MusingMuso

==================== I'm stumbling in the dark a little, but I recalled something I had previously read on-line about both the organ-builder Merklin in France (?) and Adema in the Netherlands; both of whom used the Schmoel & Mols patent action. I came across the following concerning Merklin's involvement with electric-action, which may furnish clues:- Joseph Merklin, Notice sur l'électricité appliquée au grandes orgues, Paris, Lyon, E. Watelet, 1887, 14 pp. From another source comes the following, which seems to confirm the existence of the two American gentlemen operating in Antwerp:- L ' organ of the Church of Blessed Sacrament, Lyon, installed in 1914, was built in 1913-1914 by the Manufacture of organ MERKLIN and KUHN......... the patent, was deposited in 1881, by SCHMOELE and MOLS, engineers in Antwerp. Another step nearer, hopefully? MM

================== Well now, the Europoean connection and the possibility of Antwerp certainly sounds plausible, due to the fact that the Belgian organ-builder Anneessens used the Schmoele patents for his Pitman-style chest actions, but "I think" with an additional name tagged on, which may or may not have been "Schmoele & Mols." Give me a bit of time, and I can probably find this, or at least know where to find it. I'm sorry, but I cannot help with the American history, which I know nothing about. Of course, the evidence of "Schmoele and Mols" does tend suggest a different search; presumably even in America. MM

================== I realised something after reading the thread about Germani, I know absolutely nothing about him other than the fact that he was Italian, played the organ rather well and drank a bit. What I do know, is that when I was 15 or 16, he was the organist who absolutely knocked me for six with a stupendous performance of Reger at Leeds Parish Church. I think that Germani's performance was only matched by Melville Cook at the same venue....both were fantastic experiences. Thus began a life-long passion for most (but not all) things Reger, which explains why I tend to channel-hop across to Holland whenever I can during the summer months. I can be there in Haarlem in about 4 hours, and back home by the wee small hours. But what of Germani the teacher, the man and the recitalist? The only story I know of Germani is that told by Noel Rawsthorne, when he set out to impress Germani. Germani didn't blink, but simply said, "Now, we must sit up properly with a straight-back." It was back to basics for Noel! By the seventies or so, Germani seemed to fizzle away from memory, and I guess I was especially fortunate to hear him before he stopped touring around. The only other thing I know, is that I once heard the Germani Toccata played by Jane Parker-Smith. MM

Somewhere, I have a record sleeve-insert, with details of this organ and the specification. Unfortunately, for some obscure reason, I don't actually have the record or the actual record-sleeve. Let's see how we get on, but I could "probably" find it if we get desperate. MM

============================================ That would be the BWV565 Nigel. Didn't I put that on the list? Also, I think the white-jacket photo was on the cover of the LP done at Brum Town Hall. It was a long-shot, but I do recall acres of blond-hair and the jacket, but I'm sure it was Mr.Austin stood facing away from the organ case beside the old console. Not that I ever met him or anything, so it could be his page-turner, but I seem to recall that he was a bit "hip" with blond hair around that time. He probably wears cardigans and bi-focals by now. MM

================== Full track list of Michael Austin at Kilburn:- BWV565; Jesu, Joy; Boellmann Toccata; Clarke-Trumpet Voluntary; Mendelssohn - Wedding March; Wagner - Bridal March Lohengrin; Purcell - Trumpet tune & Air, Walford Davies - Solemn Melody AND (just in case you don't know the work) The Widor Toccata. Just listening to it now.....fine organ, but the action sounds like a paddle-steamer coming into port. To put it another way, a young Norwegian organist said of one organ-action, "Everything you play sounds like "River Dance". MM

===================== Well that just sums up the difference between Holland and England. In Amsterdam, the tourists look at shop-windows and think of organs. The Dutch listen to theirs. MM

===================== Fr Willis merely followed the 18th-19th century tradition of Tierce Mixtures and understood them perfectly well, I would suggest. Where he departed from tradition was in the scaling of his choruses and the fact that he used relatively high wind-pressure; courtesy of the hydraulic-engines of the day, no doubt. Bach was certainly familiar with Tierce Mixtures, and the tradition runs right through into the German Romantic Organs of Walcker, Schulze, Sauer and others like them. Go to Holland and listen to Alkmaar, which although not strictly a Bach organ, is certainly a product of the general period and the area of Northern Europe. There is a tremendous difference between the Mixtures of Fr.Willis' and those of his contemporary, William Hill, yet in some organs, the tierce mixture was used by Hill; or at least seperately drawn tierce ranks which formed part of the chorus. Hill stuck to the tradition of generous scaling, and the mixtures remain unforced, with minimum nicking. The effect is entirely musical, but not necessarily all that powerful. Fr.Willis set out to create power, and triumphed in the process with his superlative reeds and weighty basses. Using narrow scaling (Geigens?) for the Diapasons, using heavier nicking, higher cut-ups and blowing the pipes hard, he produced a sound which is actually quite forced. The small-scale Mixtures were similarly hard-blown, and the effect would not be entirely agreeable were it not for the fact that the Diapasons are quite "thin" in tone as compared to William Hill. By the time HW3 did his thing, the Mixtures were little more than turbo-charged Dulcianas!! Was Fr.Willis therefore a good or a bad organ-builder? I would suggest he was outstanding, but may not necessarily have understood the value of unforced, generously scaled choruses. His instincts and intelligence drew him towards the tonal-path he took, but it was far removed from the older traditions of the UK and the continent of Europe. In parenthisis, I would suggest that Tierce Mixtures are entirely acceptable as chorus-mixtures and spot-on for Bach, but don't judge them by the sound of Fr.Willis 17,19,22 versions, which are really much less musical than those of many other organ-builders. Of course, once the reeds are drawn on a Fr.Willis organ, it doesn't matter!! MM

======================== The name of Jurgen Ahrend springs to mind from memory, but it was about 25 years ago when I played it. NIce organ, as they all tend to be in Holland.....even the ones on the streets. MM

============================= Well John, they ain't Trombas. They were re-named (re-voiced) this way by H & H, BUT (and I may get this wrong) I believe the original bits & bobs were found inside the organ, and the Willis sound of rather splashy Trumpets re-established The man who will know is Nigel Allcoat. MM

================== Brian Sewell does!!! MM

========================== Maybe this is why the Dutch so love the music of Max Reger; making due allowance for the dark melancholy which often prevails. Reger wrote some very deep music, though he could ramble a bit at times. On the second point, I recall being similarly stunned into silence by Dr Francis Jackson performing the Bach "St.Anne" at Leeds PC, and Fernando Germani playing Reger on the same organ. The latter shouldn't make sense really, should it? An organ with a varied pedigree, successive re-builds and no acoustic whatsoever! It just goes to show....... MM

============================ Quite right, but I also agree that Bach often transcends the limitations of the medium. One of the finest performances I ever heard of a Bach "48" was on a Steinway piano, where the performer did everything a harpsichordists wouldn't dare or be able to do. With delight, I recall being in York Minster listening to the St.Matthew's Passion, sitting alongside a friend who had tears in his eyes as he listened. "You're Jewish!" I hissed. "This is Bach!" He replied. That says it all, doesn't it? MM

There was a time when I took music a lot more seriously than I do now, if only for the reason that I now work well away from it and practise-time is severley limited. However, in my post-student days, I took the trouble to travel: always the inspiration being musical and especially concerned with the organ. I therefore went to America and played organs by Skinner, Aeolian-Skinner, Fisk and Flentrop among others. I went to Holland several times to hear and play possibly the best preserved organs in Europe (as a region). Naturally, I have played many, many English organs, including some of the best neo-baroque ones, and in fact lived with one, on and off, for the best part of 30 years and never tired of its' beauty. As a musician, I lean towards the baroque, but love to perform romantic music; especially that which is contrapuntal in nature....Reger before Dupre or Vierne any day. That establishes a certain credential, a certain passion and a lasting interest in contrapuntal form and writing. So when I played Bach, the question always presented itself as to how Bach would have played his own music; given that the organs he played did not have many of the features of later instruments. Obvious enough so far perhaps, but when I travelled to Holland after the US, I did not quite expect the free lesson the old organs taught me. Like so many, there was a time when I would play Bach too fast, with cavalier disregard for the natural crescendi in Bach fugues; adding this Mixture with the flick of a thumb, or that battery of reeds for the big ending. I was extremely fortunate, in that the first organ I played in Holland was Alkmaar, and off I launched into the B-minor P&F with gusto; coming to a screeching halt after just twelve bars. My Dutch host aqnd friend smiled knowingly. I knew immediately that what I was doing was much the same thing as trying to drive an old Le Mans Bentley as if it were a super-light Formula 1 car. The superlative F C Schnitger was talking to me, and demanded that I listen.....so I did. The mechanical-action required a deliberate and concerted control, and it certainly would not be rushed. I couldn't add stops on the fly or on a whim and fancy....they were too far away to reach. My only means of expression was restricted to nuances of phrasing on the one hand, and within a strictly overall metronomic regularity, the possibility of allowing some degree of elasticity as if to emphasise this point or that in the music. Slowly but surely, the organ and myself entered into a certain affinity, then a warm embrace, and finally, a new understanding devoid of compromise. The organ, the acoustic and everything which makes this such a special place, was my teacher. I am not in the least ashamed to admit that the next day, when I had wound my way nervously up the stairs to the St Bavo, Haarlem console and drawn the stops to play the exact same piece (the B-minor P&F) I had played at Alkmaar the day before, I didn't come to a grinding halt at the twelfth bar, but simply marvelled at the music as tears flowed copiously down my face. My Dutch host smiled knowingly again when the music stopped, and then said, "Bravo! Now you understand, yes?" I understood, but I couldn't possibly explain it. MM

====================== Give the Diutch credit, they seem to be able to work around all the problems of "romantic" registration, but the Cocker stretched the limits a bit. It sounded like all the 8ft stops of the Hoofdwerk plus a less than imposing Trumpet. Still, we got the melody when it thundered out in the pedals! MM

=================== I feel it lacks something. I don't know whether it's humility or Erzahlers. MM

============================ Sounds like "Heaven" to me. MM

======================= The same thing used to happen in Rotterdam, when the trains rattled across a great iron-bridge which ran just outside the chancel of St.Laurens Cathedral. The organist had a telephone at the console, and they used to hold the trains back until a piece was finished.....how Dutch is that? It was a bit disconcerting though........Bach Fantasia in G minor, then RUMBLE, RUMBLE, CLANK, CLANK, followed by Fugue in G minor. Anyway, they did the only intelligent thing and removed the railway, leaving the cathedral standing in an oasis of calm. MM

=========================== As for Bach, I always liked Chapuis or Hurford, but I don't know if they are still around. However, there is but ONE definitive performance of the Willan, as mentioned recently in one of my postings. Some years ago, John Turner came close at Glasgow Cathedral on LP, but it was the HMV recording by Francis Jackson at York Minster which really set the standard, and which is still available. I don't often use the word, but this performance is pure genius. I'm sure someone will recall the company who have re-issued this recording. Get it! MM

====================== Just a brief over-sight on my part. I believe I mentioned recently the Polish love of big reeds. Note how many Tubas this organ has; three of which are horizontal! MM

======================= Look, when you've just done an Amsterdam Marathon, running alongside a 2 m high Hollander between the Reijksmuseum and the Oude Kerk, the only word is ridiculous. I guess it's all to do with genetics and natural selection....the tall ones kept their heads above water!! At least I didn't refer to them as big! (That's more a German/American thing, I guess) I still haven't forgiven the Dutch for the time I went to a night-bar (I refrain from using the word "club" which has quite a different meaning) where I was offered a couple of cigarettes. "Be courteous," I thought, "They may taste strange, but they are foreigners and I musn't create an international incident by declining the hospitality." Silly me! Two days later, I was still dragging my knuckles along the pavements! I'm surprised that I wasn't found floating in a canal, but I do recall "inspecting" the organ at St.Lauren's,Rotterdam (the day after going to that bar) and playing Bach. It was an ever so majestic performance, (slow is possibly more accurate) and as the final notes eventually faded away, my host, who have been turning the pages left to right, said, "Very interesting! Do all English organists play wiz de music upside ways?" Memories, memories! If only I could. My best advice is to catch a plane and a train, listen to Reger and fly home. Don't get involved with these people!! MM

======================== So what happens when you get to top A of the accompaniment? I think I just missed it out, added things and relied on the Mixtures supplying the missing note! (That's the official version) Actually, if the truth be known, I hurt my little finger as I stabbed the side-cheeks....how's that for sloppy practise and workmanship? MM

======================= Now that IS a fascinating insight into what goes on behind the Rugwerk at Haarlem. The number of times that I've tried to work out just HOW an organist gets those crescendos, English full-swell effects and the like at St.Bavo....but they do! I think Mr pcnd asked what sort of romantic music is played at Haarlem on a regular basis, so here is my contribution to what I've heard at Orgel Konzerten, which doesn't quite fit into the idea of a "baroque organ." Liszt - Ad Nos BACH Mendelssohn - No's 4 and 6 Frank Bridge - Can't recall what it was, but it worked well. Cocker - Tuba Tune (OK, you can laugh as I did....not quite York Minster!) Vierne - Finale 1st Symphony Widor - Allegro from No.6 Saint-Seans - ?? (That thing with two manuals and two flutes in alternate chords, followed by the loud bit) Also, the three Fantasies. Guilmant - Grande Choeur in D major Messaien - La Nativite Jesus Guiridi - Offertoria Bossi - Theme and variations Reger - This is why I go quite often to Haarlem. I have heard some utterly stupendous performances of many big Reger works....too many to list in fact, but I walked on air after hearing the big BACH there. On disc, I have various romantic organ-works performed by Jos van der Kooy, (InterSound DD 1013) "Spectacular Romantics." The music includes the Reger Fantasy & Fugue in D minor (Op.135b) Most remarkable of all in some ways, are the previously unknown and quite beautiful "Saetas no's 2 and 4" by the Spanish organist/composer (Seville Cathedral?) Eduardo Garcia Torres (1872-1939), which combine modality with gypsy tunes. I guess you get the idea just how brilliant the registrands at Haarlem are, but to hear an "English full swell" creep into a baroque organ, is really quite remarkable. When a host in Holland says, "Play the solo of Liebster Jesu two octaves low on the 2ft" he means it. They are so ridiculously tall, with arms like crabs....I return to England with neck-ache, just talking to them. MM

=========================== Good heavens! That is amazing. MM