andyorgan

...the one from the X files...

...and summary "retribution".... A marvellous phrase! I quite like the idea that some gentle old ex-forum contributor is cowering in the corner of some far flung church, now not answering the door in case the powers that be have decreed that revoicing that Nazard as a Tierce was a BIG mistake, and he thought he'd got away with it before he mentioned it on a forum..... Me? Well, I know there are plenty of you who pieced together fragments from previous posts and worked out who I was (though sharing the same name as at least four and a half other organists with some profile in this country means that not even my name is particularly helpful), and that has never been a problem (including a contributor who I was delighted to meet about a month ago). I don't mind organists knowing who I am, and if someone has managed to piece together an identity for me, I know they can really only possibly be someone with a proper connection with organs or organists, and therefore, a Gentleman. I have corresponded with a number of you by PM, and have worked with and met, the originator of this post on several occasions. You may argue that this is rather naive and trusting, but everyone I have encountered here has been very helpful with posting and suggestions, and my contributions to the organ world are more enlightened for some of the information I have rceived here. I think the odd rogue who has filtered through the system has usually been found out eventually... Do I speak for a number of others here? I joined this and one other 'music' forum a few years ago when I found myself and my position under a little attack, mainly ill-informed, and perhaps unintentional, but negative, nevertheless.

Having spent the best part of 9 months immersed (possibly drowning?) in Dutch organ music, I found the RCO library to be most helpful.

Yes, good looking new site, but I couldn't get the photo thing to work properly. I must also confess that he's much younger than I thought he would be (only just younger than me!)

Come on guys, cut us a bit of slack here. I agree with the two postings above. There is a possibility that if friends enjoy this, then they might be tempted to go to what you might describe as a 'more serious' recital (maybe even one of my own!). Also, let's not jump on the bandwagon of criticism about this chap till we've seen him live ourselves. I'm fully expecting to enjoy it all if I make, but I'm sure there might be moments when the buttocks are clenched and there is a sharp intake of breath. The organ world needs more bums on seats, and if this is a way of doing it, lets get behind it. Rant over!

Oops, me too about the firm I hadn't heard of (which of course, I won't now mention!) A reminder; is the other 'forbidden topic' (controversial organ in London....) also still 'off piste'? I assume the answer is yes?

Does anyone know if there is likely to be a screen to watch this on? I'm trying to entice non-playing organ fans.

(Tongue in cheek!) I'm impressed with how many computer games you had to sell on ebay to fundraise for the organ......

For comparison, here is the same site reviewing the H4.

The original thread is here. I have an H4 winging its way to me as I speak. I'm intending to use GarageBand/Logic/Sound Studio on my 'Mac' (a proper computer!!) depending on what I want to do with the recording. I haven't got any experience of plugging straight into a HiFi player. I did a lot of research (including using people's views on this forum, very useful, thank you) and no one had a bad word for it, and it seemed to be prefereable to the Edirol. Time will tell.......... PS I think there is an issue with which SD card you use, again, will let you know.

If you're not keen on the Naxos/Rheinb sonatas, don't bother with the concerto disc. Much better served by Telarc (with the Dupre) or Regent (with the Poulenc and Resphigi).

There's a whole double spread of misprints in the Daily Mail today (no, a mean an article on it, rather than lots of misprints, that would be the Guardian).

Sorry not to be able to make any of it, despite living there for most of the last decade. Although an exeat here, we actually have visitors coming down from Worcs. for the weekend (clearly not organists!) Am however, looking forward to the CD. Who engineered the recording and where did you find the best place for the mics?

I think that is what this fabulous Willis comes under in Edinburgh. I don't think the church is used for worship anymore. A pity.

...the McKie or the Gower version? Did I see Worcester on your signature?

I don't know much about the London scene, but things are pretty desperate at the RSAMD. Last year, they didn't have a single undergraduate first study organist.

Hey, well done and the bravery paid off! The Rawsthorne always goes down quite well. The secret with those type of pieces is in the length. I've heard so many attempts at 'comedy/quotation' pieces, and they nearly all go on too long. I expect you'll be canvassing ideas for the next one soon. How much did you raise....or is that classified information.

Title says it all, has anyone come across Ahlborn-Galanti organs in the UK (or perhaps in the US)? In particular, how good the "tracker touch" is. Does anyone know if they have an installation in the UK anywhere. Thanks

Well, a good day was had! Foyles, still pretty good, and so much less dusty than it used to be. If you remember those very tall sets of drawers, there are still four and half columns of them, and they aren't full of Mayhew! As always, the stock is pretty eclectic; stacks of Tournemire (if that turns you on) and lots of copies of the Harris Sonata, to name but a couple of oddities. However, I did pick up quite a bit of stuff (mainly English) that I'm about to make a start on. The other place I tries was Chappell's on the recommendation of an earlier contributor and was pleasantly surprised by how much they had in, and not all duplicates of what I found in Foyles. The only thing I bought though, was a Toccata and Fugue by Ginastera. Anyone else play it?

I'll let everyone know what stocks are like. Its a great shame that we seem to have lost all the good 'browsing' stores. Banks and Blackwells are still I think the best shops, but even they have less than they used to (though in the case of Banks, the excellent coffee shop on the first floor at least means the family can be kept occupied whilst I spend!).

Orb and Sceptre is a better crowd pleaser. The Gower arrangement in the Walton book is easier than the original McKie arrangement from OUP.

Part of the fun in Foyles as a teenager was finding multiple copies of the same piece of music with different proce tags on. Its all a lot smarter than it used to be, and the stock isn't quite so extensive, but at least you don't have to have a slip of paper filled in as you leave the department to go somewhere else to pay. Argent's just oppositie used to be very good, but last time I was in there the size of the shop had been cut considerably from the multiple floors they used to occupy, and the leve of stock was pretty basic for organ music. Haven't been to Scotts before, will give that a go. Are there any recitals on in central London during the day on Saturday?

Hopefully, the title is self-explanatory. I have the chance to be in London for the day on Saturday, and was hoping to do some browsing for organ music and wondered whether those who live the closest can offer some tips. I shall do Foyles (usually good), Brittens (not as good as when B and H ran it), but are there any other options? Kensington Music Shop? Chappells? Even better, are there any decent second hand places worth checking out. All help gratefully received. Thanks

My experience is that North American universities differ even more widely than our own in terms of the standards required for submissions. For my MA, I had to produce a performing edition of something 18th century, and I chose a smallish oratorio by Boyce. In my preliminary research, it had only been attempted once before in academia, so I sent for this chaps PhD thesis on the work in question. When it arrived, I was stunned. All he had done was just about copy out from a microfilm of one source. No editorial procedure, and none of the other sources (there was another set of part books elsewhere) had been consulted. All this for a PhD, all my hard work just for an MA!

The Rawsthorne is by far the pick of the bunch, and if memory serves me right, the rest were commissioned/published on the back of the success of the hornpipe (originally in a single copy, later in a very good book of transcritions by Rawsthorne, sadly no longer available). I've played the Organists Country Gardens in a recital (with one or two slight modifications at harmonically weak points, don't have the copy to hand at the moment), it mixes the Grainger with wedding music. It isn't as effective as the Rawsthorne, neither are any of the pieces in volume 2 of the same series.