Nigel Allcoat

But a second pair of ears is rather helpful (and I think we should fully respect Bach's in this matter!). However I find composers are not quite the best people to ask about their music anyway. But there are a few rare exceptions I would say! N

Wonderful to read. I cannot even contemplate how a recitalist doesn't spend twice the length of the concert (at least) hearing and registering an instrument from where it will be heard. What's the point of learning the notes if you don't allow the punters to hear how you wish to 'orchestrate' and articulate? What you need (after thinking hard about all this midi stuff), is a good player as an assistant and a walkie talkie - failing that, a loud voice. I heard once (but can't believe such nonsense) that the organ in Paris Notre Dame can be hitched up to a computer in the suburbs. If so - un jour triste pour François-Henri. But, some live in modern age. Alas (sic) , I don't. N

As Bach is not yet on the Forum to ask, I humbly suggest you let the notes speak for themselves. The speed I have found is dictated by the instrument and room and changes constantly. Seien Sie sich! Best wishes, N

....if you want to "daisy-chain" MIDI can control notes on and off, "patch changes" (a bit like stop changes), MIDI volume, expression, reverb, and many other types of data, using hexadecimal code. There are 16 channels in the basic MIDI spec, but this can be expanded. .....enable the player to use digital voices from an expander module. .....he only had to find a pre-recorded MIDI file. Drawing stops in this case seemed to over-ride any stops already selected in the memory. I am trying to understand - but I think until I see this all in operation I actually don't have much of a clue. But - does this mean that if you recorded something using this stop it would play it back in Sibelius or another music programme and then you can print it out from there? Thanks for your help and patience, as everyone is far more competent than I. Best wishes, Nigel

I need some education. I have recently played an organ that has stops saying "Midi on Pedal" . "Midi on Great" etc. I did inadvertently draw one in a verse, but nothing discernible happened as far as I could tell. I notice on the new Choir organ in Worcester Cathedral that it has: Electric stop and combination actions with sequencer and MIDI. I am up to the sequencer bit, but not the last. When is this to be used? What does it do at Worcester? As an organ adviser I am feeling decidedly out of it. Thanks. best wishes, Nigel

Couperin Parish Mass Couperin II Our putting together without rehearsal with my Oxford Organ Scholars last year in Saint Antoine. I have the Nivers for the Parish Mass. Nobody knows for sure what was used for the other as there is no cantus firmus. All the best Nigel Ask for a PDF. No probs. Only too happy share.

Where do I send my petite facture?! (This is one of the glories of this site. May it forever continue in the spirit in which it was founded.) N

This a most grand and fine organ - perhaps the finest in the diocese. However it is not the largest. The church is not closing - in fact they have built rather recently, largely to one side of the building. The organ is fallen into disrepair and other musical resources I think, have taken its place. The instrument possess one the the finest 16ft Violons I have ever come across. A trade-mark of Taylors, this stop. Exceptional. It will be national disgrace if a comparable home is not found, or any home at all. N

Grands Jeux of Couperin and Boyvin is a video with not such brilliant sound - but showing the organ in my French village which is just ideal for this earlier Baroque music. The Pedal is up to top F and the bottom c# (which is not used in music of this time) plays the A below (into the 32ft octave of the 16ft Bombarde) and activates all the reed stops on the pedal for a lower A - hence the comment concerning the range. This note (a ravalament) provide those spectacular cadences in the premier Ton. Corrette's Magnificat displays the sound in the final movement as well as the wonderful typical registrations of the period. This organ is the reason why I live in the village! All best wishes, Nigel PS Saint-Antoine Abbaye, other sounds. More Boyvin.

As I said:- The old Baroque organs had been ruined by the likes of Cavaillé-Coll (only after a few decades!) and so to play these new editions (which are still mostly found in the Kalmus Catalogue at most respectable prices), the Symphonic organ alternatives were provided. N

Jacques Boyvin went from Paris (almost certainly) to become the organist in 1674 of Rouen Cathedral. He didn't have an organ for a number of years as the one that Titelouze had presided over was destroyed. The new one was constructed by the Royal Parisian builder - Robert Clicquot (1645–1719). In 1689 the first collection of his works was published. They show extraordinary flair and beauty and lie quite unjustly neglected by most players. They have remarkable Duos, Trios and Quartets. There are the usual movements for the Mixture and for the Reed choruses. Also there are some excellent examples of the Echo which require at different times Plein jeu, Cromorne and Cornet registrations. This demands an extensive instrument (and one costing much money as a goodly number of stops are hidden in the bowels of the instrument just to provide baroque titivation). There are also the ususal movements that demand a fulsome pedal department for Basso and for Cantus firmus use. There also are occasions when there is double pedalling. However, there lurks some tell-tale signs of how to use the Grand-orgue in some movements in a totally new way. For example, in the first collection of Suites, that in the Sixiesme (Church) Ton, there are found 2 movements that demand the pedals to play the same registration coupled to the Grand-orgue. The Trio a 3 Clauiers begins with a dotted subject in the Bass (for a 16ft Jeu using the Grand Tierce I suggest). There is an ornament to be played. Howver, when the other two upper parts come in the Bass line becomes simple and straightforward. It is impossible to play stylishly the dotted rhythm and ornament using the French-style pedal board. Furthermore, in the same Suite there is is a Fugue-quatuor where the same ornamentation appears when it is possible to play it with the left hand on the keyboard before the same sound returns to the pedalboard. Using the coupler (without pedal stops) makes the playing of these gems much more easy and musical. I suggest that all these pieces demonstrated the new organ by Robert Clicquot completely. François-Henri Clicquot (1732–1790) who built Poitiers Cathedral, Notre Dame and St Sulpice in Paris (to name a tiny few) often is mistaken for Robert who was his genius grandfather. There was another generation of organ builders between them. All best wishes, Nigel PS The use of a manual registration solely on the Pedal surely suggests the thought behind the Resonance department of some French instruments.

What Mendelssohn was to Bach, Guilmant was to François Couperin (and a host of others). I would therefore not say that it was virtually unknown prior to 1955**. The French editions from the 19th century show a wonderful degree of scholarship and adherence to the original - except in the matter of suggested registration. The old Baroque organs had been ruined by the likes of Cavaillé-Coll (only after a few decades!) and so to play these new editions (which are still mostly found in the Kalmus Catalogue at most respectable prices), the Symphonic organ alternatives were provided. Was all somewhat similar to Higgs & Hill and the first Novello Bach editions in the same century in London? ** Don't forget that Ravel published (Durrand) his Tombeau de Couperin in 1918. I shall later give the examples where I suggest the Pedal coupler first comes into use for the usage in specific pieces. Thé calls first. All the best, N

The stretch on some keyboards does work - just, if modern hands are large! I have tried in vain to find any details about when the coupler from G-O to Ped came into being, but the music of Boyvin suggests strongly to me that this might have first happened with his collaboration with Robert Clicquot when the storm damaged Titelouze organ in Rouen Cathedral was replaced. I have examples to give if any folk are interested. But I think in the Couvent Messe of Couperin the pedals were used as the organ for which he wrote seems not to have had an independent pedal division and a permanent (possibly) coupling to the main keyboard seems quite likely. Therefore these stretches were performed using the feet. On the other hand the Messe Paroisse demands a full pedal division. But organ and room must surely dictate how best to perform any work so that a convincing reading can be given. Every place is unique I suggest. All the best, N

I think theology to some extent has shifted ground and there is more of an Easter presence in services. When the 19th Century Funeral Marches were being composed and played there was a greater darkness at funerals and the music rather suited the occasion. We no longer wear mourning for weeks or months after a death. Black arm bands have all but gone. Funeral services now are more in celebration of a life ended, and a comfort and a moment of spiritual hope to those left. Dark, sorrowful music seems rather out of place to me. I like an Easter hymn to finish a service and a fine strong postlude to uplift and give encouragement to those leaving the church. All the best, N

And we must not forget that the organ was secular before it became sacred - older than Christianity. Am I correct? If so, then the fairground and dance-hall organs (you must all see the Belgium examples in the Utrecht museum) might be classed by some as the true direct descendants of the ancient organ. Best wishes, N

And looking of course at the architecture of these buildings they were a theatre for the Mass and other celebrations. There is little between the Opera and the Chiesa in many Italian towns. Serrasi built glorious instruments from the factory in Bergamo** and they are fine instruments for the opera transcriptions that worshippers adored in the liturgy. The Offertory in the Roman church is a non-liturgical moment and is a fine place to play these works and utilize the Italian symphonic organs. (The French Offertories are also unrelated and can be anything for this 'space'.) Drums are the basic requirement in these instruments. There are 16ft reeds in the Treble for melodies in the Tenor and horizontal 2ft flutes of blistering brilliance projecting above the player's head. All immense fun and all rather goes hand-in-hand with the buildings, altars and vestments. I am sure God giggled many a-time. Best wishes Nigel ** Donizetti was a native of Bergamo and for those unable to pay Opera prices they heard all the notable tunes in the Mass. Anyone dare do the Mad Scene now?! Serrasi's finest in Bergamo. Even the organ looks as if it is built as a box in the Opera.

I always thought that St Mary's, Calne would take a bit of beating for being small (when it was 5 manuals). N

Thanks Paul. The church is ready and waiting NOW as they have the insurance money from the arson attack. They have already driven to different places to decide that they do not wish to have anything digital. As the bill for the church is about £2,000,000 they only have the insurance for the organ. Therefore, to transport and do up is within their budget reasonable budget. Howver, this might be a touch too large. I will see what can be done. Thanks and best wishes, N

I am on the lookout for an instrument. The church has voted not to purchase anything digital and the DAC has given them the faculty to install a refurbished pipe organ. Now we look for something sensible and possible. The one thing that I find a little difficult to understand with putting redundant organs on the register, is not to have some good photos of the case etc. There ought to be a link to a greater number somewhere I propose. Those on the register for this instrument are very tiny. I would never hope to sell a car or house without good informative pictures nor would I employ and install an au pair without one. So why no photos with many of these instruments? Do you have any Paul? Best wishes, Nigel

You have certainly put the brakes on this topic now, Pierre. That's the end of British Organ design for another year! N

But infinitely more artistic - and safe! N

One characteristic that I don't think I have read about here is the fact that when I was a lad, organists (when demonstrating the wonders of their instruments before letting me have a go) would revel in the way it was possible to illicit seamless crescendos and diminuendos when adding stops or decreasing them from their cathedral organ. With careful use of swell pedal controls (a little like changing gears on a car with the clutch to enjoy perfect and unnoticeable changes), this demonstrated to me as a youngster how the British organ was controlled. My Cathedral organist taught me how to play the 2nd Movt of Mendelssohn Sonata II using two expression pedals at the same time (Solo & Swell) and my brother taught me how to drive using brake and accelerator with one foot (heel and toe!) to achieve similar results for decreasing speed whilst using the left foot for the clutch. Early racing car methods! Therefore Mendelssohn was a good introduction for driving a Jaguar and Aston Martin later on in life. The trick on the organ to create seamless stop changes was to shut the box at the same time a stop was added so that its presence did not create a 'bump' in the line of music. Then the crescendo was heightened when the swell was opened. Swell reeds always seemed to have been added in this way too - not just Great stops. Rarely did things come on 'straight'. This form of playing which was of course rooted in accompaniment, was just the correct technique that was used for Howells' solo music. Much of it (because of the style of playing used for it as well) makes me think that I am missing the choir part when I hear some works. Perhaps this set crescendo found on German instruments of the 19th century allowed players to live by the Rollschweller and a few pre-prepared combinations. The former never seems to have caught on in these shores. The British style of Improvisation is mostly created using these styles of playing. The bane of my musical life when attending some churches is hearing pre-service music where the right foot being is fixed and occupied with the expression boxes, leaving the left foot alone, which thus moves legato with endless passing notes and little or no breathing. This then demands that pistons come into action. Are there any organs where the organist has not set them to go pp through to ff - Nos 1 to 8 (or so)? I always set No 5 to give me a Cornet (if on the department). No 1 the loudest solo sound etc. The last one I normally set as a general cancel for the department. I know you think that mad, but I look upon pistons as giving me specific sounds related to a department from which I can build or decrease with hands if necessary. The British organs frequently seem to ooze subtleness for this style of seamless playing. The suddenness, excitement and power of using Ventils seems most alien to these shores. Therefore, the British organ for me was borne out of being the accompanimental instrument and subservient to the Choir. The instruments therefore rarely fall into the bracket of being contrapuntal with pedal divisions hidden behind the main instrument or even stashed into other places away from the main instrument. Therefore, in conclusion, the evolution of design and building has happened out of some form of necessity and character and not really rooted in indigenous solo composition. Now choirs and liturgy have fundamentally changed in the ordinary place, this leaves the opportunity of having new contrapuntal-style instruments. But looking (on paper) at two brand new cathedral organs for these shores, I see very few differences between now and 80 years ago. It's as if there are blue-prints produced by Henry, Henry and Arthur and we digress away from them at our peril. Best wishes, Nigel

But surely the crux of the matter is that one can be hypothetical on paper until les vaches come home. For me every tonal scheme must be the conception of the designer, builder and voicer so that the sound they imagine with all these harmonics blend as one. I read with horror very recently (not in the UK) that an organ builder put on a range of Pedal mutations as the organist was a dab-hand (my words!) at Improvisation. What on earth has such things got to do with Improvisation? Mutations in my experience are all well and good so long as that they do not cloud counterpoint or overwhelm the fundamental stops that they enhance. It is a fine line and one that the player must draw with utmost care I think. There is an organ in Paris (not on an island) that is almost a caricature of what we/I enjoy as organ sound. It is well-nigh impossible to find a plenum to play Bach with any clarity. And the fundamental that is achieved by wodges of mutation stops actually produce a most painful experience making everything ballast-heavy. I just liken these sorts of organs to the old Hammond electronic organs with the draw bars that let you experiment with the harmonics - instruments equally at home in the home or physics lab! In my mind, if you are including mutations in a scheme you are actually wanting to make the fundamental stop have little personality as you are adding to its character artificially. A musical Barbie Doll or Action Man (mustn't be sexist!), that you can titivate with this or that colour in other words? But I would find it rather expensive and cost-producing to have such a department when one needs to add such stops. In the Pedal, I long always to have a pure characterful 16ft that can be played on its own mp. By the gentle addition of other stops (8fts, 5 1/3 etc) the fundamental is almost unnoticeably enhanced. A local builder to my home in the last century created extraordinary small-scaled Violons which (depending on the other stops) could sound like orchestral Double basses or Bassoons. Now that is what I consider good design. One of the builder's greatest examples is actually being thrown away as far as I know in Emmanuel Church, Loughborough - the finest organ in the Diocese of Leicester in my thoughts. But a time when to me all these pedal mutations could come into their own is on Symphonic concert hall organs where power and effect are required with full symphony orchestras - Alpine Symphonie etc. In a other schemes I would be hard-pressed to condone the cost of such things unless they were actually necessary to the complete tonal scheme from the outset and not fancy additions plugged on at a later date. But tinkering with the original conception is courting danger. It is the equivalent to me of a person going in for a nose job or some 'brustwerk' enhancement. All best wishes, Nigel

Or "Fear not. I bring tidings of great joy". Hallelujah.

I fondly remember the time I played here in the last century - such an experience in many ways. The room is extraordinary as is the whole building. The organ was/is a most strong and individual voice too. The knowledge that Gracie Fields greeted her adoring public from one the windows was icing on the day. May the celebrations be great and wonderful. But I am perturbed to read about this under Lost or threatened instruments etc. I trust not. N