gazman

Ok, just returning to the original topic.... I met with the Vicar of one of my churches today, and it seems he is coming around to the idea of having Common Praise, and has abandoned thoughts of purchasing Hymns Old & New, which I think would have been a disastrous choice. I think a lot of this stems from comments he has read on this board. Thanks. We talked about having a supplementary hymn book which has some of the better of the most up-to-date modern offerings, such as Iona, Taizé &c as we don't feel that there is one hymn book which would do everything that he and I would both like. So, folks, if we purchase Common Praise (which I think we shall), are there any recommendations for a supplementary hymn book, please? Incidentally, we've decided that projecting words on a projector screen with Powerpoint isn't suitable in this situation. All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.

Behave!

No, I think you've hit the nail firmly on the head. Hear, hear! Chance would be a fine thing.... Yes, and isn't it boring.

In what were they dissolved? Concentrated sulphuric acid?

I'm going to have to dig this LP out again, then! I remember buying it secondhand as a teenager, and thinking that Dr. Jarvis's performance was decidedly under-par.

In a suitably-sized hole in the churchyard?

I have no problem with War March of the Priests and use it myself on occasion if there are a number of priests at a service. I think it's just a bit of fun! Indeed, a couple of weeks ago the Vicar of one of my churches celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination. I was going to play this as the last voluntary (due to all the priests who were going to attend) but he requested one of the Lefebure-Wely Sorties instead! However, I played WMOTP beforehand and those who recognized it loved it, and appreciated the joke!

Yes, indeed. A very valid point, alas.

I came across a video of my wedding the other day. When I pressed PLAY, I found it was right at the end, so I pressed REWIND and watched it all backwards. It was lovely, coz at the end I saw myself walk out of the church a free man! Joking aside, I remember hearing a very funny rendition of the Widor a few years ago. It was from an organist who really shouldn't have agreed to try to play it. Evidently, the poor fellow couldn't get both his hands to work together. So, slowly, the left hand went "Dum dum", then when it had finished the right hand - which had been silent - went "diddle-iddle" before falling silent again in time for the left hand to go "Dum dum" again, before replying with another "diddle-iddle". This went on throughout the performance. The left hand was about a 75 per cent approximation of what Widor wanted, but the right hand was nowhere near!

Good man! I remember several years ago reading a notice outside the RC Cathedral in Gibraltar which said something along the lines of "If the bride is 5 minutes late we omit the first hymn, 10 minutes we omit both hymns, 15 minutes and the priest and organist return home and the wedding is cancelled". I have a problem in trying to cover weddings in both of my churches. If they clash, or are too close for comfort, I have to get a deputy in to play. Sod's Law dictates that the wedding for which I ask a deputy in is the one which turns out to have the video and, of course, the additional fee. But, occasionally, an unexpectedly very late-running wedding gives me problems. There was one a couple of years ago. It was a very up-market "do" indeed. The bride - who had requested lots of "special music" and lots of special requirements and had made a huge song-and-dance about what she wanted in the way of poetry, music (including additional singers and instrumentalists), readings &c - was over thirty-five minutes late. An hour into the service, when we were still not half-way through (!), I had to ask one of my choirmen to take over from me so I could dash off to my other church. I understand that his attempts to play for two of the soloists' pieces, and for the Widor at the end, weren't very successful. Unfortunately, I rather felt that it had served her right.

Crumbs! So, basically, anybody is entitled to record a concert without the permission of the performer(s) concerned as long as it's for their own use? This just doesn't seem right!

Unfortunately Barry has resigned his membership and says that he will not return. Thank you to everybody for your advice. I'm glad I'm not being unreasonable in not wanting covert recordings being made of my performances. I think that I will follow the advice to print something on the programme about not making recordings without the performer's consent. Much appreciated. Thanks.

I hope you got permission to record this! Slightly off-topic, I know, but after one of my monthly organ recitals last week I heard a few seconds' playback of the recital I had given which had obviously been recorded. I was saying good bye to people at the door when I heard this and tried to identify who in the audience had made the recording. I think I know, but am not 100 per cent sure. The person I suspect has already made a sound recording of a choral concert I conducted a few months ago, without seeking permission first. I'm not very happy about this. Not only was I not asked, but I am slightly put off by the idea that a regular attendee seems to be in the habit of recording my organ concerts. I know that it's going to be off-putting for me in the future knowing that any tiny slip will be recorded, and I shall be aware of this at each of the monthly recitals and will find it somewhat off-putting. Am I being unreasonable?

And how on earth did the master manage to compose them, orchestrate them, write out parts and rehearse them all in one lifetime? Amazing!

Ouch!

*whispers* Oops....Sorry! How exciting! Lucky you!

Yes. I guess that "Stopped Flute 4'" just doesn't sound exciting enough.

Excellent! Now I need visit the gym ever again, and can get on with this whilst pupils play to me!

This reminds me of an occasion 10 years ago when one of "my" organs was being rebuilt. One of the tonal additions to this otherwise comprehensive instrument was a 4' Flute on the Swell, which the instrument sorely missed. The organ builders had a spare 4' Harmonic Flute rank which they were cutting down to normal length (despite my trying to persuade them otherwise!) and were installing on the Swell soundboard in place of an 8' Gedeckt which was going elsewhere. They hadn't installed the rank, but needed to decide on the name to be engraved on the stop knob. They came out with several fanciful suggestions but, as I hadn't heard the rank, I refused to give it a "silly" name! In the end, they reluctantly accepted my suggested name. With every bit of imagination I could muster, I named it........"Flute 4"! And, after they had to revoice it a second time (I wasn't happy with it the way they first presented it), it turned out to be a lovely register - almost worthy of a fanciful name! Talking about fanciful names, Willis IV gave all the (equally lovely) flutes and mutations on the Positif division he installed on this instrument their own names - Zart Flote, Wald Flote etc, - no Nazards or Tierces for him!

Ok, I am at a slight disadvantage when I reveal that I have never actually heard this instrument in the flesh, and I speak from my hearing it in recordings only. Basically, I don't like a number of the sounds I hear from it. There's nothing that actually makes me think "That's lovely". I had a recent listen to the Pye Golden Guinea recording of Downes playing Bach, coupled with the Widor Toccata, and thought what weird sounds he produced from the instrument. Certainly not the sort of sounds I enjoy hearing. I also think that a lot of the registers don't blend, and some sound rather "odd". And, yes, in a concert organ of over 100 speaking stops, there should be space for devotional tones and noble diapasons as well as pseudo-Baroque squeaks! And that awful "case" too, which looks like the organ has Tibias (yuk!) when it doesn't! Don't get me wrong, I think that the organ at the RFH paved the way to an improvement in organ building in this country. But I think it is a child of its time, and has been eclipsed by instruments (of better integrity and cohesion) which have followed since. But, yes, all credit to RD for steering the organ world in a direction of better understanding of "Baroque" principles. It's just not an organ which I think I'd really like to hear in the flesh. However, I'm always happy to be proved wrong......

Thank you. Then I think I shall be interested in purchasing a copy! Sleep well!

Is the organ really that good, though? I know what it's like to put on regular recitals and to rejoice if two dozen people turn up! Sorry, but I'm still not convinced that the instrument is any more than a massive indulgence to RD's wild ideas.....

I remember once being asked the most exciting feature of the organ at which I presided over at that time. I concluded it was the "Off" button. Yes, indeed. It was a child of its time and it paved the way for other, much better instruments. But it was a misguided instrument for Ralph Downes to experiment with his mainly unsupported and ill-informed ideas.