robinwgc

I agree with wolsey. Behold, O God our Defender was commissioned for the Queen's Coronation at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. I have a copy of the order of service, the first music in it (pages 2-12) is Parry's I was glad, the next music (pages 16-21) is the Howells, the final music (pages 182-3) is Gordon Jacob's arrangement of the National Anthem. On page 21 under the final bars of the Howells is printed Christmas Day, 1952. I was an 11 year old chorister at Durham Cathedral in 1953 and can't remember when I acquired the Coronation book.

Allegro Music www.allegro.co.uk can print it under licence. "In addition, Allegro Music pays particular attention to the field of organ and choral music and, as well as holding extensive stocks of organ music, we run an archive service for out-of-print organ music for Oxford University Press, Peters Edition and Schott & Co Ltd. Allegro Music also sell CDs and DVDs from Regent Records, Priory Records and JAV Recordings." RAC

​Denis Bédard, Adagio (CH. 05) or Andantino (Ch. 18) might suit, RSCM stock them. RAC

On the Cathedral website at www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/worshipandmusic/organists are full details of the team of four Organists, led by James Lancelot, the other three members are Sub-Organist, Assistant Organist and Organ Scholar. The Assistant Organist is David Ratnanayagam who was appointed in June 2012 having been Organ Scholar for two years and then Interim Assistant Organist. RAC

Full details are at http://organappeal.org/proposed-specification RAC

This information is from A Directory of Composers for Organ by John Henderson. Toccata No.1 was published by Van Rossum of Utrecht, this firm is no longer active, it merged with Herman Zengerink, Urlusstraat 24,3533 SN Utrecht, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 302 930 685 Fax: +31 (0) 302 991 770

It is No. 831 in the Saint Cecilia Series - I have a copy in front of me. RAC

" We also do most of the accompanied war-horses . . . Am I missing out on some gems?" I suggest Anthony Caesar's Missa Brevis Capella Regalis RAC

The organist was Owain Park now at Trinity College, Cambridge see http://www.owainpark.co.uk/ RAC

Seven Sketches (on verses from the Psalms) by Percy Whitlock Each movement of Peter Hurford's Suite ' Laudate Dominum' is headed by a verse or verses of a Psalm. RAC

We bought Wippell's Pleated Collarettes http://www.wippell.co.uk/s-44-ruffs-collarettes.aspx for £11.75 each there was then a 7½% RSCM discount. RAC

Henderson's Directory of Composers for Organ mentions Four Superior Sonatas (G, A flat, E, C) 1890 Novello. It refers to "numerous organ pieces" - many of these are listed, published (by various firms) and unpublished, this is the only title including "Sonata". RAC

Looking at the score of L’Ange à la Trompette I can't see how it can be described as palindromic! Chimes has 28 bars in 4/4, the notes at the first beat of bar 1 are the same as those at the 4th beat of bar 28, those at the 2nd beat of bar1 the same as those at the 3rd beat of bar 28 and so on, until those at beats 1 to 4 of bar 14 match those at beats 4 to 1 of bar 15. I would have liked to show here bars 13 to 16, which I have in several formats, but I have already spent too long trying to do this - I admit defeat. RAC

Chimes by Bernard Rose which under the title has "Ma fin est mon commencement, et mon commencement est ma fin." It's no. 7 in The Hovingham Sketches published by Banks in 1982. You can hear a performance of it by Francis Jackson recently posted on the General discussion forum of this board - at #1228 on the Youtube thread. RAC

See http://www.usedorganmusic.co.uk/Cat0412.pdf and scroll down to page 37! RAC

Rugby see http://www.rugbyschool.net/new-director-of-music-appointed RAC

Suantraidhe was published by Basil Ramsey in 1977, John Henderson's Directory of Composers for Organ (2005) gives it as now by Banks. He mentions two other pieces Prelude on "Heathlands" (1988 Oecumuse) and Song-tune Prelude on "Sweet-and-twenty" in A paean for Peter Warlock (2000 Thames Publishing) RAC

"It's when you've sung in a choir with the likes of the late Martin How at the helm, you realise your own inadequacies." Happily not yet "late"! From Croydon Minster web site . . . The music department is led by the Organist & Master of the Choristers, Andrew Cantrill. Andrew was previously Director of Music at Grimsby Parish Church (the only parish church in the country to have its own choir school); the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, New Zealand; and St Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo, NY, USA. Andrew is assisted at the organ by Tom Little (Sub-Organist), Martin How (Organist Laureate) and by two organ scholars: Sophie Winter and David Warren. RAC

The Recruitment page of the Cathedral website gives the interview dates for the Assistant Director of Music as 14-16 November. In the Job Description, which can be downloaded from the Recruitment page, it says "It is hoped that the successful candidate will take up the appointment as early in 2012 as possible." RAC

I can't resist sharing this entry from the list of Previous Directors of Music on the new site of The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1833–1856) The son of Thomas Forbes Walmisley (Organist of Croydon Parish Church), Thomas Attwood Walmisley was born in Westminster in 1814. He took up the joint appointment of Organist at St John’s and Trinity Colleges in 1833 at the age of 19. His premature death was, as John E. West has suggested, “hastened by an unwise indulgence in lethal remedies”. Stanford commented that “Walmisley…was a victim of four o’clock dinners in Hall, and long symposiums in the Combination Room after; and being a somewhat lonely bachelor, the excellent port of the College cellars was, at times, more his master than his servant.” As a composer, Walmisley is chiefly known for his setting of the Evening Canticles in D minor. RAC

Posted yesterday on another message board . . . It has been announced today that Miss Francesca Massey is to assume the post of Sub Organist at Durham Cathedral from September the 1st. She is currently Assistant Organist at Peterborough Cathedral. Keith Wright, the Sub Organist since 1991, is moving to York to be Assistant Director of Music & Head of Keyboard at St Peter's School and Director of Music at St Olave's Church in the city centre. Oliver Brett, currently Assistant Organist, is moving to St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia. Thus far there is no news on the status of the 'Assistant' position. RAC

From All Saints', Hertford website: “Following the appointment of Sam Hudson as Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral we are seeking a replacement Assistant Director of Music.” See http://www.allsaintshertford.org/orgs.htm RAC

Letchworth Garden City, founded 1903, encompassed several villages including Norton with its Parish Church of St Nicholas dating back to 1119. A new church in the Parish, St George's, was built in 1964. The Parish website can be seen at http://www.parishofnorton.org.uk/welcome/ and details of the St George's organ (listed on the NPOR under Norton) can be seen at http://npor.rcm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?...ec_index=N14119 RAC

From John Henderson's A Directory of Composers for Organ "In 1897, after 3 years, he left Worcester due to problems with alcohol. Subsequently organist of Holy Trinity, Marylebone and borough organist at Battersea Town Hall, his own pieces include . . ." He then lists about 40 organ compositions (some single pieces, some collections) with publication dates from 1899, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1932 (the year of his death). RAC

I can report a misprint in Philip Moore's Paean. Comparing the opening 2 bars with similar ones later in the piece suggested that the left hand triads in bars 1 & 2 (C# E G#) were a third too high, Martin Neary replied . . . You are absolutely right, and Novellos are correcting this. The error seems to have crept in after the final proof - most baffling. the opening left hand chords should be A C# E. Thank you so much for letting me know. I do hope you enjoy the collection, nonetheless. RAC