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emsgdh

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Posts posted by emsgdh

    Excessive Pauses At The End Of Line Of A Hymn

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Two whole beats extra at every line end? I have never come across anything that extreme. But nothing surprises me.

     

    I sometimes think there are as many different views about playing hymns as there are organists. I happen to think that the most vital hymn singing occurs when the beat is absolutely rigid. Any congregation is going to contain a number of people (probably a majority) without much sense of rhythm and who are going to be all over the place if you give them half a chance. The last thing you want to do is encourage them by slowing down at the ends of lines, or by inserting indefinite pauses. They need the dependable framework that a metronomic beat gives. But in this case I suspect you would be up against the "We've done it this way for forty years and we're not changing now!" mentality.

     

    Personally I find a steady tread far more musical than flaccidity :blink:, but this does mean setting speeds that allow the congregation to breath properly without gasping desperately for air at the end of lines.

    You have just said the magic words.

     

    Every scholar insists that the point of view expressed by MGP is the correct approach, viz. fermati used to show the end of a line of text and not to be applied in the traditional, musical way. I have no doubt that this is, in fact, correct. But how can it be correct at our modern tempi ?

     

    My personal opinion is that the chorales were sung by the faithful in a kind-of rough, hell for leather, deadly slow forte - each note coming out like a hammer blow. In that context, adding extra beats is ridiculous. But nowadays, with our swift tempi applied to hymn-singing, something has to give, there's got to be a pause to collect oneself, in order for it to have any musical sense. It's the ruthless application of rules taken out of context that has been a curse to music making in the whole of the post-war period.

     

    Naturalness and the appeal to one's inner sense of musical truth must be our principal guides.

    Excessive Pauses At The End Of Line Of A Hymn

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Well yes, I would - the mark was often there to show the end of a line not to disrupt the metrical flow.

    Friends:

     

    I've run up against this kind of thing more than once.

     

    As an Anglican-trained organist, I learned my German chorales with all kinds of extra beats that drive the Lutherans mad. Makes 'em foam at the mouth. What seems to us as a natural and musical (one might almost say well-mannered) place to breathe a bit, strikes them as an irritating interuption of the ruthless tread of jack-boots.

     

    There is no amount of arguing musical good-sense that will disuade them.

     

    emsgdh

    The Colours Of The Organ

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I'm delighted to read this as I don't know the 12th Sonata. However, one sonata that I DO know and play is the 7th in f-minor. Each of its 3 movements is excellent, with beautiful themes splendidly developed. This may sound odd but E. P. Biggs was a fan of this work and played it in recital, off and on, into the middle 50's. I assume he studied it with G. D. Cunningham.

    Name That Cd

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Sorry folks, it's me again. CD goes off to press on Monday and I still haven't named it. The Orrrrgan of Romsey Abbey seems a tad lame. The track listing is -

     

    Guilmant - Scherzo Symphonique

    Bridge - Adagio in E

    Bach - Trio on Allein Gott

    Bach - O Mensch

    Franck - Choral 2

    Scott - 2 Chorale Preludes

    Bach - Allein Gott fugue

    Gigout - Scherzo

    Bach - Nun Komm 659

    Bach - Trio 6

    Warlock - Capriol Suite

     

    Please, please, please, if anyone's got any decent suggestions for a name, I'd love to hear them. This is not an ego trip, it's someone panicking cos they've got 24 hours to come up with something!

     

    Thanks

     

    David

    ROMSEY RAMBLE

    A Second Chance

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Wells Cathedral - Willis 1855/7 - if H & H had not got to it later - this would be on the screen - aimed at the Choir with something totally different in the Nave - Cavaille-Coll?, Hope Jones?.

     

    PEDAL

    Open Diapason 16 (W)

    Violone 16

    Bourdon 16

    Principal 8

    Flute 8

    Fifteenth 4

    Contra Fagotto 32

    Bombarde 16 (W)

    Trumpet 8

     

    CHOIR ('Chair' case)

    Open Diapason 8

    Stopped Diapason 8

    Dulciana 8

    Principal 4

    Conical Flute 4

    Flageolet 2

    Mixture 1 III

    Corno di Bassetto 8

     

    GREAT

    Double Diapason 16

    Open Diapason 8

    Gamba 8

    Claribel Flute 8

    Principal 4

    Harmonic Flute 4

    Twelfth 2-2/3

    Fifteenth 2

    Sesquialtera 1-3/5 III

    Mixture 1-1/3 IV

    Double Trumpet 16

    Trumpet 8

    Clarion 4

     

    SWELL

    Violin Diapason 8

    Celeste 8

    Chimney Flute 8

    Principal 4

    Fifteenth 2

    Echo Cornet 2-2/3 III

    Fagotto 16

    Trumpet 8

    Hautboy 8

    Clarion 4

     

    SOLO (Extra chest - sorry PCND!!)

    Grand Cornet 8 V (TC)

    Trombone 8

    Mechanical action plus Barker etc.

     

    AJJ

    Now that's what I call WELL DONE. Bravo.

    A Second Chance

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Thank you!

     

    One possible change would be an Echo Cornet (12-15-17-19-22) III-V on the Choir Organ, instead of the Mixture III.

     

    I have also re-instated the Solo 8ft. and 4ft. flutes, which were omitted accidentally.

     

    This is such a marvelous subject/idea/dream - and what better instrument to re-visit than the poor Gloucester job !

    Felix Borowski

    in The Organ

    Posted

    There are apparently three organ sonatas by Borowski. Has anyone ever played/heard any of them, and what did you think?

     

    I've got a score of his Deuxieme Sonate pour Grande Orgue and it seems a pleasant enough work. The title page and end papers are almost entirely in French, and the registration and expression marks in both French and English. This is odd, because the composer was English and so, I believe, was his publisher, Laudy & Co. I take it French composers were selling better than English ones in 1906!

    His music, esp. the sonatas, enjoyed a great vogue on organ recitals in the states c.1925-45.

    Choral Song & Fugue

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Dear Friends:

     

    Ashamed to say that I've never learned the Fugue. Is there a preferred edition ?

    Not too interested in scholarship. Want an edition edition that is well laid-out & fingered for comfortable and quick learning. Any thoughts ?

    Bossi Scherzo

    in The Organ

    Posted

    My dear Cynic:

     

    You'd better check your fingering because, aside from the stop changes, which can be tricky, this piece should fall very naturally under your fingers. If I can be of any help, please wire me.

     

    emsgdh

     

    My dear Cynic:

     

    Sorry for that ! My reply was intended for Mr. Peter Ellis.

     

    emsgdh

    Regent 'the English Cathedral Series'

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I have purchased each volumn and have only kept nos. II (Birmingham), IV (Winchester) & VII (Norwich). Each of these has EXCELLENT playing and fine sounding instruments. I found the others much less interesting with Ely and Newcastle perhaps the worst.

     

    Karl Watson,

    Staten Island, NY

    The Virgil Fox Phenomenon

    in General discussion

    Posted

    That is ridiculous.  How can Fox be responsible for that?  But gentlemen, times move on, tastes do change.  Venues like St. Georges Hall along with most concert halls is down to supply and demand.  Perhaps it could be the public find the academic, sterile, clinical and sometimes souless performances and programmes from ecclesiastical organists a turn off?  Not everyone aspires to reach the highest organ loft.  More effort needs to be made to bring people on board to appreciate organ music.  I believe people like Virgil Fox and Carlo Curley have done much to bring organ music to the fore.

     

    It is not surprising to me how some people seem very high-minded in here and it probably reflects the sad state of organ playing in this country.  Some people need come down from their ivory towers and smell the coffee and stop denegrating those who have chosen to express their talents in a different way to their own, perhaps? Fox and Curley are not bad organists by any stretch of the imagination.

     

    Dear Lee Blick:

     

    This is a matter about which you have very strong feelings. I don't wish to challenge them but I would like, with respect, to contribute an observation or two.

     

    In the case of Virgil Fox: he was a man of high intelligence with a superb conservatory background & training. On the one hand, he had the German school of Haupt through his private study with Middleshullte (sp.) and at the Peabody he had the Lemmens school through Louis Robert. His knowledge of harmony and counterpoint was comprehensive, as well as his study of music history.

     

    In the case of Mr. Curley: his education is virtually nill. His enormous talent has never been informed by intelligence of any kind. His playing, often brilliant, lacks every essential that might give it distinction. It is playing that exhibits an extreme form of self-involvement that pretends to engage the public.

     

    Fox was an artist who made MANY questionable musical choices.

     

    Curley is like a brilliant performing circus animal.

     

    About cathedral musicians: Our profession would be non-existent without the tradition and contributions of our cathedral organists. They represent an ideal of musical all-rounders toward which every young student might aspire.

     

    Karl Watson

    Music Desk Pegs

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Which angle do you like yours to be at? After leaving the console I always make sure they are turned to the horizontal position to blend with the line of the music rest.

     

    Any preference, brass, gold, stainless steel?

    This reply does not answer your question but I'm keen to ask another. These pegs, as you call them, are never seen in the States. Does the English organist regard them as indispensible?

     

    I can imagine all sorts of uses for them, but at the same time I'd worry that I might hurt myself on them by some quick movement.

     

    Please inform me, one and all !

     

    Karl Watson

    Staten Island, NY

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