Martin Cooke

Who are the publishers of all this interesting stuff? Is there a link? Many thanks Martin.

Since I have the resources at my fingertips, I would be happy to consider further, at least, the idea of collecting a group of descants and/or last verses harmonisations together and distributing them within our group. It seems to me that we could have two variations - (assuming that some of us are interesting in both last verse species). One - a small volume of these submitted by and composed/arranged by members of the forum. And, two, a small volume of these submitted by the forum but composed or collected by members of the forum. So, for example - if someone had something rather special available - say an unpublished descant by Howells, or Dykes-Bower or George Guest - they might submit that. Now, what I do not know is what the copyright issues may be. I don't want to be involved in any correspondence or unnecessary labour, but am happy to programme the photocopier for a short print run and would envisage printing these into a folder A3 booklet of 20 pages or so, depending on how many submissions there were. As far as I can see, it doesn't really matter if only six people, say, submit something - I can print them off and post them - the expense is hardly going to be a problem. Might we make this into something charitable - suppose, 20 - 40 people submitted something worthwhile - (I'll come back to "worthwhile" in a moment) - might they send me send a £5 note to go to one of my school's charities of the term? We're just about to do something for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, for example - they came here four times last year - does that sound reasonable? I would need to receive works in pdf format (I don't yet have Sibelius) - which I can print readily and simply on to A4 paper. Coming back to quality - I used the word "worthwhile." I am, of course, referring to the quality of the submissions. Does there need to be any editorial control? Is that getting a bit heavy? If it IS deemed to be necessary, would someone volunteer to do it - pcnd, for example??? Can I also ask if John Mander has any concerns about this? As far as I am concerned, this won't go through the forum at all - people can submit things direct to my email address and we don't need to call it a Mander Forum Volume of Descants and Last Verses, do we?!!! It seems to me that step one would be to gather opinion about idea One or Two, and, at the same time, for folk to reply to indicate any submissions they would like to put forward. Shall we see where we get to for a few days? I imagine that fellow members will either leap to reply immediately or the thing will die in the water. What have you got?!! Martin.

The new Cleobury descants for Once in Royal and While Shepherds Watched are included in the new Novello collection called something like Christmas at King's College - there are several other new descants and a chief feature of (as far I can remember) all of them is that there are choir harmony parts to go underneath the actual descants. I am not keen on any of them, I'm sorry to say - but these things have a habit of growing on one. I enjoy SC's previous descants very much and I also recall King's using a splendid descant for O Little Town by Andrew Carter about 18 years ago - sadly it was only used the one year but it is super and I recommend it. I had to get it direct from the composer and don't think it has ever been published formally.

I see from the Salisbury Cathedral website that the Willis is to be out of action for a month between 22 Feb and 22 March for essential work. Does anyone know any more about this? Who is doing what?

Yes, isn't it tedious that they very nearly always do that! 729 is always used in the radio transmission - in the old days, I recall that the Final from Vierne 1 followed it. I have often used the Mushel Toccata after 729. What about the Willcocks piece based on Hark! The Herald? It's in OUP Christmas Organ Music - the opening is quite arresting on a large organ, though I have to say that the rest of it is not great music. Bach G major and the 9/8 C major are also good choices, I feel - indeed, any of the Bach P&Fs in major keys would be good though the E flat has other connotations, of course. What about the D major? There's masses of stuff in various Mayhew albums - again, a great In dulci jubilo piece in the form of a Toccata by Chris Tambling comes to mind but I've forgotten which album. The Fletcher Festival Toccata is pretty easy but effective - certainly learnable in a fortnight, I would say. Could you bear to play something by Eric Thiman? Gosh - perhaps I should have started a new topic at this point? Does anyone play any Thiman? (I was thinking of the Postlude on Adeste Fidelis.) Martin

Well, the music looks like a fanfare section. Can we name all those organs, by any chance? Not sure who the player is but I believe that's Chichester cathedral he's playing - don't know the red beast and it would be very clever of anyone to know where that internal shot comes from. I guess the Willis console is at Hereford.

A lot of my music is well over 30 years old and showing every sign of it - covers off, tears at the corners, tatty edges etc. Has anyone any experience of anything out of the ordinary for repairs? I see that Sellotape have a new product called Sellotape Invisible Tape which they say doesn't crack and which is ideal for old documents. Has anyone any advice on this matter? Also, does anyone have their music re-bound these days? I've got some beautifully bound old albums which I've bought in 2nd hand book shops over the years and I wonder whether it's worth having a few trusty volumes done.

I would be surprised if they had the Kingsfold tune in mind when they requested "I heard the voice" - I bet they're after the one in G minor - sorry - don't have a hymn book at my side but I think it's by Dykes and the tune is called Vox something - possibly/probably Vox Dicentis. Good luck!

Could somebody possibly remind me... What is the name of the album which contains the Grayston Ives Intrada (in E flat)? The cover is yellow and has a pic of a small two manual on it. I realise I can't find my copy but can't start to replace it until I know what it's called! Thanks in anticipation! Martin. By the way, this was written to be played at the Queen's Silver Jubilee Service at St Paul's - Barry Rose played it. I believe that Dr Ives produced some optional sections for this piece to be slipped in or out at will. Have these extra bits ever made it into the public domain and does anyone have them? It's a useful and effective piece. Anyway, the most important thing is that I find a new copy of the published version!!

That's very nice. Many years ago, my father and I called in to see Christchurch Priory. In those days it was the large Compton/Makin instrument and the console had a screen drawn round the playing side which had tighly fixed curtaining. (The screen was on castors so it coudl readily be rolled back.) I was doing my best to peep through a corner of curtain when a very irascible voice came up behind me and said, "What do you want?" I explained that I was trying to see the organ console, whereupon Geoffrey Tristram threw back the screen, switched on and said, "Have a go!"

It would be really interesting to hear of other people's experiences of visiting organ lofts. As small chorister, I turned up in the St Paul's loft after evensong to turn for Christopher Dearnley one afternoon and found Francis Jackson performing my duty! On another occasion it was David Willcocks - but I guess visitors such as these are one thing and us mortals are quite another!

Interesting experience today upon visiting Truro Cathedral... Today is the day of the cancelled Cameron Carpenter recital but what do we find? Mr Laube's recital tour has also been cancelled and HIS recital tonight is to be by Jane Parker Smith! According to a poster in the cathedral, Mr Laube had been refused entry to the UK at Heathrow airport.

I haven't got my copy with me but I'd say it's about the same difficulty as Fanfare (Four Extemporisations). Martin.

What fun!!

I've rather fancied myself as a Howells fan over the years but there is an awful lot in what you chaps have said and I suspect a lot of musicians are guilty of playing pieces they enjoy without wondering what the congregation or the audience thinks. Take the Set 2 No 1 Psalm Prelude, for example, which I have played since a teenager, the climax is huge and wonderful but the build up to it with more and more stops popping out is quite unpleasantly unyielding in terms of discordancy - (is there a noun, "discordancy?" - Just "discord" is probably sufficient). It's hard to imagine Mr and Mrs Whotnot in the 5th pew being moved by it. Yet, for the organist, it can be deeply moving. Rhapsody 3 is another favourite of mine and the power of the arresting opening is what originally attracted it to me. Doesn't it take some beating if you want to make an impact? Has anyone tackled the Rhapsody 4 or the Prelude "De Profundis" - (I don't mean the Psalm Prelude (2/1) with this inscription) or a movement from the Sonata or Partita?

Rumaging about in my music today I came across my ancient copy of Siciliano for a High Ceremony. Does anyone play this and is it worth learning? Do recital audiences appreciate it? Does anyone play any of the more recently released Howells - you know, the stuff that Novello produced about 15 years ago? I've never bothered with any of it but am I missing anything? Martin

Who is the conductor in the photo and is that an Oxford DMus hood he's wearing?

Processions and Resurrection Dances - Alan Ridout - (who also wrote a Dance Suite but I don't know it).

A friend suggested recently that the film music from Force 10 from Navarone would work well as a fun piece for the organ. I think, possibly, he has heard someone play it - (a Herrick firework??) - but I am not sure. Has anybody ever come across a piano arrangement of it by any chance? Martin

This could have been Christopher Dearnley's arrangement which is/was published (and recorded) by OUP - Ceremonial Music for Organ Volume 2. It works well. Martin.

I attended Truro Cathedral for a terrific 10.00am service with Luke Bond (ADoM) at the organ - full cathedral yet the Willis and Mr Bond kept us all together well - some absolutely splendid mid-hymn improvisations - ie, before the last verses. Choir magnificent under Christopher Grey! Voluntary was the Rutter Easter duet piece on "O Filii." Unusually for me, I didn't stay to hear it through - not a piece I've ever warmed to. Altogether, though, a wonderful experience. Truro worships beautifully - do make a point of going if you're in Cornwall - music lists (including voluntary) are on their website so you can check out dumb days, etc. By the way, how prevalent is the habit of improvising BEFORE the last verse of a hymn to fill time for collection taking, processions ,etc? Is a relatively new idea - ie last 20 years??? I like it, I must say, but I'm not sure I could trust myself to get back to the dominant of X major without being unutterably boring, in the time available! Martin.

It sounds as though you all had a good time at St Paul's the other evening and it was good to see thsoe excellent photos. Is there any chance someone could write the evening up for the rest of us who would have liked to be there? What was played, what parts of the organ were demonstrated, how many were there what happened generally - that sort of thing. What happened with the Cocker Tuba Tune, for example? Martin

This may be the best bet: March of the Bowmen

Try Anthony Bogdan - a search on google will find his website - he is a Viscount specialist and seems, by all accounts, to be genuinely helpful and to offer an excellent service. He's based in the North, I think, but does work all over the country. Martin.

Thank you very much for those most interesting photos it would be very exciting to see more if at all possible - personally, I would be very interested to see anything more on St Paul's or Truro. Do you happen to have anything that relates to Monkton Combe School? There was a three manual HW there which was reduced to two manuals by Percy Daniel and has now been further attended to comlplete with electronic stops by the Deane Organ Builders. If you happened to have a specification or photo of the original organ I'd be really interested. Many thanks. Martin Cooke.