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Beautiful - but where is it?

Notice that it says "the same high standards of music and worship for principal cathedral and diocesan services." not "the same high standards of music".

Posted on the Cathedral Website on 13th August. The Dean and Chapter of St Asaph Cathedral have released the following statement: “Following a reduction in the budget, which has been under financial pressure for some time, we have had to review our financial position. “We have already put in place a number of different cost cutting strategies, including non-staff related cost saving. However, it is with the greatest regret that we now have to consider further cost-cutting measures, which are likely to involve making a small number of redundancies unless any viable alternatives can be found. We can confirm that we have begun the redundancy process but in the interest of those affected, we cannot comment further until that process has been completed. “We can however give our assurances that arrangements will be put in place to ensure that the Cathedral continues to provide the same high standards of music and worship for principal cathedral and diocesan services. I think the last paragraph is the telling one but, perhaps, it would be better not to make comment until the full facts of the matter are known.

The donkey, of course, is a major player in the history of religion. He was there at two great moments in the story of Christianity in that he carried Mary to Bethlehem to give birth to the Christ-child and, later, he carried Jesus whilst the Jews shouted 'Hosanna to the Son of David'! My close friend, who is Vicar of a beautiful ancient Abbey in the Midlands always employs a donkey on Palm Sunday. One year the donkey stayed for the whole service and joined in the singing of the hymns with great gusto! I have a vision of the donkey, standing in his field, looking at his calendar and saying "It's that time of the year again!!!" David. Your encyclopedic knowledge always astounds me - but that has to be one of the best I have ever heard!!!

I am sorry to hear of Basil Ramsey's death. He was, particularly, kind to me when, a few years ago now, I was having a lot of difficulties with a local musician, who had an overinflated opinion of his playing abilities, wanting to give recitals all over the place and making public and derogatory remarks about those who refused to allow him to do so because they knew the standard of recital to expect!!!! Basil wrote me a lovely, unprompted and extremely witty, letter which gave me the encouragement to 'hold my ground' and kept the said player at bay! I had the impression that he was a nice man! May he rest in peace!

Thank you for the explanaiton Colin!! I don't text if I can help it and my mobile phone is of the type that went in, or was it out, two by two!!!

Oh dear! I manage to follow most things on here - with the possible exception of when the good Dr. Colin indulges in explanations surrounded by Physics and Maths!! ………………………………………………. but I don't understand any of this!!

When I came to live in this little tiny village in South West France my next door neighbour, from half a mile away, Jean-Louis Texier, knocked on my door on the first Sunday afternoon I was here, to welcome me to the village. He was astounded that I was a musician, even more astounded that I played the organ! And he invited me over to his home, across the lake, where he has two Hammond organs - rescued from churches in the North of France!!! Who would have thought it?

Sorry! I just thought that, seeing as other Cambridge college chapels and a couple of Cathedrals, had got a mention, I'd put a 'plug' in for my old alma mater!

And, just so David doesn't feel he is monopolising the thread, here is one of the most famous sights in the country! I need say no more! - apart from perfect - architecturally totally perfect! http://npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N05254

And , talking of favourite buildings!! Christ Church Spitalfields is, I think, my favourite London church. In my days in London it lay almost derelict, saved, I think, by the sale of St. John's Smith Square which covered the funding of the roof replacement which, ultimately, saved the building. I've never been to church there, my preference is for 'slightly further up the candle' - St. Augustine's Kilburn or, for good local 'High Church' St Peter's London Docks! But I went into Christ Church to see the completed restoration and it is stunning, absolutely stunning! Bridge's organ has been magnificently restored to it's 1735 specification, by William Drake Ltd. in 2015. The case is 'out of this world'! More pictures and sound files here: http://npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=H00969

Beverley is a bit 'out of the way' - thank goodness! Being 'out of the way' the building has survived 'modernising influences' of the Victorians and of others! I played my first 'cello continuo in there somewhere about 1965/6 when Peter Fletcher was Minster Organist. I think, on that occasion, Andrew Leach, now at Hessle Parish Church, was playing the organ. Over the years I played 'cello continuo dozens of times in there - sometimes in the freezing cold of an East Riding December winter!!! Peter Fletcher took me up to the organ console around the same time. It was a magnificent sight looking down into the choir and, despite being, so I was told, a considerable 'cellist, I knew then that I wanted to play the organ!!!! I've always thought the Arthur Hill organ case, viewed from the West End of the Minster was absolutely perfect and totally matching of the Snetzler case which stands beside it. One of my absolute favourite buildings! Pictures can be seen here! http://npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=D06725 I'm sure someone more competent than I will load a picture - it doesn't seem to want me to load!

In my time at a major London Conservatoire I was lucky that I was taught, possibly, by the most distinguished teacher of my instrument in the country, let alone the college. VH is absolutely right, he was hardly ever there and I was left, usually with a vast amount of work to do, until he came back from teaching in Japan or the US or wherever. The 'upside' of it was that one summer he invited me to his home. I lived there for two months and had a lesson almost every day!! It was wonderful but I'm not sure whether it made up for the times I missed a lesson! As for fees. Students need to complain and they need to complain loudly. I have mentioned this student elsewhere but, a few years ago now, I had a telephone call from an ex-student of mine reading Music at a prestigious University. He had an orchestration to do and, to use his words, hadn't a clue where to start! We met, looked at the task in hand, and I starting asking questions about the music, what he could see, what he could hear, etc. Eventually I asked him if his Tutor hadn't been through this with him! He hadn't seen him for weeks and weeks, was hoping to and had rung me in panic as the orchestration was due to be handed in very soon. "They're only teaching here so that they can pursue their own research interests!" was his comment. There is some truth in this. He did his orchestration, didn't rock any boats by criticising the University for its lack of interest, care etc. - and got a first!! Was it worth the money? Possibly it was but, as far as I can see, he had a good case against the University - and I have heard this scenario over and over again and, particularly, at this University.

I'm sure that you were making an official recording and, therefore, had the recitalist's permission to do so! How you get away from the extraneous noises of an audience I have no idea!

I may have recounted this before here. If so, I apologise! I was in Chartres on August 15th some years ago. Solemn High Mass in the cathedral at 11h00 was packed. At 15h00 in the, overflowing, church down the road Vespers began with the chanting of the Psalms. Between the Psalms and the Magnificat the entire congregation processed through the city, with an enormous statue of Our Lady, to be greeted at the great doors of the Cathedral with a fanfare prior to the Magnificat being sung, in Latin, by, again, a packed congregation. I suppose Vespers finished about 16h30 and there was to be an organ recital at 17h00 given by Patrick Delabre, the Titulaire. I expected large numbers to leave and, some did leave but their places were taken by others and, by 17h00 the cathedral was, again, packed for his recital. It wasn't a recital of, particularly, 'mainstream faire' but, judging by the applause at the end, it was enjoyed by all present. The whole day was amazing and not something I could have imagined taking place in the UK. Some time ago I went to a recital in a 'civic' building on a large, well known instrument, given by a well-known player. There might have been twenty people present. At £5 a time it wouldn't have paid for the electricity, let alone the fee for the recitalist, the cost of opening the hall etc. ………………… and I don't have an answer to why it is so different!

I don't disagree with anything that 'Zimbelstern' has written. I came from a very 'ordinary' family, my mother had been offered a place at Girton but was unable to take it up because 'they couldn't afford it'!! And I was lucky in that the 'comprehensive' school I went to had an amazing music department, the rest of the school was pretty dreadful, that encouraged me to apply to the Junior RCM and eventually to Cambridge where I won a scholarship (not an organ scholarship I hesitate to add!). I spent part of my life as a schoolteacher and had a student of mine go up to Oxford to read music. He told me that, at that time, he was the only student in the faculty to have been educated in a comprehensive school. All the rest were from the private sector of education. I can't, in truth. make up my mind whether that is a dreadful condemnation of Oxford or the comprehensive system - or both! He got a first but the comment, from one of his peers at Oxford, "how did someone from a comprehensive school manage to gain a place here", he said was demoralising and typical of a system that he had hoped had disappeared.

With ref. to my previous post: Hoar Cross http://npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=V00192

My apologies, I didn't see this post. No it doesn't include an improvised March & Fugue by Raymond Sunderland but it does include the following:. 1) Bridal Fanfare and March. - Raymond Sunderland - written for his daughter's marriage in 1972. 2) Legend Op. 141 - Karg-Elert 3) Chorale Improvisation "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" Op. 65 No. 5 - Karg- Elert 4) Chorale Improvisation "In Dulci jubilo' Op. 75 No. 2 - Karg-Elert 5) Chorale Improvisation "O welt, ich muss dich lassen" Op. 65 No. 21 - Karg-Elert 6) Chorale Prelude on "Urbs Hierusalem beata" - Healey Willan 7) Apostolic Symphony - Garth Edmundson The record, on the VISTA label (VPS 1006) was made in the evening of the 2nd of October 1972 after the rebuild of the Priory organ by Laycock and Bannister in 1967/68. Hope that helps.

Many thanks for that. The Diocese of San Diego wasn't where I was thinking of!! I have sent the above to a close friend who is VG to an English Diocese. It will be interesting to see whether the above is a 'local rule' or something from Rome.

I didn't know that and, whilst well away from it now, never encountered opposition to Wagner or Mendelssohn in twenty years of playing for weddings in the RC Church. I'd be interested to know where you got that from! I could make a guess!!! Some excellent suggestions there, Martin - I never thought of the Finzi Clarinet Bagatelles.

I thought the Chapel Choir contribution to 'the wedding' was absolutely first-class. The Tallis was beautifully sung and, whilst I can do without noises Rutter makes, it is a piece, totally appropriate to the occasion and beautifully crafted. I completely agree with the comments, made by VH, about the descant to Cwm Rhondda. The Gospel choir were outstanding as was the young 'cellist, from the RAM, playing Faure, von Paradis and an arrangement of Schubert. The choice of the Handel aria, for entrance music, I thought, was inspired and beautifully performed as was the Boyce Symphony. All in all a programme of appropriate, well-chosen music, beautifully performed, is my take on it all! And then there was the Preacher ................................................... Wow!

This picture came form the church website. The church of the Holy Angels, Hoar Cross - just north of Lichfield. A singularly beautiful church in the 'High Church' tradition. www.holyangels.co.uk/

You see - five posts and 46 miles and we are back home!!! David. Your 'bucket list' is interesting - have you thought of Bridlington and the magnificent village church organ at Rudston. Then there is the GDB at St. Martin's in Hull and a number of villages with beautiful, untouched F & A instruments. But I digress.........................!!!!

I think it is fairly inevitable that threads do go astray sometimes! This one started with York and was moved down the road, by Barry Oakley, to Hull, not so far away. Mention was then made of the heritage lottery fund which prompted a comment about sponsorship and the Nicolaikirche in Leipzig and that was 'thrashed around a bit', and then it moved back to Hull again - only another 46 miles to get back home!!!

Some incredibly good advice here from both Vox and David! Possibly two of the most useful posts I have read on here! So! Never accept second best from yourself, practice diligently every day, concentrate on minutiae as well as the overall picture, practice your scales over and over again so that you are completely fluent and use your ears! If you can, practice at the same time every day - but that is not always possible! - Set yourself daily tasks to be completed - begin the next day by going over the previous days task! Don't ignore keeping yourself fit and in good health. I began my life as a 'cellist and playing a performance of the Elgar or Dvorak concertos is physically incredibly demanding. Giving an Organ Recital is just the same! All the best!