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philipmgwright

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Everything posted by philipmgwright

  1. In this excellent Archive, Jane Parker Smith playing Widor 6 first movement plus Franck and Vierne in 1981 shows her performances were energetic and fabulous! a bench mark 40years on for current players?
  2. Although I did not personally meet him, I had the pleasure to admire his Nigel Church organ when I called in at his homeI to collect copies of The Organ he was selling together with other rare books on organ. In light of forumites’ contributions, I certainly missed meeting someone very special..I value the privilege of seeing his residence Church organ even more so.
  3. Mention was made in another forum of the 1895 organ as “of little consequence” Reports in the Examiner Newspaper 21 Sep 1895 would beg to differ. Gray&Davison built a three Manual 29 stops incorporating their 1865/72 work in the newly opened Parr Hall 1895. This instrument incoporated pipework from Samuel Renn ,Organ Builder,Manchester who built a two manual 10 stops organ in 1835 for the Warrington Musical Society for sum of £185 in the Old Music Hall. Renn moved it to the old Town Hall in 1840 for £14 8/-. The Musical Society later asked Gray &Davison to relocate the organ to the Public Hall and to add a Choir organ and the new enlarged organ was opened by W.T. Best in 1865. This hall was sold in 1892 and the organ stored until the Parr Hall was opened - Gray&Davison rebuilt and enlarged it for £350.
  4. Didn’t the Hexham Abbey Echo organ remain in situ when the Phelps arrived? ..possibly as an aid to reducing VAT on the new organ if it were treated as a second organ by HMRC?
  5. I was one of the purchasers of Denis’s organ book collection mentioned here. Dr David Shuker at Sign of the Pipe has issued his tenth catalogue of organ books - he deserves to better known since there has been no reference yet in this discussion board as far as I can remember.
  6. Banks when in Stonegate 1970s was a treasure house for organ music scores-every last inch used in the attic rooms - presided over by the venerable Miss Banks and Nicholas who knew everything about your most obscure requests Reeves warehouse was in Norbury . Rae Mcintosh George St Edinburgh,Largs Whitehall St Dundee and BruceMiller George St were excellent in their heyday
  7. Alfred Hollins often specified a Choir to Swell coupler - an example being at St George’s West Edinburgh his own organ -1930 Rushworth & Dreaper - a second at St Matthew’s Morningside. Another Hollins’ request at these instruments was for two reversible toe pistons for Choir and Swell tremulants.
  8. Many thanks to BAM for obtaining and sharing these VSCC articles about Sam Clutton. All paint a memorable picture of this colourful multifaceted personality who was so much more than a fellow researcher to Dixon and Niland in our organ world. Following Bruce Buchanan’s most informative essay on HW III in BIOS Journal,is it not time for study of other personalities and landmark projects which held sway in mid 20th century?
  9. Henry Willis III dissertation Vol 44 BIOS Journal Very many thanks to Bruce Buchanan for penning this most welcome addition to a greater understanding of HW III Written by his last pupil apprentice, it exhibits thorough research from a wide range of sources both literary and human. A pleasure to read, it is informative and grammatically correct whilst steering a path through a titan’s progress all the time ensuring measured accuracy. Coupled with a mention by David Wells in NR obituary of the young 30 year old Rawsthorne summoning the seventy year old Willis to appreciate his new Positive pipework tuning difficulties reminds of the anecdote often told by NR - when the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral were interviewing organbuilder firms in advance of the 1960 works, they asked , when Henry Willis IIII turned up alone, who his advisers were , he allegedly replied .. “Dean... none but God”
  10. What a delightful article by John Birch..eloquent,humorous and highly informative. Thanks Martin for sharing it with the forum
  11. Please at this late stage in this thread is anyone able to share the specification of these two -seemingly identical Willis Junior Development Plan organs - both spiral pipe layout? NPOR is unsually reticent in describing it as presumably a two manual and pedal from the closed console photograph. Willis removed the 1887 the 3/25 Father Willis (ex Gartshore House) when the Lutyens design of St Martin’s was extended westwards in 1964 and then replaced it with this pair of visually interesting organs located on either side of the chancel.
  12. I am glad the “White Knight” has arrived from Kent. Many thanks to Stephen Bayley stepping up...you can hear the pleasure in JPM’s posting announcing the news Lets hope the Discussion Board founded by JPM maintains its authoritive stance and is supported by members both longstanding and new comers. Onwards and upwards!
  13. I am with S_L on this one..a little too much rush to create a substitute that does not in my opinion quite reflect the unique position the Mander Forum has/had . Since there was no appetite from other organ builders to take it over, its time is over. Just like Rotunda the Mander Forum was a snapshot in time. Good wishes to all Stay safe in these troublesome times
  14. Malvern certainly does ..having contributed to the forum.
  15. Am I alone in being surprised that there is no white knight riding from Durham or Malvern to come to the aid of the forum? ..if the stated costs are believable
  16. A M Henderson was Organist and Choirmaster to Glasgow University 1906 - 1954 , Lecturer of the History and Practice of Church Music He was an active recitalist both in Britain ,France and Germany - he edited a large quantity of piano,organ and choral music His publication “Musical Memories” 1938 highlights the many virtuosos he encountered during his career
  17. Just to add Compton ,when rebuilding the organ ,installed one of their luminous stop consoles, which was mobile and located on the stage usually with the player sitting with his back to the instrument. Memory has the console being very compact with rounded ends. Fernando Germani opened it April 1951 as guest of Norman Strafford - Organist, Holy Trinity,Hull
  18. This brochure c1905 currently on ebay shows photographs of 1870 Willis ,its 1903 replacement after the fire and the N&B 1905 A 1905 console shot shows the unusual mini Drawstops for the Echo organ. Although pricey , it may be of interest to forum readers
  19. Tony The book is called Wilkinson & Sons Organ Builders Kendal Published in 2016 Author Alan Mason. 01539 739822 info from Westmorland Gazette
  20. Rowland Wateridge’s mention of the Organista door reminded me when as a schoolboy I met Dr Dykes Bower as he was exiting that door...a polite but timid request to view the console was granted immediately with full close up inspection granted. Memories of those elaborate bronze jamb panels on five manuals still remain today- in those times Valentines did a console postcard - now a treasured memento of meeting a gracious generous musician who found time to share with a young organ enthusiast from Aberdeen.
  21. As detailed in Alan Buchan’s excellent book Organs in Scotland Stonehaven Mackie Academy Ingram 3 manual ex3 from house of Dr Mackie ( original school) to later school and to here by John Fraser Rector, rebuilt by technical dept with help of David Loosley Organ Builder 3/18 ex3
  22. Quite a few Willis JDP organs came to Scotland largely through the excellent Scottish Manager Ian Frost based in Edinburgh Pleasance Works. I believe the tilting tablets were standard Willis economy console but the illumination was a rear number plate lamp from a Morris Minor or similar!
  23. This arpeggiate downwards was a feature adopted by Herrick Bunney ,Master of the Music St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh to compensate for the lack of St Giles’ resonance
  24. Accurate but a trifle harsh.. the Organ House was designed by Pugin the younger. in Allbutt’s words “ it was a pleasant building in chalet style,large enough to seat some eight hundred people...built of mainly wooden framing,protected by slates and panelled within with fine white woods its acoustic properties proved to be sympathetic with the music”
  25. Edward Violette ,regarded as the finest pipemaker in London , died in 1867 at tragically early age of 45 He operated from Camden I understand He knew Henry Willis and was a contemporary age wise This snippets I have gleaned from the British Newspaper Archive His business was bought by Brindley and moved to Sheffield No doubt the long awaited book on Brindley by Bryan Hughes will expand on this. I understand it is being sent out to subscribers this month.
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