Westgate Morris

Exactly....SELBY ABBEY!!!! Yes....this is the look. It has integrity. It is a classy look. WM

Lets see how this flys: Paint the facade gold! What is your opinion about the colour of facades? Why gold? Why not leave them 'natural'. WM

While I was a student I sang at a church that had the pd 16' Trombone totaly enclosed in the choir box (I know the discussion is about the Great organ...). The organist was world class and an improviser of great fame. With that reed in the box he could play brilliant hymn accopmanyments... sneek the reed on and cres. into the most amazing interpretations. My point: enclose the great....sure, or at least partially if you know it to be right for the situation. WM

I conclude the tip to be: Be sure contracts state materials. Understand what materials are needed to do the job and don't accept a contract based only on price. A new tip: Ask around and check with other churches that have gone through the process. Invite the organist out for a coffee. WM

CH said...... "One of the biggest problems with organ contracts is defining quality. An organ builder could build an organ to the letter of the contract but it could still be a poor organ. Yes, you can define everything down to the nth degree but still have a poor organ at the end of the day. The only way I can see around it is to be very clear how the organ is going to signed off and the acceptance criteria for the finished product. However, this needs to be clear and subjectivity can't be held to become too much of a burden or it becomes unfair on the organbuilder. In gerenal, organbuilders will do the very best job they can, under the circumstances. It doesn't benefit them at all to build a poor or unsucessful organ so you can count on their nature to provide you with the best work they can possibly provide. What the client needs to do is to foster and encourage a good relationship with the organbuilder, which stems from both parties having a shared vision of what they're aiming at and mutual respect and trust on both sides. There is, of course, the possibility that things will go wrong, and certain rules (mainly financial and business) are needed, for which the contract is about." Excellent points CH: ...how the organ is going to be signed off, foster and encourage a good relationship with the organbuilder... WM

Hello Everyone: It might be interesting to collect 'tips' for writing up a contract with an organ builder. Any personal experience? - no names or comany names - I will start: "Be sure to include the obvious liability issues. Who has insurance for who if someone is hurt on the job or if church/hall property is damaged." WM

Folks: Thanks for the comments about the HF. I will take all this into consideration and talk with the organ builder. I get the sence - and knew - that the location of the HF is important. WM

If you get one harmonic 4' flute on a mid sized 3m. would you want it on the choir so you could accompany it with swell stops or on the swell and acccompany it with choir stops. [accompany as in solo -- ie. using it down the octave as a 8' solo or in combo. with another stop(s) say as part of the cornet] WM

Everyone. Thanks for the posts. Lets end it there. WM.

Thanks folks for the list of locations. It is what I am looking for. Thanks, WM

Paul: Thanks for the post. I appreciate you giving this serious consideration and offering helpful feed back. I will look into the insturments you mention. WM I

Hello: I am looking for examples where a pipe organ has been effectively split and placed at opposite ends of the room. Say.... the Great at the back of the room and the Choir and the Swell in the chancel, or the opposite. Is there a precedent for organ-in-the-round? WM

Thanks to those who responded to the topic in post #1. WM

I vote for the Tromba. Same reasons as above. WM

My parish put carpet down in the chancel in the 70's. I am very lucky to have a priest that knows we need to take it out if we ever hope to hear the choir or the new pipe organ (a couple of years away). Who has a hardwood in the chancel? Who has tile? Comments....suggestions. We have battle-ship linoleum in the nave - very hard stuff and very good for the acoustic. getting my knee pads on.....the priest suggests we do it by Easter! O Happy Day. Westgate Morris

I work in a small parish and I am both choir director and organist. I have a 'tall' console and I dream of having a continental low-level so the choir can see me. W.M.