Ian Ball

No. It's a fraction of the size and, sadly, the 3rd manual (Solo) is 'prepared for' only.

Well I was there in 1994 and don't recall any rebuild... however, at some point (NPOR says 1984), Tony Cawston did do some work on the Pedal reed and perhaps some light dusting. I love the organ very much, but playing a full choral Mass is a nightmare with no playing aids whatsoever. I did get quotes for adding pistons (either replacing the stop action with electric or adding solenoids to the mechanical stop action) but it all proved too expensive for the Cathedral's meagre resources. The organ was seldom in tune in the winter months either, due to the 'fast start' facility on the hot air heating system, which caused stratification and condensation.

Respectfully, it most certainly did not. The pipes were filthy and the keyboards completely worn out. The latter have been replaced. Best wishes Ian

Friday 1 July 2011, 1.10 - 1.50 pm TRURO CATHEDRAL Organ Recital by IAN BALL (Worcester) J.S. Bach - Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 César Franck - Prière, Op. 20 David Briggs - 4 preludes from Le Tombeau de Duruflé Naji Hakim - Aalaiki'ssalaam (Variations on a Lebanese Theme) Admission free; retiring collection Facebook listing Series programme (NB page 2 - very cool!)

Well it doesn't have stunning Burne-Jones/Morris windows, but it does have a generous acoustic and a very fine Rieger organ

Saturday 25 June at 7.30 pm St Michael's, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8PH IAN BALL (Worcester) featuring the wonderful 4-manual 'Father' Willis organ J.S. Bach: Prelude and ‘St Anne’ Fugue in E flat, BWV 552 Matthew Camidge: Air and Gavotta (from Concerto No 2 in G minor) Elgar: Sonata in G, Op.28 INTERVAL Franck: Prière, Op.20 Vierne: Symphony No 3 in F# minor, Op. 28 Admission £6 Facebook listing

My son was two years old when Nicholsons rebuilt the Gloucester Cathedral organ in 1999/2000. I was keen to show him the 32' Bombarde being installed and voiced. "Daddy! Haeicopter!!!" he said, with a nervous grin.

Indeed Sean, you've made my point for me! We know exactly how and why, just as we do about Elgar performance practice.

HEREFORD CATHEDRAL, Tuesday 7 June 2011, 1.15 pm Organ recital by Ian Ball (Worcester) Admission free. Console view via projector screen. Retiring collection. Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) - Allegro maestoso (from Sonata in G) Ian Venables (b. 1955) - Rhapsody (in memoriam Herbert Howells), opus 25 David Briggs (b. 1962) - from Le Tombeau de Duruflé: Veni Creator, Rorate Caeli, Ave Maria and Pange lingua Naji Hakim (b. 1955) - Aalaiki'ssalaam (Peace Be with You) Variations on a Lebanese theme.

What a shame, approaching Walton and Elgar's music with preconceptions of war and empire. Poor chaps. The world would be dull if all tastes were the same, but I stand by my long-held opinion about the Sumsion recording: a curate's egg. As for those learning Elgar these days, I would encourage them to listen to Elgar conducting Elgar and learn from it (whilst not slavishly copying it). A revelation. As for implying that Tod Handley's band (or Messrs Scott, Trotter, Kynaston and all others who care to notice the composer's tempo indications & time signatures and know his wider oeuvre) don't play lyrically, expressively or savour their surroundings... I must be using different ears. Perhaps I should stop listening to non-organ music and just focus inwards.

Try Jacques van Oortmerssen here & elsewhere. I've tried many but keep returning to this now-classic recording.

Murky? Normal business practice, whether you make widgets or power stations.

An idea of price can perhaps be gained here. Would be interested to know how much mark-up the EMS have put on these, if any.

Škrabl is the firm obliquely referred to at the top of this thread. From the looks of their recently revamped main website, it appears that they are also stealing a march on Laukhuff and other suppliers (here). Price was the deciding factor in their recent Bristol job, I understand.

Fine indeed. But this is more expressive and rhythmic: And I couldn't resist adding this link:

As I say, MM, no doubt Sumsion had his reasons. Action/acoustic/mic placement/roast beef supper could all have played their part... I include myself in the long list of admirers of HWS, by the way, particularly of his lovely choral music. I'm also grateful for his tireless championing of his close friend, Herbert Howells. Without Sumsion's persistence, Hymnus Paradisi might still be locked away in a bottom drawer.

Well, if your first proposition held true, music would die after a couple of generations. What does "as it should be" mean anyway? A composer loses most of his rights once the notes are committed to paper. There are many organists who stake their claim to "correct" interpretations as a result of a line of pupil/teachers. In the case of the Elgar, there are several such links still alive, teaching today's generation. But there weren't many in the chain from Kittel to Vierne, whose generation claimed to play Bach "as it should be", so that argument can be equally spurious. I am sure Sumsion had his reasons for recording the second and fourth movements at sight-reading speed, but Allegretto (meaning "moderately quickly, fairly lively") and Presto (comodo) (meaning "quickly, in haste, immediately, suddenly (but comfortably)") they are not. Almost as important as the Italian indications are the time signatures: 4/8 for the former, 2/4 for the latter. Again, to my ears, Sumsion's recording misses by a mile. I believe it is a gross error to sanctify and venerate one particular performance because one 'great man' happened to know the other 'great man' who created the work of art in the first place. I'm not saying that what follows is any more "as it should be" (for one thing, what's "in haste but comfortable" for an orchestra is bound to be different for ten fingers and two feet) but for me this not only hits the spot, it sits comfortably within a range of interpretations we have from Elgar's own recordings of his compositions, as well as by conductors who knew him and claimed to know his intention: Allegretto Presto (comodo) (RLPO, Vernon Handley) John Scott brings this approach vividly to life and with great clarity in his St Paul's recording, as do Trotter and others. The Elgar only set light to my imagination after hearing Jacob's orchestration and then John's recording. As for the reasons why the Willis/Harrison was "dumped"...well now we will never know. Ralph Downes and John Sanders are sadly no longer around to explain.

Sebastian Küchler-Blessing's Lizst (on YouTube). Outstanding and persuasive.

Parry's excellent symphonies are being played each day at 10.30 on r3 this week. Caught "The Cambridge" on my car wireless this morning. Great stuff. No more "second-rate" than the CPE Bach Magnificat on at lunchtime... Incidentally, David Briggs has recently released the Parry F&F in G on the 1962 Klais at Himmerod. Yes. I know. It really shouldn't work but by golly it's good!

I take your points, MM, and agree with the importance of lyricism and expression. There's much to admire in Sumsion's recording (for example, I love his rolling of chords and delaying of the melody note). However, I would use the bristling, brisk yet lyrical vigour of Torch, Coates et al to argue against Sumsion's approach in the 'intermezzo' and presto, which just isn't idiomatic to my ears. When you listen to recordings of Elgar conducting music in the same style and with similar tempo markings, Sumsion's approach simply fails, IMHO. As to your remarks about lyricism and classical choruses... you're a brave man! I think our friends and colleagues fortunate enough to have studied with top teachers on the finest mechanical actioned instruments (whatever the repertoire) might take issue with you, not to mention those who have maintained a decent piano technique! No-one's mentioned Thomas Trotter's new recording of the Elgar from Salisbury. Haven't heard it yet but am told it's superb. Incidentally, the lovely Thorburn recording is about the right tempo for Elgar's Allegretto!

Well, apart from the Allegretto, which is surely far too slow and challenges even his legendary pianistic technique at the LH 'bassoon' solo. And indeed the last movement - Presto comodo?? The 1st and 3rd movements are splendid though, I agree, as is the glimpse of that lovely old instrument. IFB

This is worth a visit - plenty of 19th-century options under 'Well', 'Victorian Well' and 'Quasi-Equal' And read about Taylor & Boody's Op.65 here, in 'English Cathedral' temperament, laid by ear with sweetened thirds.

WHAT? This was Elgar's orchestration and is always used at the Proms. Perhaps you have a strange perception of cheese... I love the way Elgar reflects the words so colourfully and artistically in his thrilling orchestration. I got plenty of organ through my amplifier - party horns, 32' reed (on 'Glad' - marvellous!) and all, and of course it led the other hymns on its own.

~likes~

Simples: you wrote "Eb" in the tuner's book. This will have left the tuner baffled and confused, scratching his head and asking his keyholder what on earth it could possibly mean. After spending 2 hours repairing a broken tracker and tuning half the reeds (ignoring the other half plus your requests to 'touch up' the upperwork, and laughing at your request to regulate the Celeste) he will have concluded that no such note exists and gone to the pub. Write "D sharp" and see if it gets you anywhere. big wink, especially to all his conscientious and proactive organ tuner friends, of which there are many.