Buxtehude

Is the action such that you could borrow the notes in question (which are into 8' territory) from, say, a swell oboe and a great/swell trumpet/horn?

It's a great shame that the recent Schott volume has so many misprints and errors. It's otherwise a really good book with a variety of styles and levels of difficulty. https://en.schott-music.com/shop/frauen-komponieren-no175469.html

I was thinking that 3 months notice (quite common) happens to play out as half a term at this time of year.

If they get on with it after Easter, a September start is viable, so only half a term really. Churches can sometimes find it harder to move swiftly, depending on their management structure and if the PCC need to agree a changed job specification.

I think the New Novello edition of this has rather more in the way of pedal markings than the old Novello. I don't have a copy to hand to check, but I suspect that many of them are editorial suggestions. If they are (perhaps indicated by square brackets), then feel free to disregard according to preference... NB Bravo to Novello for retaining the old pagination so that the new and old scores can be used together.

There used to be ms photocopies copies of his M&N in E minor in the cathedral library.

The above information is only partially correct. Stephen Bullamore is indeed moving to Ipswich in September. Jonathan Lilley (Ely Cathedral) moves to Waltham Abbey from September. http://www.walthamabbeychurch.co.uk/staff.htm

I've seen one of these. You have to take care not to detach the bass more than the other parts, otherwise the tenor part gains 16' blobs!

The organist you refer to is remarkably good at this skill - I might add Tomkins to the list of styles heard springing from his fingers and planet sized brain. Also an improvisation on "Give me oil in my lamp" that was recognisable as such only to those who had set the challenge, but presented a more recognisable, respectable, theme to those who were not "in on it"; alas, I remember not what.

This should give you a flavoursome starting point: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11009270

Brave...

I am neither a lawyer nor an accountant, but my understanding is that it depends on whether you are required to live there or not as part of your contract. If your contract requires you to live in a particular house then this should not be a taxable benefit, as long as it can be demonstrated that this is necessary for the proper execution of duties.

Accompanying Balfour Gardiner's Evening Hymn, there are chords marked to be played with "rich tone". Enjoying the large instrument with all sort of soft reeds, strings and sub/super couplers, in rehearsal I became aware of the choir giggling below me. Conductor commented: It was more opulent than foie gras!

I've seen and played a 2 manual house organ by Skrabl, that looked similar to those being advertised in the Early Music Shop, though I know it wasn't acquired that way. I was extemely impressed by the quality of the action and it made a beautiful sound as well. I've also had a look at the Lyme Regis organ. Again, the mechanics were first rate: absolutely stunning. It was perhaps less convincing tonally, I felt there was too much organ for the building, which had then been quietened down to make it work. It all sounded a bit restrained, and possibly a little confused in conception. Of course, this might not all be the fault of the builder.

A way of avoiding VAT?? I'd bet that price was a factor...

This is a great shame. My church bought a chamber organ "ex-display" (sort-of) from this exhibition. It was a great opportunity to compare organs side by side rather than having (mis)remembered details from visits several days apart. I believe it was a good opportunity for builders to inspect each other's work and learn from each other - perhaps a healthy element of competition crept in as well!

I'm looking forward to the new Keble instrument. Pembroke (ox) and Exeter are particular favourites, for rather different reasons, obviously. Or, actually, because they are so different. Christ Church frightens me but earns my respect.

Have you tried these: https://www.rscmshop.com/index.php/music-storage/boxes.html This might be useful if you haven't already done the big bit: http://www.blackcatmusic.co.uk/products/st...t-music-storage I think I've seen these somewhere: http://www.southernmusic.com/supplies/filebox.htm

There was rumour of it going to a cathedral.

Whilst it sounds to me that the appoach you outline has considerable merit musically as a rebuild and certainly sounds "conservationist" and economical, I quite like the approach taken at St Botolph's Aldgate. Although this is an earlier instrument, it was restored to three independent manuals (inc short swell) and a small independent pedal section added. I realise I'm probably in a minority, but I'd live with such an instrument and accept its limitations. Equally I recognise the limitations in a typical Willis instrument. We seem to be very accepting of playing earlier repertoire on later instruments, and less accepting of playing later repertoire on earlier instruments; this seems to me to be an odd state of affairs. A busy city centre church will hopefully be exploring a wide repertoire, so the organ of whatever ilk will always be asked to do incongrous things. Howells on a Grant, Degens and Bradbeer? Blow on a Harrison? Which is worse?

In which case I hope they've had a second opinion or advice on how to save that sound, because ultimately someone needs to like the thing!

So actually, a new situation? And I expect none of the pipework has been revoiced in any way, or had the pitch changed? And why 1877 rather than 1790s? [exit devil's advocate...] This may be a national tragedy, or the tragedy may have happened years ago, but not everything old/by a particular maker is wonderful, especially if it has been "got at". A bit difficult for the rest of us to judge I think to be honest. If enough evidence survives and the pipework hasn't been "given the treatment" then my instinct would be a return to the 1790s instrument...why not?

The criteria for grants above £50,000 are more stingent than those below. This might have a bearing in this case? I think Restoration is about restoring the instrument to its original condition, which in many circumstances means undoing later changes (often major). It can often mean considerable research expense into what the original condition most likely was. I would consider what you outline here to come under the heading of Conservation. Of course in an unadulterated instrument they may become the same thing, but this is rare.

It seems to me that often the purist way is more expensive, yes. However this approach can work out cheaper for the organisation as it increases the likelihood of grant aid being available. However the larger grants often come with strings attached (e.g. turn off the heating, conditions of access, etc.) which some organisations are unable/unprepared to agree with. Without grants the purist way becomes expensive, the incompetents are still incompetent and the middle ground is still a lot of money to raise (more than the purist project with the big grants)!! Broad brush approach in paragraph above, individual projects may vary etc...

Their website gives no indication that they are closing - I would rather suspect that they want rid of the organ and that any faculty will have made suitable disposal of the instrument a condition of the faculty (slightly clumsy wording, but you get my drift...) i.e. the DAC is trying to protect this organ. I've seen this happen elsewhere.