alan taylor

Richard, I don't know where you get the idea that the use of the hall cannot change. This idea is quite wrong. Read again the advice that the Trustees of the AP were given by their legal advisor. The Trustees can dispose of the organ at any time they choose. As much as you like the organ, it cannot change the actual reality of the situation. Alan

What is it you wish to have clarified Richard? What I have posted is a report of a question, put in writing, to a full meeting of Haringey Council. And then the reply from the Chair of the AP Trustees to the question. Alan www.alexandrapalaceorgan.com

At Full Council, Mon 18 July 2005 Written Question 2 - To the Chair of Alexandra Park & Palace Board from Cllr Beacham At its meeting in March this year, the Board heard stated and did not in any way dissent from the view that their only responsibility for the organ was to achieve the best price for it. Is this actually the view of the Board? In which case a, why is the Organ Appeal being allowed to continue to fund raise if it is to be sold-off , or can the Chair detail exactly what commitment the Board has to achieving the long-term protection and restoration of the AP organ? Answer: The Board has not made any decisions in relation to the Willis Organ in the Great Hall. The only comment that was made at the March meeting was in the report of the General Manager reminding the charity trustees that in considering any alternative uses for Alexandra Palace, a number of stake-holders, Including the Organ Appeal, would need to be consulted.

There is to be an organ recital at the RAH by Gillian Weir on Wednesday 26th October at 7.45. Tickets will be on sale from July 1st. Phone number 0207 589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com Alan

All the deatails are on orgue-l Alan

A new four manuel organ is to be built in the quire by Kenneth Tickell. Work is to start in 2007. It is expected that the new organ will be ready for the 2008 Three Chiors Festival. Alan

I agree with most of what Bill has written. However, I became more than a little annoyed at the over use of full organ. If the organ and orchestra are to perform together it should be as a partnership. Did the Saint Saens really need the tubas? And, why oh why did we have to have the Widor performed as a duet for organ and orchestra. The organ is sounding wonderful. Full organ is a breathtaking sound. But, I really don't wish to hear full organ over and over and over again in one concert. Whilst organists might and do enjoy watching (rather than hearing) the organ overwhelm the orchestra, other music lovers might well find this strange and unmusical. My proposition would be that the organ be allowed to drown the orchestra on two occasions only during each concert. Alan Taylor

can be run off as CDr as and when required. Yes please!!! How can we purchase a CD from you? Alan Taylor London

I wonder if any poster has tried the latest London concert hall. Namely The Cadogan just off Sloane Square? This was once a Christian Science Church, complete with a Walker organ. After closure it was bought by the owner of Harrods, who wished to turn it into his house. However, the local authority turned down permission for a heliport and the building is now a concert hall. I believe the organ has been removed. Alan Taylor London

I think it a shame that the subject of the Alexandra Palace organ, seems to have taken a turn for the worst on this wonderful web site. Just a few points to clear up. Colin Richell is not the webmaster of the Unofficial or Official web sites. Mr Richell has no control of what is published on the web sites. He is no longer a member of the appeal committee. After many years of hard work, in several senior positions, he was sacked from the appeals committee. This sacking was through no fault of his (details will be found on the unofficial web site) However, he continues to work hard in the hope that his efforts will lead to the organ being properly reconstructed. He strives whilst many, many others have given up on the project. There is certainly no call to attack Mr Richell. The appeal committee would be much better off if he was still a member of it. If someone thinks that the unofficial web site is inaccurate or publishes out of context letters et al, I would, as a webmaster, be very pleased to hear from them. Then any corrections in fact could be made to the website. I would be very happy to publish any such correspondence, in full, on the website. This however, The Mander website, seems to me to be the wrong place for such discussion. Alan Taylor

The Trustees of the Alexandra Palace have made the decision to get rid of the organ. The Palace is to be handed over to a consortium. The Palace runs at an annual loss of 2 million pounds a year. The consortium has no use for the organ. The organ is to be offered to the APOA in the first instance. The Lib Dem Haringey councillors are fighting to have the decision reversed. Alan Taylor

It has been brought to our attention that we, the web masters of http://www.alexandrapalaceorgan.com are accused, although no accusations have been made to us directly, of seeking to undermine the firm of Henry Willis and Sons. We have been accused, although again, not to us directly, of writing anonymous letters to both Henry Willis and Sons and to their customers. We refute these accusations completely and utterly. Why anyone would think we would send anonymous letters to Henry Willis and Sons is beyond our comprehension. All we have to say is contained on the web site. Not only have we been accused of sending such letters, we are accused of cutting letters out of newspapers to do this pointless act. As for their customers, we have no knowledge of what work they are engaged on. And indeed, have no wish to know. Our sole interest in Henry Willis and Sons is their involvement with the organ of the Alexandra Palace. A webmaster was invited to a Board meeting of the Alexandra Palace on the 15th March. The trustees of the Alexandra Palace, all of whom are councilors of the London Borough of Haringey, are seeking to divest themselves of the Palace. The Palace makes very large financial losses every year. The Trustees are working with a Consortium which has an interest in taking over the Palace. The Trustee, who invited the Web Master, believes that the organ will not be wanted by the Consortium. More meetings with the Web Master are planned. Updates of which will be posted on the web site. It should be remembered that the hall is very different to the pre fire hall. The glass in the roof was more than doubled on rebuilding. The temperature soars up and down very quickly. The lack of humidity does little for the state of the organ. If the organ was to be properly reconstructed, it would mean that just about all of the soundboards et al, would have to be remade as they were in the RAH organ. The appeal is now claming that it only now needs £600.00 to complete the job. This would include a new case and all the 16ft ranks. Not to mention the 32ft case pipes. Only 8 years ago it was saying that the job would cost over a million. The true cost is more likely to be over the 2 million mark. This in a hall which is now unsuitable for the organ. With an average audience of 30 people. Let me say again, that the web site we run, http://www.alexandrapalaceorgan.com contains only facts backed up by documents. All of these documents, including the Bell reports, are available for your inspection. Alan Taylor

Don't forget that the web masters of the unofficial web site are happy to supply copies of documents to interested parties. So, check out the official web site, then the unofficial web site. Then, request away. If you look at the official site, it claims that the two stops in question, from the choir organ, were only on loan. If you look on the unofficial site, you will see a letters to the Foundation of Sports and Arts, and the Charity Commissioners which gives a quite different story. I could go on and on with such comparisons. One proviso, real names and email address needed first before documents released. Alan Taylor

Yes, the webmasters do have all the paper work to back up the web sites claims. It is a truly dreadful situation. As the web site says, it was put on line as the only means of getting the message across to the outside world. As the various authorities didn't want to know. It is hoped that the web site might spur those authorities into action. The various authorities have been sent links to the web site. So they are all aware of it. As the web site also says, copies of documents can be made available to interested viewers. We will not enter into actual discussion on this list. Experience says that this can just become good guy verses bad guy. The documents and web site can speak for themselves. The appeal is doing it’s best to close down the web site. Or, rather remove just about all of the history. Not by actually bringing direct pressure to bear on us. But, by threatening the ISP (web site host) Alan

A new web site has been set up at www.alexandrapalaceorgan.com This is an unofficial web site. This new web site gives the whole sorry story. The important section is that called "Brief History 1990 to date" Not pleasant reading I am afraid. Alan Taylor Moderator note: Mander Organs is not responsible for the content of external web sites