Philip

We have it in 100 Carols for Choirs, which is very widely used I'd have thought. I suppose one could argue that it isn't great in terms of boosting congregational singing, being totally independent. If you have a large enough choir then you can split it and have half singing the melody line I suppose. It's certainly worthwhile though and adds a tremendous lift to an already excellent hymn.

I confess my manifold sin and wickedness. Even worse, we've got it this Evening for Advent Carols! Its always one of the highlights of the year though. Starting with the Matin Responsory at the West End, processing to O come, O come. Then a selection of readings and hymns, plus choir carols: O thou, the central orb People look east Ave Maria (Malcolm Archer's setting in Advent for Choirs) How beautiful upon the mountains and finishing with Lo, he comes and the very fine Willcocks last verse (I used the Martin How arrangement this morning while they all sang in unison). And to finish I'll be playing Howells Rhapsody No. 3. Lovely stuff.

The MD of Priory spoke on Sunday evening about the making of the DVDs. In particular, he talked about how they tried to do scenes to match each piece. They had rung up the RAF to try and get them to do a flight over the Cathedral. They had originally arranged two dates - and on the first the weather wasn't right, and on the second the plane had broken down! However, they eventually found a date and Priory were able to film the flight as they hoped. It is testament to the attention to detail shown by Priory in putting these DVDs together.

As reported elsewhere, I shall pick it up at the launch recital tomorrow evening at Lincoln. Looking forward to both recital and DVD though, not seen any of the previous ones but have heard very good things about them!

I am thinking of heading for Evensong at 3.45 and then sticking around for the recital. Evensong music is Byrd responses, Blow in F, Handel Worthy is the Lamb and Palestrina Exultate Deo, for anyone who might be interested. That should make for a splendid Sunday afternoon.

This may be of interest to some too - unfortunately Lincoln Cathedral's website is overly flashy so instead of posting a link I'll paste the text here directly from their website... Sunday 22 November 2009 at 5.30 p.m. COLIN WALSH (Lincoln Cathedral). Admission free. Colin Walsh will play an organ recital on Sunday 22 November 2009 at 5.30 pm. This will mark the launch of a new DVD on Lincoln Cathedral and the organ and it includes many shots of the console and the Cathedral. This is the fourth in the series and is produced by Priory Records. The programme will include a selection of the following items which are on the DVD: J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G Major BWV 541 J.S. Bach: Chorale Prelude from the Orgelbüchlein: In dulci jubilo BWV 608 J.S. Bach: Magnificat BWV 733 William Byrd: Miserere Johannes Brahms: Choral Prelude O welt muss ich dich lassen Op 122 No 11 George J. Bennett: Elegiac Prelude Sir Edward Elgar: Nimrod (No 9 of “Variations on an original theme” arr. Harris Op 36) Eric Coates: March: The Dambusters arr. C.W. Camille Saint-Saëns: The Swan (from The Carnival of the Animals) arr. Guilmant Herbert Howells: Rhapsody No 1 in D flat Op 17 Francis Jackson: Fanfare Op 18 Jean Langlais: I Incantation pour un jour saint Olivier Messiaen: Apparition de l’Eglise Eternelle Gaston Litaize: Prélude et Danse Fuguée Louis Vierne: Carillon de Longpont (No 21 of 24 pièces en style libre Op 31) After the concert there will be an opportunity to purchase the new DVD at a reduced price. Admission to the concert is free.

Royal Albert Hall - Friday 2nd July 2010 - Gillian Weir See http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/pro...on.aspx?id=7644 An interesting programme certainly - a real mix.

As someone who used to reside not far from Chelmsford and has visited there pretty frequently, I think the arrangement there works well. The Chancel organ for choir accompaniment, and link the two up or use the Nave organ for congregational accompaniment. They will happily lead a full cathedral. Of course, Chelmsford isn't a massive building by any means, and how that kind of arrangement would work in a bigger space I don't know. The other cathedral with which I'm most familiar is Southwell and of course they have two organs but completely separate. An alternative, if not dissimilar solution perhaps? Of course, this becomes a lot more expensive when you start building multiple instruments. Certainly not a solution in a parish church setting I'd suggest.

That would make sense - but the spec in the link provided specifically identifies the Positive as being I and the Great as II. It dawned on me when I looked on NPOR, which lists the proposed specification - see http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=E01521. Like I said, could easily be a typo though.

Looking at the spec, another puzzler - here we have Great to Positive (rather than vice versa). Any reason for this, or is it a typo (which seems most likely to me)?

I am duty bound to mention this as it is local to me: This Sunday (25th), 2.45pm - John Scott on the Binns Organ in the Albert Hall, Nottingham. This is their special anniversary recital. Programme: Mendelssohn: Overture to St Paul Handel: Concerto in F Op. 4 No. 5 Bach: P&F in A minor, BWV 543 Franck: Choral No. 1 in E Bossi: Scherzo Durufle: P&F sur le nom d'Alain Wammes: Miroir Vierne: Finale from No. 6 Admission £8 by programme (£5 concessions)

As a Mathias fan and someone who plays his Processional, I've looked at the Recessional and wondered what it sounds like....and here it is!. Note also who is playing! Having to listened to it a couple of times I now can't get the damn thing out of my head! Definitely one to learn though. However, I realise some will think any time spent on Mathias might as well be spent watching paint dry.

Interestingly, I made enquiries about this piece at music shops to no avail. Chappells couldn't be sure it existed! However, I found it on the internet at Banks' website for £7.55 (plus P&P £2), sent an order in and got an e-mail back only 11 minutes later saying it had been dispatched! Can't complain about that! It should be with me by Friday now.

I've done a quick internet search. Chappells will be shut. Foyles open 11-8. Most of the smaller shops are likely to be shut I reckon. Chimes don't open on Sundays so I doubt they'll be open tomorrow.

A most interesting discussion. I think its important to make the distinction here between cathedrals and parish churches (perhaps save for the few parish churches which, for whatever reasons, have basically a cathedral setup). In a cathedral, then obviously Choral Evensong will be the staple, it should be done well and should attract a decent crowd. At Southwell, where I go reasonably regularly to Evensong (in order to have a service where I don't have to worry about what happens next!), the Sunday afternoon Evensong regularly gets a turnout of 30 or 40, which is probably 'good' nowadays! Especially when you consider how small a place Southwell is for a church that size. That is my opportunity for what John aptly called 'being transported to another place'. That is all good. In a parish church, the situation may be different. At Beeston where I play, the regular turnout at a standard Evensong is often barely in double figures. The choir don't attend regularly - we do about five or six Chorals a year, and sometimes cobble together a few people to help support the singing at a normal sung evensong (chanted psalm and canticles, ferial responses, a simple anthem and three hymns). The rest of the time, they're on their own (although one Sunday evening is given over to Taize/healing services etc, which are popular). But we can do better - on Easter Day for Choral we had a turnout of about 30 plus the choir, and that when some will have started the day at 6am! We did a joint do with another church at the end of June and there were probably 40 or 50 plus an enlarged choir. Advent Carols (although not Evensong) is always popular. I guess what I'm saying is that we only get a good turnout if its a 'special' service or major festival. Does that mean we should give up? I don't think so. The choir are quite happy to get the opportunity to perform some different music - longer anthems, for instance, which don't fit in to a morning Eucharist. If you have a choir who are happy to turn out and sing to a small number, and that small number are appreciative, then I don't see why you can't carry on. If it was every Sunday though, I don't think the choir would be so willing! We have to face the fact that Evensong isn't as popular as it once was, and focus nowadays is very much on the morning Eucharist. But a good Evensong done well (whether Choral or not) still inspires me and I think it would be a shame to drop it completely.

This has had a week now and some very interesting responses, as I hoped, and a lot of music that I don't know! I'm particularly intrigued by the comments of those who prefer a much more low-key affair than the sort of thing I have suggested. When I have attended Cathedral Evensong it has usually been on a Sunday, so I am used to the 'full works' so to speak. Perhaps if I attended weekday evensongs regularly I would appreciate more the low-key style of service suggested by some. I do think having a hymn or two is important though because it gives the congregation some active involvement.

OK - I've had a think and come up with this: Opening Voluntary: Whitlock - Folk Tune Introit: Stanford - Beati Quorum Via Responses: Rose Office Hymn: Dear Lord and Father of mankind (Repton) Psalm: 121 - to the Walford Davies chant where the first and third quarters are solos Canticles: Noble in B minor (closely followed by Stanford in C) Anthems: Finzi - Lo, the full, final Sacrifice Balfour Gardiner - Evening Hymn Hymn: O thou who camest from above (Hereford) Hymn: I bind unto myself today (St. Patrick's Breastplate) (Final Responses: Rose) Concluding Voluntary: Vierne - Finale from Symphony 6 (if you can't play that, then Carillon de Westminster which is considerably easier! I struggled to choose between the two anyway.) The Noble and Stanford canticles are both just great sings, and also good fun to accompany. And both accessible to your average parish choir. The Finzi leaves me amazed every time I hear it - 15 minutes which I think takes you to another place altogether. It is a simply extraordinary work, without equal as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps the concluding lines "When this dry soul those eyes shall see..." are the most moving. Balfour Gardiner is another one which is pretty accessible but I think is just the perfect anthem for any Evensong. I've chosen three hymns which I would enjoy both singing and playing. All moving and relevant in their own ways.

I'm always intrigued to see what repertoire (both organ and choral) interests other people on this board, so here's a poser - pick the music for your ideal Evensong service! That is to say, the music which you would include in a service encompassing your favourites. You can choose (some or all of) the following: Opening Voluntary Introit Responses Office Hymn Psalm Canticles 1 or 2 Anthems Two Further Hymns Concluding Voluntary Since this is designed to just find out what people like, then it is not limited by seasons - so you can mix music from Christmas, Easter, or whichever part of the year you want! I would post mine, but I haven't fully decided yet - I will add it in due course.

Many thanks - exactly what I needed!

I've been meaning to ask this for some time. I have the Priory CD 'The Music of Hereford Cathedral' which includes this great piece played on the organ by Graham Barber. I've had a look round on the internet and gather that this was originally written for orchestra but I think the organ arrangement sounds excellent. I haven't come across it being published anywhere - is there a published transcription of the piece? Also - the crucial question - how difficult is it?! Many thanks in advance.

I went to Prom 8 yesterday evening in what was a pretty full Albert Hall. As you may be aware, it was all a celebration of the 800th anniversary of the University of Cambridge, and so the music was by people with connections with Cambridge, the conductor and organist were ex-Cambridge men etc. As an event musically, I enjoyed it. Everything was performed really well (of course!). I can't say I cared much for the commissioned piece by Ryan Wigglesworth, which didn't really seem to go anywhere. The choral pieces by Jonathan Harvey and Judith Weir weren't particularly to my taste either, although they were undoubtedly technically very good pieces of music. The Harvey in particular sounds very difficult. I very much enjoyed the Vaughan Williams, particularly the Wasps and a rousing performance of 'Let all the world'. The Stanford was a setting with which I'm not familiar but was typical Stanford really. The highlight of the evening though was undoubtedly the Saint-Saens symphony which concluded the evening. As I said though, a good evening even if not everything was to my taste. I can't help feeling a little disappointed with the contribution made by the organ though. The organ was only really used to any great extent in the last two pieces - the Judith Weir and the Saint-Saens. I can't help but feel that, given that they had a brilliant organist like Thomas Trotter there, that more use could have been made of the organ. I don't quite know in what way, but good as the symphony orchestra are, we hear orchestras at most of the proms whereas the organ will only be seen at a few. Obviously, the Saint-Saens enabled Trotter to make full use of the organ's resources, which I think is what everyone wanted to hear, but I still feel we could have heard a bit more of it. Of course, the purpose of the evening was a celebration of the University of Cambridge's anniversary, but even still... Just a few thoughts.

Thanks Vox, most useful as ever. I will have a look at the set of six pieces when I next go up to London.

I should make it clear that I don't think Howells output is entirely worthless! I also don't doubt that the five Psalm Preludes I mentioned have their own individuality, even if constructed in a similar form. My point though - each of us have limited time in which to practise and learn new pieces. An attempt to master all of the first five Psalm Preludes would see much time spent on music which is undoubtedly quite similar, when time could be spent on something completely different, ensuring some balance in what was learnt. Perhaps I was a little hasty in dismissing certain aspects of his repertoire earlier - but I still think that some of it does sound awfully "samey". The challenge I find is to determine what - for me personally - is worth learning that I will gain satisfaction from doing so (and so might my congregation!) - hence my general query. Incidentally, I've found Master Tallis's Testament on youtube and have to say I like it. Is it only available in the book of Six pieces or is it published separately? Some very interesting comments here which are most enlightening. As someone who is 21, and still learning new stuff year on year, I have to confess I have no desire to spend time learning Bach. I would venture to play his preludes on Wachet Auf and In Dulci but not a lot else. I daresay that leaves a big hole in my repertoire! In contrast, learning something like Rhapsody 3 I find enormously satisfying, in no small part due to the complex variations in dynamics etc which demand many registration changes. This shows off the variety which the organ can achieve which is probably one of the things which makes the piece effective.

I shall stand in the firing line with you, sir! I find Howells' stuff a bit hit and miss. Having heard several different sets of canticles, it does all seem rather much of a muchness (although on the St Johns College webcast his Te Deum - Col Reg I think - surprised me as being unusually bright and cheerful). But Mag and Nuncs - Col Reg, Gloucester, Westminster to think of those I've heard most recently - same format, just different notes it seems to me. I don't know too many of his anthems. I do know two of his famous carols - A Spotless Rose and Here is the little door and I think are both exquisite - hard work undoubtedly but really well worth the effort. Little door especially has such a sense of atmosphere about it. Then to organ music. Much of it seems to be in the 'start quiet, get loud, back to quiet' structure. The first five Psalm Preludes all seem to follow this structure, and I couldn't tell them apart if asked. No. 6 is quite different of course and appeals more to me. I'm quite fond of Rhapsody No. 1, even though it is of the same structure of quiet, loud, quiet. But my favourite piece (and I confess not to know much else of his organ rep) is Rhapsody No. 3, a most effective piece which I am just beginning to learn. Last Sunday, I attended an Evensong at a local church with joint choirs (so a decent congregation mixed from the two churches) and this was the voluntary, and nearly all the congregation remained in their places to the conclusion (and its not a short piece), which I know never normally happens at one of the churches, which must say something. I don't quite know why I like it, but it just strikes me as effective and satisfying. If you're looking for a good melody, then its perhaps not the piece for you though. I realise none of this answers the question! But it opens up the general debate as to what (of Howells' music) is actually worth learning. Indeed, what is there beyond the Rhapsodies and Psalm Preludes that is worth looking at?

Having read comments in the Dupre topic about how people view his P&F as one of the best organ pieces ever written, what are everyone's favourites? This could be to play or to listen to (or both!). It would be extremely mean to say you have to pick one piece alone, so if you have a selection of favourites then list them down here! I'm intrigued to hear how much of it will be 'mainstream' and whether some pieces will be rather less well known. Over to you...