philipmgwright
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Posts posted by philipmgwright
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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. -
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.
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On 25/02/2022 at 07:05, ptindall said:
The Echo pipework was used in a HNB temporary organ of 1952 for St Mary’s Baptist Church (Bootman, Organs of Norwich 2000). It’s not a good idea to use the NPOR as if it’s a carefully considered work of scholarship. The more complex the organ history, the more difficulties there are going to be. The instrument with the extant but disconnected Echo organ is Westminster Abbey.
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?
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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.
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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
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On 30/04/2021 at 14:19, SlowOrg said:
Thank you for the replies.
I had completely forgotten about Stanford’s note at the beginnig of the Fantasia and Toccata score. It just seemed so strange the first time I saw it, knowing how, at least on larger instruments, Choir is usually the I. manual. Or would this have been different on the instruments that Stanford knew and used? Unfortunately, the stop lists from St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, and Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge, which can be found as part of the introduction of the Stanford Organ Album, give no clear indication of this. (On a side note, I am astonished that NPOR also doesn’t include any information regarding the division/manual question.) It may well be that the Choir was/is considered "least" important, but then again, I have never seen an organ with a Choir to Swell coupler (would be glad to learn of one, though) …
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.
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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? -
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”
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What a delightful article by John Birch..eloquent,humorous and highly informative.
Thanks Martin for sharing it with the forum
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On 03/10/2019 at 21:59, S_L said:
There are pictures on NPOR
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. -
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!
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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
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Malvern certainly does ..having contributed to the forum.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Tony
The book is called Wilkinson & Sons Organ Builders Kendal
Published in 2016
Author Alan Mason. 01539 739822
info from Westmorland Gazette
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1 hour ago, Rowland Wateridge said:
Well, at that time (early-mid 1960s) the Wilis on Wheels was caseless and, it has to be said, not lovely to look at. As I recall, one side had a backing of plain black material, and the swell shutters were nakedly exposed at the opposite end to the console. As it was in use in place of the Grand Organ for a lengthy period it wasn't being wheeled, and to the best of my recollection was chocked up on blocks. It was in the same place as you describe, essentially below the north-east corner dome, and largely concealed by a domestic folding screen. Harry Gabb or Richard Popplewell would briefly appear in cassock and full-sleeved surplice, with academic hood, winged collar and white bow tie (not bands), and disappear behind the screen for the duration of the service. I always thought RP looked distinguished, tall and very upright; HG shorter and a little plump (?), but my recollection of HG may not be accurate! In both cases the playing was distinguished, and it was the Great diapasons which filled the building during the hymns. I don''t recall the Cornopean being that much used, but on more than one occasion RP played one of the Franck Chorals. I remember commenting to a Virger (hope that's the correct spelling for St Paul's) that we never seemed to see Dr Dykes-Bower, to which he somewhat haughtily replied "He doesn't come to this service"! This was the 6.30 pm 'additional' Evensong sung by the choristers with the Gentlemen of the Evening Choir. The boys had already sung umpteen earlier services, and were allowed to leave before the sermon which was at the end of the service and the final hymn was sung by the men alone. In the time that I attended I remember several performances of the Rogationtide anthem "Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it" by Maurice Greene. The hymnal was AMR, and quite often the alternative tune was used, (e.g., 'Old 104th' never 'Hanover' for "O worship the King"). I don't recall anyone conducting, even in the anthem. I think a lay vicar on either side kept the beat (equally the case at Winchester Cathedral at that era). Although evening, the St Paul's 'Wandsmen' wore formal morning coats, as I believe they still do to this day.
I never heard the Grand Organ in its Willis incarnation, but the console was then on the north side concealed within the duplicate choir case which Father Willis provided new when he divided the organ. It was reached from the north choir aisle through an elegant door inscribed in gold letters "Organista".
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.
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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
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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!
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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
19 hours ago, David Drinkell said:It was quite common at one time. I think GTB may have picked up the idea from Walford Davies and on the old Temple Church organ, the Rothwell console would have facilitated such a practice as one could slide along the stop-keys (between the manuals) to make a diminuendo. I remember the elderly organist of the Episcopal Cathedral in Oban doing it, too. This was in the days of the Blackett & Howden organ (a rather pleasant sounding instrument), upon which the stops were operated by rocking tablets above the Swell. I think they are on at least their second electronic organ now.
In the days of my youth, the Borough Organist in Colchester often did the same thing at recitals and also (again, a GTB feature) would arpeggiate downwards the release of the final chord of a piece. This led to someone (not me) coining for him the nickname "Left Boot Lenny".
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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”
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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.
Youtube Archive of Recorded Organ Music
in General discussion
Posted
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?