parsfan
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Posts posted by parsfan
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You would think that after six months of work on this unique console that either the Abbey or Harrison's website might carry a photo. The Abbey website has not updated the Organ' spec.
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I think that Frank's advice is wise. Encores can be infuriating. I think a few people came away from SP's RAH recital thinking 'what on earth was that he played?'
I think that contrast is the key. If your programme has ended with loud virtuosity the encore should be quiet and simple. I recall at the first night of the Proms a few years back the violinist Maxim Venegerov encored either the Brahms of Beethoven concerto with a Bach prelude. We were all holding our breaths. Incidentally, one of the competitions,either Calgary or Dallas has an encore prize. The criteria is not only how well you play the encore but also whether you correctly judged that one was called for.
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I must admit that I prefer not to have an encore. Especially if the recital has concluded with a significant serious work. Its rather like a singer concluding her recital with Strauss's Four Last Songs. What sort of encore can follow that?
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Oh come on !! Its not that bad. I must admit though, I am sick of hearing the Mozart fantasia this year !!
The Ad Nos alone might be worth the admission money. Oddly enough I have only heard this piece in recital on three occassions and I can recall each clearly.
Herrick Bunney at the McEwan Hall in the late 70s, Paul at Redcliffe circa 93-95 and John Scott at St Pauls a few years back. The latter was the only occassion, at an organ recital, when I was tempted to get to my feet to appalud at the end. Tempted mind you..I didn't quite manage it !!
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Yes, Arundel is well worth a visit. Do bear in mind that the Castle is closed on a Saturday. Apparently, The Red Lion is worth patronising if your thirst needs quenching. Tho best avoided when Goodwood races are on !!
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Many thanks for this.
No surprise abtout JF. A white heat player at the top of his game. I still recall his Dupre series at SPES. Yes, on a point that I have mention before, I do think that a full length recital needs a major work and HF will provide this next week with Frank's GPS.
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Sorry to hear that the attendances were small. I live and work in London and would like to attend more out of town events but sometimes the timing of recitals mitigate against this. I would love to attend the spring recitals series at Winchester but these are timed at 1945. Basically, I am not back in London until 2300 !!
Likewise, Guildford's recitals are at 1930. Plus there is the problem that I identified re Rochester. Where in Guildford is there somewhere decent to eat and drink? Plus to do so you have got to travel in the opposite direction of the Cathdral. And Stag Hill in driving rain is like Ben Nevis in February.
Nevertheless I might try and overcome these interminable problems and attend the Alexander Mason recital in September. I am quite keen to hear the Guildford intrument in recital. I went to Evensong on Easter Day a few years back and Stephen played the Scherzo Symphonique by Cocherau. Well worth the journey !!
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Just a reminder that Huw Williams gives a recital at 1830 tonight. The programme is popular without being vulgar and may be the last chance to hear the organ in a full recital before the long promised rebuild.
The timetable for the rebuild must have slipped somewhat as I thought that I read that it was due to start last April !!
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Talking abt whacking big Comptons, does any one know whether the recent refurbishment of Broadcasting House included work on the Radio Theatre organ. 123 stops from 34 ranks !!
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Anybody been to any of the summer organ festival recitals yet? Must admit the programmes have not grabbed me but David Sanger's recital on 15 August looks promising. He concludes with the finale from Vierne 6. Territory he knows well. Those who collected ye olde LPs will recall his recordings of the Vierne Symphonies for Meridian at the Italian church in Ckerkenwell. Big definitive performances on a modest organ. I am sure that the Filsell recordings at Rouen are also exciting.
I wonder if the Abbey have produced a glossy brochure for the series as usual, hopefully with a photo of the refurbished console. One feature of this brochure that I value is that the recitalists write their own programme notes.
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I think I would be more inclined to support Rochester events if the town was a wee bit more attractive and had a decent pub etc. Unlike, say, York its not a place that uplifts your soul.
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Re the DB piece, its good to hear of new music being played. Indeed, when I attended Stephen's recital at the Temple he played part of the Moore Sonata which impressed as a work of quality. Wonder if anyone will record that soon?
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I wonder if Stephen obtained the help sought? I note that Simon Preston managed without a page turner at his recent RAH recital.
I do like Stephen's website. Although the caption claims that all three of the photos were taken at Guildford, the pic on the left looks vey much like the console of St Pauls.
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Not surprising as King's cherry picks in that most of their OS have obtained their FRCO before starting at KC rather than after graduating which is the more common route for OS of other colleges.
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The great on the Dome organ remains without tremulants so struggles to sound like a cinema organ. RPB. who was as good as blind, had a very complex style which gave the impression that he had at least four hands. A style that I admired more than liked.
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I have never heard this instrument. On a recent visit, there were leaflets desribing an appeal for the rebuilding of the Organ. Looking at the unattractive heap of pipes sans case, I did wonder if it would not be better to build a new instrument sited at the West End with a small chancel organ rather like the arrangement at Chelmsford. Money, I suppose, is the obstacle to a new instrument. I suppose you need £1m to commission a new 60-70 stop instrument these days. It did make me wonder where the line is between rebuilding and a new instrument.
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Not a town hall, I know, but you might be interested to read about the successful re-opening of the HNB dual purpose organ at the Dome, Brighton.
http://www.domeorganbrighton.co.uk/
I did not attend, but I have heard this organ in the past. Neither a classical or a theatre organ it is rather like Southampton Guildhall in that it performs neither job well.
Nevertheless the site is interesting with some good photos and gives a flavour of the challenge this project presented to David Wells.
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I think that the board in St Reparate records that when refurbished in the 60s or 70s Pierre Cocherau gave the opening recital. Another incentive to visit this small cathedral is the marvellous ice cream shop nearby. Flavours that you never thought were possible !
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Good morning Parsfan,
I was going to mention that; a good idea and in many other churches in Provence (les amis des orgues). Quite often just a small framed account of the spec. so you have to look carefully on all the near pillars by the door. There are rarely organ recitals in the big church on the Avenue Jean Medecin, or is it the Rue de France ? never mind I forget. Yes there is still massive disruption in the city centre, but now most of the tram lines are in position. ( France is SO much more go ahead than ourselves in this respect).
Some readers might be interested in Ste Reparte. She was a 15 yr old virgin martyred in Caesarea in the 4th century, arrived in Nice in a boat of flowers towed by a pair of angels (hence Baie des Anges). Actually this same Reparte was the 1st patron saint of Florence before that city adopted intermediaries with greater heavenly clout !.
The new organ whose name I couldn't recall in an earlier post is St Pierre d'arene. A 3 man instrument in a street behind the Promenade des Anglais.
I will also mention the little organ in the village church at PEILLE, a small village to the NE. They have been given the organ from the Royal chapel in Monaco Palace, just 2/17 - built by Merklin of Lyon around 1950, and installed in the little church in 1989. Now they are apealing to people for funds to install a trumpet rank. I only mention this as it is unusual to find much interest in the organ in a village church.
M.S.
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A welcome feature of St Reparate and other Nice churches is that the local organist association usually has installed a plaque outlining the history of the organ and listing the spec. I wonder if you visited the other big church in Nice. Its on the road to the station-still dug up I imagine-and has a smaller organ voiced for German music.
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Another stunning recital last Sunday by Colin Andrews. The highlight was the Prelude and Fugue in G (BWV 550) by JSB. Haven't heard this before and I came away wondering why it doesn't feature more frequently in recitals. Tricky to play?
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Talking abt MA at Noriwch, I wonder if anyone who has kept ye old LPs still has the double album of Howells Choral and Organ music that Norwich produced in the late 70s/early 80s. Expressive singing and powerful playing. A benchmark recording especially as records of Howells were not as commonplace as they are now !!
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Yes, a good story. Campbell was obviously a great figure and I really enjoy hearing his anthem 'Sing We Merrily'. I wonder if it sounded ahead of its time when it was first composed? I am less keen on his 'Litany of Peace' which blights the Sunday Sung Eucharist. I rather have said interessions. I find that worship at SGW is a rather underwhelming experience. Hymns are feebly played. Its as if it can't make up its mind whether it should be a parish Church or a Cathedral equivalent.
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I think that the secret of raising psalm chanting to a higher level lies with the organist rather than the choir. Philip Marshall's psalm playing was said to 'cast a mystery over the whole scene'. Those who can recall Lincoln Evensongs on R3 will also recall that his hymn introductions were often thrilling and imaginative.
I think that the best psalm players favour continuos accomp. Ths story of MA using the cymbelstern is amusing. A bit unsure whether the jingling bells are an asset or not. York seems to have one now tho its not listed in the NPOR spec. JSW uses it in the Jesus College service by Mathias.
1130 and hot and sticky in polluted Victoria St SW1 !! Roll on early Sept and the new term !!
St. George's Hall, Liverpool
in General discussion
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Michael's comment about the SE at Hereford almost makes me want to move there !!. He has described it well. This is the best sort of improvisation done in the context of worship. Beats the old 'Improvisation on a submitted theme' at recitals.
JSW used to provide a similar improvisation at the end of the Hymn, while the choir recessed at the end of Saturday Evensong at York. However, a blessing now follows the hymn ending a long cherished York tradition.