[Organ And Pianos Played Together]

There is something to be said for a high class electronic piano (and education of the clients) with a variable pitch control. I shudder to think what would happen even then if the organ is tuned to one of the way out tuning temperaments.

Any "high-class" electronic piano will have a variety of historical temperaments built in, and probably one or more memories for user-defined ones. For instance, my Kawai MP9500 has a meantone, Werkmeister III, Kirnberger, and (in the user slot) Bradley Lehman's newly rediscovered Bach temperament.

 

Paul

[Orchestral Works With Organ Part (not Solo)]

Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle calls for an organ at the fifth door. I'd never particularly noticed it in with the full orchestra until I heard the recording of it from a recent prom - the RAH organ comes over like no other! There are also two quiet bars near the end which the organ plays alone, but I've never understood why he bothered.

 

Paul

[H,n&b]

All of my recordings were also produced in (full) UHJ format

I'm delighted to hear that, and may seek out copies for that reason.

including height information where anyone reproducing the sound might have the correct decoding equipment properly to realise it.

Well, 2-channel UHJ doesn't include height information, just full horizontal surround. Are you saying that you have these recordings in three or four channel UHJ (as opposed to the original B-format), because, if so, you may be the only person in the world who has ever done this!

 

Paul

[H,n&b]

explaining to our merry band of organists why organs are always best recorded with microphones placed directly on the floor [iMHO this is total rubbish, by the way!]  He has (I believe) a degree in acoustics.

Boundary-layer microphones (which is what this technique gives you) are perfectly respectable, and have advantages in in some situations. Unexpectedly, they can reduce the level of ambient relative to direct sound while retaining (but not increasing, as stated in another post) the low-frequency response of an omni (directional mics have an inherent tendency to be bass-light), a combination that is advantageous for recording organs. However, they also limit your options for positioning, and I would only turn to them if other techniques failed to produce the desired result.

 

Paul

[Music To Avoid Treading In]

I think I'll put on Jane Parker-Smith playing Lefebure-Wely to listen to while I conduct my enquiries since Priory have yet to release any of the 3 CDs from Liverpool Metropolitan CathedraL devoted to LWs music. An essential purchase and bound to become a best seller!!

I've just been enjoying David Sanger's Meridian CD of Lefébure-Wély from Exeter College, Oxford. I can't really imagine three whole CDs of it, though.

 

And of course Balfour Gardiner's Evening Hymn should be in Latin!

 

Paul

[Choral Tone Revisited]

I wish this board had threading

To get threading, just click on "Outline" at the top of the root message.

 

Paul

[Choral Tone Revisited]

Yes, I've had a similar experience with a young choir - they particularly latch on to the idea of "Have a banana" ...

As did the choir I sang in 50 years ago.

 

Paul

(Whose piano grade 4 examiner was Sumsion)

[That Toccata ...]

Slower than Édouard Commette (6'53")?

Alistair Ross takes about 7'00" on this recording.

 

Paul

[Rfh Organ]

I found this in the 2004/2005 annual review (downloadable here), which also has an artist's impression of the new hall interior, showing the organ. It says that only one third of the organ will be reinstalled initially...

 

The 50-year-old organ, designed by Ralph Downes and built by Harrison & Harrison, will be removed and carefully stored. The closure of the Royal Festival Hall will provide an opportunity for essential renovation of the organ to be undertaken. When the Hall re-opens in 2007, one third of the organ will be reinstated. With all of the Swell Organ, most of the Great Organ and part of the Pedal Organ operational it will be possible for the organ to be used to service the orchestral repertoire. Organ recitals will resume once the restoration work and reinstatement can be completed

Paul

[That Toccata ...]

But also, the Widor works well at a variety of tempi, with my personal preference for it to be played a little slower than usual, as I find it then goes with a bit of a swing.

The slowest I've heard it done is a recording by Alistair Ross at High Wycombe Parish Church in the early 1970s (on a privately produced audiophile LP called "Pieces of Eight"). The notes explained that it wasn't possible to make the organ play any faster!

 

Paul

[Dgw At The Rfh]

Anyone out there remember the LP "Organ in Sanity and Madness" recorded at the centenary celebrations of the RCO in 1966 ?

I wasn't there, but I have the LP. My personal favourite track is The Lost Chord...

 

Paul

[Best Recording Of Bach's Major Organ Works?]

I would like to buy a collection of Bach's organ works on CD. I have a budget of about £120.

I like Hans Fagius (on BIS), which can be got for around £35 (or as part of the fabulous Brilliant Classics complete Bach box for £100).

 

Paul