DHM

Is he still there? Long service indeed. I think he was the organist when I used to practice there while at uni in the late 60s. Not forgetting Redcliffe, of course.

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Quote from the Lay Clerks' List, posted on Wednesday 26th: "Dr Alan Thurlow announced his intention to retire with effect from Easter 2008 to the congregation at Chichester on Sunday morning."

I don't know if he was the resident organist, but Walter Stanton was Willis Grant's predecessor as Prof of Music at the University. Wasn't Ken Andrews at Oxford? (New College?) EDIT: Sorry, I responded too soon, before reading Cynic's post!

There is another way (I'm sure there are probably several, but this is the one I find easiest, and you only have to do it once): In MS Word, go to Insert | Symbol; choose the character you want; click "Shortcut Key", then "Press New Shortcut Key"; create whatever key-stroke combination you want; "Assign", "Close". I use Alt+A for ä, Alt+Shift+A for Ä, likewise for ö and ü, and Alt+S for ß.

Indeed he was - reputedly played in an overcoat and mittens in winter! I sang there 1969-70, just after a Choirmaster had been appointed over his head to run the show (there were rumours of a Lay Clerks' revolt just before I arrived, unless someone other than GB were appointed to run the choir). Slightly OT, I know, but this stirs memories of another bygone age: a coach was hired for the annual Lay Clerks' outing - a day touring the Cotswolds, with lunch at the Shakespeare Hotel in Stratford, tea at one of those villages with a quadruple-barrelled name and dinner at the Queen's Hotel in Cheltenham, the tab for all of which was picked up by the Churchwardens.

Arranged by WH Harris, published by Novello as No. 1 of "Modern Transcriptions for Organ", copyright 1932 (renewed 1960). Hope this helps. Best wishes, Douglas.

There is a market for 2nd-hand consoles which can be modified (or MIDIfied) for use with "virtual" organs. Alternatively - leaving aside for a moment the question of replacing the keyboards - one could have it rebuilt by someone like (e.g.) Hugh Banton (albeit still using (AFAIK) Bradford technology, though he is generally regarded as one of only a handful of people on the planet who know how to get the best out of it), or Phoenix (excellent value for money, despite being one of the best solutions currently on the market). If one wanted more flexibility, but has narrow doorways and not much space, one could consider a computer-based solution with a keyboard stack from one of the suppliers in Germany, Canada or the US. Some of these offer upgraded keyboards from Fatar or (for a price!) UHT, and some are portable.

While adding my welcome to "Vox Humana 8'" to the board, I would also support the respectful request that (s)he consider using another handle to avoid confusion with another member.

Hi, Hector, As I'm sure you're aware, both these famous organs are available as Hauptwerk sample-sets - generally reckoned to be among the very best on the market so far. D.

At the church where I was O/C for 17 years we installed a large 3-manual drawstop Makin in 1979 (one of the last of their analogue instruments before the tone-wheel generator cabinet in the vestry was replaced by circuit-boards in the back of the console). I had 10 more very happy years presiding on that. It was recently rebuilt using "Bradford System" synthesis technology by Hugh Banton (who did the original installation when he worked for Makins). I have to say that I prefer his 32ft reeds to most of those I have heard in pipes! At home I have a Viscount "Grand Opera" (predecessor of Prestige 1), vintage circa 1990-1991. The flues are OK, reeds + strings are not good (ancient sampling technology). It lacks a decent solo reed. One of the best things on it is the 32ft Contra Bourdon. It's a good instrument for practice, but doesn't give much aural pleasure - for that I use Hauptwerk.

All of Helmut Maier's sets will be converted to HW2 - but he doesn't say by when. Actually, there are some. Helmut Maier has done one with pipe-organ builder Harald Rapp - but it costs upwards of €40,000. There are other possibilities in Canada, in the range CDN$10k-15k plus shipping. These may be more readily available in Europe before the end of the year.

I have to agree with VH that Hauptwerk ought to be seriously considered, particularly if you want the flexibility to be able to play different repertoire on the appropriate kind of organ. I also agree with him about the serious lack of a good large English sample-set (e.g. Harrison or Willis) at the moment. There are some very attractive console options - mostly compact, and some easily portable - available from suppliers in Germany, Canada and the US (as yet no UK-based solutions, hence my recent post about MIDI consoles). See here for examples: http://www.milandigitalaudio.com/masterwor...idi-console.htm http://www.midiworks.ca/products/product_r...p?categoryid=22 http://hoffrichter-organs.co.uk/html/pictures.html (last 4 pictures) Add the cost of these to the cost of the necessary computer hard- and software, and you will still probably get change out of what you would have paid for a decent toaster. Best wishes in your search. Douglas [Hoffrichter Organs UK - but for how much longer is a moot point!]

Thanks to all for the replies so far. Tried them - didn't get a reply to my last enquiry. Don't think they're interested. More info, please. Who/where are they? Tried looking there - didn't find any pics of that. Sorry! It definitely is, and it does. The German firm I (am trying to) represent has an excellent solution, but seems incapable of delivering it within a reasonable timeframe. I'm looking for a solution that can be delivered efficiently and reliably in weeks rather than months, without constant excuses for repeated delays. There is also an excellent solution just announced in the US, but then there are freight costs, customs duties... A UK product would be so much easier.

How many British organ builders still make their own consoles? Does anybody know of a company (apart from the well-known one in Devon) who would be prepared to build inexpensive MIDI consoles for connection to a PC?

There is a fairly ancient Allen in the Chapel of Sutton Valence School in Kent (just south of Maidstone) which is said to have been previously used as a touring organ by Carlo Curley. Possibly the same one?

Weren't you always?

I won't presume to comment on the pros and cons of replacing the Hindley Schulze organ with a pipeless instrument, since I know nothing of the circumstances and it was/is obviously very controversial. All I would say - since I believe the "toaster" to be the work of Hugh Banton - is that they could have done a h*** of a lot worse. HB is, IMHO, one of the best digital organ builders in the country today and is, allegedly, one of only a tiny handful of people who really know how to get the best out of the "Bradford System" hard- and software. [Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in HB other than as a very satisfied customer.]

A Cavaille-Coll in a dry acoustic - an ideal candidate for Hauptwerk sampling, so that it could be used in a "wet" building!

A TV programme a couple of nights ago showed some of the amazing Victorian Gothic interior of Manchester Town Hall - including an impressive-looking organ. A quick check on NPOR reveals this to be a large 1893 CAVAILLE-COLL , extended from 4 manuals to 5 by TC Lewis in 1912 and rebuilt by Jardines in 1970. Has anyone here ever heard or played it? Is it any good? Is it ever used?

I'll second that. You and me both!

Thanks to MM for the helpful info. To answer a couple of your questions: It did [see my original post]. The first organ, installed in the church in 1875, was a chamber organ by Lewis. The 1907 B&F incorporated this pipework. I think you'll find the "M" on the NPOR specification stands for "Metal" (and "W" for wood). Two of the pedal stops (one wood, one wood and metal) are attributed (in part, at least) to "Schultz". Which then raises the questions: Is this Karl or Edmund, and were they related?

Recent discussions about these builders (under the thread on "Dulciana Mixtures") has revealed some interesting connections between them, of which I was previously unaware, and raised some interesting questions for Hauptwerkians. Anyone who uses Hauptwerk will have initmate knowledge of the organ of St Anne's, Moseley, described as "Brindley & Foster, 1907", but it would now appear that that description is an over-simplification. The specifications as given on NPOR and on the church's own website give rise to some confusion: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N00645 http://www.st-annes-moseley.org.uk/organ.html http://www.st-annes-moseley.org.uk/organspec.html. The former (survey date 1984) mentions pipework by "Shultz" (sic) and "Lewis". The latter mentions an earlier organ by "J.C. (sic) Lewis of Brixton, London" whose pipework was included in the 1907 instrument, and also allegedly includes pipework by "Schultz" (sic). There were further improvements and additions by Nicholsons in 1984 and 1990 (NPOR needs updating - Tony?). Are "Shultz" and "Schultz" misprints, and is this really the Schulze of Armley/Doncaster fame? Is "JC Lewis" a misprint for the famous TC? Douglas [Enjoying a Sunday morning off - as all our roads are closed for the Tour de France and we can't go anywhere - but unable to explore the mysteries of Moseley any further, since the HW organ is out on hire to a local choral society.]

Rumour had it, when I was there, that Dame Monica had given the money for the chapel on condition that no organ be ever erected in it. Can anyone else with Bristol connections confirm or deny that? Should we expect to find her in an ongoing burial rotation posture? Forgive me for being picky, but wouldn't the Subbass be stoppped, and therefore only approx 8ft?

Heard it? Yes - lots. Played it? Never. It was regularly used for recitals, degree congregations, etc, when I read music there almost 40 years ago, but undergraduate organists were never allowed anywhere near it. However, that was in Willis Grant's time, and things may well have changed for the better thereafter. Anybody have more recent info? VH? If I might be permitted another brief reminiscence: the acoustics in the great entrance foyer of the Wills Building are wonderful. At the end of (Autumn) term a bunch of us would go halfway up the great staircases to left and right and sing carols, alternating 'Dec' and 'Can'. That was in the days before the world went security-mad and anyone could just walk in unchallenged. I doubt one could do that now, even if 'bona fide'.