Martin Cooke

The most important things in hymn accompaniment, especially if the congregation can be depended upon to join in with enthusiasm, as is very often the case in school chapels are: The choice of 'interesting' hymns in the first place - you may not be able to influence this! Choosing the right speed; Playing rhythmically at a steady tempo; Playing the play over - (usually the first few bars) - so as to attract attention and interest with choice of stops, a rhythmic approach from the moment your hands touch the keys - all can be lost from the very first moment if you don't think about this and get it right; You mention transposition. The need for this depends pretty much upon which hymn book you use- hopefully you are not going to need to transpose your first few hymns but there is no doubt it is a very useful skill. You can make hymns sound more alive and interesting by thinking about the key. E major is much more attractive than F. But let's leave transposition for another time. Volume - well you need to start pretty loudly - Great to 15th + Swell to Mixture with or without at least an 8ft Cornopean - but much depends on the organ, the setting and the size of the congregation. 500 adolescent voices ill need more than an elderly congregation of 20 in the village church, obviously. But... it is more about rhythm and trying to infuse for electricity into the music than sheer volume. In a school, as mentioned above, the playover needs to catch the congregation's attention from the start - that means 'loud' or bright. Playing over Ye holy angels bright on Swell 8 and 4 ft diapasons with the box half open, isn't going to do it as it will make them think it's a quiet hymn and they may not bother to join in! Different registrations are normal from verse to verse. Save things like your Great mixtures, especially any sharp mixtures, pedal reeds etc for climaxes. Nothing worse than powerful mixtures screaming away verse after verse. Not sure of the size and scope of your school organ. If you have three or four manuals as I suspect you might, occasional use of a Tuba or other powerful solo reed can be made but this needs very careful practice and nothing you do should mean you have to slow down etc. What, in effect, you will be aiming to do, is solo the melody with on hand on the Tuba - this can be in the tenor range, so with your left hand, or in the treble range, with your right hand. This can help to get the congregation going a bit and is fun in verses that mention trumpets! But, this isn't easy as you will need to cover the harmony of each chord or voice part with your other hand and the pedals - a skill that needs much practice and which can be left for much later. Remember, you are at the start of this process! Speed and rhythm - in a school chapel you probably need to veer slightly towards a faster tempo than a slower one and really it's impossible to advise fully on this in print without knowing what the organ is like, the building is like and what actual hymn we're thinking of. You set the speed in the play over so think this through carefully in the moments before you start playing. Avoid slowing down at the end of the playover. Always try to keep a regular number of beats between the playover and the start of the first verse, and between the verses. Imagine you are playing Hyfrydol... you will play the first 8 bars as the play over and hold the last chord for exactly three beats. Then count three beats' rest and then burst in with the first verse and keep going in strict time. We talk about this as being 3 + 3 and sometimes in other hymns it will be different... 2 + 2, for example. Always work this out in advance. Aim not to slow down at the end of any verses except the last. In general terms, a slightly staccato touch is better in terms of keeping the tempo going than lots of legato. You can vary this by playing legato with your hands but staccato with the feet. Don't forget to follow the words so as to put in occasional breaks mid-line if the sense of the words demands it, and to move without breath from one line to another, again, if the sense demands it. It isn't just a matter of playing the hymn through n times where n = the number of verses! This can be harder than you think sometimes, especially if the congregation don't sing or the organ console is some distance from the singers. Listen to hymns on itunes and Youtube - there are some lovely recordings from Westminster Abbey, St Paul's and other cathedrals. Youtube is especially valuable as unlike in a CD recording, there will actually be a congregation and not just an SATB choir singing. Listen to things like royal weddings, Lady Thatcher's Funeral, HM The Queen's Golden Wedding service in St Paul's etc - all very educational. There's far too much here and I have probably left out some important points - actually, I have seen something recently, I am sure on iRCO about hymn playing. Learn to love your hymn playing and get a buzz from helping your fellow students enjoy it too. I'll leave manuals only voluntaries for another occasion! Hope this is helpful.

Thanks very much for alerting us Vox. A lovely addition to the Elegy repertoire. Martin.

This piece, and a small number of others by Bullock, is available in the RCO library.

I have just caught up with the BBC 1 service from Sheffield Cathedral from Easter morning. You don't need to listen to all of it to appreciate the excellence of the choir. The Jonathan Dove Mass setting is new to me, but it is very exciting indeed and it is given a most convincing performance by the choir and organist of Sheffield. Well worth listening to. Interesting to see the organist wearing headphones to accompany. I can't quite think what the ramifications and effects of this are. Can anyone enlighten me?

Well, good old Folo Paril. Meanwhile, down here in Wiltshire we're reeling from the news that the proposed A303 tunnel to divert traffic away from Stonehenge is no longer going ahead after public consultation. Instead, they're going to move Stonehenge along the A303 and re-erect in on an industrial estate in Wincanton - just behind McDonald's - where it can't be seen from the road and thus there will be no needless slowing down of traffic. Still, that's a bit off-topic... and I am left wondering if the occasional lack of synchronisation between my sound bar and my telly can be resolved by a quick flick to another channel!

Good for you! I think one of the most important things is to make sure you are being taught properly because good pedal technique is so important as you work up through the repertoire. You can get 'away with' all sorts of solecisms at the beginning, but it really is important to be self-disciplined from the start so you don't pick up bad habits from the start. I know... I picked up all those habits, and now, aged 61, I get confounded by them all the time! The next bit of advice I would offer is to find out about things like the St Giles Organ School in London, and Oundle for Organists and then try to attend some of their events if you can so that you mix with other young aspiring organists. You may know all about them already. You mention the RCO. The RCO has completely revolutionised itself in the last ten years or so and they are doing some very exciting things for new young players from which you will undoubtedly benefit if you are able to participate. All of these things will help with your goal of improving as an organist. If you are already familiar with cathedral music, as I suspect you might be, it could do you now harm to get involved in the Eton Choral courses where you will pick up or build upon top-most choir training techniques ready for that organ scholar post... and beyond. Eton also take on a number of organists on their courses each year - not sure of exact details but you can check out their website. I hope that's a help. You need a good primer - perhaps you already have something by CH Trevor or David Sanger of Chris Tambling - I'm no longer sure what to suggest about these sorts of things but other forum members will...

I have discovered that the music was rescued from a skip in Sutton, Surrey.

Thank you for these pointers. Any further ideas, anybody?

Sorry, folks , I know this isn't a church music forum but I hope nobody will mind if I ask for some ideas for anthems to mark St George's Day - we have evensong the day before and any suggestions would be most welcome. Many thanks.

I keep a bit of an eye on eBay and some organ music volumes that I have recently been pleased to buy were the Dupré arrangements of the Handel Organ Concerti. These were owned by someone called G. Copperwheat, and a fair bit of his organ music is for sale on eBay right now. The strange thing is that Mr Copperwheat sought to preserve his music by running strips of sellotape along all the edges of the pages, and sometimes all over the covers. Actually, in a rush of blood to the head, I have just purchased Norman Gilbert's Psalm Fantasy, which in its virgin state would have been one of those pretty Novello editions in pink with the stained glass St Cecilia window on the left side. Well, this gentleman had 'preserved' this piece with sellotape and had also reinforced the covers with large sheets of wallpaper. I realise that back in the 70s I used fablon to cover all my Novello Bach albums and, of course, now, they are all cracked down the spines and in quite a mess. Although I AM actually interested in ways in which other organists seek to preserve their music and go in for fancy bindings etc, what I am wondering about in this thread is if anyone knew or came across G Copperwheat. On line, an Eric William Copperwheat is mentioned - he was organ scholar at Jesus College Cambridge in 1946, just before Peter Hurford. He seems to have got his FRCO whilst at Cambridge, and then gone off to work in New Zealand. But there is no mention of my gentleman. Does anybody happen to have come across him? I suppose he must have died recently - ( Eric William died in 2012) - and now his music is being disposed of.

More info and some photos of early work including some of the new pipework are available now on the H&H website under Gallery, including an up to date Spec. It says that the Transept Organ is going in the North Triforium along with the unenclosed Choir, Solo and new 32ft Open Wood. An interesting accessory is something called 'Tuba Shutters on.'

As referenced in another post about Peter King's forthcoming recital here, this splendid Henry Willis III organ of 1926 has just been restored and rebuilt by Harrison and Harrison. The work was part of a wholescale reordering of this beautiful riverside church and I thoroughly recommend a visit. My family and I encountered the church for the first time on a walk, last June, along the River Avon and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and we walked back through the churchyard to return to the car. I found the interior of the church inspiring with its new stone floor, newly cleaned walls, computer driven lighting system and delightfully light, fresh and easily moveable furniture. (The only fixed items in the church now are the organ itself and the font - the console is on a mobile plinth.) But the organ was obviously missing! It had had to be removed as the floor beneath it was in danger of collapse, and in fact, it had been taken to Durham in December 2015. The church was out of commission through most of 2016 and came back into use in time for Christmas. The organ was reinstated in the summer of this year with final voicing taking place in August. The specification is more or less as you find it in NPOR and I will arrange for that to be updated soon. I only became Director of Music at Holy Trinity last month so it is marvellous to have become organist at what is, to all intents and purposes, a new church, with a splendid, versatile and newly rebuilt Willis organ, and an SATB choir. The rebuild has afforded the opportunity to move the organ out of its corner at the top of the North chancel aisle. It is now centrally placed at the head of that aisle and the newly gilded pipes in the extended case make it all look most attractive. It hasn't been possible to fulfil all dreams at this stage, but provision has been made at the console and within the extended case for an 8/16 Tromba/Trombone rank for the Great and Pedal - the Tromba to be available on the Choir, too - and for an 8/4ft Principal/Fifteenth rank for the Pedal organ. This latter is highly desirable, I must say. The Pedal consists of a Sub-bass which is actually a Great organ stop, available at 8 and 4ft pitches, and a massive 16ft Open Wood available also at 8ft and temporarily wired to the Pedal's new Fifteenth stop knob at 4ft pitch. It has, however, been possible to add a 2ft Flageolet to the Swell and a 4ft Gemshorn to the Choir organ and these two stops enhance those two divisions very considerably especially with the usual octave and suboctave inter manual availability. The Choir, Great and Swell all sit on new slider soundboards. The console has also been refurbished and the instrument is a delight to play with so many beautiful ranks. The Cornopean is splendidly versatile - a powerful chorus reed that is quite big enough to carry off a Trumpet Tune with light Great accompaniment. The organ is quite close to the congregation, so one has to be wary of the impact one is making and judicious use is called for both of this stop, and the very large Great Open Diapason. Many stops are to die for - I can't decide if my absolute favourite is the Choir Clarinet or the Great Spitzflöte. But there again, what about the lovely Cor de Nuit on the choir, and... and...? I live 25 miles from Bradford on Avon, but it is worth every moment of the beautiful drive, especially early on a Sunday morning. Several organists' associations have already made arrangements to visit next year, and I would be only too pleased to facilitate others if they are interested. Bradford on Avon is easily accessible by road - perhaps 40 minutes from the M4 - and by rail - it's on the Portsmouth to Cardiff main line with at least one train an hour, and there are daily direct trains from Waterloo. The church is a short, pretty riverside walk from the station - you can even feed the swans! To save you having to look elsewhere, the re--opening recital is on Friday 17th November at 7.30pm and is to be by Peter King who needs no introduction here. There is a reception in the church at 6.30pm when there will be an opportunity to meet representatives from Harrison and Harrison and the church, and also to meet Dr King himself. I hope any forum members who are able to attend will make themselves known to me, and I would welcome PMs from any members who might like to come and see the church and the organ.

Is the organ no longer in the Turner Sims Hall? It appears to be being considered for St Bartholomew's, Orford.

Friday 17th November - 6.30 for 7.30pm PETER KING - re-opening recital Holy Trinity, Bradford on Avon Peter King is playing the opening recital on the rebuilt Henry Willis III organ in Holy Trinity, Bradford on Avon, on Friday, 17th November. There is a reception at 6.30pm in church with a chance to meet representatives of Harrison and Harrison and Peter King himself, I believe, and the recital follows at 7.30pm. I have just become DoM at Holy Trinity and would be delighted to meet and welcome any forum members who might like to attend. In the meantime, I will do a separate post about the recent work.

As members will know, a new chamade has been installed at the west end of Portsmouth Cathedral by Nicholsons. I believe that Noel Rawsthorne wrote a new piece - Marche Triophale for Gordon Stewart to play at a recent recital. Did anyone hear the recital and does anyone know who is publishing the Marche, by any chance?

Thanks, David - and Ian introduced it to me, too, I think - playing it at St Michaels' Newquay in about 1975 or 76 in a recital. I remember it being not as difficult as it sounds and I will look it out. Do you play much Bédard, by any chance?

Do any forum-ites happen to know Bédard's piece based on Veni Emmanuel, by any chance? I know that the Andrew Carter is the pièce célébrée on this tune, but despite several attempts, I find it really quite tricky and am looking for something reasonably arresting for the end of an Advent Carol Service. Any thoughts, anyone? [Oh, and please don't suggest the Alec Rowley - dull as a ditch!]

Ah - excellent - I can't think how I didn't see that for myself. Many thanks, DyGW.

Thanks for spotting that, Colin - I'll hang on and see if anything slightly more affordable turns up! I've had a bit of an expensive time recently buying from Purvis organ music from Ebay in the US.

Does anyone, by any chance, have a copy of the Oxford Psalter that they no longer want? Happy to pay, obviously! Many thanks; Martin.

I am bound to say that I had a lovely time playing it yesterday. It was the sort of instrument you can play for hours (with the right music). It had strong, bright tone and was perfectly in tune despite not having been attended to, it seemed, since 2011*. I did actually use the pedals but the Bourdon only had an octave of pipes. The pedals were permanently coupled to the manuals and the Bourdon worked on the manual as well as the pedals which was a nuisance, actually. It was humbling that my appearance to play gave the small congregation such a lot of pleasure. Like many churches round here, they have to resort to CDs most weeks. * This set me thinking as to the role of diocesan organs advisors. Churches all have to have quinquennial inspections and I can't help but think it would be a good idea if the organ was officially 'inspected' from time to time to make sure that it is being looked after properly and possibly to check on insurance. It has struck me a number of times that churches somehow raise money to do all sorts of things but because there is no organist, the organ is forgotten, despite it being the most valuable artefact in most church buildings.

Goodness knows what the answer is to your question, Paul, but I have much enjoyed spending the first hour of the day looking through the Les Maitres first two volumes. I am playing, for the first time, on a 1 manual + 1 octave of pedals William Hill organ on Sunday and I shall enjoy some of the manuals only pieces which I have printed off. Of even greater joy to me this morning was locating the delicious Pastourelle by Fela Sowande that you once recorded on the temporary Wyvern instrument in Arundel Cathedral. I was able to download it from the Faber Music website for £2.50 and I am delighted to have it. By the way, if I may say, that was a really great CD with several pieces that I hadn't come across before at that time - the David Johnson Trumpet Tune in A major, for example - and a most stirring performance of BWV 545. I am an unashamed fan of digital instruments and you gave a wonderful account of the Wyvern in that recording.

Perhaps so, but you know that Daniel Cook hasn't been in Salisbury for a while - St David's, Westminster Abbey and now to Durham?

Following on from the post about York Minster's forthcoming rebuild/restoration, the local Friends of Cathedral Music newsletter says that, at his recital on 28th June, David Halls announced that the Salisbury organ is to be restored throughout 2019. This is old news now, I suppose!

Mmm... many thanks for the suggestions and thoughts on this. The piano version belongs in a volume called School and Gymnasium Marches and there is a copy available in the USA but I don't think it's really worth the trouble in the end, and, really, there are thousands of other pieces of music more worthy of my attention. Perhaps one ought to be clearing the decks for all those new Orgelbüchlein preludes that will soon be appearing!