DHM

Amen to that. An incredibly detailed resource, and far too valuable to just let disappear into the ether.

I asked Ron whether he had any plans for its future, possibly hosted/maintained by AN Other. He said he needed time to reflect and consider.

At Westminster Central Hall tonight we heard Sidney Torch's arrangement of "That Toccata" for organ and orchestra. So far, so good. But the organ (just rebuilt earlier this year) obviously enjoyed it so much that it didn't want to stop... After the final chord we were treated to an extended encore of the bottom F on the 32ft reed - at least five minutes, and that was *after* the blower had been switched off in an attempt to cure the problem!

I don't recall this effort being acknowledged in General Sir John Hackett's history of the Third World War of August 1985.

The founts of all knowledge on this topic, particularly as it applies to church musicians, are Barry Williams and Robert Leach. Their website, www.organistpublications.co.uk, and their book "Everything Else an Organist Should Know" are invaluable. Douglas.

I saw this on another list, and thought it would be of interest: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PRIORY LAUNCHES ONLINE RADIO Priory Records this week launched its new internet radio service, eponymously titled "Priory Radio". The station aims to provide a service to admirers of choral and organ music, the demand for which is no longer served by major classical stations in the UK. Neil Collier, Managing Director, said "We felt that the amount of airtime given over to organ and niche choral music - particularly organ music - on UK radio, had dwindled to the point where the community could really benefit from a 'Priory Radio' station. We were delighted by the fantastic response of our customers to the idea, and look forward to delivering more and similar services in future." The station will transmit a selection of Priory tracks 24/7, at a bit-rate high enough to do proper justice to the quality of the recordings concerned. Priory Radio is at http://www.prioryrecords.co.uk/radio/. For more information contact Ben Collier, at ben.collier@prioryrecords.co.uk, or call (01525) 377566. Priory has been recording and distributing choral and organ music for over 31 years. Based in Leighton Buzzard, UK, the company sees its mission as capturing the music at the heart of the Anglican choral and organ tradition and providing this music to the many passionate followers of the genre.

Dan Soper, ADoM at Rochester until recently, and currently ADoM at Holy Trinity, Dartford, to be ADoM at St Edmundsbury from 8 November. http://www.stedscathedral.co.uk/images/sto...iel%20soper.pdf. He is a good friend, colleague and an IT wizard; we will miss him terribly, but wish him well for the future.

Many such organs have found new homes in Germany and Holland, where English organ tone is becoming more appreciated. There are also firms there who specialise in importing unwanted English organs. "The EDAC will want a photographic record to be made as well as a sound recording of the organ before disposal." Maybe they should use a well-known software program for the audio documentation.

Apologies - I think I need to stand corrected. On reflection I think said person was probably still in post at the time I mentioned (though not for much longer).

Depends how you define "recent". The events referred to were in the mid-1970s (I was on an RSCM course in 1979 with the then former Organist).

So far as I know, yes. Robert Ashfield wrote an Evening Service for men's voices "In G minor with the Greater Sixth" i.e. G minor with only one flat. [After completing it, he then discovered that he had omitted a verse of text, and had to go back and re-work a very complicated canon he had included at that point! - But that's another story.]

<Bump> This position is still open. The "requirements" are negotiable (though not the dates, obviously). An interest in, and some knowledge/experience of, organs/computers is desirable. Although I said "help to man a stand", this opportunity is open to both sexes (accommodation is a 2-bedroom holiday flat).

Please forgive this somewhat off-topic posting. I hope I'm not transgressing any Forum rules by doing so. I need an extra person to help me man a trade show in Germany later this month. Requirements: - Available at least from Wed 21st to Sunday 25th September (inclusive); - German speaker (good A-Level standard as minimum); - Preferably an organist; - Good working knowledge of computers, MIDI and audio; - Sufficiently able-bodied to help load/unload/fetch & carry console parts; - Current valid passport and EHIC. Rewards: - Travel, accommodation and food covered. The ideal candidate would possibly be an Organ Scholar, or similar, about to return to university. Suggestions/recommendations/expressions of interest off-list, please. Thanks in advance. Douglas.

Aha - Patrick Russill's RAM Chamber Choir again. They were certainly very good last year, and I'm looking forward to this. A member of my choir is in it (and had the treble solo in Gray in F minor last year... ).

Can anyone identify the themes on which George Oldroyd's Three Liturgical Preludes (NB, not the Three Liturgical *Improvisations*) are based? Thanks in advance for any assistance. Douglas.

Today is the centenary of Robert Ashfield's birth. We will be marking the occasion as part of our annual Rochester Composers' celebration this weekend, together with the Southwell Minster Chorale (the voluntary choir of Nottinghamshire's cathedral, which Bobby served before coming to Rochester in 1956). More info here: http://gundulf.org.uk/html/summer_2011.html. Board members may be interested to know that, in addition to his choral and organ music, much of which is fairly well-known, he also left a large quantity of orchestral and chamber music including a symphony, a violin concerto, some string quartets, an opera (based on the same plot as Les Miserables) and much, much more - almost all unpublished and mostly unperformed, written after he retired in 1977. I am preparing to write a research thesis on Ashfield's music, and would be glad to receive any anecdotes or reminiscences that may be thought relevant. Thanks in advance. Douglas.

Now there's a name to conjure with! Based at Willesborough Windmill, near Ashford. He used to tune and maintain the organ which I played in Maidstone in the 1970s.

I guess you mean September 11th...

And what, dare one ask, is wrong with C clefs?

Fantastic piece! We did it Sunday before last - with both organists on the same organ!

Today's Church Times has advertisements for the following cathedral positions: St David's - Organist & Master of Choristers; Peterborough - Assistant Director of Music.

According to today's Times, referring to the Dresden area of Saxony: "The staff work five days more a year - while expecting 30 per cent less money - than the national norm." Q.E.D.

In theory, yes. In practice there are still very noticeable differences: having visited the firm whom I represent in the former East several times, I get the impression that labour costs are probably still lower than in the West, and there is a glut of derelict factory spaces which would probably go for a song (I must emphasise that I'm guessing - I don't have concrete evidence, but that is certainly the strong impression one gets). The current situation would seem to be that organ-building is flourishing. Škrabl has already been mentioned above. They claim to have one of the largest organ-building workshops in Europe. And I have previously referred to Tomaš Močnik, also Slovenian, who seems to be doing excellent work, including a recent job in Sweden. Maybe there's a connection between Polish plumbers and Slovenian organ-builders: reliable, good-quality workmanship at very reasonable prices.

Inbox now half-empty. Apologies for inconvenience.

An interesting job for someone.... http://www.holytrinitygeneva.org/documents...AdvertMusic.pdf