DHM

I am aware of a non-Anglican cathedral which - according to NPOR - has a late 19th century pipe organ, not currently being used, and a pipeless instrument said to date from the mid-1980s using additive synthesis technology; the latter, however, has 2 manuals, not 3. The authorities are investigating a possible replacement. I won't say more, lest we contravene Forum rules. More info by PM if desired.

It has just appeared on the Exeter Cathedral website.

Am I right in thinking there has been a recent change of musical management at St John's RC Cathedral in Norwich?

How much (if at all) might "gut feeling" be a legitimate way of deciding whether or not to apply notes inégales, or to "assimilate" (to use VH's term) 2:1 and 3:1? I can see no logical reason for spending hours practising playing 2+1 exactly against 3+1 (in the opening of "Jesu, joy" for example). Would the composers and performers of that time really have expected that? Or would they just have aligned them (which IMHO provides a much more musical result)? And how widely might one apply notes inégales to music of countries other than France? (Bach, and Purcell, just for example.) I find it difficult nowadays to imagine "And the glory of the Lord" in anything other than quasi-9/8 (although, admittedly, one then has to argue about which quavers are sung inégale, and which not). But it's much more fun that way. Is fun allowed, or am I just being ignorant and/or naive?

As regards placement of swell pedals, I have always assumed that the English norm was to have them placed centrally (however many there are), and that having them offset to the right was a continental European thing. But I'm happy to stand corrected by those who know better.

Does anyone have news from the interviews at Chester earlier this week? I know two people who were short-listed but not successful.

Is there an RCO (and/or AGO) standard for the angles (from the vertical) of swell pedals when fully open and closed?

Presumably, given the necessary cabling, the whole organ could be controlled from the console by MIDI signals. And since one can now buy wireless MIDI devices, I guess the answer to the question posed must be: in theory, yes.

Now there's a name that brings memories flooding back! He was one of my tutors for keyboard tests in my first year at Bristol (late 1960s). One Contrapunctus per week from the Art of Fugue (open score and 3 different C-clefs), orchestral score of "Les Preludes", etc... [Please forgive off-topic comment.]

Martin, many thanks for your suggestions, but please see my post of last night. Perhaps I should also have clarified: not only English-language, but also British composers. I know there are lots of excellent Viennese Masses out there, but that wasn't the point of my question.

Many thanks for all the helpful suggestions so far. Just to emphasise: there's almost zero chance of our ever singing the Credo liturgically, hence my plan to include some in concerts. And I'm only considering accompanied 19th/20th century English-language settings - of which the following are already in our repertoire (though I've never yet investigated their Credos): Darke in E and F; Harwood in A flat; Howells Coll. Reg.; Ireland in C; Oldroyd "Quiet Hour"; Stanford in C and G; Sumsion in A. Any comments on the quality (or otherwise) of the above would be welcome.

Apologies if this question appears slightly off-topic. Since hardly anybody sings the Credo liturgically any more, I'm thinking of including a couple of settings in concert programmes for our choir later in the year. What would be your favourite 19th/20th century English-language settings with organ?

I think the reed solo might have been played on the pedals....

That could be arranged.......

I'm not aware of either the No.1 or No.2 posts at Ely being (or shortly becoming) vacant, and would be surprised if they were. They were, however, advertising recently for an Assistant Organist to their Girls Choir (not the Cathedral Assistant Organist).

A typo in the Brustwerk, perhaps? Two 8ft flutes and a 2ft Prinzipal, nothing at 4ft?

We have a Vigil service at 10:00pm tomorrow with the Lord Lieutenant, High Sherriff and lots of military top brass. Music will include the Kyrie from Jehan Alain's Messe de Requiem, My soul, there is a country from Parry's Songs of Farewell, Rheinberger's Abendlied and Stainer's God so loved the world. Over this weekend we have been joined by singers from Aachen, and from the Marienkirche in Rostock, to commemorate the anniversary and celebrate the many Anglo-German friendships we now enjoy. Music was a mixture of German and English, including Mendelssohn's Verleih uns Frieden (Give peace in our time, O Lord...) and some standard Anglican fare such as Stanford in C and Naylor in A for Evensongs, Harwood in A flat for Mattins and Sumsion's Communion in F, David Terry's beautiful new setting of Laurence Binyon's They shall grow not old... and - to make the point that the war didn't only take place on land - Sumsion's They that go down to the sea in ships. Great music-making with old and new friends, and some very emotional moments.

Indeed. And I wasn't suggesting that we should.

"...with immediate effect..."? Seems a bit drastic.

"Vox Humana" might know. I remember him demonstrating it to me almost half a century ago.

My choir was once booked for a 1:00pm wedding. Since we also had a rehearsal at 2:00pm for Evensong at 3:15, we already knew there wasn't going to be much time for lunch. The bride arrived at 1:40! I told the Dean that Evensong would start at 3:30pm. -

Might one ask how old he was? One of ours went straight to the Organ Scholar position on retiring as a Chorister at age 12 (and remained in that position until after A-Levels).

There has been some discussion recently on a German-speaking forum about this piece. [see http://hauptwerk.seeyoo.net/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=1279.] Specifically, the question was raised whether a transposed version in C, F or G is available. Some contributors found this piece almost impossible to play, or listen to, on Lübeck's own organ in Stade, with its original tuning. Surely he would have written it for that organ? Or am I missing something?

I thought I recognized that pedal department. Although originally built for St John's, Hamburg, it has been at Ss Peter & Paul in Cappel since 1816.

They have also recently discontinued, for no apparent good reason, two very popular audio/MIDI interfaces used by many of us who have practice organs at home.