keyplayer

While this often can be the case, a lot of us who work extensively with midi will go to considerable lengths to make subtle timing adjustments - ( hopefully ) countering this effect!

Sorry, wrong thread!

Well, it appears I was premature - my friend in Paris had told me that the word was that most of the interior vault had given way, but it appears from that photo to be only a small section so hopefully there is room for some cautious optimism about the fate of the organ.

I'm afraid that video from the Independent site leaves no hope that the grand organ has survived. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/notre-dame-fire-live-updates-cathedral-paris-france-stream-video-latest-a8871471.html

Reports just breaking of a serious fire in Notre Dame, Paris - https://globalnews.ca/news/5168799/fire-tears-through-notre-dame-cathedral-in-paris/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6925015/Fire-breaks-historic-Notre-Dame-cathedral-Paris.html https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47941794 Looks potentially very bad.

It's an interesting piece - I was fortunate to study composition with Patrick for a while in the early eighties and looked at the Toccata in some detail ( the fugue was yet to be written at that point ). He was an inspiring teacher and his grandson Richard is an outstanding player.

Word on the grapevine is that the quire organ is up and in use - and sounding very impressive.

I an so saddened by this news. Although I have not seen Theo for some years we remained in occasional contact by email and I remember fondly his time in Exeter and the opportunities he gave me for accompaniment of his choir on the cathedral organ. May he rest in peace.

I must admit to a certain sadness at the removal of the Downes/Walker instrument, having spent a good deal of time practising on it in the distant past when I was a student at a ( now defunct ) educational establishment a few miles away. A certain teacher associated with said establishment at the time would become exasperated beyond belief at my choice of practise location...

I don't remember being placed under any such restrictions when I last accompanied a service at Wells, but it was in the distant past ( around twenty five years ago I would guess ) and times change! I certainly was able to use all of the instrument and prepare registrations accordingly, including the closing voluntary ( which may have been the Mulet Carillion - Sortie, although my memory could be wrong about that ). In my defence my preparation was done quite early in the day and the cathedral wasn't busy, although on the other hand I'd hate to consider the possibility that the situation you found yourself in was the result of my visit!

Almost, but in fact St David's, the parish church just round the corner from St Michael's Mount Dinham beats the Heavitree instrument by three stops (35), while the Mint Methodist church in Fore Street has two more speaking stops at 34. Mount Dinham will total 48 speaking stops with the new additions to the Clayesmore specification. I will try to get some information on the pipework for the pedal reed extension and the solo string rank ( a Viola if I remember correctly ) at St Michael's.

St Michael’s Church, Mount Dinham, Exeter Inaugural Organ Concert DAVID BRIGGS Organist Emeritus, Gloucester Cathedral, UK Artist-in-Residence, St James Cathedral, Toronto Monday 16th June 2014 at 7.30pm PROGRAMME Fanfare (2014) Graham C Keitch Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 J S Bach (1685-1750) Three Pieces for Musical Clocks Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Variations on Greensleeves (2004) David Briggs (b.1962) Tuba Tune Norman Cocker (1889-1953) AD1620 (Sea Pieces, Opus 55, 1898) Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) Poème Symphonique: L’apprenti sorcier Paul Dukas (1865-1935) Arr. DJB INTERVAL (20 minutes) Improvisation:- Symphony in Four Movements on themes submitted by the audience Introduction and Allegro Scherzo Andante cantabile Finale N.B. The Bach Fugue, and pieces by Cocker & MacDowall, were played by David's grandfather, Mr Lawrence Briggs ARCO, when this organ was rededicated after a rebuild at St Jude's Church, Birmingham, in 1952. Tickets £10/£8, available on door I was organist here over 30 years ago, when the church possessed a four manual Compton electronic, so it's fantastic to see that Lottery funding and a lot of hard work have brought pipes back to St Michael's 47 years after the original Hill was severely damaged by water. This is the third home for this instrument, and it should sound wonderful in the glorious acoustic of this church. NPOR Link - http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=R01218%20target= I understand from email conversations with Neil Page that the Pedal reed has been extended to 32' and a string stop added to the Solo organ. Other than the cathedral this will now be the largest instrument in the city by some margin. Some history and a few photos of the installation by Tim Trenchard can be found at the church blog, here - http://stmichaelsmountdinham.wordpress.com/tag/new-pipe-organ/

Well this still has them - http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=A00909 According to the NPOR this is believed to be the last surviving example, although some have now turned up in Plymouth! This used to have them when I first played it, but they were replaced many years ago - http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N10540

Midi will not play notes at exactly the same time - there's a very small delay between individual notes ( we're talking in milliseconds here, but I can't remember the exact figure without checking the midi specification ). So in a chord of five notes, let's say, each note is sent one after the other, as an individual event. To most, the delay involved won't be perceptible, but this is a frequently debated topic in some circles!

Having not held a church post for some fifteen years now ( although I've continued to practice regularly ), I'd almost been persuaded to dip my toe back into the water by an old friend who had asked me to accompany some concerts and give a recital towards the end of the year. However a couple of months ago, in a really silly accident which basically involved getting up from a sofa, I broke my right ankle in two places and subsequently underwent surgery to pin it back together. I'm now out of plaster after eight weeks ( thankfully! ) and beginning physiotherapy to regain strength and movement, although I've been warned that it's likely I won't regain full movement of the ankle. Although I've not yet attempted to play, I suppose it's entirely possible that pedalling may prove quite an effective therapy, and in any case I'll need to just keep working at it and see how things go - but I was just wondering if anybody here had experience of a similar injury, and if so how things had progressed for you. I'll probably try playing next week - will let you know how it goes!

Yes, that's the one. The playing is indeed superb, but I agree with you about the sound of the organ for that repertoire. I remember David being keen on it - he also made an excellent recording of Vierne 6 there a couple of years later.

Hmm, mine too, I think. I spent many hours listening to David Patrick playing the Op.5 Suite before he first recorded it....in those days he used to practise in my church!

Absolutely, I much prefer the original version!

David M Patrick has recorded the Op 5 Suite twice ( Buckfast Abbey 1976, label escapes me at the moment, and Coventry Cathedral, complete Durufle, A.S.V 1996 ) and uses both endings for the toccata. The Coventry version has the descending triplet figure, unison man / ped for the last couple of bars ( sorry, don't have the score to hand at the moment ), I assume this is the revised version?

Thanks for some interesting and thought provoking replies! I think we are all pretty much in agreement over the philosphy of "real" v "fake" ( or wine v water, as paul nicely puts it ), indeed I would have expected no less here. While the number of new instruments being built is an extremely positive sign, I think we would be unwise to believe that this will always be the case in the face of an increasingly effective digital alternative. This was really the point of my question. We live in a time when much of value is discarded, often without a second thought, for reasons of finance, convenience, or simply to follow the latest trend. Much "orchestral" music that we hear in tv and film is already produced with sampling technology because it is easy, cheap and good enough to fool 97.5% of the people 100% of the time. Some examples here - EastWest I fully expect to see a perfect ( or near as makes no difference ) digital instrument in the next 10 - 20 years. Why do I think this? Well, two main reasons. Firstly, I've worked with computers and music of various kinds for almost twenty years. What I'm able to achieve now was unimaginable when I first started. Computing power will continue to increase and become more affordable, and if I'm still going in another twenty years I expect to similarly amazed. Secondly, dwindling congregations and rising expenses. The burden of upkeep of buildings and instruments falls on fewer and fewer people. Unless there is a drastic reversal this will be a massive problem in twenty years time, and considerations of artistry and tradition will be low on the priority list. There will be a big market for cost effective solutions. Many churches accept the imperfect solution already. If offered an instrument which sounds to most ears exactly the same at a fraction of the cost of the real thing, is there any reason to believe this trend will be reversed? Roffensis, as an organist I would agree entirely that elecronics are not by definition organs anyway. Sadly, to many people ( including but not limited to some congregations, PCC treasurers and vicars ), I fear they are already one and the same. Don't Allen already claim to be " the worlds largest manufacturers of church organs "? Advertising is a powerful thing, even on the back page of the Church Times. How many people do we think REALLY know the difference? Or worse still, even care?

Having "lurked" on this highly informative forum for some time now, I've finally decided to take the plunge and post! Please treat me gently, for my subject is somewhat contentious..... I should perhaps first explain that although I'm somewhat "out of the loop" as an organist these days, not having held a post for the last twelve years or so, I have in the past had the privilege of playing many fine instruments in this country, particulrly in my university days when "visiting choir" duties allowed me to accompany services at several cathedrals. These day much of my work involves using computer technolgy to produce music, orchestral arrangements, scores etc. Everyone who posts here is obviously a lover of the organ, as I am myself, so please be assured that I'm not trying to start some sort of "pipe v digital" argument here, since that would be shot down in flames very rapidly, and deservedly so. However, as technology advances, I think we would be foolish to argue that digital organs not only HAVE improved vastly, but will continue to do so. There are certainly issues with regard to harmonic development as touched on by Mr. Mander in the thread on Southwell Minster, but given the accuracy of current digital sampling, I'm inclined to think that the main problems are in reproducing the sound to the listener, i.e. loudspeaker systems. My question, therefore, is - a) can we forsee a point where a point where digital technology faithfully reproduces the sound of pipes, and b)if a) is is achievable in theory, what are the implications for traditional organbuilding given that electronics will become cheaper as the cost of craftsmanship and materials rises? I hope this won't just produce a lot of sniping from entrenched positions - I see this as the biggest threat to the organ as we currently know ( and love ) it. Thoughts.......?