[The 1908 Organ Of Ely Cathedral]

Well said John, it was radical, but look at what was happening elsewhere, it was relatively conservative!!. I think the latest rebuild has toned down some nasty "corners" it had from 1975, and the replacement of those way too loud great reeds with a more English sound has worked wonders. Of the flaws??...to my mind? well why try to "frenchify" a typically English organ!!?? it slaughtered me then and it still does!! I think as it stands now it has reached its zenith. We have all learnt in time errors in thinking, in Ely's case just in time.

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Hi All,

 

I Just wanted to throw in my two cents worth. I am not going to defend nor condemn the 1975 rebuild at Ely, instead I only want to say that even tho I am usually against any radical tonal modifications (unless they are clearly an improvement) over the previous builder's work, but can we really please everyone's ear in all cases? I think not. I don't recall if I have ever heard any recordings from Ely prior to the 1975 rebuild, and even tho I'm really not in favor of trying to "Frencify" English organs, one recording comes to mind that is very special to me. The 1991 recordings made by Jeremy Filsell of Marcel Dupré Organ Works (Gamut Classics). These are without any doubt, the finest non Cavaillé-Coll recordings ever made of Dupré and surley could not have been achieved on a typical "English organ" Of couse Blackburn would also have been a very nice venue for the music of Marcel Dupré, and even as much as I love the organ at Blackburn (and the glorious acoustics there) it really isn't a true "English organ" at all.........is it? Since we are on the subject, I had to dig out my "Great European Organs No. 9" CD by Arthur Wills, and I must say that the organ (as it was recorded here in 1988) produced an equally pleasing, and very respectable sound for both the music of Widor to the music of Sir Hubert Parry.

 

Cheers,

 

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[Durufle - Trois Danses]

Not exactly organ music (although one has been arranged for organ) - I would like a recording of Durufle's Trois Danses for orchestra - does anyone know of one? (There is a fairly old recording of the Requiem with one tacked on as a 'filler' but my reliable local CD shop has as yet been unable to source a copy).

Cheers,

 

AJJ

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Greetings Alastair,

 

I was just curious if you were referring to the William Whitehead arr. of Danse lente (Trois Danses Op. 6) I absolutely love this arrangement which really shows of the fabulous reeds on the Oberthür organ at St. Etienne, Auxerre.

 

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