Paul Morley

We are a generation of musical cavemen. Looking at the current GCSE syllabus, is it any wonder? David, I'm not sure that the current GCSE specs are the main problem. The one I use at my school (EDEXCEL) includes a compulsory unit on serialism. OK, it doesn't deal with it in any great depth, but at least youngsters are being encouraged, indeed compelled to listen critically to less 'approachable' music. A couple of years ago, I had a student who became fascinated by serial techniques to the extent that he composed a 2nd Viennese-style piece as part of his AS submission...it was a swine to mark! The night before last I had the good fortune to be able to go to a concert of six Vivaldi concertos Spottedmetal, I cannot imagine anything more likely to turn anyone, youing or old, against western art music more quickly and violently than an evening of Vivaldi. Cheers, Paul.

For the sake of interest, which stop is incorrect on the G.O. at Chester Cathedral - and to what is it connected? I only sat at the console for the duration of one piece last May, having known the organ fairly well some years ago, working on a few lunchtime recitals and an Amphion CD. Paul D, you are correct (as ususl). At Chester Cathedal, the stop marked 'Gt & Ped Cbs' actually controls the Gt Double Open. There are also some changes which I can't remember offhand. When I played there for a day of sevices a couple of years ago, I (perhaps rather presumptiously) updated the NPOR survey and indicated the post 197(3?) changes. In some cases, the stop knops are incorrect, in others, the stop names have been overwritten in felt-tip pen...! as far as I can recall, the only alteration that has included a re-engraved/new stop knob is the Ped Dulciana (duplexed from the Ch).

I'm not sure that I'd be that disappointed playing an Allen if it had replaced the GDB extension device whose spec is recorded on NPOR. I spent 10 yrs as DoM at a church that replaced this http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=H00019 with an Allen. The PCC had gained the necessary faculty just prior to my arrival, and I only played the old organ in public twice, which was quite enough. Pretty much any electronic would have been preferable. BTW, your own instrument looks splendidly versatile.

I once turned the theme from 'Voyager' into a French toccata. We were saying 'bon voyage' to a Trekkie curate at the service in question. During my time at Nantwich, a 'Star Trek' themed wedding came up. It had been allowed by the same incumbent who had allowed the mediaeval themed wedding I've mentioined in a prevoius thread.

Is it anything like the one played by the science officer with whom Jean-Luc Picard has a brief (one episode) romantic fling in 'Star Trek, the Next Generation'?

I'm curious to know how Sigmund Freud got into this picture...

Not all of them by any means need to be bypassed!!

Some of us are trying to keep things going. My School (small town 11-18 comprehenseive) Choirs' choral repertoire this Christmas: Hallelujah ChoRUS - GFH All my heart this night rejoices - ? (ooops, left my C4CII on my piano at school!!) The Lamb - John Tavener Scots Nativity - Bullard (if you don't know it, sing it next year - it's wonderful) Nunc Dimmitis - Paul Morley (recycled RVW/HH, but it works, so I'm told) Mary's Boy Child - mowtown-style arrangement by myself - Gospel style vocal harmonies, accompanied by rhythm section + horns . Usual trad. congregational carols + one excellent wosrhip-song style item; 'Immanuel' - Michael Card. I have a couple of theories about dumbing down in oriamry scghools, but that will have to wait for another day.

It's possible that the Celeste may be a substitution for a Diapason. I completed the latest NPOR survey. The console certainly showed evidence of tonal changes. The organist later confirmed that the Pedal extension and replacement of the Gt Dulciana with a 15th had taken place during his tenure. However, he did not know if the Sw Celeste and 8ve coupler were original or not.

This one (whose future seems to be reasonably secure) http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=D04430 is one of the nicest small instruments that I have ever played.

Don't forget to duplex the Ch Contra Dulciana onto the Pedal, otherwise the Ch, situated in the S quire aisle at some distance from the rest of the organ, is pretty much useless other than as a continuo division. I can't imagine why this stop was only added in recent years.

I have never understood why people (or should I say organists) get so sniffy about organ transcriptions. Arranging and re-arranging music for other instrumental/vocal forces is a perfectly natural and respectable process. After all… · I’d like to hazard a guess that even Prof. Peter Williams does not fly into a rage at the mention of the Busoni piano arrangement of JSB’s Chaconne. · Stravinsky’s own transcription of ‘Petrouchka’ or the various orchestrations of Mussorgsky’s piano works by Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel are not considered musical travesties. · Barber’s arrangement of his ‘Adagio for Strings’ to the words of the ‘Agnus Dei’ might be a bit kitsch, but it’s still effective music. · Webern’s orchestration of JSB’s Ricecare has to be one of the most remarkable works of the entire 20th century, and gives us mere mortals a unique insight into the minds of two towering geniuses. · The jazz improvisations of Jacques Loussier Trio – wonderful stuff. ...and so on... Also, I don’t imagine anyone getting upset when organ music is transcribed for other foerces. Mind you, if I was given the choice between playing Boellman’s Toccata at Notre Dame, and conducting Foden’s in a performance of the brass band transcription, I’m not sure that I would necessarily be getting my passport out of the drawer.

The Second Coming had better not be scheduled for Lincoln Minster then...

Can't really argue with that!

“When to the temple Mary went” ECCARD? Isn't this a Candlemas rather than an Epiphany piece?

Malcolm Arnold's 'Pilgrim Caravan'? Easy, slighly cheesy but most effective.

It has red initial letters. I'm willing to believe though that other builders also used this style during the same period, but I've not seen any examples Just a thought. What about Alexander Young? The console lid/music desk arrangement is also consistent with this firm's style.

QUOTE(john carter @ Oct 19 2007, 02:51 PM) The only CD of the Sumsion recording that I can find is on EMI Classics and is rather expensive. Is it good enough to justify a price tag of £35 for a mid-sixties recording? Currently my favourite is the version that is on Thomas Trotter's recent Elgar CD on the Regent label, recorded at Salisbury. JC The Sumsion Elgar recording is also used as a filler on an EMI reissue of Elgar choral music. Will furnish more details when I am back in the same postal distict as my CD collection. Paul EMI CDM 5 65594 2 Elgar Sacred Music Worcester Cathedral Choir - Robinson (dir) Gloucester Cathedral - Sumsion (org) I don't know waht this cd costs on its own, but it should be borne in mind that for £35.00 you are getting a 12 disc boxed set of archive recordings of all Elgar's significant choral music. This includes the Boult recodings of 'The Apostles' and 'The Kingdom' and the Barbrolli/Halle recording of 'The Deam of Gerontius'. Trust that this is of use, Paul.

The Sumsion Elgar recording is also used as a filler on an EMI reissue of Elgar choral music. Will furnish more details when I am back in the same postal distict as my CD collection. Paul

Interestingly, for all its faults, "Songs of Fellowship" has, in the main, retained traditional versions of hymns. ...includung a couple of verses whose sentiments reflect a theological position rather removed from that generally held to in evangelical/charismatic churches: 'Though the lowliest form doth veil thee..' from 'Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour' and 'And that higher gift than grace should flesh and blood refine; God's presence and His very self, and essence all Divine.' from 'Praise to the holiest' come to mind.

However, the new console, which was built by HN&B, was both elegant and in any case, had utilised the old draw-stops, key cheeks and wind tell-tale from the 'Hill' console of 1908. These items have been preserved. The drawstops are of Hill's usual design of the time, and don't have the beveled edges of the Chester console. BTW, pcnd, although I can make no comment on the quality or otherwise of the HNB chamade (having only played this organ since the Harrison rebuild), I'm pretty sure that you would love the new Orchestral Trumpet. On one of the occasions that I played this instrument in public, Philip Scriven sat with me in the loft (no pressure or anything ). later that night I heard him use the OT to magnificent effect in the Final From Vierne III.

It's what is implies about the groom that worries me

I think that if I had the talent (and time to prepare), I'd want a crack at conducting this piece as orchestrated by Webern.

All I once held dear (end of refrain)

She can now be seen on ITV1 at 7.00pm most evenings, as she is now a member of the cast of 'Emmerdale'. The last time that I saw Lucinda Lambton on TV, she was presenting a documentary charting the history of the public convenience.