parsfan

Its a shame that Ian is no longer part of the cathedral world. I recall him as assistant at Bristol and he is an accomplished performer and no mean improviser. Some of his fanfares after the reading of the Gospel, at the Sung Eucharist, were astonishing.

Don't have his contact details I'm afraid, Quentin. I just hope that one of our most exciting young executants and improvisers of recent years is not to be lost to directing a choir.

Agree wholeheartedly. His recital at St Paul's a few years back that included 'Ad Nos' was the best recital that I have ever attended. I wonder if he will be invited to re-open the St Paul's organ after irs refurbishment?

I see that the Assistant Director of Music post was advertised in last week's 'Church Times'. Any idea where Robert Houssart is moving to?

I wonder if I can ask about the RAH Organ layout? Is all the organ behind the case, or is some located at gallery level behind the half dozen or so black panels?

Not sure what is happening here !! IT already is de facto organist and Ian Wells does the lions share of choral conducting. It may well be that they are seeking to raise the choral singing to a new level. When I went to an Evensong in May, the level of singing was no more than adequate and the discipline within the choir was poor. IT must be the Cathedral's longest serving employee. They may wish to recast the Music Dept without the influence of such a big personality.

Yes, the curse of the inflated biography does make me laugh. Thankfully, it does not seem to have taken a grip in the world of the Organ and it is still the exception rather than the rule. When it does occur it tends to be driven by a desire to make the subject seem more an artist/man of letters rather than just a mere organist. This type of biography also expresses a zeal to push the boundaries of the hitherto stade world of organ music. If only those who promote themselves in this way could understand how pompous and puffed up it is they might revert to letting us know where they were educated, who were their teachers areand what posts they hold/have held.

I think there is a tension in having an improvisation prize at St Alban's. Unless there is a competitor with rare talent and flair, it is unlikely that any of the competitors will have reached the stage of being a competent improviser. I think it was Pierce Piecemaille who said that it takes 15 years of hard work and practice to become a good improviser. Maybe St Albans should stick with the playing comp.

Portsmouth Town Hall !

Interesting Wood piece in JSW's recital. Never come across it before. Can't imagine that CW would be very adventurous in hs writing for organ.

At a recent Evensong at Liverpool Cathedral, just after we had said the Creed, the Lay Clerk acting as cantor intoned 'O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us' ! I have had one instance of where an organist has played one more verse that contained in the Hymn. That and playing one less verse must be one of the more common errors !

We don't seem to have seen much of Ms Bate on the recital scene in recent years. At one time she was quite prominent. Her recordings of Messiaen at Beauvais are excellent. I did see her in the audience at a recent Sunday afternoon recital at Westminster Cathedral. I wonder if she has other priorities these days?

Another important piece of advice is to make sure that you are given a decent theme. Latry's recent RAH impro was marred by one of the two themes being 'The British Grenadiers'. Last year Peter Wright inflicted 'London Bridge is falling down' on Hakim at Southwark. If improvisation is to be taken seriously, we just need to give executants a single gregorian theme; otherwise we are treating it as a musical party trick.

Maybe something to do with his wife's singing career being London based?

Yes, fairly certain that it was Cocherau, tho the theme quoted-tongue in cheek-might have been some other popular Christmas ditty. It was certainly gutsy. The TM was used and the piece finished on full organ. JSW will know. That, Haec Dies and the Symphony seem to be the PC works in JSW's repertoire.

Thanks. I have heard it. The last time was when JSW played Franck's 'Finale' And before that in some vulgar Cocherau piece before Christmas that quoted 'Jingle Bells'. I have some sympathy with those who think the York TM unmusical. Its not like the Chamade stops at St Paul's and St John the Divine. Or the Trompette Militaire at Liverpool. The tone is too loud, forceful and 'fat' to be used in pieces such as the Gigout.

I think Simon Preston's 'Tocatta' alludes to the Simpson's theme tune. Sarah Baldock might know. She has it in her repertoire. Grateful to see the photos of the York TM. Would be even more grateful to hear it. Despite attending abt six Saturday Evensongs a year, its abt two years since I have heard it used in the voluntary. I thought that it might be used at the end of Elgar's Imperial March. But sadly not. While chuntering on abt Saturday's Evensong at York, can anyone explain why choirs still sing 'Day in B flat'. The Mag is particularly wretched !

Yes, it would not have hurt to have given FJ a K. While GTB got it for service to the Temple, FJ has been active on a number of fronts. Organist, author and composer. We will not see his like again. Also both he and Willcocks had 'a good war'.

I wish TT's programme had been a tad more interesting. I like a transcription in a recital but I would have welcomed a large scale serious piece written for organ rather than the Carmen suite.

At St Paul's, Huw Williams will, on occassions, solo a tune on the Dome Trompette Militaire. This works too !

Yes, Ken Naylor's 'Coe Fen' must be regarded as one of the great contemporary hymn tunes. Its stately Broad sweeping melody is not difficult to master and has been used at York Minster for donkey's years.

I think the problem is with the hymn rather than the tunes. When you read the Phillipians passage, which is one of the great theological statements of the NT, and then you compare it to the hymn you realise that we are ill-served by a hymn which is wordy and commences with words which should occur at the end. None of the tunes are inspiring and Camberwell is just plain silly. While not a hymn, the song of Humility by-I think-Bill Ives is a sensitive setting of the Phillipians passage.

The Opera House, Blackpool Wurlitzer is a beauty. The last instrument to be installed in the UK by the Company, it has one of the few Tibia Plena ranks in this country. Robert Wolfe recorded an album in the early 80s and this does the instrument justice. A completely different beast from the Tower instrument , the console if often inaccessible due to the band arrangements for summer shows. One Wurlitzer that now lives and breathes again is located at the Granda Tooting. Len Rawle raised 40k to access the console and install a lift. He spent the winter refurbishing the pipe work. It was 'opened' on April 29 and Richard Hills-who has a FRCO-will be giving a concert on June 24 at Noon.

Descants are best if they are used sparingly. JSW at York and Ian Tracey at Liverpool are masters of this art. Saying that I think that JSW is more conservative than he was, say, 15-20 years ago. Agree with the point of the Choir's role in conveying the meaning. Some choirs seem to raise psalm singing to another level while with others it comes across as pedestrian. Other techniques that I like is trebles/sopranos singing two verses on their own followed by the men singing two verses on their own. Then there are the magnificent unison verses at the end of each book of the psalms. One other feature that makes York distinctive is the accompaniment is continuos. An enhancement in my view.

I suppose the downside of the Carwood and Patrington appointments is that there is no backfilling and opportunities have not been created for experienced assistants to obtain their first cathedral post.