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mjgrieveson

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Everything posted by mjgrieveson

  1. I sympathize with your distress. This reminds me of a Blackadder sketch from long ago. Lest it find its way over here, I wonder if you can give us an idea of the tune so that we can wave garlic at it?
  2. A Room 101 is always fun to compile. I try to bear in mind that most people singing the hymns are not too musically aware and merely like what is familiar. I concur with the 'Peace Channel' - that is near the top of my hate list, as is Dear Lord and father of Mankind. We have a lady in the choir who loves the pseudo-pops, -the slower the better, because she finds them more 'spiritual' than the 'dead, 19th century stuff' she is normally asked to sing. Another word springs to my mind but it does no harm to slip one in for the sake of good relations and compromise.
  3. Seconded, although you have usually lost me by the end of the first paragraph.
  4. If I might politely disagree; it may be removed, but it doesn't make it tasteless. (Didn't see the remark/joke in question but did endure the posts of carrick for seemingly ages.) Hope the police were utterly reasonable and not given to arbitrary decisions.
  5. I hope you can have access to the church organ; there's nothing to lose by asking. Even if not (under the present incumbent) you can make considerable headway with the instrument you've got, at least with note learning and improving your musicianship. The pedals that you have are probably enough for the time being, because you may only be able to manage to co ordinate hands and feet at cadence points, but all that will come together eventually. You probably won't gain a great deal of knowledge of registration from it, though. I wouldn't worry too much about the hymn book - any old thing will do to begin with, and your own sensibilities will inform you if the arrangement is poor or the pages fall out too easily. I wouldn't even worry too much about playing 4 parts with hands and playing the bass part with feet (when they are up to it). Purists will insist that the hands should not play the bass line if the feet are doing it, but sometimes trying to separate this off is just too hazardous. It may even happen that the organist would give you a bit of help in return for a promise to deputize as and when you feel ready. I only play for services as a sort of thank-you for having the use of the instrument. I'm fairly useless but still find myself playing for about 30+ weddings a year.
  6. It's not clear from the OP/2nd post whether the practice instrument has pedals - unless I've missed something. Another query is whether they can be used; I'm trying not to ask if the Great Misfortune affected your legs (you did say that most sports were now impossible) The business of reaching the 10th and/or playing the bass line on the pedals might be easier to answer if this were clarified. Apologies if this is insensitive - I wish you every success in your new venture.
  7. You're not compiling a book of images, by any chance? Practising one afternoon, a couple of years ago I paused and heard someone tapping on the vestry window - a man with some seriously nifty camera equipment asked if he could come in and take some pictures. I let him in and locked us both in; I carried on practising and he spent about half an hour taking pictures. He signed the visitors book but now I can't find the entry. He said he had photogtaphed most of the churches in the area over a few days and was moving on to another area. Thinking about it now, I don't know how he gained access to most of them. It seemed a huge undertaking to me. My husband later remarked that he could either have been an axe murderer or researching entry points; letting him in was probably a silly thing to do. At least you don't need to make an appointment to look inside a cathedral. Good luck with the photography, but I don't suppose this was you,was it?
  8. Oh dear. Really? I think I had better abandon my improvisation ambitions.
  9. It is a great pity that we can no longer enjoy the contributions of a regular member and a considerable musician, whereas the very first (and probably last) post from another person, stoutly defending their own position, is allowed to stand.
  10. ^^ I'm very pleased you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for posting your impressions; it made very interesting reading.
  11. Our Service of Lessons and Carols is this afternoon. I wish it could be 9 lessons and carols; so far, we don't have a service sheet but there are 12 carols on the list. It's going to be a long night.
  12. I forgot my fingerless gloves yesterday, and it was almost unbearably cold - probably colder than the outside temperature. Actually tried playing in ordinary gloves which is ok for slow practice but not for much else. It occurred to me that perhaps sitting on something insulating might help; all I had available was a cardboard A4 envelope from a well known supplier of used organ music, and it didn't really help much. Thoughts then turned to polystyrene wallpaper lining or something similar. If I find any and it works, I shall report back. None of this stops the Arctic blast across the legs and fingers from the blower (or whatever it is called). It's quite surprising how many draughts can come from a single instrument.
  13. No Mendelssohn at all? Should I abandon the IIIrd Sonata opening before I've got it up to scratch, or did you just mean the corny one? I agree about Elton John though, but I think we're safe; he was just a Princess Diana hanger-on.
  14. Your description of the tube has reminded me of something that has been languishing unused in my stair cupboard for years. I bought it from a famous firm that drops catalogues through the door and had completely forgotten about it. If it fits the church hoover (and will fit between the pedals) then the problem should be sorted. I haven't seen any boiled sweets, only wrappers but even they will probably block it so I had better go armed with a wire coathanger. Welcome back.
  15. Was the final hymn in this mornings' broadcast a recognized arrangement? It sounded as though there were too many musical resources to hand and they couldn't decide who should have the final honours. I can't think of any circumstances when organ and brass need a drumkit (but I'm sure I shall be corrected if there are). Made me think of a plate of spaghetti bol topped with a dollop of tutti frutti.
  16. Wasn't the topic that of young organists and the numbers thereof? It may just be that the organ attracts a particular type of youngster but they seem to display an annoying facility with the famous toccata (at least they do on youtube). I admit I've come to it too late but it seems that teenage boys pick up the skill along with skateboarding. Both things feel rather like a bobsleigh ride.
  17. I suspect pianists are used because the 'highly trained' organists are too thin on the ground, or don't want a Church post. The person in the pew who is known to play the piano gets roped in to play on a Sunday and so the ball starts to roll. Added to that, they/we are cheaper because, being aware of our limitations, we don't presume to request a similar fee. Provided the standard repertoire is played in a recognizable fashion, most parties are content with the arrangement. Some organists are just scary. Reading another thread where a distinguished contributor was proud of chewing off the ear of a lady caller from the RSCM (who was only doing her job, poor woman) it is not surprising if an obliging and competent amateur is given first refusal. (Perhaps this formidable veneer is acquired through bitter experience; high-handed assistant curates do not take into account one's seniority in the secular world when issuing censure, I have found) I have sympathy with those who charge double when they are being recorded (I only receive an extra £10 ) but have not yet had the nerve to demand a fee for vacating the stool in favour of a guest organist. I thought the Telegraph article was mischievous, btw. If a 'proper organist' wants my job please (please!) apply. I don't need it - I work full time as it is and would be happy to forfeit the extra income to have my Saturdays back.
  18. Are we to infer that Justason is now Justason, FRCO and congratulations are in order?
  19. Actually it's this : http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N03970 But it was given a thorough going over a couple of years ago and it took some time to do so I'm not sure if it is classed as a rebuild, but more or less everything it says on the register is there. It is more or less the same as it was but in better working order; I wasn't privy to the details. I think I shall have to seek the advice of the tuner/builder when next he visits - or put a note in his book. ( While I'm about it I'll ask for advice about a spare light tube for the pedal board - I live in fear of it failing in the middle of a wedding) When I inspected the pedal board again this afternoon I found the relevant bit was in deep shadow so will go armed with the torch out of the car next time. Many thanks for thoughts on this odd topic; I just wondered how others managed this task.
  20. I'm relieved not to have to resort to light arson in my quest for neatness. I don't think it is a tracker. I gave the pedal board a yank this afternoon and it wouldn't budge so, short of forcing a live chicken between the pedals to redistribute the litter my only hope is a stronger vacuum cleaner. Or a bottle of Scotch taped to the repair log. When I looked it up on NPOR it didn't give a date of manufacture - just Rushworth and Dreaper; 'rebuilt' and Musical Opinion 1936. Are there, I wonder, any give away signs as to the age of an instrument, or might it be assembled using disparate parts from goodness knows when and where?
  21. Exactly. I don't mind riding roughshod over playing this authentically, but the difficulty of ending it after just 30 seconds has stopped me considering this as an entrance piece. Anyone care to reveal how they accomplish it with a short aisle and a brisk bride?
  22. Apologies if I didn't make myself clear. The instrument is a rather nice 2 manual pipe organ extensively overhauled just a few years ago. The last thing I want to do is set fire to it. I'll take on board your suggestion about changing the cleaner bag. The lady'wot does', doesn't do the organ; I have thus far dodged being added to the cleaning rota and therefore was a stranger to the hoover. Salt crystals?? Sounds a bit pagan!
  23. Sorry I did try a search but it seems I have an uncommon problem. Perhaps it isn't a problem as such but I thought it might be a potential fire hazard to have litter like this where damp and electric cables are nearby. This part of the instrument seems to be particularly awkwardly designed. I've never had a toaster so not sure if you can shove those to one side to clean below it but this venerable beast is a fixture and there is a stone floor beneath. I suppose I've lived with the squalor up to now - it's amazing how things slip so easily between the pedals yet remain frustratingly out of reach when you try to retrieve them. If I do find anything valuable down there I shall sell it and use the proceeds to buy a leaf blower; at least it might blow the rubbish into a place where I can deal with it.
  24. Sorry for posting a minor problem but doing a Search proved fruitless. Now I have charge of the instrument it occurred to me that it could do with a clean. I've no intention of interfering with any internal workings but I have done a reasonable job with the keys and now no longer stick to them. After dragging the hoover over to the stool and heaving it out of the way, I found that there were large areas under the pedals inaccessible to the nozzle. There didn't appear to be a crevice tool to hand and the appliance was a bit wheezy, too! I've been playing the instrument for years but never really observed how the pedals are laid out! There is still debris, dust and detritus despite my ministrations and it is annoying. Is there a better way to tackle this or is it a job for the organ builder on his next visit?
  25. I like it, too. It's restrained and dignified and reminds me of a well-delivered Bible reading. I think the prelude was better than the fugue, which seemed to become a little muddy.
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