john carter
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Posts posted by john carter
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It matters not what you call the income, it is all taxable.
Which reminds me of the day my boss took me out for a rather grand dinner to celebrate a successful venture. The following morning, the finance department rang to tell me that he had claimed the cost as expenses and details of the "benefit in kind" I had received were being passed on to HMRC so it could be taxed! I'm afraid there is no escape.
JC
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May I wish John Pike Mander and the moderating team a very happy Christmas and sincere thanks for all your efforts in supporting this excellent discussion board.
To all fellow contributors, Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful New Year.
John Carter
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Paul, I was fully aware of the order of posting and I didn't say you were ignoring my comments. I just pointed out that your large bold comments appeared just as antagonistic as those attitudes you were criticising. In particular, in your reference to "non-believing demand-worshippers" your words appear to be rooted in anger rather than reason. A funeral service for the one you loved the most is your service - not something you can just hand over to someone else and I am eternally grateful to have a Minister who spent hours working with me to make the day as bearable as it could be.
JC
I'm sorry folks, Paul caught me at a low ebb and I may have over-reacted. We have since kissed and made up - well not quite like that, but you know what I mean.
JC
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Dear John,
you have quoted here from a posting I put up before yours. You only have to scroll up and check the order!
I don't see how I could be ignoring your comments if they weren't already there.
I am sorry that you yourself had an unpleasant experience, of course. As Patrick has suggested, face to face discussions with the church officials could save so much misunderstanding.
P.
Paul, I was fully aware of the order of posting and I didn't say you were ignoring my comments. I just pointed out that your large bold comments appeared just as antagonistic as those attitudes you were criticising. In particular, in your reference to "non-believing demand-worshippers" your words appear to be rooted in anger rather than reason. A funeral service for the one you loved the most is your service - not something you can just hand over to someone else and I am eternally grateful to have a Minister who spent hours working with me to make the day as bearable as it could be.
JC
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Dear Revd.Quentin,
I'm afraid what you have come up against is the
'It's our service and we'll have what we damn well want' school of non-believing demand-worshipper!
I have come across this before - it's a modern mind set which says (in every situation)
'Nobody is going to dictate anything to us!'
I'm sure that this is a recent development, certainly in church circles, but it's a very unwelcome one.
It is an attitude that is not just rude but dictatorial and antagonistic to anything from outside.
Where I have come up across such attitudes I have got as far away as possible as soon as possible!
I feel sorry for you, you have taken a firm but reasoned stance and experienced outright resistance.
Folks with such an attitude of mid must be intolerable as work or life companions, you should be grateful that you don't have to see them on a daily basis.
Have a happier Christmas!
P.
Paul,
I refer the honourable member to the reply I gave earlier. In this correspondence I think it is you who is being dictatorial and antagonistic!
JC
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I just "lost" a fairly high profile funeral to a neighbouring parish.
The reason for this is because even before I had met or spoken to the family the FD was having to deal with a stream of demands from them as to how the Service would be. The family do not live in my parish, but earlier in the year there was a family christening here to which goodly chunk of the family arrived about 20 minutes late (with no apology). Apart from that, no other links with the church.
The issue in question was that the family wanted CDs playing during the service. The policy here is that if it is really vital I will allow a CD to be played "on the way out" of church (and even then I don't really like it), but I absolutely insist on the family coming into the church to the sound of the organ. Since I endeavour to ensure that we have a first class organist available, it seems somewhat ridiculous for that person to be sitting there whilst CDs are playing. The CD in question was of a song called Diana.... can't think why, because that is not the name of the deceased or spouse.
Anyway the FD (who is extremely supportive and conscientious) did his best to explain that the Vicar will allow a CD to leave but not to come into church. Apparently the discussion became quite heated with the FD standing his ground for the church, and with threats made by the family to "go to another church". Since I already have five funerals this week, it isn't exactly quiet around here. The FD called me up to tell me of their threat to go elsewhere, and I did the unthinkable, and told him to tell them that it is their choice. Consequently, the family have decided not to come to us. It's their funeral. Like most clergy I guess that I don't like people coming and telling me what to do in church. Brethren, is drawing the line in this manner the right thing to do? Or am I just being an old meanie??
Sorry Quentin, I'm not entirely sympathetic with your view. At the funeral of the lady with whom I shared a home for over thirty years, I wanted a CD (of me playing the Meditation from Widor's 1st.) as a tribute to her during the service. The organist played us in and out with some complementary pieces. I would have been distraught if I couldn't have arranged the music in the way I wanted for this, one of the unhappiest days in my life. You might not like what they had chosen - you might not like what I chose - but surely kindness and tolerance is called for on such occasions.
JC
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I have a problem in that I've never actually carefully experimented with all the various ranks of a Compton organ, or really properly analyised the derivations used in the Mixtures and mutations, but I have played on a few in recital, including St.Bride's. However, it is in the relative mildness of the strings, the very subtle Lieblichs and the relative "flatness" (for lack of a better term) of the Diapasons and Geigens, that this sort of synthesis is possible, and by extending the quieter ranks skywards, it is then possible to create Mixtures and Cornets of great harmonic complexity; sometimes with added aliquot pitches or many more "ranks" than the stop-label might suggest. Going the other way (downwards), the broader tones of the Hohl Flute (whatever it may be called) make for perfect mutations such as Quints, when blended with heavy wood or metal basses (sometimes even diaphonic basses of considerable power).
Having grown up with a Compton organ, I fully concur with MM. What John Compton achieved with a few ranks was remarkable. Hence my despair at Derby Cathedral where the mixtures were "simplified" by other builders. They simply did not appear to understand the reasons behind the original scheme.
JC
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Aha, this proves I'm not an addict, right?
Mind you, maybe it proves I'm an addict and 'losing the plot', as the expression goes...
The truth is, I'm a Radio 4 addict, not an Archers one.
[Thinks: Ambridge are doing well to have a reserve player at all, let alone one not getting any sort of mention, and what a curious thing for Phil to desert his precious post in the busiest season without a backward glance!]
I'm still waiting for the return of Dick Barton, Special Agent, so rudely ousted by the Archers for what we were led to believe was going to be a short time.
Incidentally, I have always thought the Poulenc concerto would have been a good choice of theme music for Dick Barton.JC
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Fair enough - so it shall be!
D
David, although I couldn't think of any worthwhile alternative suggestion, I still think your original instinct was correct. Buyers do judge a CD by its cover and I'm sorry to say that what the others have proposed is frightfully dull.
JC
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Sorry folks, it's me again. CD goes off to press on Monday and I still haven't named it. The Orrrrgan of Romsey Abbey seems a tad lame. The track listing is -
Guilmant - Scherzo Symphonique
Bridge - Adagio in E
Bach - Trio on Allein Gott
Bach - O Mensch
Franck - Choral 2
Scott - 2 Chorale Preludes
Bach - Allein Gott fugue
Gigout - Scherzo
Bach - Nun Komm 659
Bach - Trio 6
Warlock - Capriol Suite
Please, please, please, if anyone's got any decent suggestions for a name, I'd love to hear them. This is not an ego trip, it's someone panicking cos they've got 24 hours to come up with something!
Thanks
David
Hmmm... difficult to find a period or geographical link and it's probably best to avoid the obvious "organ masterworks", "pipes of splendour", "pulling out all the stops" and similar titles.
"Take Note!" would be eye catching on the shelf and I don't think it has been used for any classical CDs before.
JC
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====================
Off-topic of course, but I was actually stationary on a dual carriageway when this occurred, and the Scammel trundled past at about the speed of an elderly cyclist on steroids.
How things change!
I was driving a new Leyland-Daf this week, with automatic transmission, and 500bhp. With an all up weight of 44 tonnes, it never once dropped below 56mph up the steepest motorway hills!
Of course, that has a downside........£268 worth of diesel!!!!!!!!!!!!
MM
... And presumably overtaking similar monsters in the middle lane with the speed differential of an elderly cyclist on steroids!
JC
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On a different note, what about piano transcriptions of organ works?
Stephen Hough's transcription of César Franck's Troisieme Chorale, dedicated to Eric Chadwick, gives an interesting perspective on a familiar work.
JC
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Me too. I think the problem is in the title. The piece always sounds so tedious when played slowly. A bit of forward momentum transforms it entirely. Less Victorian piousness and more Catholic fervour, I say!
I'm sure you are right. It certainly calls for passion and longing, even though it ends in profound sadness. Using the prescribed registration also sometimes thickens the texture in a way that, I suspect, was not the case at Ste Clotilde. It may be heresy to suggest it, but I sometimes feel that a string quartet could bring an expressiveness to Prière that is difficult to achieve on the organ.
The same thing happened to me, but with Franck's Pastorale. Although I played it for twenty years the piece never moved me - until I bought the recording of Langlais (playing the entire Franck organ works).I have just listened to the Langlais recording again. It certainly bubbles with joy; nothing tedious or repetitive there.
JC
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I would tentatively agree with some of the points about Franck, but then I heard a recording of the A major Fantaisie by Jennifer Bate from Beauvais which, while not totally inspiring, did something for me. Still need a lot of convincing. The B minor Choral and the Pièce Héroïque, on the other hand, are definitely worthwhile.
For me, Franck's Prière has depths that I hadn't appreciated for years but then suddenly found.
JC
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It's 'mine'
and rather inadequate for our situation, not to mention the 'authentic' comfort at the console ...But I thought you had a Hill organ with a lovely oboe?
JC
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In what way is it smart? Scientifically speaking, I mean. I know it's not within the remit of the board but as an A level Chemistry teacher I'm very interested!
Best to go to www.smartwater.co.uk, which gives more information than I can.
JC
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May I suggest that you take a trip to Tate Britain and behold the actual painting*. As far as I can remember, it is around fifteen to twenty feet long by about twelve feet high. The little picture I linked does it no justice at all. However, I was in school at the time, just before I had to teach again, so I only had a few seconds to find something.
I am happy that you like your LeRoy Neiman paintings, John. I am afraid that those which I have seen simply look as if someone has indulged in wall-to-wall vomiting after consuming three servings of curried turtle.
* The Plains of Heaven, by John Martin.
Actually, not paintings but ceramics, so on a small scale, nevertheless a splash of cheerful colour in a fairly minimalist decor. At Tate Britain I would much prefer Turner, especially his paintings from his time in the Alps. My heart, though, would go for Dufy, just as it does for Vierne.
JC
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See this article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...nclerics213.xml
This suggests the use of 'smart water' on lead church roofs. Would it be suitable to paint/mist onto metal pipes as well?
My former organisation use "smart water" extensively and it has been extremely successful. You can use it on anything - including people! I understand some BP petrol stations even have the ability to spray intruders. If you are caught with the marker on your clothes or person, there's no escape; it can be proved conclusively that you were there. As to its use on church roofs or metal pipes, the problem is that once the metal is melted down, the marker is lost, so you have to catch the culprits quickly. However, the system is good and provided there is a warning sign, thieves are more likely to try elsewhere than take the risk.
JC
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Mm, seems a bit like choosing between the electric chair or the gas chamber to me. Don't much fancy either!
I totally agree Neil. I'd much rather have Le Roy Neiman any day, and I'm surprised that pcnd, who appears to like vibrant colours in music, doesn't seem to appreciate that Neiman is just painting with the equivalent of a chamade and is similarly of value on occasion. For me the first picture is the artistic equivalent of the organ under discussion in this thread and depresses me unutterably. I shall now go down to my lounge, look at the Neimans and smile!
JC
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The Hauptwerk has one which begins (presumably) at 15-19-22-26-29 and the Positivwerk has another which commences at 19-22-26-29 (or something similar). I had thought that you might find these to be too high-pitched, Pierre!
It's just so difficult to predict without knowing the full composition. A GO mixture on one of my favourite instruments looks a fairly conventional 15-19-22-26 on paper, but by the time it reaches f42 its composition is actually 16' - 10 2/3'- 8' - 5 1/3'. No shrillness there!
JC
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Unda maris and swell box sounded like a musical description of crème brûlée. How utterly yummy.
Aah - soft, sweet and crisp at the top. A bit different from the Unda Maris I know, best described as a blancmange - opaque, wobbly and a bit sickly.
JC
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Further investigation reveals that C-C built it in 1883, Puget did something ('Relevé ... par Puget) in 1910, and Convers did some more in 1926. So it's the Convers 1926 spec I really want.
M. Dargassies isn't on my Christmas Card list so I'll see if I can find an e-mail address. Thanks John.
Best wishes
J
orgues@wanadoo.fr should take you to his company, Manufacture Vosgienne de Grandes Orgues.
JC
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Ooops!
In looking into this myself I have found that the recording was actually made on 5th March, 1953 (so not in the 20s).
But's it's still the C-C spec rather than Gonzalez that I'm after.
Best wishes
J
It might be worth contacting Bernard Dargassies. He will almost certainly know the history of this instrument.
JC
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On a CD-R, in front of the reflective layer, there is a layer of coloured dye. The writing laser 'burns' this dye where a digital '0' is required, and leaves it untouched where a digital '1' is needed. The end result looks the same to the reading laser, i.e. the burned area on a CD-R looks the same as a hole on a pressed CD.
Just before we get back on topic, how does a CD-R differ from a CD-RW?
JC
Anyway the FD (who is extremely supportive and conscientious) did his best to explain that the Vicar will allow a CD to leave but not to come into church. Apparently the discussion became quite heated with the FD standing his ground for the church, and with threats made by the family to "go to another church". Since I already have five funerals this week, it isn't exactly quiet around here. The FD called me up to tell me of their threat to go elsewhere, and I did the unthinkable, and told him to tell them that it is their choice. Consequently, the family have decided not to come to us. It's their funeral. Like most clergy I guess that I don't like people coming and telling me what to do in church. 
Incidentally, I have always thought the Poulenc concerto would have been a good choice of theme music for Dick Barton.
and rather inadequate for our situation, not to mention the 'authentic' comfort at the console ...
Name That Cd
in General discussion
Posted
Hear, hear! Superb from start to finish.
JC