innate

Our hosts are proud of the tierce rank in their pedal mixture at S. Ignatius Loyola in NYC.

I have now found the booklet: The BBC Theatre Organ A Description By Reginald Foort price one shilling The frontispiece is a black and white photograph [i will try to post an image in due course] captioned: A GENERAL VIEW OF S. GEORGE’S HALL The console has been wheeled into position ready for a solo broadcast. Note the organ swell-boxes—those on the left-hand side are open and those on the right are close. Near the roof can be seen the loudspeakers through which all the sounds of the Electrone are produced. At the right-hand side is the grand piano which is playable from the keyboards of the console.

Somewhere I have a brochure about the instrument in Broadcasting House, I’m guessing c.1960 (inherited from my father). I seem to recall a photo showing the (?) moveable console on one side of the stage and a grand piano on the other which could be played from the organ console. Was that the only time Comptons did such a thing or was it a regular feature? I imagine there was no control of dynamics on the piano when operated from the organ console.

Don’t forget that cathedrals have always been generators of income.

Thanks for posting that YouTube link, Colin. Have only listened to a few snippets. The modern piece on the mean-tone chair organ I suspect won’t find a place in the repertoire.

Apologies to our hosts if this is considered not appropriate for this board but after reading the Lavenham story in the linked article I tried to Google "Organist dismissal Muswell Hill Bate" [without the quote marks] and got no relevant hits. I thought legal precedents had been set in that earlier case.

The issue of delay on modern CCTV systems is because of digital technology, I think. It’s a problem for live events where the performers are shown in close-up on big screens too. The delay is getting shorter and, surprise, it’s shortest on the most expensive systems. Apparently there are timing issues between audio and picture on many modern widescreen TV sets too.

Absolutely, Contrabombarde, and there a distinct possibility that the new Ruffatti console at Buckfast Abbey will be built with a “prepared-for” ethernet connection to Atlantic City.

<bangs head against wall>

But which, Barry? 64' stops, music desks on 5+manual instruments, the Atlantic City organ, Ruffatti?

Neither of the 64' stops at Davies appear to have any pipes so can’t be true stops.

It’s hard for an amateur organ-spec buff such as myself to imagine compiling a stoplist for a 100-stop organ. 6 divisions of 16 or 17 stops each? All I can think of is Julian Rhodes’ or Stephen Bicknall’s spoofs.

That’s a lot of hooch.

Do PRS get involved with the legality or otherwise of the sheetmusic being used?

Slightly unusual use of "public domain", SL :-)

I think the days of protectionism in the organ-building world are over. The client has the option of choosing an instrument from any organ builder in the world, in just the same way that UK builders are free to tender, often successfully, for jobs in the USA, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Japan, and Australia.

Given how little of his music was printed in his lifetime I have always assumed that there was at least a hope that the pieces Bach did publish were designed to have some measure of universality in appeal or application; adding articulation signs for a particular building or instrument would seem to run counter to that assumption. But I’m quite prepared to admit I’m wrong.

Somewhere I have a (very) academic book about the engraving of CÜIII. It made sense when I was reading it but I can’t honestly remember much now. I do remember that the original engraver was “let go” by JSB and I thing Bach took the opportunity to change the structure of the book at that point, which was a big deal, involving, as it did, the repagination of everything.

Swiss Church, Endell Street, Covent Garden. Spaeth organ. Beautifully positioned in a “West” gallery. I think the Swell Pedal is positioned somewhat to the right of centre, which is another slight issue …

The operating dimensions and angles of a swell pedal could only be “standard” if taken in conjunction with the position of the pedal relative to the pedal-board and the lowest manual. There’s a beautiful new organ in Central London whose only defect for me is the position of the swell pedal, whereby my knee collides with the underneath of the manuals before the box is fully open.

Great suggestions, all! Many thanks.

Thanks, AJJ. I’m ashamed to say I don’t know any Demessieux. I should have specified that it needs to be suitable for a rather unusual organ in London with 2 manuals and pedal, tubular pneumatic action (I think) and no swell box. Half the instrument was bombed in the war (including the whole of the Swell division) and never replaced.

Any ideas? My mind has gone blank! Something for St Valentine :-)

Yes please, Friedrich.