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revdnsm

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Posts posted by revdnsm

  1. There is a suggestion that Peter Conacher had contact with France, did some training there and brought back some French organ builders.

     

    Locally Buck's., Oxon. borders. there are number of Conachers from different times. Some do have a slightly French 'vowel sounds' to the flues and touch of French sound in the reeds. Some are just indifferent. Some speak boldly and 'lead' well. Many have been moved from their original setting though.

     

    revdnsm

  2. The tune used for The Carnival is over is taken from a Russian folk song Stenka Razin; according to Wikipedia it is also used in a Dutch hymn Vol Vervachting Blijf Ik Uitzien.

     

     

    The tune was also used by the Moody and Sankey era. Much loved in Scotland? '

     

    Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore,

    But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

    Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!

    For to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

    [or Some poor struggling, sinking sailor you may rescue, you may save.]

     

    Author P.Bliss (?)

     

    Every Blessing

     

    David Wallace

  3. In the context of research I am due to undertake for a booklet I have promised to write for the Anglo Catholic History Society (history of All Souls' Church Brighton) I have been told that complete sets of Crockfords can be found in the Lambeth Palace library and also owned by Michael Farrer (founder member of the ACHS) who now lives in the infirmary of Charterhouse (in Clerkenwell). No doubt there are other complete sets.

     

    I have three quite old editions but nothing as old as you require.

     

    Malcolm

     

    re Noel Bonavia Hunt.

    The following might be helpful:-

     

    http://www.bardon-music.com/books.php?id=9...en&curr=eur

    This shows him as at Willesden 1905 -1912, St Johns Wood 1922 -1930

     

     

    http://pipe-organ-letters.com/index.php/home/yellow.html

    This shows him in Bedrfordshire at Stagsden in 1952 as Vicar(?) moving to Benenden near Cranbrook Kent in 1957

     

    Best wishes

     

    David W

  4. Hi

     

    Quite likely. One of the 19th Century DIY organ building books gives instructions for making paper pipes.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    Tony

     

    I too recall, circa 1969, seeing an organ with ranks of paper pipes in a church some miles North of Norwich, near Blickling Hall but not Aylsham. It was not in use. There was also a main organ with metal pipes in the church.

     

    The books with very detailed instructions of making paper pipes (and others) is 'Organ Building for Amateurs' by Mark Wicks, Ward Lock and Co 1887. I think OHS did a reprint some years back.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    David Wallace

  5. Hi

     

    There's nothing that "fits" on NPOR (we have records for 3 Methodist churches in Wandsworth). Maybe it was another London Borough? If you do remember, let me know and I'll see if I can get a friend in the area to check it out - it's the sort of info that should be on NPOR.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    Tony

     

    Having been brought up in Wansdworth could it perhaps be what was the Methodist Central Hall Southfields near Wandsworth? It was the only large Methodist Hall in that area. 3 manual Spurden Rutt. I haven't been that ways for very many years so don't know the current status.

     

    http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N05504

     

    Every Blessing,

     

     

    David

  6. Hi

     

    I've seen info on this in a book - but it was a long time ago - and the book belonged to someone else! You have to play "chords" made up of the typical harmonic structure of a bell - but beyond that, I can't remember the details.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    Tony

     

    I have a feeling Cavaille Coll used for a Carillion 8, (4), nazard, tierce, 22nd.

     

    Might this give the chord needed?

     

    Certainly it works well on my house organ

     

    David W

  7. I imagine that as I have been asked by The President of St John's to suggest things for 'openings', it would be good to ascertain how many members here would be interested in a Saturday event so that I could more strongly suggest and give him and the college something concrete to go on. I am sure that they would not mind me doing this. They are so very busy, and I am not. So, if members send a PM or Email to me giving numbers and for a preference for am/pm or both, I could collate numbers and pass them on for them to consider how best to proceed.

    Does this suit? I'm trying hard!

     

    All the best,

    Nigel

     

    I would be very interested in a Saturday event.

    Best wishes,

    David Wallace

  8. My regular instrument had a new console in 1990. I now find the music desk arm prong thingies are starting to break. They are screwed into the lip of the music desk, but one snapped off during 9 lessons and carols this year, and although we can probably take the thing to bits and get the screwy bit out, I fancy it is time to replace all the others too.

     

    Question is though, where do I get them from? They are pretty sturdy beasts, about 1.5 inches long, with a screwy end. They are brass, I think... Any ideas as to a possible supplier would be much appreciated.

     

    With thanks!

     

    Try these two firms. I've bought from both:-

     

    http://www.uk-piano.org/piano_parts.html

     

    http://www.fletcher-newman.co.uk/

     

    Good hunting,

     

    David Wallace

  9. I have had a bit to say about wedding music in the past, and now, prompted by an article in this week's Tablet, as well as my increasing sense of frustration, I turn my attention, and yours, to funeral music.

     

    Just who was it that decided that the majority of coffins shall be brought into vchurch to one of three hymns: I Watch the Sunrise which seems to me to be lacking in everything but the most mawkish of sentiments and hardly constitues a Christian hymn at all; The Old Rugged Cross; and Oh Lord my God, both with their outmoded expiation theology? I certainly can't imagine any organist jumping up and down at the thought of playing any of these three regularly, nor do I believe that many clergy would sanction these above some of the other hymns clearly more suitable, eg The Day Thou Gavest, even Abide with Me. Is it anything to do with the fact that many funeral directors produce the service sheets and have a certain selection of hymns on disc ready to print off? Are people other than the organist/clergy giving musical advice? As an organist, other than when I was personally involved with the deceased's family this has happened 4 times in my 17 years at this church), I have never been consulted as to the choice of music. Given that there is usually a week or so between death and the funeral, this should be sufficient time for me to excercise this geneally neglected pastoral aspect of my work in the church. After all, I select the music for the weekly sung Mass (hymns, setings, motet, voluntary), having been judged sufficiently competent and liturgically sensitive to do so, as well as act as a consultant to the majority of wedding couples.

     

    I cannot believe that it was the dying wish of those we bury that these hymns (oh, and don't forget Light up the Fire!) were the ones they chose to be seen off into the blue yonder; nor can I believe that they are in the majority of cases the wish of the family, partly because about 70% of those we hold funerals for are not, as it were, "gospel greedy" nor the families. This is not a judgement on them; there is one whose authority to do so exceeds my own infinitely. It is merely to remark on the facts.

     

    Have you any toughts on this? Am I being harsh/censorious/snooty? Or is it too much to hope that it might be recognised that the organist, with her or his experience and training, might know just what works in church on what occasion?

     

    Peter

     

     

    Can I comment as a clergyman yet a business man and person with great concern for music?

     

    The clergy even as the leader of the service actually get little real chance to advise. Usually, if even that word can be used, the family are in a state of shock with fear of the unknown. Often family tensions arise; different relatives have different ideas; you tread through a minefield.

     

    Most often the undertaker, the initial family contact generally, has already made suggestions.These usually are at least hymns. The requests from the family tend to centre round what X liked/knew. Yes the 'Old Rugged Cross' is still asked for and 'the day thou gavest' and 'Abide with me'; worn may be, yet somewhat suitable. The most common are 'All things bright and beautiful', 'One more step along the road' all the family recalls from school thirty years back. Then 'I did it my way' features (- from tape). Football makes several contributions. National events bring to peoples minds 'Jerusalem' and 'I vow to thee my country'; these require tactful handling.

     

    One memorable occasion the family asked for a hymn 'ever so well known about living in God's halls'... my wonderment began to clear when they assured me it was 'written by a cathedral organist'. Confirmation of worst fears came when I sang the first line of the song by Balfe 'I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls with vassels and serfs by my side'. Then came the day when the family requested the coffin be taken out to the march 'Blaze away'... This has the (clean version) lines 'We'll make a bonfire of our problems and we'll watch them blaze away'....

     

    The reality is even as the leader of the service it can be hard within the grief to get any carefully liturgically theologically thought out content to the music. If indeed in the county setting one can find an organist who can play more than the basics...

     

    They key is finding what will help the family cope with grief and is at least not blasphemous. There is a right of veto but believe me it has to be used tactfully, 'That **** Vicar wouldn't even...' We have to meet people where they are however confused and liturgically plus musically ill informed then hopefully point them toward Christ.

     

    I would dearly like to have a real musician to help. How many are available? How many are available to meet people at short notice? How many capable and are prepared to sit down for an hour and hear the story? How many then have the time to sit down and work through planning the service with the person leading the service so overall required to set the tone and hndle the dynamics?

  10. Dear readers, I invite anyone interested in sharing info/materials/the pleasures of this sport to contact me (on or off site) and maybe we can work out a decent network for those engaged in projects.

    P.S. Those with completed house organs - do you want a (fairly) unbiased outsider to write-up your instrument for a magazine? I ask because a series of little articles on these instruments would (I am absolutely sure) find a ready home. I'd do it!

     

    Count me in Paul,

     

    Perhaps a CD of small home bodge house organs too as we discussed when you visited?

     

    Every Blessing,

     

    David W

  11. Having just done (in a couple of days) a major round trip (800+ miles) dropping off and picking up items of mutual interest to/from some seriously obsessed organ feinds (? friends) one is forcefully aware of how many rescued/cobbled-up pipe organs there are lurking in UK homes. These are frequently hidden away almost completely. I know for instance of a very impressive four-manual (20+ ranks) near Evesham that has been a-building for several years and I'm about the only outsider that has ever seen/heard/played it! At the other end of the scale, I recently sat down in a clergyman's house in Oxfordshire to try an utterly gorgeous 'quasi-16th century German' one-manual.

     

    I noticed on one of the USA forums (?fora?) that there was a section for those with house organs. Here, what I had in mind was that if we only knew who else was constructing things, maybe we wouldn't be throwing away quite so much stuff, or (even more important) wasting time looking for materials/methods that are not actually as hard-to-come-by as the trade would sometimes have us believe. I was told, for instance, that proper colour-coded pvc-covered cable was hard to come by and as a result had a few sections bodged up with odd cast-off lengths when (now I know where to go) this stuff is actually quite reasonable to buy new and readily available.

     

    Because of space restrictions (even with a lot of room, it still fills up) I am still regularly disposing of things where I am perfectly sure that someone, somewhere would have a use for them. I have (for example) a tatty but small-scale Bourdon bass on my drive now that will in two hours time be in a skip at the local amenity. I am about to trash a newish (but not completely standard) concave and radiating pedalboard too, any day now.

     

    Dear readers, I invite anyone interested in sharing info/materials/the pleasures of this sport to contact me (on or off site) and maybe we can work out a decent network for those engaged in projects.

    P.S. Those with completed house organs - do you want a (fairly) unbiased outsider to write-up your instrument for a magazine? I ask because a series of little articles on these instruments would (I am absolutely sure) find a ready home. I'd do it!

  12. I went to a wedding rehearsal yesterday and learned that the bridesmaids are processingi n before the bride rather than after, as is usual.

     

    Is this another 'trend'?

     

    Barry Williams

     

    Barry, I think this 'bridesmaids first' may come from the American tradition. Sometimes they have flower girls sprinkling rose petals before the bridesmaids and bride. They also have 'I do' rather than 'I will' ..... To be corrected at the 'walk through' of the service - if not earlier in marriage preparation. And the 'You may now kiss the bride' which is now common - though I change to something like 'You may now kiss each'.

     

    Recently I took one where the groom replied not 'I will' but 'I wilt'.

     

    And the bride wanted the music from tape (via small ghetto blaster operated by the organist) because she liked the violins rather than organ. Except for the hymns - these of course were the (dreaded?) , 'All things b and b', 'One more step', and believe it or not (at grandmother's insistence) the old hymn with the line 'Be present awful father to give away this bride'.

     

    David Wallace

  13. I have a small Walcker house organ of 11 stops which generally works well.

    One problem however is that the 15th on the second manual (it has no

    swell box) does go out of tune very frequently. The 19th is fine as is

    the mixture. The difference between these stops is that the 15th is a

    display pipe and is voiced softly compared with the other upper work,

    this was done by its previous owner and would not I think have been

    an original feature. I believe the organ was originally designed for

    use by small churches. Only this stop misbehaves.

    Wind pressure throughout is 50mm and this is original.

    Any ideas welcome.

    thanks

    Chris

     

     

    I have a small Walcker house organ of 11 stops which generally works well.

    One problem however is that the 15th on the second manual (it has no

    swell box) does go out of tune very frequently. The 19th is fine as is

    the mixture. The difference between these stops is that the 15th is a

    display pipe and is voiced softly compared with the other upper work,

    this was done by its previous owner and would not I think have been

    an original feature. I believe the organ was originally designed for

    use by small churches. Only this stop misbehaves.

    Wind pressure throughout is 50mm and this is original.

    Any ideas welcome.

    thanks

    Chris

     

    I wonder if the clue is in the 'voiced very softly. Have the pipes with re-coned in feet been softened too much for the original voicing so becoming less stable...

    Best wishes,

    David W

  14. I broke one off of four on my organ this morning.  It is a bloody pain to make the music stay on properly now.  Are they easy to replace?  Does anyone know where I can get a new one fitted?

     

    They usually just screw in...

     

    For spares have you tried...

     

    http://www.uk-piano.org/heckscher/

     

    http://www.fletcher-newman.co.uk/

     

     

    If not in their catalogues a phone call often gives leads to elsewhere I find!

     

    Best wishes with your search.

     

    David W

  15. On similar lines... and totally true.

     

    A husband and wife Vicar and Deacon were just about to take a service. Husband comes back into the vestry throws his radio mic saying 'It isn't working'.

    He turns to his wife and puts his hand inside her cassock alb to take her microphone. In fun she said' 'Vicar take your hands off your Deacon's boobs'.

    At that piojnt the organ struck up and off they had to go to take the service.

     

    They wwre met by a wide eyed congregation. That microphone was working!!

     

    David W

  16. ===================

    Yeah, yeah yeah! 

     

    This is all well and good, but it doesn't explain what happens when I blow into my hideously unattractive Maltese glass vase, which is apparently worth money for some strange reason.

     

    It has bulbous base, a bit like a laboratory-flask, but sort of box-like, without being completely square. The neck is very narrow.

     

    Obviously, being a vase, it is a stopped pipe.

     

    The "thing" is no more than about 12" high, but when I blow into it, I'm getting a note of 8ft CC#; and the quality of sound is quite superb. I could quite easily live with a whole rank of these vases as a pedal Bourdon.

     

    Have I discovered a new type of space-saver Flute?

     

    MM

     

    No not a new kind of flute, Compton used cubes for example.

    The principle is that of the Helmholtz resonator, example an 'ocarina'.

     

    These links might help:-

     

    http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/Helmholtz.html

     

    http://physics.kenyon.edu/EarlyApparatus/R..._Resonator.html

     

    Good fun playing with bottles and water to get different pitches!

     

    David W

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