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Choir Man

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    North London
  • Interests
    Exploring the mechanics of organs, listening to organ music. Playing the organ badly but with enthusiasm. Anything to do with steam engines!

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  1. How do you prepare to play a recital on an instrument you've never played before?
  2. The organ is installed and is now undergoing voicing: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=879352160653483&set=a.531050782150291&locale=en_GB
  3. I recall that a few weeks before Christmas they had to cancel their usual Sunday recital becasue of some problem between the console and the organ. Slightly tongue in cheek, but might the penchant for furiously fast improvisations cause the action to wear out faster?
  4. I had similar issues in 2020 when I first started running a lockdown choir and was using Audacity to mix home recordings from different choir members. Playback quality was initailly awful! Following advice from the Audacity user community I made similar tweaks to Windows settings and acheived a significant improvement. However, when I realised that this venture was going to be a long term effort, I got an external sound module. The difference in quality was, and still is, phenomenal even compared against the tweaked settings. This is the case whether using Audacity, streaming YT vdeos from the better channels, or playing media stored on my PC. Without repeating Colin's excellent explanation, the small headphone socket on any computer and the drivers that sit behind it, are never going to deliver true HiFi quality. I agree that the problems aren't as bad with Macs, but fundamentally the problem will still be thre. If you are looking for HiFi quality you really need an external audio interface (or separate sound card if you have a desktop PC) with 'proper' audio output sockets.
  5. I have come across Istanbul Pipe Organ's YouTube channel previously. They have a few videos featuring this and other organs in the city: https://www.youtube.com/@istanbulpipereedorgan/videos They also have a website with further details about the work they do and accompanying photo galleries: https://www.istanbulpipeorgan.com/
  6. The organ in Finderup is also by Bruno Christenson. I couldn't find a full specification but it's on their list of organs: Op 545 built in 2000 with 2 manuals & 10 stops It can be seen (distantly, with organist) in this pcture: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hXiqGrTZDu3aN43AA
  7. After a bit of digging I've found that the organ pictured dates from 1980 and is by Bruno Christensen & Sons. https://bruno-christensen.dk/orgel-arkiv/hald-ege-kirke/ Frede Aagaard installed an earlier organ in 1968 shortly after the church was built, but this was removed when the newer organ was installed. https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frede_Aagaard
  8. It's just been announced the Hans Zimmer is leading a group that has bought the Maida Vale Studios. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66497106 Hopefully this means that the future of the Compton organ is now secured
  9. This video from August 2022 by a Japanese news channel shows an electronic instrument being used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha5t6eIwQcM . I have found other videos of the cathedral that show that the instrument, or at least its facade, is still present, however the internal condition and playability remain unknown.
  10. James, many thanks for clarifying (so far as you are able) what's happening at Gloucester. I look forward to hearing the new instrument after it's unveiled in 2026
  11. The author of the comments on facebook about the Gloucester instrument is vociferous about his dislike of the instrument. He also goes on to comment that "The specification is being kept under wraps until well after the organ has been commissioned and had its opening recital series. We want people to hear it before seeing what we are going to do." It feels strange that the head voicer at Nicholson's would be commenting in this way and leaves me wondering if this is the official Nicholson's position or if indeed the facebook account really belongs to the Nicholson's employee of the same name. The organ project page on Gloucester cathedral's website describes the project as "We are proud to have one of the most significant instruments in any cathedral accompanying daily worship. It is time for a sensitive refurbishment of our much-loved organ to ensure its future at the heart of our musical life." Nicholson's website describes the project as "We are pleased to have been commissioned to refurbish and renew the famous organ of Gloucester Cathedral." Neither of the official sources make any reference to scrapping the old instrument and replacing the instrument with a wholly new and different instrument. For my money I'd be inclined to believe the official sources rather than unregulated social media.
  12. An interesting video by the Organ Media Foundation about mutations, what they are and why they work.
  13. St Mark's Church in Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood was gutted by fire last night. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64421569 The organ was a Grade 2 listed Bishop from 1923 rebuilt by Walker in 1950. https://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=A00256 My thoughts are with the church community as they come to terms with this event.
  14. I met James Lancelot at Worcester a few years ago when he was the interim DOM there. At evensong there was some lovely psalm singing from the choir which also tackled "I Was Glad", it being Parry's birthday, despite there being only 8 boys available (4 each side). During the final hymn he retired to the organ loft to play the voluntary. I wonder how many other cathedral DOMs do this?
  15. For those that haven't heard the news already, the organ is back and working again. James Lancelot is to give a gala recital this coming Saturday.
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