cverey

Here's a sad tale. This organ with a superb Rococo case was built in the 1760s by a certain John Crang for William Beckford snr of Fonthill House ('Splendens') (not the later ill-fated Fonthill Abbey). There is fairly good evidence that Alderman Beckford invited the young Mozart (aged nine) to instruct his son (aged five or six) in about 1764 and we can speculate whether Wolfgang played this instrument. Anyway, the organ was sold by William jnr in 1801 to the Earl of Pomfret of Easton Neston, Northants and, in 1817, he presented it to Towcester parish church. It began life there on a gallery but was enlarged in 1885 and transferred to the north aisle. Several mutilations and ill-advised changes followed in the next 80 years. I remember playing for an evensong in 1975 when it had grown to about 30 stops and had a detached console. In 1976 vandals broke into the church and set fire to vestments leaning against the case leaving it blistered and charred. As a consequence the remains of this once beautiful and unique instrument were given to the Victoria and Albert museum. I understand that the case has been restored. It surely deserves new 18th century - style innards!

I give in chaps. Everything I say is twisted and distorted. No I don't need to laugh to enjoy a recital. Ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned you can carry on talking to yourselves.

I agree that some of his statements about organs are decidedly odd but I enjoy listening to his playing and laughing is a very valid response. Nowhere in my two posts have I said that I judge the performances to be good. The same could be said of C Curley whose playing (many years ago) of Liberty Bell with tuba at St Matts, Northampton was in my opinion exhilarating but did not please everyone. What Carpenter wears is, maybe, designed to shock and it prompts remarks about U-boats and parents and children. But that is all irrelevant. Jacques Loussier and the Swingle Singers got me playing Bach as a kid. That wasn't revering the music but it did a good job. Organ music can just be too stuffy and needs shaking from time to time.

No, sorry, you are the one who is completely missing the point. Excitement in music comes in many guises and a performance cannot be dismissed simply on grounds of taste or some arbitary decision of musicality. If it gets me sitting up and laughing then that's a result in my book. Of course I listen to other performers and maybe learn something else from them, but in no way do I want a definitive performance (especially Thalben-Ball) at the exclusion of all others. And as for what Carpenter wears, I don't think he is looking for employment as an ambassador or wanting to run a workshop so your comments are entirely superfluous. And snide remarks about Carpenter and children are reprehensible.

Oh how depressing reading you lot of moaners. Accept his playing for what it is. I find CC's recording of the the Bach T & F in F really exciting and it seems to me that flashy, unconventional performance is entirely welcome, like his dress sense.

From Gloucester website: Gloucester Cathedral today announced that Anthony Gowing is to be the new Assistant Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral. The current post holder, Ashley Grote, will take up the position of Director of Music at Norwich Cathedral in August. Anthony Gowing is currently Assistant Director of Music at Sheffield Cathedral, and Director of the Cathedral’s Schola Cantorum. After a spell at The Royal Academy of Music in London, Anthony has worked extensively as an organist, pianist and singer. His organ teachers were Colin Walsh, John Keys and Nicholas Danby. He was a semi-finalist in the 2007 St. Albans International Organ Competition, and has recently studied with Thierry Escaich in Paris. In addition to his Cathedral duties, Anthony is an active pianist and accompanist. He is also an avid jazz pianist and a keen composer and arranger. Anthony said: “I am delighted to take up this exciting position and to be working alongside some world class musicians. I am also very much looking forward to playing on the wonderful Gloucester Cathedral organ which I have completely fallen in love with – it’s unlike any other Cathedral organ.”

As a complete amateur planning to build a small tracker organ I need some advice on action - backfalls in particular. I understand the traditional fan frame pivoted on wires but what about 'floating' backfalls that pivot on a felt rail. Is the oblique angle of the outer backfalls not taken into account at the pivot? Since the weight of the backfall hangs on the pull down wire to the pallets what should they be made from? I have all the old publications on organbuilding but has anything been written that is more up to date in terms of techniques and materials? "Take a length of 2" mahogany" is not a lot of use! Help!

A first look at the new Skrabl organ in St Michael, Lyme Regis. Looks good. eh?

This is an opportunity not to be missed! Please add my name. Cyril