DQB123

And I third that. He's been here to Prestatyn on a couple of occasions, most recently to attend to the MIDI board on my Wyvern. The transformation was dramatic (from "it didn't work" to "it did work"!). He has excellent taste in Wurlitzer organs too! A hearty recommendation from here. He is freelance, but does quite a bit of work for Wyvern - but I think had just come to me after attending to a Viscount. So I guess it would be no problem. Q

Brethren Surely we can't let today go by without a chorus of Happy Birthday To You to mark the 200th birthday of Felix Mendelssohn. I noticed his anniversary in today's Times, and thought that by now we should be popping the champagne corks and toasting dear Felix to the strains of The War March of the Priests (arr. WT Best).

Can't be doing with choirs myself..... The Organists' Review arrived today - plenty of stuff in that about choirs ... same with Choir & Organ. Wouldn't it be nice if we had an organists' mag that never mentioned the word choir (except for choir organ).... Seems to me that there are bunches of organists who are perfectly happy to play the organ for a service but will run a mile at the mention of dealing with the choir -- even, dare I say it, in some of our great cathedrals. I have just a little over 18 years till retirement; if the Lord should spare me that long, I've thought that I wouldn't mind returning to the organ bench on a Sunday, but yes.... it would be on one condition ... Q

After having CRB'd in excess of 8000 persons (so we are told), the Church in Wales is now required to re-check everyone! I have to admit however, that there are some things about the CRB that puzzle me; one lady in our church was particularly vexed about filling in a form because it was her sixth!!! I would have thought that this multiplicity of CRBs per person may ultimately prove to be a fatal flaw. But having said that, I definitely think that it is better to have a CRB than not to have one. After all if one has nothing to hide, then there is nothing to fear.... When I counter-sign people’s application forms for them, I tell them that the CRB will arrive with them in due course and that they are to keep it with their most important (and treasured) documents. And no, I wouldn't appoint anyone without one....

Well Santa brought me a new toy (!) this Christmas in the form of a (more or less) custom designed 3 manual Wyvern-Phoenix Toaster (!) with sounds based on William Hill pipework. Alas that it arrived at a busy time, but now I'm just getting around to setting some pistons, and re-learning old repertoire! Whilst there's nothing quite like a pipe organ, this takes some beating, and I's a happy camper!

I'm almost sure that Sidney Torch opened the Edmonton organ and certainly did record and broadcast it. The Barry situation is a great shame. It is down to hall management., and from what I've heard its down to one of the managers who doesn't like organs. The organ, I am told, has been mothballed for about 4 years. I was one of four organists who took part in the re-opening of the organ at Barry after it had been re-installed there by the London & South of England Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society. This was 1 March 1987. The organ is originally Christie but IIRC was re-built by Wurlitzer and given more or less a Wurlitzer look - but to sit at the console it is unmistakably Christie. Wonder what will happen now.... Q

An obituary for Dudley Savage appeared in Saturday's "Daily Telegraph". It can be seen online HERE.

Although much more well known in the realms of the theatre organ, the passing of Dudley Savage (yesterday) should not go without mention. He was best known for his long-running radio programme "As Prescribed", broadcast from the fine 3/8 Compton of the ABC/Royal, Plymouth. I also remember seeing him present Songs of Praise from a church in the West Country (Truro?). Methinks that his departure is a significant loss to the organ world. Q

I did give up OR for a while, but then it occurred to me that if organists don't lend their support by subscribing, it will go the way of all things. I'm not that keen on OR as it now is, but I renewed the sub because a. I'd hate to see it go b. one can always live in hope! Q

It may be appropriate to advise list members that Ivor Buckingham who did so much research into the life and work of the John Compton organ company, culminating in the well-known Compton List, has died, following a lengthy battle with lung cancer. His website is still up and can be found HERE

So what were the new tubas like?

I really enjoyed it. Reckon that it would go down great in a primary school - and I wouldn't be surprised if it inspired a good deal of interest. I particularly enjoyed hearing the organ referred to as "the greatest musical instrument of all" - Certainly I can't argue with that! )

I was very pleased to see, awaiting me on my doorstep, a packet from Priory Records -- the new (long awaited) DVD from York Minster. I've had a brief look at it and without doubt there'll be long hours of viewing pleasure. Priory are spoiling us!

So what do you know that all the rest of us don't know? Seems to me that if there is sufficient interest to get one of these petition thingies up and running then people need to be in the know lest there be shorted circuits!

This just in from Ian Tracey... === Dear Ian, I thought that you ought to be made aware that there is an intention by Warrington Borough Council to have the Parr Hall’s Cavaillé-Coll concert organ dismantled and removed, so that the hall stage area can be widened and deepened as part of refurbishment proposals. The Warrington Male Voice Choir and many of our regular supporters are strongly against losing this unique instrument. We recognise that there are maintenance issues associated with the organ, but this has been the case since it was first installed in the hall in 1926. You will know that the instrument is the only Cavaillé-Coll organ in largely original condition in the UK, and one of few in such condition the World. Quite apart from the pleasure it gives to our audiences, it has become an important part of Warrington’s cultural heritage. There are no plans to replace the organ, and any electronic replacement would be inferior. Tony Whittaker, the choir’s pianist and organist, has set up a Downing Street petition as a first step in our fight to retain the organ in Warrington. If you feel that this warrants your support then can you please add your name to the petition? The link is: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Cavaillecoll/ If you are able to encourage further support, then that would be welcomed. Kind regards, Barrie Johnson Chairman Warrington Male Voice Choir

Well the 32' reed in St Asaph Cathedral is a Sarff --- the Welsh for ?????? Sssssssssssssserpent...

The DVD works perfectly on my DVD/TV. Q

There is an absolutely super recently-released DVD about this organ which has just come out. What I like about it is that it gives a tour of the organ assuming that the viewer has a knowledge of the subject. Hence we don't get the endless description of how pipe organs work. I got my copy from here

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Ooooer.....

On the subject of pedalling, I am working on the F major T&F by JSB and I am just about being driven crazy! First of all my Clarkes extra-wide fitting tread-air shoes are just hopeless because of their almost flat and clod-hopping sole - but just about the only shoes I can stand to walk in. I have terribly flat feet and require the extra-wide fitting Clarkes (things were never the same after that steam roller ran over my feet) Fairly recently I bought another pair of extra-wide Clarkes (not tread-air and with a regular heel which I had built up by about 3/5 of an inch, but they were so darned uncomfortable that I decided that I'd have to wear them "out and about". The sensation is weird - it feels as if I'm walking downhill all the time! But they are just a bit more comfortable for it. The poor workman always blames the tools. Is it me, or is there something weird about pedal boards made by Content organs? I was just in Brighton practising on a pretty darned good Makin Toaster, and I was amazed.... clean pedal passages where there had been splodges all the way at home! Now I'm back at home we're back with the endless splodges again. Does anyone have experience with these pedal-boards?

Is that what a church or cathedral is for?

Are we to have a Reubke Festival this year?