (even these days), hearty singing, especially after good days on the sports field was traditional where I grew up as well.

     

    The chapel acoustic is good, sandstone walls and either a slate or marble floor IIRC. Generally the organ sounds more impressive that it should by rights. I don't honestly think there is one single really attractive stop on it, but it all hangs together pretty well. The Choir division is fairly gentle, no baroque positive here even with the box open. Almost the most useful stop on the choir is the Transfer that brings the Great Reeds across. It's a Basil Harwood or Harold Darke organ - apart from the later Mixtures which stand apart a bit. H&H don't have a good record when it comes to adding mixtures on top of older work - take the Wells Mixtures (forgive me if they've been improved in the last ten years, they used to be shocking!) or the 1970s ones at Redcliffe! This organ to my ears sounds a bit like the N&B at Norwich Cathedral, and that's not universally popular either. Even so, if one was giving a recital in Cheltenham, the 'Boys' College, as it's sometimes called, or St.Gregory's RC Church, which is a strict neo-classical two-decker by Sebastian Blank (Dutch) from the 1980s would have the two best instruments for the purpose. Chalk and cheese of course.

     

    If they've got any sense, they'll leave it alone. A while back there used to be a small two-manual tracker elsewhere in the school, I don't know if that's still there. Hope this helps. Friendly place, or at least it used to be!

     

    I totally agree. As my son was the college organ scholar at Cheltenham College during last year, I heard and played the instrument several times. Exactly as Cynic says, the organ is not very special but it works perfectly for the college services.

    There is no two-manual tracker elsewhere in the school anymore. And yes, it's still a friendly place! I really enjoyed my visits to Cheltenham College Chapel!

  6. I get the impression that he is well known for his performances of Bach, but none - or almost none are available on CD yet.

    Not really. Here in Holland Willem is known as a specialist in modern organ repertoire, from Messiaen to the most recent compositions.

    Can't remember I ever heard him playing any Bach.

  7. Good luck David, hope you enjoy it and manage to get home. Unfortunately I could get neither ferry not Eurostar tickets when I enquired on Saturday morning so I won't be there. The good news is that Johan is running this tour (based in Groningen and including several Arp Schnitger instruments) again either later in the year or next year so there is an opportunity for other board members to particpate.

     

    If anybody has thought about an organ tour in Europe but been unsure about whether they will be well-organised and based in decent accommodation, I can thoroughly recommend Dutch Organ Tours.

    This week's tour is not cancelled, but starts with a small group of only 11 people. I'll play the organs in Noordbroek and Uithuizen for them on Wednesday.

     

    Dick

  8. In desperation - I have to play a funeral Monday at 10.00 am and they want "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" and "I heard the voice of Jesus say" neither of which I can get my hands on - any help? (They also want Jerusalem (Parry))

     

     

    Deus in ajdutorium meum intende

     

    Peter

    For "I heard the voice of Jesus say": one of these tunes? http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/i/h/iheardtv.htm

     

    And for the Sunbeam: http://www.biblestudycharts.com/CH_Jesus_W..._A_Sunbeam.html

     

    Hope this helps,

     

    Dick

  9. Anybody got a copy of de Klerk's "Ten Organworks"? Or possibly just the Aria and Toccata (which I think are in this collection). My Dutch contacts tell me it is out of print.

    As far as I know, it's out of print indeed.

    Making a scan isn't illegal than, is it?

    I can do that if you wish.

     

    Dick

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