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basdav

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Posts posted by basdav

  1. Oooh Look! I've just noticed here are two little buttons, too, on the left and right key checks of the great manual. What are those then?

    Martin

     

    Ones for gin the other for tonic, the glasses are concealed behind the music desk. I do apologise for this post in advance, but we seem to getting overwhelmed by buttons and pistons. I played a toaster the other day and was highly amused by the fact that the piston osed remained lighted..... whats the point?

  2. * Could Mr Mander fill us in on the background to this news?? *

     

    Thank you

     

    I have just looked at the photographs and there is just one blank stop head, yet the newsletter shows Tubas at 16 and 8 have been or are being added in 2008. Please Mr Mander can you tell us please?

  3. Can anyone give me the history of 2 organ builders who were active in the midlands during the 70's and 80's.

    The first is L J Snell who rebuilt amongst other organs Rack Worcs, a 3 manual Father Willis which was electrified and moved under the tower, now unplayable and replaced by a toaster. Ombersley, this organs restoration is still an on going issue, its playable but supplemented by a toaster in the chancel.

    The second is Robin Wynn who rebuilt organs in the Coesley area, I have only played one of his and there were many pipes not inserted and the cable runs to the console are very amusing.

    Can I ask for information on these please, who did they train with to become organ builders and any thing else of interest.

  4. Thank you. I will send you a private email with contact details. You should come and see our House organ whilst you are in the area - we are only a few miles away.

     

    I think I played the first movement of Widor Six, rather than the Toccata, but it was a long time ago!

     

    Barry Williams

     

     

    By far a more superior piece of Widor

  5. Adrian, you have a better head for heights than I have!!!!

    Will the new organ be minus the 32' flues until the big case takes its walk, or will this be done after Easter?

    You have a busy time with the new Bishop arriving in March and Easter.

  6. U might be interested to know that the Organ is currently being rebuilt by Nicholson. However, is anyone familiar with the history of this Organ ? I have never heard it played myself.

     

    I can't find the organ listed on NPOR, does anyone have details?

  7. The ones I've played by them were Madeley (gone?), Ironbridge, Ketley, St John Wolverhampton. I wouldn't have rated them as premier league builders, but its 100 years since I played one, might think different now?

     

    R.

     

    Madeley is still in situ, although it has been replaced by a Makin Toaster, the speakers of which are in the pipeorgan case. The displaced pipes are stored in the roof of the church for such time as the organ is restored. I knew tis organ after it had been restored by an obscure firm, Fisk comes to mind but I stand to be corrected. Being located in a gallery it produced a nice sound but was inadequate for the building. It was replaced when the church became "Happy clappy".

     

    Nicholson and Lord produced good solid instruments which served the churches well. Their opus magnum was Walsall Town Hall.

  8. Church fully insured. The organ was not great but still an awful thing to happen to the church. I was organist here for six months 2003-04.

     

    My spies tell me that is was probably an electrical fire starting in the roof loft, possibly caused by the

    lighting getting very hot due to the roof cavity being used for storage.

     

    Sam

    I never played it in its format there but remember it well when it was in The Redeemer Hagley Road, it always seemed to be a fine instrument. I did hear many stories about its installation at Erdington, and reports about it were very mixed. The organ I play at Wordsley was rebuilt by Sheffield, who carried out the work at Erdington. We are now experiencing action problems and the whole organ is, slowly in stages, having these problems corrected.

    I totally agree with the comments made about the Church being a place of Worship, the organ being an aid to this, not the beggining and end of everything. I cannot understand why churches often have instruments hostoricall restored, when they will be totally useless in the modern litturgy.

    China has the best answer, they have a museum, when a local methodist church closed with a 3 manual N&B, my friend and colleague Paul Carr battled to save the organ and eventually it was moved to China where it lives on. Incidentally not far from where that church stood there is a redundant cinema, being used as a warehouse, under a mound of items there is in the pit a 3 manual Christie console the pipework being safe and intact for the time being in 2 chambers high in the cinema. We tried to acquire this organ for China, but the asking price for it was unrealistic. Lets hope it doesnt get vandalised.

  9. Yesterday, 4.10.07, St Barnabus Erdington was totally destroyed by fire, the only section that remains intact is the bell tower, arson is suspected and is being investigated by the authorities.

    Sadly the 4 manual organ and its console built by HNB for The Church of the Redeemer Hagley Road Birmingham, installed in the church a few years ago by Sheffields was destroyed in the fire.

    There are plans already to rebuild the church, which was about to celebrate its 150th Aniversary next year, let us hope the organ does not get a secondary place in these plans.

  10. The pedal on the organ in question is on the left next to the Choir and its very easy to mistake it, I agree it would have been better left "silent". There is an indicator light to advise when the Tuba comes on, are ears no use????

  11. I recently played for a funeral at a church not far from me and was highly amused by a white plastic labelon the left hand side of the music desk stating;

    BEWARE CRESCENDO PEDAL.

    Whatever next?

    DO NOT FEED THE ORGANIST

    The list could go on.

  12. Good morning all!

     

    I've started a new topic here: following on from the wedding problems and consistency threads!

     

    Hoping (possibly) to gain a DoM position soon I am interested in knowing more about organists' contracts.

     

    What should go in them?

     

    What should not go in them?

     

    Pay/sick pay/fees/use of organ/fianl say for permission to play etc etc

     

    How many of the august members here have contracts?

     

    Are you satisfied/unsatisfied?

     

    Have you felt the need to renegotiate?

     

    I feel sure there is a tide of information about to descend on this board!! Thanks!

     

    CL.

    Barry Williams book "Everything else and organist should know" will put you on the right track. During a recent interregnum the PCC wanted to alter my contract they even consulted the Archdeacon who agreed that they could, until I quoted several extracts from this book, Ive never seen an Archdeacon back track so quickly!!!!

  13. They rented an apartment, but yes, it was property of some parish or church organisation. Well, they are still there. Pastor Michael? Rings no bells, strange, because there aren't that many of them here. In the unchurched East we have no need of them!

     

    B

     

    Ill find out his full name but it was the property of his church, he would have to be Anglicanish to be linked to us

     

    B

  14. My Parish has recently had a visit from Pastor Michael from Magdeburg and he was telling me the builders stayed in accomodation provided by his church, being nosey I looked at the scheme and it seems to be a mighty instrument. I will eagerly await recordings of it.

  15. Help. Am in need of a toaster for hire in the SW (Bournemouth area) in the next couple of weeks for one night. Can collect and return. Fully insured at all times of transit and use. Needs to be suitable for a fairly large auditorium and for some reasonably tricky stuff (Chichester Psalms, Rejoice in the Lamb and Jenkins Armed Man), so a pretty reasonable 2/3 manual would be the order of things. Money available, though how much I don't know. Any takers here, or suggestions as to where I might try?

     

    Thanks in advance...

     

    D

     

     

    Try and contact Anthony Bogdan he has a website or Phoenix

  16. ==============================

    I thought they had decided that playing "un-cool" classical music was a great deterent in the shopping malls?

     

    Maybe your friend should play more Herbert Howells!

     

    I'm outta here......

    :)

     

    MM

     

    Doesnt Vierne and Widor qualify?

  17. It is very unfortunate that we have reached this state, when a Church is no longer regarded as "Sacred" ground. My own church is kept locked and many times when locking up I have been asked by people if they could pray, often then are very distressed.

    We do have the building open on a regular basis for private prayer but how could 2 elderly ladies on the rota cope with something like this? The answer is they couldnt.

    A friend of mine gives regular recitals at my church and has often been distracted by bangings on the doors in the evening which can be very un nerving, it seems the mindless "little" people find the steps good to sit on whilst consuming cans of lager.

    This situation is very general, even security lights do not seem to deter them.

  18. The Choir are very happy with the revised acoustic. The only negative comment is that for those in the 3rd row (normally congregation and some clergy) it can be a little draughty on the back of the neck!

     

    A

    Get a supply of neck warmers then!!!!!! What ever you do in the Church you will always get negative comments. All the way through the winter we have run the heating in my church and many have complained that its still cold.

     

    B

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