OmegaConsort

How fascinating! I wonder whether they might relate to the altar division that was disconnected years ago, tho the pipes I think are still in place?? Perhaps they are going to reinstate it (the latter of the three additions wouldn't relate to this of course!)

What about the old Walker (c1950) in Sherborne Abbey? My father was a chorister there when it was rebuilt and remembers one of the Walker staff saying (when the job was done) that it will sound lovely until it needs tuning, then heaven knows what will happen! Quite how they squeezed so much into such little space is still beyond me! Richard

Indeed they do - for those of you who have never seen this: there is a lever by the side of the console hidden within the Victorian case on the screen at Ripon not unlike a hand-blowing lever. It moves a larger-than full-size carved wooden hand that can be seen projecting from the organ near the middle of the underneath of the case. I heard a tale of how one day (fairly recently) some wag (N.B. not either 'wife or girlfriend' in this case) had stuck a bright yellow Marigold glove upon it, but the Dean was not amused. I think this proves my point, the hand was surely for conducting the few unaccompanied things like responses! I took a boys and mens choir to Ripon twice in the '90s - they loved that hand (demonstrated by the organist during a rehearsal on both occasions). I cannot think of anywhere else where such a contraption appears! Back to the original post: How about St Paul's Church Bedford. The organ is on the North side of the chancel and the console on the South in its own loft (via spiral stairs). It is not particularly high (perhaps 25 feet from ground), but there is no back rest on the bench, and behind this, the drop is straight down to the choirstalls! Just lean back a bit, forget where you are, and you are a gonna! Paul Edwards was DoM there for some years and had a large square of wood put up behind him just in case of drowsy moments. I wonder whether that is still there? Off-post somewhat - who else knows that organ?? c.80 speaking stops, little borrowing, yet it sounds so timid in the church! Best wishes Richard

Hello Hector, Could you provide a link to the photo of the new console? It would be interesting to see it. I suspect that the reasons for its sumptious build quality would relate to the architecture around it - St Paul's is that kind of building, and something perhaps more plain and simple might look out of place? Best wishes Richard

Sadly, was not able to visit on the Open Day, so I don't know what these films were. If you have a mo, could you enlighten me - I might be an extra customer for Mr Shapiro! Thanks Richard

in fairness to the topic......I took a choir to Gloucester this Summer (awful organ.....I know this is well covered!!) as you climb the stairs to the console (horrible pokey little console too), there is the most amazing poster of some 5 manual French organ console on the left hand side. Dunno where it is tho - but an amazing poster nevertheless. Richard

I have decided to leave this board. I am no longer a member of the Christian faith and no longer feel it is worth me debating church music and organ playing here anymore. I have enjoyed the entertainment of posting on this board. C'mon Lee.........If like me, you can't keep away from the board, you must be watching.....We do all miss you. Get back in here and start posting again. I am reading a book at the moment about monks and stone masons in the 13th century, and the monks keep on going on about humility and the stone masons keep on going on about building for glory. I am not quite sure why I said this, but I think many of your comments probably make readers think about both humility and glory (whether you are or are not a christian!)..... So......my favourite cathedral organ in England is Salisbury....it is perfection in 65 stops. What is yours Lee?? Richard

I wish I could type a language other than my own - half as well as you do! Anyway, Lots of organs suffered damage but were rescued. Exeter did (I think), tho a bomb didn't hit it directly, the North choir aisle suffered damage from a bomb dropped aimlessly (so to speak) by a 'plane on its way home. I wonder how many more churches were hit in this fashion (i.e. bomber planes on their way back to continental Europe, just letting go of their load to save fuel). There must have been a few in Kent, South Essex, Sussex etc?? Wasn't it JUST amazing how St Paul's escaped pretty much in one piece from the blitz? Finally, I may be wrong here, but I am sure I read somewhere that Mander Organs not only built their reputation, but had a fantastic start in the organ building world post-world war II rebuilding war damaged organs?

Oh, and (for me) you can keep Romantic Opera. Mind you, it's the whole palaver: the cost, the 'make an evening of it', the deformed voices shouting over ludicrously powerful orchestras, the pitiful storylines and banal/mediocre acting that would'nt even get by on daytime TV. That sums opera up very nicely for me too! AND, Caleb Simper..............

Although not yet approved, this is what I am probably going to do: EUCHARIST: Darke in F Warlock Bethlehem Down EVENSONG Ouseley - from the rising (introit) Shephard Responses Noble in B minor Mendelssohn - There shall a star Very much erring on the side of caution with limited rehearsals and the choir coming from all over (I called them a motley bunch in an earlier posting, and then got an email from one of the contraltos who was most indignant - no telling who reads these posts is there, and what's more, I need to keep on her good side as I would like her to bake bread for the choir party this year, and have not yet asked her - tho she probably now knows!!!). Assuming the clergy approve, very much looking forward to the Warlock and Mendelssohn - both ideas from this post, so thanks again to all of you for the great ideas! Richard

Another weird thing in the current issue, but certainly cannot blame anyone at O.R for this (in the current or previous management team): Anyone spotted the very strange pedal and manual compass of the 3 manual drawstop console in the Allen "organ" advert???? I wouldn't normally have had the time to notice anything so detailed as this, but I had a spare hour whilst waiting in the car for my daughter - and had the foresight to take my freshly delivered copy of the mag with me! Finally, in my opinion, the mag is not what it was - I was saddened with the first "new" edition, and continue to be less than happy with the content each time I receive a new issue through the post. Richard

You beat me to it! This sort of thing would not have happened in O.R. a couple of years ago would it. Such an elementary mistake!

I DONT want to hijack this post David, but I was a chorister briefly at St James Trowbridge.. Back to the post.... If it were that chapel, it would make a lovely concert hall - nothing else like it in Trowbridge or the the nearby towns Richard

Me too David! As an ex-professional (the Classical recording industry for over 20 years), lots of what has been said is absolutely spot on. In terms of title - what is wrong with The organ of Romsey Abbey?? It makes sense to me. The only reason why a title like that should be avoided is if you are hoping the "majors" like HMV and Virgin are going to stock it (if they did, it would end up under compilations and would not sell), but assuming most are going to be sold in the Abbey shop (does Jeremy Filsell work there - sorry, another post!), then "The Organ of Romsey Abbey" is good. R

Completely echo bomhard32's view. Sorry to see you go - if you must. Can you not sleep on it? Richard

Everso slightly!

Dean Close School (unrecognisable Hill, altered & extended by Percy Daniels), I played this last year. Is it as bad as it sounded to me at the console, or is it really bad???

I think this thread has begun to wander a little, as they all do. It started out reflecting on mass settings that used to be in regular use in "ordinary" parish churches, as opposed to settings which are still in use in cathedrals and churches with choirs of near-cathedral size and standards. Thanks! I was just about to say something almost identical! Mind you, I love the way some threads digress - that is part of the fun of the Mander board...... Richard

Jackson in G, Stanford in Bb and F, Leighton in D and HowColReg are regulars here. A really lovely and fairly straightforward setting I always enjoy is Flor Peeters St Joseph. Hello David. Is "here" Romsey Abbey? If so, I was in there a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful building, and so pleased that choral eucharist is still maintained! Don't know the FP setting - will look it up. Richard

In a recent, and successful posting where I asked for help in selecting music for Epiphany, the thread meandered slightly into settings of the Eucharist. I had suggested Darke in F, and Neil Shepherd mentioned Sumsion in F as a good sing. Davidb reminded us of Darke in E (aka Collegium Regale) and Nfortin added Ireland in C with the wonderful Agnus, but also commented on how these settings are becoming neglected and forgotten in most churches due to congregational settings taking precidence. For a decade or so, I was DoM of a Hertfordshire church where we were allowed to sing a fully choral setting each sunday morning (they still do I think - St Francis Welwyn Garden City). We sang all of the above as well as the following: Caesar - missa brevis cappella regalis - great fun - esp. the Gloria Cook in E minor - unaccomp and lovely Edwards - mass of st olave - mens voices Howells - coll reg (of course!) Jackson in G Leighton in D Oldroyd - mass of the quiet hour and Missa ave jesu - both worth digging up if you dont know them Preston - missa brevis (ladies choir - not boys - too hard!) Stanford in B flat and F Wills - three part mass (men) Wood in the Phrygian mode Do you remember any of the above? Do you still offer them in worship? Can you add any to the list? Sorry if this has been covered - shoot me down if this is the case! Best wishes Richard

If and when I hear of a CS concert Barry I will be sure to let you know. one further comment, comparing Rutter to Kendrick seems to me slightly odd?? They come from completely different musical positions (for want of a better word) within the Church. JR pretty much abhors happy clappy stuff, and GK is completely inspired by it. Is Kendrick criticised on this board, or are you referring to criticism of him in general? As you point out, even if one doesn't like Rutter, it is easy to see what good he has done over the years for music in the church - seems odd to me that he isn't (yet) a Knight! Richard

Are you thinking of his Collegium Regale? Darke in E is wonderful - the Kyrie in particular. I dont think the gloria works so well (comparing it with the F service Gloria)... I quite like the earlier idea of Sumsion in F - simple, flowing, effective and.........I have 40 mins with a motley band of singers prior to Euch in the song school, then perhaps half an hour in the stalls! For evensong, 40 mins in the song school then maybe 45 mins in the stalls? BTW, I have an organist for evensong but not yet started looking for Euch, so of any of you out there fancy it, let me know! Best wishes and thanks again for all the great ideas, Richard

Thanks so much to everyone - loads of good ideas. I will post the final choice when it is made. Best wishes Richard

Brilliant! Forgotten about that - used to sing it as a boy, and then when I became an organist, the boys used to count up the finger-slips in the intro! Richard

Exactly! That is what I am after!