Vox Humana

Thank you very much for that, Wolsey.

The rationale for calling the choirs of both St James's and Hampton Court the Chapel Royal probably owes something to history. Originally our monarchs were a bunch of unsavoury persons of no fixed abode. They were peripatetic and the royal household moved around with them. By early Tudor times there was a marked preference for residence at the palaces of Greenwich, Westminster and, under Henry VIII, Whitehall, while after the fall of Cardinal Wolsey in 1529, the king took his palace at Hampton Court. As the court's peregrinations settled down a bit, so, too, did the lay clerks of the royal household chapel. Most chose to live in Westminster, from where it was only a modest boat-ride down to Greenwich, but some chose to live elsewhere. Tallis, for example, lived in Greenwich. By contrast, the secular court musicians, a large number of whom were foreigners, preferred to live in London, often grouped by nationality. However, all who were required would still have to resort to boat or horse when the court moved to places such as Windsor or Richmond. The ancient history of the organists is very obscure. There seems to be very little evidence before the first "Cheque Book" was begun in 1561. Presumably the early Chapel Royal followed the usual medieval practice of allocating the task of playing the organ to any lay clerk who could play. But that's just a guess because evidence is lacking. Once information becomes available in Elizabeth's reign it is clear that there were three specific organists (who still would have been primarily lay clerks): Tallis, Blitheman and Byrd. Thereafter, when one of the organists died, he was replaced by another organist. There continued to be three organists up to the death of Purcell in 1695, then two up to the death of Sir George Smart in 1867, after which there was only one. This body of musicians is the one that eventually became associated with St James's Palace. Unfortunately, I have no information about the establishment of the separate musical institution at Hampton Court. I would be interested to learn.

I have no idea how the project is being funded, but it is probably unrealistic to expect a cash-poor public body to be able to fund a new pipe organ. However, I wonder why they are not relocating the Compton (assuming they are not). Playing Devil's advocate, I suppose that, for works with a prominent organ part, they could always hire a venue that does have an instrument, while for works in which the organ is just another member of the orchestra (e.g. Howells's Hymnus Paradisi; Holst's The Planets) a Hauptwerk set-up would suffice.

I wasn't there, but I did have a reel-to-reel tape of the subsequent radio broadcast of highlights from the concert (which, with the benefit of hindsight, I think was a broadcast of the tape of the LP). As Paul says, it was clearly a lot of fun.

In the far-off days when I was a student I heard Guillou give a recital at the Royal Festival Hall. It was quite riveting, if idiosyncratic. He played his Sinfonietta, only recently composed, I think. I was very much taken with its structure, language and sonorities. Sadly few English organs are spiky enough to do it justice. Here's the first movement on an organ that suits it very well indeed and player ditto.

I doubt that's what they are saying. I was just wondering what they do mean by this statement, which is about as specific as promises about Brexit.

"...and a commitment to explore new ways of developing that tradition for future generations." Erm...?

There's a concert organist known at least by name to everyone here who insists strongly on avoiding the word "recital" for his performances because of its stuffy connotations. While youngsters might not have any preconceptions either way, it still might be a good idea to find a more inspiring title for the event.

Thank you very much! I thought that your book would have to be the earlier one. That presumably makes the weaker, OUP version a later revision - which I find very curious. There are actually at least four different versions of that last quarter in circulation, although whether they were all made by Ley I don't know. To my mind the strongest is Ley's first thought with the II7b for the antepunultimate chord.

As I expect you will remember, that revised reading was retained in Sidney Watson's chant book of 1960. Is the book you have dated, Paul? Interestingly, Oxford Chant Book No.2 (1934), which was edited by Ley and Stanley Roper, has a different and much weaker final quarter and also alters the alto and tenor of the third chord to make it a first inversion dominant chord. I am wondering which version is older.

The only person I know with that surname pronounces it "Lay", matching the pronunciation of the wetlands of Slapton Ley and Beesands Ley in Devon. Whether Henry of that ilk also pronounced it that way I have no idea. Can Rowland tell us more?

His hymn tune for Blake's "To mercy, pity, peace and love" in the Cambridge Hymnal is a wonderful little thing. I don't know that I'd use it as a congregational hymn tune, but it works a treat as a simple, short anthem for a modest parish choir.

Some forum members might be interested to know that Stainer & Bell have added a few more volumes to their sale of certain titles in the prestigious Musica Britannica series. The prices are still not cheap, but are very good value for what you get. There are one or two volumes of early keyboard music on offer and some of anthems and motets. I have just splashed out on the three volumes of S. S. Wesley's collected anthems, which are full of fascinating stuff I didn't know. https://stainer.co.uk/category/sale/

I'm sad to hear that, though it comes to us all. I don't think he ever really received quite the acclaim he deserved. His style is unique, but I'd guess that Britten was a strong influence and maybe Stravinsky too. Gloucester made a CD of his choral music which is a worthwhile purchase. There's a detached lack of sentiment in the pieces on that CD and, if that's typical, I wonder whether it counted against him.

I'm fairly sure I remember it being on the grade 4 syllabus around 50 years ago.

You are correct.

I did gather from the gentleman in question that he is helping out there in an unofficial capacity as and when needed, although that seems to be most weeks. He does appear to be very content.

No.

I don't know of any organ piece that Howells wrote actually at Christmas, although the Fugue, Choral and Epilogue was finished about a week before Christmas in 1939. His Four Anthems ("O pray for the peace of Jerusalem", "We have heard with our ears", "Like as the hart", "Let God arise") were written in January 1941 while he and Dorothy were "snowed up", as he put it, in a rented house in Cheltenham.

I didn't read "in the French manner, very much following the work of the 19th century builder Cavaille Coll" as implying a strict C-C clone. I have to say that there does seem to be an excess of flutes in this spec. Not sure what the logic is, unless the church has a particularly dead acoustic that needs warming up. If it were up to me I'd sacrifice one of the Solo ones (probably the 8') for a Cromhorne or Clarinet type stop, whichever would fit the style of the rest of the voicing.

Very wise words by Germani, I think and, with respect to your second sentence, I'm sure of it. There was an anecdote posted here once (over which, probably fortunately, Google has drawn a discreet veil) about a well-known organist commenting on the speed of another organist's performance and adding, "But I bet he can't play it as fast as me." Forum members will be sick of me perpetually complaining how speeds are generally increasing these days, but it's surely true (and nowhere more so than in the currently fashionable treatment of Baroque music). It's not just organists who no longer seem confident in communicating readings that are broad and noble. I'm sure it is due to competition and everyone's awareness of it through recordings. I believe that modern trends are set by modern recordings, but when you're recording a piece that has been recorded a hundred times before, how are you going to find something new and purchase-worthy to say? Here is Widor's performance. Some comments to the video are ill-informed. In fact Widor ends at the speed he begins and maintains for the most part; he does slows down somewhat for the section on the Récit, but picks up again for the recap. That speed is cr = 96, except for just the last few bars when he increases to 99. The makring in both editions on IMSLP is cr = 118.

Given the stated Cavaillé-Coll influence, it is possible that this stop might in reality be a 16' Basson. As a rule of thumb, I prefer a 16' Contra Fagotto to a Double Trumpet on the Swell as it makes for a better miniature Full Swell with an 8' Oboe and Diap chorus.

How fascinating. This could be a very interesting organ. Should we expect any fundamental differences between the Montre and Diapason on the Grand Orgue, or just Open Diaps 1 and 2? Personally, I would be hoping that the G.O. Diapason would be quite Gamba-like. The main reservation I have (typing from my comfortable armchair) is the absence of an 8' Hautbois on the Récit. I think players might come to regret this fairly quickly. Speaking from experience, I'd find it a much greater inconvenience than the lack of an 8' Diap. Also, Solo flutes at 8' and 4' when there are already plenty of flutes in the spec?

Quite a few times! Thinking back to my grammar school days I can remember the school choir singing - and enjoying - the following: Brahms - How lovely is thy dwelling place (from the Requiem) Britten: Noye's Fludde Bach: Christmas Oratorio pt.1 (needs soloists) Bach: Cantata 140: "Wachet auf" (also needs soloists) Other approachable possibilities (but, again, all requiring soloists): Vivaldi: Gloria Vivaldi: Magnificat Pergolesi (attrib.): Magnificat

I add my condolences to those already expressed. If your father liked and wanted the Widor, it is irrelevant whether it is passé or not. Also, given a choice of having it played on Durham Cathedral organ or an ordinary church organ I think I can probably guess which he would have preferred. I am sure you have done the right thing.