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I just want to say that Real Player adjusts the quality of the stream automatically based on how much bandwidth is available. So if you have high speed internet and is listening to the stream, and then suddenly download a large file, the quality would go down to accomodate the download and then go back up once the download is complete. It's kind of unfortunate if you don't have a fast connection and want to listen and do other stuff on the internet at the same time. But definitely try it and see if it improves the quality at all.

Across the ocean here in Canada, the situation seem quite different. Or maybe the situation I encountered was different. I went to the local university with an organ department and asked for permission to use their organ for practice. I was told that there was a practice schedule drawn up for the enrolled students and that I would take last priority (only allowed to use the organ when there is no one signed up and that if a student arrives, I would have to yeild). This was okay with me. During the school year, the building was open until 10pm and then locked by campus security. In the summer time, it was open until 6 pm but there would be practice schedule so it was more flexible). I wonder if the situation is similar at UK and European universities.

On Peachtree Road “A large new instrument by Mander Organs of England brings resplendent opportunity to a prospering United Methodist congregation in Atlanta, Georgia.” “With 72 stops and 90 ranks, this ranks as one of the largest mechanical action pipe organs ever built by a British company in an unusual double case.” The show includes music by Stanford, Howells, Widor and a new work by Paulus. The performers are Olivier Latry, Huw Williams, Michael Shake, Scott H. Atchison and members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Here is the link to programme information including the link to a recording of the 90-minute show. Pipedreams #0541 Here is the link to a page on Mander Organs about the building of this instrument. Peachtree Road UMC Atlanta Enjoy the show and let us know what you think. Don't forget to vote!

I agree. You can hear a recording of this broadcast, available up to seven days after the original broadcast. In this recording, you can hear the organ accompanies Stanford, Purcell and Ireland and plays a Vierne movement at the end, all superbly genuine and authentic. However, I'm afraid you'll need a high speed connection to hear a decent version of the recording. Below is the link: Choral Evensong from St. Alban's on 22 June 2005

My organ is not on a loft but I do keep some music on top of the console for easy access, together with the midi console manual it's about 3 to 4 cm high. One advantage is that this often helps to prevent awkward silences during the service when the organist is looking for the next piece of music to play. (e.g. switching from the last hymn to the postlude) But I always take service sheets with me at the end of the service (usually to throw out later at home). The problem this creates, as some of you mentioned, is theft. The chapel where I play, there is no choir, so we use the same setting of gloria every week, sung by the congregation. It's an English version from the Schubert German Mass and is readily available from the internet (which is where I got it). One Sunday morning I arrived to find that the entire two pages of the gloria is missing from the console! Who would steal something like that? Fortunately, the chaplain's office was close by and I was able to print another copy before the service began. From that day on, he has always kept serveral copies locked in the sacristy! (talk about extreme measures) Another explanation I can offer for this phenomenon is where churches where there are more than one organist, each is reluctant to move something the other leaves behind (thinking that there is a reason it was left behind). So gradually these accumulate and the pile gets bigger and bigger.

There is a similar situation at St. Jame's in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Although this cathedral is much smaller in scale than most UK cathedrals, it is no small building. But instead of having two organs, the majority of the organ is separated into two in the chancel (pulpit and lectern, speaking into the south choir and aisle and north choir and aisle respectively) and to support congregational singing and for special effects, there is an antiphonal division at the west end of the nave. This division is very effective in playing duos or dialogues. For example, once when the JSB Passagalia was played, the organist alternated the repeated arppegios between the great and the swell with great effectiveness and interest. Similar effects can also be created with a front vs. back echo effect rather than a left vs. right response effect. It's a mavelous instrument. Quoting the website, "ST. JAMES' CATHEDRAL ORGAN is a fine English Romantic / American Classic instrument in beautiful acoustics with a large, colourful antiphonal division on the rear wall of the Cathedral. The organ was built originally in 1888 by the Samuel R. Warren Company of Montréal, Québec, and then expanded and maintained through the first three quarters of the 20th century by Casavant Frères of St. Hyacinthe, Québec. The solid-state console was built by J.W. Walker of England in 1979. Since 1999 it has been maintained by Andrew Mead and Associates, Port Hope, Ontario." Also, because the organ is so close to the nave, evident from the second and third photo, (because of the lack of a crossing and trancepts) the experience is even more "up close and personal". The current music staff are: Michael Bloss, Director of Music and Organist David Low, Assistant Conductor Andrew Ager, Assistant Organist/Composer in Residence For further specification and information, please check these sites: Information sheet Another page by former organist, Christopher Dawes (scroll down for the English version)

I sympathize with all of you. This situation is quite disheartening especially for me because it is made worse by some factors out of my control: 1. It is a college chapel where the average attendance is about 15 to 20 people and even less in the summer (last summer, half the time there are only four in the chapel: the chaplain, his wife, a graduate student and I) and there's seldom anyone who stays until the end of the voluntary. 2. The coffee and refreshments area is downstairs and completely isolated from the chapel. 3. Sometimes they will just start talking loudly after the last hymn even though they always say what a good job I did when I eventually join them for refreshments, so it does not seem to be an issue of disrespect of unappreciation. How puzzling? As I said, this is especially disappointing for me because I have taken a lot of extra effort for each Sunday. I never had any formal keyboard training but have taught myself using knowledge from eight years of violin lessons, reading materials online and practicing a whole lot. Because of this, I need to practise the hymns for several days before Sunday to play them well. (I usually get notified which hymns are to be used on the Wednesday prior) I play the hymns and the service music (gloria, sanctus and agnus dei) quite well now. I have tried to do the best I can musically including variating the registration of each verse of the hymns to suit the words (I know even some professional organists don't do this), using only a one manual instrument; and also play before and after the service and during communion. It takes quite a bit of prepartion for me even though I am only volunteering my skills. Despite all this, they seem not too receptive of my voluntaries except two: Little Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C by JSB and Prelude to Te Deum by Charpentier. I have tried to play quiet as well as bolder pieces. I think maybe louder pieces are better (perhaps because I can't here the talking in the background). The loudest registration for my modest instrument is the equivalent of Principal 16 8 4 2, Flutes 32 16 8 4, Mixtures, Reed Chorus 16 8 with solo Trumpet 16 8 or solo Obeo 16 8. Usually this seems to overshadow any conversation and at least I can enjoy myself. I will welcome any suggestions from all of you who seem to be much more professional and experienced than I am. Thanks.