Paul Morley

R, Whatever your view on this decision, I would respectfully suggest that sarcasm and rudeness is uncalled for. I would contend that having the courage and vision to make and implement a radical and controversial proposal, whilst also possessing the humility to accept that future generations may disagree with you, is a sign of great integrity.

Not sure that I agree. I was making the point that WM's performance of Dieu Parmi Nous got through to at least one music lover who has heard a lot of Messiaen's music, but isn't that keen on it.

Sorry guys, but I think that there's a lot of unnecessary carping going on here. Wayne Marshal is a brilliant player who has a highly individual but utterly gripping performance style. Rather than compare his interpretation with that of other organ virtuosi, maybe we should be drawing more general comparisons with the playing of, for argument's sake, Nigel Kennedy or the late Sura Cherkassky. Also, WM was playing to the Proms audience - knowledgeable, sophisticated music lovers - not organ anoraks (of whom, let it be said, I am the chief). I watched the concert with my wife (an accomplished musician with little interest in the organ as a solo instrument). Her comment was, 'If you could play Messiaen like that, I wouldn't mind if you played his stuff every day.' - - - I wish!! BTW, was anyone else out there completely blown away by the performance of the Four Last Songs?

The church on the outskirts of Bolton where my parents worship contains this minor monstrosity: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N01557 Of course, some first rate builders (Lewis??) were able to create beautiful instruments with unpromising specs similar to the one above. This is absolutely not the case here. Sadly, it's not only garbage, but incredibly solidly construed garbage which probably has another 100 years of 'useful' life left in it. A reputable organ builder has verified that the Stopped Diapason, Dulciana and 4' flute ranks do, at least in part, date from the 18th century. However, the local legend-mill has it that this is yet another 'Handel organ'. When my parents first started attending this church, I was asked to dep a few times. I've now not been asked for about six years. It may have something to do with a conversation that I had with a church official after the last service for which I played, which went something like this: 'It must be quite an experience to play an organ that Handel played.' 'Yes, I wonder if he found it as disappointing as I just did.' According to another member of the congregation, all those of you out there who are custodians of vintage Hills or sparkly new Manders should weep bitter tears of frustration...Benson of Manchester were the Rolls Royce of British organ builders.

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. Why is it perfectly ethical to advertise a recital that (a) you are giving, (b a friend of yours is giving, c)a player for whom you have great regard is giving, (d) is taking place at a venue with which you have some association, (e) is being given on an instrument that you rate very highly; but it is not ethical to advertise a recital that (f) is to be given on an instrument which your company maintains? Please enlighten us all.

True enough, Paul, but they did keep the organ; which remains maintained and in use (if not in pristine condition) to this day.

I think that I'd have told the accompanist that he was playing the exit music and taken my leave

Well, the late Douglas Adams had an interesting theory about this...

Pots and kettles, I think. I have never read any account of Britten's life or work in which the word 'modesty' appeared.

Unfortunately, I know nothing of Norman Cocker's playing style, expect that he was a very competent theatre-organist in Altrincham. I believe that he also played at the 'Art' Picture House, Bury. Now (unsurprisingly), a bingo hall. The bit about Norman Cocker I am not sure about. I remember the old Harrison at the cathedral well, and whilst it was a very, very large instrument (100+ stops in a quite small building), it never lacked brightness. It just had great weight underpinning it, as one might expect. It certainly had lots of mixtures, and these were specified by Norman Cocker I believe (unless it was Whitworth - I haven't checked). I have a feeling that some of the upperwork at Manchester was put in by order of Alan Wicks, the organ being unfinished at the time of his appointment.

...so that they can compare their experience of the trials and frustrations of being a woman research scientist, or the trials and frustrations of being married to a geek?

My wife has a theory that explains this: 'Women do not have the anorak gene'. Her authority on genetics comes from her PhD in parasitology. Her authority on anoraks comes from having a steam locomotive restorer for a father and an organist for a husband.

Thanks for this, David and Tony, I think this must be the one. Although the NPOR states that the building was redeveloped in 1986; when we visited in 1987, redevelopment plans had been approved and were to be executed as soon as the money was available. Also, although the organ was not used at the concert (we sang a programme of unaccompanied music), I do seem to remember that the I+P console possessed mutation stops. It would appear that the Swell division, plus a few of Pedal stops had been wired up to it. Cheers, Paul.

Mind you, the Jardine organ wasn't much better. Although the Makin device which now stands in the cathedral yields (like most of its kind) far less impressive a sound than its gargantuan console might suggest, it remains an enormous improvement on what went before. Whilst completing my PGCE (some time in 1987), I sang in a concert at a methodist hall in London (Wandsworth, I think). The small congregation had vacated the 1000 seat auditorium-style chapel and now met in a room in the cellars. In the corner of this room was a 1M+P tab console, which played 10 or so ranks from the beast that sat decaying two floors above. The sound here was relayed via speakers. I had to catch a train straight after the concert so was unable to explore the situation further, though I was informed that the main console was still operational. I'd be interested to know if any members have encountered this organ, and if so, what was its eventual fate.

Ah, yes. A fine example of a classic Harrison. Does anyoneknow if it was built by Thomas or Arthur...?

Cheers, Paul

Just because you play a four manual, there's no need to brag...

Surely the operative word on ANJr’s website is ‘postmodern’? After all, are we not told that in the postmodern world, everyone’s point of view is a valid as everyone else’s, and to apply any external reference points to an individual’s ‘personal truth’ is oppressive and non-inclusive? Informed opinion about ANJr is that he has talent, but lacks discipline and proper training, (possibly even the most basic training required of someone aspiring to be a professional classical musician – that of having learned conventional notation) and therefore would be better off not giving up his day job. However, ANJr’s personal truth, imparted to him by gut instinct, doting parent, over-indulgent teacher, animal spirit guide, Jedi master or whoever, is that he is a towering genius. Who are we to presume to disagree? However, my ‘personal truth’ for what it’s worth is that Webern, Busoni, Stokowski and Jaques Loussier remain rather better role models for those who would presume to re-invent musical masterworks

A few unforgettable musical moments in a fairly undistinguished career… As a performer: 1. Spring 1974. Singing Treble 1 in JSB’s B minor Mass. 2. Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1986. Playing trumpet in a soul band the University SU bar, at 3am. My fellow band members and I had spent the past week rehearsing, gigging, busking, drinking, avoiding beatings in pubs where the regulars weren’t keen on students and sleeping in the back of a transit van parked outside a tenement block. A memorable experience for many reasons, not all of them musical. 3. Summer 1996. Charity fundraiser, Northwich Methodist Church Hall. The first time that I accompanied my wife in a concert. (Rutter ‘Suite Antique’, Poulenc Flute Sonata). 4. Palm Sunday 2001, St John’s Hartford, Northwich. Conducting ‘Komm, ihr tochter’. Although the choir was stiffened by a smattering of Grade VIII/pro musicians, at least 50% of the singers were non-readers. They excelled themselves. I was holding back tears by the end, as were many in the congregation. My elation was only slightly dampened after the service, when I was reprimanded by one of the clergy because ‘That anthem was far too long’. 5. Chartres Cathedral, Bastille Day 2003. Playing ‘Litanies’ on the Grand Orgue. The fact that I played a piece by ‘un hero de la Republique’ on this day was not lost on many in the audience - although I have no doubt that their enthusiastic response was to the choice of music rather that to the playing. I then descended (very carefully) to the crossing floor and conducted my school choir in (amongst other things) ‘If ye love me’ and ’The Lamb’. The expressions on some of the singers’ faces as their voices took flight in that acoustic will remain with me for the rest of my life. When, on the bus back to Paris that night, I asked a few of them what their favoutite moment in the concert had been, opinion was divided between singing 'The Lamb' and 'That really scary organ music'. 6. Good Friday 2006, Nantwich Parish Church. Accompanying Stainer’s ‘Crucifixion’. Realising once again, that much of what is said and written about this work is so much snobbish posturing. We finished the evening with the last two movements of Haydn’s ‘Seven last Words’. Much greater music without any doubt, but in context, not necessarily any more moving or spiritually uplifting. As a listener: 1. Spring 1973. Ordination service, Chester Cathedral. Roger Fisher improvising on ‘Ewing’ during the offertory. This was the point when I decided that I had to learn to play the organ. 2. Summer 1987. Queen, Knebworth Park. What can I say? 3. Summer 1993. Chester Cathedral again. This time listening to Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ under Richard Hickox. Possibly the most stunning part was the full minute’s silence at the end before there was any applause. 4. Nov(ish) 1995. LPO (plus a Russian pianist, whose name escapes me, but who bears an unsettling likeness to Meatloaf) at the Philharmonic Hall. The first half of the concert consisted of commanding account of Brahms’ 1st piano concerto (the slow movement is the single most beautiful piece of music to come out of the entire 19C, discuss) followed by a positively demonic interpretation of the Liszt Piano sonata. The second half was taken up by ‘The Rite of Spring’. Magnificent and terrifying in equal measure. 5. Oct 2000. Concert in the Quire of Canterbury Cathedral. BBC singers and Olivier Latry. First half, OK. A new work by Rutter (effective, but doesn’t see to have found its way into the repertoire) and Messiaen’s ‘Livre de Saint Sacrament’ (I’m in agreement with those who say that this is by no means his best work). However, the second half…Improvisations by OL (as phenomenal as you might expect) played in between movements of the Frank Martin Mass for Double Choir. It was the first time that I had heard this wonderful work, which was brilliantly sung. I spent the following day dragging my wife round music shops trying to find a recording. Biggest Disappointment: Bridgewater Hall, Autumn 2004. Halle Orchestra, Ngano, Marshall in Poulenc's Organ Conerto. Superb playing, but no concert organ should ever have to struggle to be heard over a string orchestra.

Dear Paul, My copies also received today. Many thanks, Paul.

I’d like to suggest a team of three Paul Hodges (who has recording expertise and hardware) Cynic (who, apart from being a brilliant organist, knows a lot about turning recordings into ‘product’), and David Coram (another brilliant organist and representative of a, err, younger generation) Agreed. Potentially an excellent team.

If I was given 15 mins or so: Franck – 3rd Chorale If I was given 5 mins or less: Langlais – Incantation pour un jour Saint or Alain – Litanies The organ would have to be S Sulpice

Judging from this: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/resource/bi...%20area%206.JPG only the case appears to have been retained.

Oh yes! I'm sure that you are aware of: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N02080 still standing derelict above a nightclub, but quite possibly saveable. Also: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N02068 an instrument whose historical significance was at the least of equal Gt George St Chapel. ...to mention but two...