Martin Cooke

I have just listened to the Basses et Dessus de Trompette (Clerambault) from this site hasving, a moment ago, seen a YouTube extract of Daniel Roth playing the same piece at St Sulpice. Roth uses a trompette in the right hand when the tune is in the right hand, but the person playing from Guibray doesn't. Who is correct?

Gosh! Let's be clear - this is a TINY church in a remote village. Where do we think these "many organists" come from who will lose out to the reluctant step this loyal and devoted - and very small - congregation has decided to pursue? Even if every church instrument in the country was a superb three or four-manual, there wouldn't be enough organists around to play them every Sunday. I fear they are simply facing the future - and the present! Martin.

I am trying advise a local church who need, really (!) to replace their pretty hopless pipe organ. I thought I had identified what, I believe would be a suitable digital instrument for the money they have available but they have now said that they want something that can play hymns when they can't get an organist. as anyone any experience of such devices? A quick google reveals something that makes a truly hideous sound (playing To God be the Glory) but there are also CDs of Francis Jackson which I assume just need a hi-fi system. Is there something that could actually work through a digital organ itself? I appreciate that this forum is meant to be about pipe organs but... Can I also add how much I appreciate and enjoy a visit to this forum most days and am really grateful for the way in which everyone corresponds on so many interesting topics? I don't often contribute, but I value it enormously. Are there any other organ interest fora that I'm missing out on? Many thanks Martin.

"Couldn't easily be re-titled, 'Celebrity-Strictly-Come-X-factor-Get-My-Millionaire-Fat-Organ-Swap-Out-of-Here-On-Ice." Ho! Well done!!!

I wonder if anyone plays any of the pieces from this book published by Novello in 1960. There is a long Benedictus by William Lloyd Webber whose organ music I enjoy - does anyone know the Nuptial March (3rd of Three Recital Pieces, published by Mayhew)? - and then there's also the Diversion onm the Mixtures by Jackson. What about Holiday Trumpets - Sowerby? I would almost lay money on not a single organist in thsi country playing it! Come to think of it, does anyone play any Sowerby at all? Martin.

I reckon the old loft at Truro cathedral must have seemed pretty daunting. I haven't been up there but it's a fair old way and the route up there, I believe, was also fairly cirtuitous and winding. Martin.

Brilliant - thanks for posting these. So - what is that blank stop in the dome reeds section, then? Martin

Sorry, I'm unclear why you are splitting hairs about "appointment" or "promotion" to CBE. The correct term appears to be "appointed CBE." Try google. If, perhaps it is the case that someone is an OBE or MBE and then becomes a CBE, the word "promotion" might be used, but it doesn't follow that "appointed CBE" is incorrect terminology. Afterall, if, say, a teacher becomes a Head of Department in their own school that is both a promotion and an appointment. Martin.

Thank you for those useful facts - DB wasn't knighted in 1963 - more like 67/68 when he left St Paul's. He was a Knight Bachelor, not a KCVO. Martin

I'm bound to say that, to some extent, at least, a lot of folk don't receive honours and awards because they are not formally put forward. I did on one occasion attenpt to nominate someone who had served as an organist in the church where my father was Rector for 25 years before serving a further 20 elsewhere. He became ill and I hoped to do something in timel. Sadly, I wasn't successful but largely because I didn't get started in time. The Lord Lieutenant supported the idea totally but our man died before it could all be accomplished. I am sorry to report that try as I could, I could not get the Vicar of the parish where my friend served after moving from my father's church to respond to my request to act as a referee despite writing twice. Odd that, really, as Sir David Willcocks found time to reply by return. There is a difference here in that Dr Jackson has been appointed CBE and I do not know whether mere mortals like us can actually suggest the level of recognition we feel apt. I suspect they've decided that he's "just an organist" and a CBE is about right. Things have changed over the years - Christopher Dearnley only got an LVO when he finished at St Paul's. Dykes Bower was made CVO very soon after he arrived there, Harry Gabb was MVO for most of the time he was there at at St James's Chapel Royal, but D-B was knighted on his retirement and Gabb was appointed CVO when he finally left St Paul's. Mind you, I don't think Douglas Guest got anything at all when he left the Abbey. Personally, I feel the LVO awarded to John Scott when he left St Paul's was derisory -it should have been at least a CVO - but I amp leased to see that he was awarded an honorary DMus by Nashohta House Seminary earlier this month so he is now Dr Scott. Big-wigs aside, I honestly think that if we feel there is someone within our local area, perhaps in the local organists' association, who has clearly given great service, the chair or secretary of the association could be prevailed upon to make a nomination to the Lord Lieutenant. I am not in a position to play in a church any longer on a regular basis as I am committed at weekends by work, but I do feel that organists are often unsung heroes, very poorly remunerated and that an award is the appropriate way in which to recognise what is often unstinting and devoted service. It would certainly have meant a huge amount to the gentleman cited above, and to his widow and friends. He played a huge part in the amateur music-making scene right across the county both in church and out of it, and an OBE could not have been more appropriately awarded. There must be an awful lot of good people involved in the organ world in the UK both as musicians and organ builders who deserve recognition every bit as much as the other apparently successful and important people whose names we find in today's paper. The more I think about it the hotter under the collar I become! What can we do? Martin

Anybody spotted an organist in the lists? Martin

I meant also to say how excellent the service was last night from Worcester. The choirs were really superb - The Rogers sounded good too. The BBC let them down, sadly - horrible wobble in the sound every 10 seconds at times. Martin.

Yes, I enjoyed the service very much - Rutter's Dormi Jesu is a favourite and I was very taken with SC's new arrangement of Past Three o'clock. I am sure that we all appreciated the new harmonisation of the final verse of O Come, all ye faithful. I also fopund myserlf reaching for my lap-top to find out all about Mack Wilberg who did that splendid arrangement of the Ding dong! The organ arrangement of the piano duet was a bit of a swine though - playing Gloria with the feet whilst all that right hand stuff was going on. I certainly wouldn't want to do that on telly! Happy Christmas! Martin

There's also a Jonathan Willcocks version which I have on itunes but not sure who publishes it, I'm afraid. Martin.

What about those wonderful brass fanfares for "O Come" and Hark!"? Does anyone have keyboard arrangements of these or know if they exist? Martin

ditto! Martin

Well... I would certainly agree that the D major is trickier than the St Ann. I'd go for E minor or A minor and certainly the F major to compare difficulty-wise with D major but I am little more than an amateur in these matters and will be very interested to hear what the pros in this group feel. Martin.

Not quite, but when the International Congress of Organists (or whatever) was held in Londonm in ?1957, John Dykes-Bower gave a recital in St Paul's which everyone attended and there was a cypher in the Fugue of the Prelude and Fugue in G major - JSB. It has been immortalised in the recent issue of a CD of this performance by Amphion. Another interesting situation was during a recital by John Birch at Norwich Cathedral when in the middle of the D minor "Fiddle Fugue" the blower burned out. Martin.

I expect quite a few of us are asked what we would like for Christmas. I've seen reference to the DVD from Liverpoool - what's the reference for that, please? Are there any other unmissable CD's, books, pieces of sheet music for organists this year? I am sure that members wouold, incidentally enjoy two recent purchases: "Fantaisie Triomphale" and Grades Pieces Symphoniques - two Chandos CDs from Liverpool for Organ and Orchestra - some amazing pieces I'd never come across before - well worth having - both available on itunes, too! What else is there? Sad, I know, but... I would like to find recordings of Gray in F minor Mag and Nunc and also Wood in F (Collegium Regale). I see that Llandaff (Michael Smith) recorded the Gray and it's available from ?Priory but the other settings on this recording are all home-spun things that are not familiar. Does anyone know this recording, or can they recommend another? Martin.

How about some Buxtehude this year before it's too late. I just used the P&F in D major (arpeggio opening - not too difficult)! at our school service. I see that David Briggs has been commissioned to write this year's final voluntary for Christmas Eve at King's - its based on In dulci. Martin

It's Raphael that I was referring to - this recording mentioned above is the one you can get on itunes. Martin.

Fumet: Integrale De L'oeuvre Pour Orgue I discovered this whilst wandering through itunes the other day - there's a cracking Toccata - I recommend downloading it. Martin

I agree - Common Praise - is the best combination. Hymns Old and New is horrible - nasty leatherette, unexpected keys, and (in my opinion) a poor layout which AMR users won't be accustomed to. The other alternative is to do your own and use an excellent company called Gresham Books - this is what many independent schools do and within the covers of the books they produce you'll find some absolute treasures in terms of tunes and arrangements. Admittedly, this is an expensive solution. Martin.

Is there any chance, John, you might bring us up to speed with how things are going with the St Paul's overhaul? I am sure we would all really enjoy seeing a few photos of the new dome console too if that were possible. Many thanks in anticipation. Martin.