Graham Powell

I think the original link seems to be inaccurate - try here ftp://ftp.wu-wien.ac.at/pub/earlym-l/orga...washington.dc.u instead. Two 32' reeds and the lowest 12 of the 64' shown as electronic.......... G

Yes, I'd forgotten about Dudley Moore. I only ever heard him play (a toaster.....) once, accompanying a children's choir in some Willcocks arrangement on "Wogan". I'm aware that he was a talented musician, ex-Magdalen organ scholar, etc, but his musical fame rests largely on his piano playing. Do any other contributors have knowledge of his organ playing? Did he go down the ARCO/FRCO route? G

"Are there others, I wonder?" BBC newsreader Huw Edwards - see http://www.llanellicommunityheritage.org/b...lue_Plaques.htm complete with photos at bottom of page. G

There's also this one, recorded in King's College Cambridge. John Butt: Elgar: Complete Works For Organ Sonata No 1 in G; Vesper Voluntaries; Cantique in C major; Loughborough Memorial Chime; Sonata No 2. Harmonia Mundi HMU 907291 See here: http://securex.hancockandmonks.com/catalog...roducts_id=1549

If you ever get the chance, get hold of the Ulrik Spang-Hanssen complete Buxtehude (6 CDs - often on eBay at rock-bottom prices). 2 of the discs were recorded on the Aubertin organ in St Louis, Vichy - a wonderful sound, on disc at least, probably even better in the flesh. Complete with 32' reed (called "Napoleon")!

If it's that bad, I MUST hear it.............. Where can I find it?

Happy Christmas to all......... I don't know the Mendelssohn or Liszt items described, but could I nominate "O Holy night" by Adolphe Adam? Awful gooey mush............ G

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And what hope is there when Classic FM consistently ruins (amongst others) the Agnus Dei from Faure's Requiem? For whatever reason, they always cut it short immediately before the reprise of "Requiem aeternam". As the piece started in F major and thus finishes on a chord of A major, the effect is of being left high and dry - very unsatisfactory. Even the tone deaf would be offended. Popular Classics indeed.

I've never really liked "Abide with me", but was horrified to be confronted with this version at a recent funeral http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/b/abidewme.htm And I never enjoy playing Abbot's Leigh, although it's one of my favourite tunes. I just hate the last two bars, where congregations always sing F# - E - D.

I don't think you can tell from this Lee. The RCO used to publish (in the yearbook) the number of successful diploma candidates, together with the total number of candidates who actually took the exams. When I passed ARCO in 1984, I think roughly 20 were successful (Summer and Winter), whilst some 60 actually sat the exam. Of course the mists of time have blurred my memory somewhat, but I think that sort of ratio was pretty standard at that time. Try checking the balance sheet in the latest yearbook (2004 - 2005?) - examination fees amounted to £23,486. Work out the number of successful candidates and subtract their fees from that total - it may give you an indication of numbers. Or not.

Blimey, Vierne, H.K Andrews, who else? And didn't a tuner die inside the organ at Westminster Cathedral in the 70's?

Is anyone familiar with the Willis/Mander at St Michael's West Croydon? According to the parish website ...."The organ loft housing the organ console is one of the highest in England.......". And for those of us who don't like heights, it is quite scary - perched on the side of a wall over 30ft above the ground, with nothing underneath by way of support. I'm sure it's perfectly safe, but it certainly frightens the life out of me. Have any other contributors been unnerved by the siting of a console? I believe Chester Cathedral is similar in this respect.

It's the Noël Suisse by Louis-Claude Daquin - I think you can find it in The Oxford Book Of Christmas Organ Music (ed Gower?) Graham

In my defence, I was brought up on the Novello edition.........

I agree - an 8' flute for the left hand, coupled down a quiet 16' on the pedal. I think an 8' Open Diapason for the right hand cf sounds best - and don't forget a slow tremulant, if available.

......and is also extremely expensive!

I played Buxtehude's Praeludium in C BuxWV137 as a voluntary last Sunday. As I was practising it, I realised that the first fugal subject is written out as a dotted quaver/semiquaver rhythm, yet in my experience it is always played twice as fast as this. I use the Breitkopf edition, but I'm sure this is also the case in every other edition I've seen. Would anyone like to suggest why this is? Has anyone on this board played it (or heard it played) as written?

That's very interesting VH. I suppose I prefer the note cluster option as (1) I can actually get away with it, (2) it seems to underline the sense of "reason having attained its' zenith, faith alone continues its ascent" and (3) the option of playing the printed notes accurately is way beyond me!

Ha ha! Well, I'm not getting hung up about it, and I know which version I'm going to believe! Seriously though VH, aren't the LH chords almost unplayable at speed?

I took this piece to Ann Elise Smoot last year, and said exactly the same thing about the LH chords. This piece works best at a very lively tempo, at which point the LH becomes almost impossible to play accurately. Conversely, the speed at which the LH becomes comfortable is unbearably slow! AES told me she had read (in one of Alain's biographies) that Alain had intended to notate this section as note clusters in the left hand, but that it was an earlier version - with the written-out chords - which were published. I can't recall the reason for this, but I was delighted to be told this, and the piece works so much better now. Carry on fudging!!