martinstanley
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Posts posted by martinstanley
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This doesn't work for me. Are you sure you are not viewing a cached version, Paul?
Try http://www.npor.org.uk/. Just noticed that this is trhe same address recommended by Cynic - apologies!
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Noooo!! The Warwick West is incredible!
Yoy can't be serious although perhaps "incredible" is the right word.
I live fifteen minutes by car but rarely go which is a shame because the choir is very good. One well known recitalist I know played a recital there about ten years ago and described the instrument as his most unpleasant experience.
I once went to a performance of the Durufle Requiem there parts of the accompaniment were played on the chancel organ and parts from behind the audience on the west end division which for me ruined a beautiful performance.
The very worst though was a Carlo Curley battle of the organs with his touring Allen versus the Nicholson where I could not work out which I hated more.
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Are you sure that you want a copy of this? I regard it as dreadful, having had to use it on many occasions (mostly at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, for a visiting choir). The pointing is often distinctly odd - and does not always either flow well, or make good sense. In addition, the regular habit of having to leave out certain quarters of many chants leaves the music sounding butchered and disjointed. It also increases considerably the chances of making a mistake, misreading something or failing to omit part of a chant where one is directed to do so.
Personally I dislike this psalter. Interestingly, it was about the first thing which Malcolm Archer altered when he was appointed. As far as I know, Andrew Carwood has made no moce to re-instate it.
It may indeed be out of print *; it may also be dust - but gold? I doubt it.
* Perhaps due to lack of demand.
I agree there are some odd things in it. I was trying to get a copy merely to study it, but my interest does not stretch to paying £22.00 for the privilege!
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A few weesk ago I wrote to Cantuerbury Press on this subject and got a reply from someone at Norwich Books and Music http://www.norwichbooksandmusic.co.uk saying :-
"There will a new edition of the ST Paul’s Cathedral Psalter coming out in July.
It is now called The Anglican Psalter and will be priced at £22.00.
All previous editions of the Psalter are now out of print."
I failed to find a second hand copy but perhaps you will be more lucky.
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Simon, please also add my name to your list for March 25th.
Many thanks,
Martin
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Indeed DT. And i'm sure the Vierne was also wonderful, if we actually had the chance to hear more than the opening theme statement!
A performance of the Vierne on this instrument can be found here http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/default.php?page...&webcast=25.
I have got a lot of pleasure from St John's Cambridge Choir website although it does show that the congregation is quoite noisy during post service voluntaries!
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Are you familiar with the organ in Bristol Cathedral, the Tutti pistons certainly couple the tuba (labelled tromba I believe) through to the great. This splendid, if somewhat thick, tutti is very much "The Bristol Sound".
In my days visiting the organ loft in Bristol (1960's) there was no "tutti" piston and coupling it to everything else would have been regarded as bad taste except in exceptional circumstances, and certainly not "The Bristol Sound".
It's a good thing we all have differneet tastes. I enjoyed the Widor at Worcester until the last page.
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I was responsible for some registering of Vierne and Widor that included some coupling of the Tuba (with octaves and suboctaves
) which may be considered of questionable taste... not least by me, but it was one of those things that just had to be done! 
...and please don't ask why.
BTW It certainly packed a punch in the Quire!
It wasn't you and David I was getting at (you were both there to have fun and experiment) rather the end of the Finale of Widor VI after Evensong. The GTB quote came to mind "the first and perhaps most important rule of organ playing is not to show everything in the shop window all at once"! I thought that George Castle made an excellent job of the Jonathan Dove anthem though - for me the highlight of the day.
A worrying aspect for me is that my eyesight (long-sighted) must be getting worse becuase I could not read the music with or without my glasses while page turning. Perhaps it is as well I have retired from playing!
Martin
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I think thats a little unfair on the old machine, but agree that the new organ would do it proud
Not much more to add to what has already been said except to say thanks to all concerned for an excellent day and what a super instrument. What we heard totally dispelled my concern regarding the impact at the Three Choirs Recital by Gillian Weir which I now realise was due to where I was sitting, so many people being present, and the raised seating platform in the crossing. The day also explained and confirmed why Worcester needs more than one instrument.
The highlight for me was the Jonathan Dove anthem at Evensong. Oh, and I don't care if I don't hear anymore coupled Tubas for a bit!
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I totally agree with you - mind you, what would we know?
P.
Well in my case I was an occasional attendee of recitals there but have stopped going. Last time I went I had to move under the gallery on which the organ sits. If I remember correctly there are some nice individual registers but it is all too loud. Sorry, nothing to do with Canterbury.
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Mr Klais, in discussion with a British organbuilder at the opening of a new organ of his in the London area, was asked if he thought the instrument was, er, a bit loud. "Oh yes, we always voice our instruments as loud as possible so the client thinks they are getting the value for money" is alleged to have been the response, though I cannot vouch for the source.
Was it the Klais in St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall which to me always sounds too big for the building?
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Dear people. I’m trying locate a church in Greater London not far from St. Andrews Holborn. I only visited the church once back in 2000, but can’t remember what the name of it was. It was Catholic and the organ was a Compton on the west gallery. The interior was painted (e.g. a massive painting on the ceiling towards the east of end of the church). The acoustics were fantastic and it was a very lofty building. Sorry it’s not enough information but do you any of you people have any ideas where this church is located or where I could find more info?
Many thanks
JT
Is it St Alban's Holborn which is Anglo Catholic? Web Site here : http://www.stalbans-holborn.com
The organ fits your description - http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N17549
I went to a Sunday Mass about thirty years ago and remember the organ as being very big for the building. There is a lot on their web site about the music tradition which features some prominent names of the past http://www.stalbans-holborn.com/history_of...at_s_albans.htm. Although not in the list of Directors of Music I seem to remember Barry Rose was on the music staff before he went to St Paul's.
As you say, super building and acoustics.
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I seem to remember that CH had the Large OD coming on very early on the then 5 Great pistons!
It is a long time ago but as I remember it when I was a frequent visitor to the organ loft for daily evensong the settings went:
1. SD 8
2. SD 8, Wald FL 8, OD III 8, Principal II 4
3. OD I, II, III, Principal I, Principal II 4
4. 3. + DOD 16, Twelfth, Fifteenth
5. Mixture and reeds
There were no generals until the Mander rebuild and the divisionals were not easily adjustable (and rarely changed) so had to serve for both repertoire and accompaniment. With only 5 pistons to each division Clifford Harker did a lot of hand registration or made use of his page turner when he had one.
With only five pistons on swell, which went something like
1. Strings
2. SD, Dulciana, fl 4
3. SD, OD Principal
4. + 15
5. Principal, Twelfth, Fifteenth, Mix, Reeds
Contra Fagotto and Oboe was often added by hand after piston 4.
A Clifford Harker favourite in Psalm accompaniment not on Solo pistons was Solo strings, Cor Anglais 16' with Pedal Contra Gamba and 32' flue. At this point the left hand seemed to move at great speed as these stops were on the right hand jamb!
I am talking about happy days of 40-odd years ago so please make allowances for the accuracy.
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I just caught (before a Rachmaninov 'vespers' rehearsal last night, as I was parking the car) a snippett from St Paul's late evening on R4. It was basically an interview with the organist (with the inevitable 'stupid' questions) and some quickie demonstrations of the 'new' stops and a good blast of full organ. The interesting thing was that the organ was recorded from the console - giving a good perspective as to the difficuly facing the organist in performance. I especially liked his comment that parts of the organ could not be heard at all well at the console!
Item from last night's R4 Front Row on BBC I-Player here http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00f6gz4. It is 7'.47" into the programme. Sound clip starts with The Archers theme tune!
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Friends have emailed me from Bournemouth to say the new Director of Music at St Peter's Bournemouth is to be David Coram, assistant at Romsey and active member of this forum. I imagine David will miss the Walker at Romsey but will be looking forward to being in charge at this church where I seem to remember there is a good musical tradition. Congratulations to David and I am sure we all wish him well.
M
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To the attention of the members of the french forum who read this thread,
here is a Video of the Oxford organ (Rieger 1979):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSbD1bwqcmU
This is exemplary of what was built on the continent in 1979 as néo-classique organs.
Pierre
Ugh! Give me David Coram's performance of this piece on the Walker at Romsey Abbey any day.
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I can report that the newly rebuilt organ was put through its paces last night by David Briggs in a long but exciting programme of transcriptions by Glinka, Dukas, Rachmaninoff, and Souza, Bach D major, Dupre Variations Op20, three movements of Widor V, and an improvisation, together with a newly commissioned setting by DB of Psalm 98 sung by the Chapel Choir with what sounded like a challenging organ part. Minus the choral item the programme is similar to the one he is playing at the RAH on 4 July.
The organ rebuilt by Nicholson with Paul Hale as consultant (like DB an old boy of the school) is based on 1861 Nicholson first installed in Wycliffe Baptist Church, Birmingham. Over time the organ has had an interesting history finally being cooked by the chapel heating system. The history is documented in an excellent and comprehensive book written by Paul Hale and on sale for £5 at the recital.
The scaling of the choruses comes across as big and bold but I guess that is what is needed to accompany the singing of 450 pupils. I began to get concerned about this as the first two pieces (Glinka - Ruslan and Lyudmila and Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice were quite a battering being mostly full organ, followed by Bach D major on only a little less, but more subtle voices appeared in later items and DB gave a good account of the instrument.
Clearly from the speech by the Headmaster Paul Hale did an excellent job of getting the Governors to spend £220,000(?) on the rebuild to support their fine musical tradition.
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I helped out here while at school but haven't seen the organ since about 1997. I'd be interested to hear what you think of the additions, as I've heard mixed feelings.
Paul Walton
I did not know the organ before the additions but played a couple of weddings/funerals there about five years ago. At the time I thought the mixture did not blend well with 8-4-2, and from the console the Great Trompette obliterated everything. I do remember it as the coldest church I have ever played in with the wind blowing across the console!
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Specification of Nicholson rebuild can be found here http://www.organrecitals.com/s/solsch.html
According to www.organrecials.com the opening recital by David Briggs is on Monday June 9 at 19.30.
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Did anyone record this off-air in 2006? I was actually there, so didn't get to record it, but the 'listen on-line' version I downloaded afterwards is fairly messy, sonically speaking.
I sometimes record R3 Choral Evensong either through FM or Freeview and often store bits of it away on my PC, but do not have this complete broadcast. If I remember correctly the FM or Freeview signal (I don't remember which) was so poor that day with many breaks in transmission I only salvaged the final hymn and organ improvisation. If you would like it please PM with details and I will send it.
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Many years ago there was a performance at the Edinburgh Festival broadcast on TV of the Berlioz Te Deum where orchestra and chorus (and audience) were in the Usher Hall and the organ part played by Gillian Weir at St Mary's Cathedral was fed through speakers in the hall. I seem to remember at the end GW got in a taxi to join the rest of the performers to receive the applause.
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I don't think this one has been posted on this thread - Widor Symphony 6(i) played by Daniel Roth at Saint Suplice. He does not appear to have the usual brace of registrants and is relying entirely on the unique(?) combination system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKImiR7a4zw...feature=related
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Does anyone have any information about David Briggs giving a recital on June 9 - see his web site http://www.david-briggs.org.uk/concerts.php Is it open to the general public or a school event as their web site gives very little information?
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This article in the Sunday Times a few weeks ago might be of interest. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/ne...icle3725010.ece
I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort2 which were not cheap at £225.00 but provide excellent reproduction of cd's both through my amplifier and mp3 player. They fit over the whole ear and cancel out most other noise.
On the strength of the Sunday Times article I have just purchased a pair of Sennheiser PXC300 from Amazon at £78.98 for use when on holiday. Testing them with the David Briggs recording of Vierne III the Bose win hands down but are three times more expensive. The Sennheiser are still very good and a lot less bulky. Both have a noise cancelling facility which works well.
) which may be considered of questionable taste... not least by me, but it was one of those things that just had to be done! 
Bbc Choral Evensong
in General discussion
Posted
Anyone hear the broadcast from Worcester last week, still availble on BBC I-Player http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00js8l4 for the next four days. The organ part to Stanford in B flat was unusual and I assume a realisation of the orchestral version of the setting. The broadcast gave a good hearing of the new Tickell organ.