sotto
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Posts posted by sotto
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Thats very impressive. There seem to be too many manual 8' stops to me with a degree of duplication. I would also like to see a Nazard on either the Positiv or more probably the Brustwerk
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Am I the only one to find the presence of both Gemshorn 2 and Octave 2 strange on the swell?
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There's little doubt that the singing on these discs is not up to UK cathedral standards but I really enjoy listening to them as they give a feel for ND de P as it was at the time, with the faith of the participants shining through. The recording of Vierne's Messe Solennelle from the same period is, despite the less than perfect singing and slightly early organ entries from PC in a couple of places, easily my favourite of the 4 recordings I have. The sheer enthusiasm for the music is so apparent, the organ is simply stunning and the atmosphere from the cathedral leaps out of the speakers.
I couldnt agree more. In fact I would say that the recordings suggest very clearly that the "English Cathedral" sound is not necessarily the best in all cases. There is a feeling of exuberance, vitality and sheer enjoyment in the singing that is usually missing from the tightly controlled cathedral choirs of this country. I find it impossible to think that their less refined singing is any less acceptable to the almighty!
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...not to mention a previous organist who surely deliberately chose Canticles by Brewer for an AA service.
lol, what was the anthem, "The Spirit of the Lord" perhaps?
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Just seen a draft of this Sunday's pew leaflet, listing Sunday evening's anthem as How lovely are thy swellings fair...
That is an absolute classic. Brilliant!
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A minor point, but the main organ was also used in the Halelluia and Amen choruses during the performance of Handel's Messiah on Sunday 6th. (I was there supporting my daughter who was singing in the chorus.)
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Of course one reason for having an english solo organ with full compass stops is that a combination of these stops is often used to form a second "full swell" effect. On some instruments, like Coventry and St Mary Redcliffe, where the swell organ is very loud the alternative of using the solo or echo division is almost essential for choral accompaniment. It is also very useful if you're attempting to register and play one of the french double organ masses on a single instrument to have two contrasting "full swells" available.
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Our chalice has gone altogether - wine needs to be pre booked if one wants it - alcohol wipes due soon for when one arrives - letter from diocese read out last Sunday - clergy not to visit in case of SF - 'advised to ring NH direct or the other lot.
A
I think I may have had it, but to be honest I'm not sure, anyway stayed away from work & church for a week just in case.
Really there is mass histeria going on, and the ridiculous hand cleansing & non-use of the chalice shame the church imho. As for instructing clergy not to visit the sick, that strikes me as altogether more serious. Surely that's an important part of their calling.
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The specification is up on NPOR if anyone wishes to peruse it. I gather no part of the new organ will be up on that arch, where NPOR says the old Positiv was located. What a strange arrangement that must have been!
The NPOR specification doesnt reveal the amount of extension in the pedal organ. I assumed that the new West Great division would be going up on that arch, as you put it, if not, where is the West Great planned for?
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The console of the organ in Christchuch Cheltenham certainly is fairly tired. The specification, as you say, is very odd, with too many single rank mutations instead of proper mixtures and, from memory, no strings on the swell. Its a shame because it should be a fine instrument but really its a bit of a mess. It suffers from those horrible Nicholson double-touch pistons which make it difficult to control. Its also rather difficult to hear from the console (as a result of overhanging galleries) and sounds far louder in the church than what the player perceives.
Paul D. may well comment, he was organist at Christchurch some years ago... (long after these changes were imposed upon the organ I hasten to add).
I hadn't heard of any work being planned or done on the instrument, it certainly is ready for it as its not 100% reliable in various ways. If I pick up any local knews or gossip I will certainly pass it on....
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I found the rebuilt St.David's organ just a touch odd. Of course, you've got to hand it to the cathedral, H&H and Roy Massey (who designed it) because an extremely thorough and expensive job has been done.
I've had the benefit of attending a few services, attending a recital (given by Margaret Phillips) and giving a recital myself. The case is splendid. The old Choir, being the original Willis stuff restored is excellent as are the Swell and Great. The quasi-Positive, quasi-something on the West side, (in the quasi-chair case) is Willis-style and probably Willis scaling but considerably louder than FHW would have made it - I found it good but quite a surprise. It wasn't clear what musical use to put it to - was it a 'super choir' or really a Nave Organ? It isn't a second Great and the Cremona seemed to me to be equal in power to the FHW Great Trumpet/Tromba.
The Pedal is scattered around a bit (as it was before) and the new 32' reed is devastating in the Choir - so large as to be unuseable, I would have thought, but then it is inaudible, or virtually inaudible in the nave. Meanwhile, the 32' Violone (that came, I think from the old St.Marylebone organ) is glorious everywhere.
The console looks a treat and was done to special order - it looks perfect 'old H&H style', but it most definitely doesn't feel like 'old H&H style'.... again most curious! I couldn't put my finger on what was adrift. I'm fairly sure that the keys are not either ivory or bone, and plastic keys always get on my nerves, so it may just be that. I was told that H&H ditched their 'standard' console several years ago, so they may also have lost a few of the critical measurements (i.e. spatial relationships between the various bits) because I firmly suspect that they were not the same. I've lost count of how many 'standard' H&H consoles I've sat down at over the years, but (until this one) they all feel the same and they all feel comfortable.
It seems to record well, I have Timothy Noon's 2002 CD (York Ambisonic) and that's fine, good playing too; I did wonder how many mikes they had to site in order to get the 32' reed to sound appropriate!
Just back from a weekend of playing and conducting in St David's with the RSCM Cathedral Singers. Having not visited St David's for over 30 years I was really looking forward to playing the rebuilt organ. I must say I found it a bit of a disappointment.
The East Choir was by far my favourite section, but as all services were in the nave of more or less no use to me on this occasion. The swell organ was fine and worked very well for accompaniment. I found the balance with the great to be poor, maybe this is less true away from the console, but to my taste the great completely overpowered the swell. I didn't like either of the mixtures on the great, both of which seemed rather shrill.
Like Paul, I found the console not quite right. It looks like a Harrison console, but when I sat down to play it just didnt feel comfortable and it took me some time to acclimatise to it.
The Manual I-IV reverse coupler is useful but, as I found to my cost, a trap for the unwary. Its very easy to set a general without noticing that this coupler is on from a previous setting and this can lead to spectacular errors!
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I made it into Choral Evensong on Saturday, the first time I've heard the new organ in use for a service (I was present at the open day), and very fine the organ sounded too. I was particularly struck by the beauty of the solo reeds, having played for evensong in Hereford last Monday the Worcester reeds held there own in comparison and, coming from me, thats quite a statement. The tuba was also heard to good effect although the tuning was a little democratic!
Adrian demonstrated how well the instrument performs the english repertoire by giving us the 3rd movement of the Elgar sonata before the service and the final movement as the concluding voluntary. Quite a treat despite the somewhat noisy crowd.
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Ah yes, the place we're now allowed to mention again! The transept case in Worcester is very much still there unless Christopher or Adrian advise otherwise...
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There's also this one just up the road from Gloucester of course, on which I had the pleasure to play Howells St. Paul's plus Elgar Spirit of the Lord for evensong on Monday this week...
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The RSCM Cathedral Singers were having a Saturday in Tewkesbury a couple of years ago, a couple of the men were walking through the abbey grounds carrying cassocks and bumped into a man walking his dog. The conversation, as reported to me, went like this:-
- oh hello, are you here with a visiting choir today
- yes
- oh thats nice which choir is it
- RSCM cathedral singers, do you sing yourself
- not really but I used to play the organ a bit
- oh really, where was that
- Hereford Cathedral
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I've played it a number of times from the standard Novello vocal score, its reasonably approachable in this format.
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I always do Vierne 1 at the vigil service and Elgar 1 on Easter morning. It struck me that those people that only come once a year might think its the only piece I know.
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I tried it out, now I find that my hard disk is full as a result of a large amount of older pipework thats been deposited into the Recycle Bin
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I notice from the specification on the restoration web site that the West Great Clarion 4' is to be extended from the Swell Octave coupler. Wonderful how resourceful these organ builders are these days!
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A good (old?) British organ is what Manchester needs, with foundations like my Gran's fruit cake (rich, complex and comforting), strings like her Victoria sandwich (light and fluffy) and reeds like a strong cup of tea (Britain's favourite drink - it's official*)
not like Gloucester then
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Sorry to answer my own post, but it seemed more appropriate than an edit.
The book which I believe to be based upon Gloucester is, of course, The Choir by Joanna Trollope.
The Madeleine L'Engle book is The Young Unicorns
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There's a book which, just a the moment I can remember neither the title or author of (its a woman though) which is clearly set in Gloucester at the time of the 69 rebuild when the painted pipes were "rediscovered". Someone will know what it is....
There's also a wonderful children's book by Madeline l'Engle (anyone read "A Wrinkle in Time" ?) set in St John the Divine where the organ features strongly, my daughter's taken the box set to uni so I can't look up the title.
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I must admit that I do the psalms out on sheets myself as I have not yet come across a psalter that fully satisfies. Having worked in the past with both Worcester and Oxford my personal opinion is that Worcester is streets ahead. I would certainly not see a change from Worcester to Oxford as a step forwards.
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At least there is life in the board now, isn't it ?
Pierre
I'm delighted that this slightly off kilter thread of mine has started some interesting discussion, although a little disturbed by the rumours and innuendos re. Kings College and Salisbury!
The comments regarding York Minster, an instrument which I have neither played nor heard, I find interesting. I cant help but wonder whether the comments about FJ's standing as a recitalist and his suggestions for alterations to the instrument would not apply equally to Arthur Wills and the changes made at his suggestion to Ely. Yet is it not the case (again an instrument, regrettably, beyond my immediate experience) that the majority of these changes have now been reversed?
Cctv
in Nuts and bolts
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I have one of these (wired) systems which I bought from Maplins for around £130 and which I use for concerts at church. It does a good job for around £130