S_L

Looking at the list of Vista recordings I find VPS 1006 - a recording made by Raymond Sunderland at Bridlington Priory in, i suspect, about 1972. Raymond played me the recording at his home, I was the first person to hear it, prior to its release. He was enormously worried about it and wanted to know what I thought of his playing. I remember thinking, at the time, how fine it was but I do wonder how it has stood the test of time. The programme included his own Bridal Fanfare and March written for his daughter, Susan (played at the wedding by Peter Goodman - and also used at my wedding!) and the following: Siegfried Karg Elert Legend Chorale Improvisation Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele, op. 65, no. 5 Chorale Improvisation In dulci jubilo, op. 75, no. 2 Chorale Improvisation O welt, ich muss dich lassen, op. 65, no. 21 Healey Willan Chorale Prelude on Urbs Heirusalem beata Garth Edmundson Apostolic Symphony (i) Chaos and Prophecy (ii) A Carpenter is Born (iii) Crucifixion and Fruition I wonder how many here remember Raymond Sunderland. He was an organist of the 'old school' and also a real gentleman, hugely kind and generous with his time, efforts and energies. Sadly he died on Christmas morning, I think 1977, in the Vestry at Bridlington having just played the organ for the Midnight Mass. I would love to obtain a CD of the above if one were available.

I've said it before but I had a 'former life'!! - much of which was spent playing complex 20th century (avant-garde?) music including a time working for a professional 'improvised' theatre company (work it out yourselves!). Looking back I am particularly proud of some of the performances I gave of Messiaen, Lutoslowski, Penderecki and some of the younger 'English set' but I hang my head in shame when I think of some of the noises we produced in the late 60's early 70's. I'm thinking of excerpts of Stockhausen's Aus Den Sieben Tagen and a particularly memorably awful performance of John Cage's Theatre Piece. I listened to all of it. It would, very definitely, fall into the latter category - it was awful!! - in the extreme!! I don't think it had any redeeming qualities at all!! (SL now lowers his head below the parapet - to prepare to be shot down!!!)

He was, as you surmised, a pupil of Widor and also of Victor Neuville. Commette came from Lyon and was organist of Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière in Lyon for over 50 years. At the bottom of the hill, down from the Cathedral, there is a square named after him. He died in 1967 and there are, around, some recordings made by him.

Perhaps ask Andrew Dewar, who has a recording of this, played on the organ of St. Martin's, Salisbury, on you-tube. I think you will find him at the American Cathedral, 23 Avenue Georges V, Paris 8

Thank you for that. Michael Till was Dean when I was an undergraduate. I didn't know that he had died. May he rest in peace.

The programme for that service will be: Introit I will lift up mine eyes: Ledger Responses: Radcliffe Psalm 130: Walford Davies Magnificat and Nunc dimittis: Walmisley in d Anthems Hymn to St Cecilia: Britten The Risen Christ – O think of stepping ashore: Ledger Hymn Requiem – Thanksgiving Hymn: Ledger Organ Voluntary Symphonie V – Toccata: Widor [

I am looking in my Riemenschneider as this is a chorale I don't know!! Perhaps it is not one of the 371 - or by another composer!!! 'Carefully crafted' is an interesting phrase - it covers a multitude of sins - some of which you might be forgiven for and some you very definitely won't be! - but, at least you had people there to listen to you! Here in the Cathedral we were very down in congregational numbers although a full choir gave us a Palestrina 6-part Mass setting together with two motets by Gabrieli & Palestrina - but no improvisation on that particular chorale! Perhaps I will suggest it if it's still snowing next week! Well I suppose the silly season follows Christmas!!

This very excellent programme was shown, again, last night. It was a lovely hour of viewing and I would agree with everything that John Sayer wrote way back on the 28th of March of last year. I would add that I thought David Halls, and the team at Salisbury, brought out the very best in the youngsters who, clearly, enjoyed producing excellence and were able to speak eloquently, with a healthy innocence, a sense of maturity and a consciousness of their place in the history in the job they had to do. The programme was shown on BBC4 and, of course, is still available on the BBCi player.

I know Noyes Fludde well, having conducted six performances of the work in the last 30 years. I also sang the part of Sem in a performance in the 1960's. I think the recording that David refers to is the 1961 recording made in Orford church with Norman del Mar conducting. I've always thought that the C minor organ chord that precedes the Passacaglia sounded slightly 'artificial', i.e. produced not on a pipe organ but I'm afraid I don't know what a Hoxne organ sounded like so can't comment there (Britten writes next to the chord ppp - 16ft.). The 'flourish' that leads to the verse of the hymn that precedes the ostinato and the hymn in an 8 part round, he writes on three staves marked ff, and is certainly not produced on the instrument in Orford church and, again, sounds like the same type of instrument. The double pedalling, marked always pp and sustained, in the passacaglia isn't always very distinct and could well be played on the Orford instrument. It never occurred to me that they might have used two instruments for the recording and I suppose that the only way you will really find out is to ask someone who was there. Sadly, of course, they are a bit 'thin on the ground'. The organ for the recording was played by Ralph Downes and other performers included such distinguished players as James Blades, Emmanuel Hurwitz, Cecil Aronowitz and Stuart Knussen (father of Oliver) and Owen Brannigan. Somewhere else on this board is a discussion abut Britten's writing for the organ. I've always thought that the passacaglia pedalling was totally inspired but there is so much about 'Noyes Fludde' that shows Britten's absolute genius as a composer. I've often wondered about the original 1958 performance of 'Noyes Fludde' in Orford church. I've studied the 'map' provided with the 'performance notes' and, a few years ago went to Orford church and thought that there can't have been much room for the 'congregation'!!

Yes he is...................... but what is unusual about that!! - although, I've noticed, less frequently, of late!

A fellow poster suggested that another poster might attempt the ARCM as one of their New Years Resolutions. I merely pointed out that this Diploma is longer available and, jokingly, that those of us who do hold it, and there are quite a few on here, are a 'dying breed'. The first part was meant to be informative, to save 'whistlestop' from searching around to try and find the syllabus for this now defunct Diploma. The second part, as I have said, was an attempt at humour!! (which for MM obviously fell flat!) . What has that got to do with Bach having letters after his name or not?

The LRAM is now only available to students at the Academy and the ARCM is no longer available - we are a dying breed!!!

Were both Francis Jackson and Martin Neary awarded their Lambeth D. Mus. at the same time and from the same Archbishop? As with many degrees, holders of a Lambeth degree are entitled to wear academic dress. However, the academic dress worn is not unique, original or exclusive. The tradition is to wear the academic dress of the institution from which the archbishop graduated and this has always been either Oxford or Cambridge. George Carey was not an Oxford or Cambridge graduate (he is a London graduate) but followed tradition and chose Oxford dress. Perhaps this is the reason they look different!!

Alan's family and the church community at St. Saviour's in Sheffield must be completely devastated. We should remember them in our prayers. May he rest in peace.

I'm not sure the word 'bint' is appropriate - but I know what you mean!!! If you want to see them go 'ape' then perhaps you need to get yourself a tight cassock, a new hair-do and learn to pedal in a pair of heels for next seasons weddings!!!! Or perhaps not!! You're absolutely right - It's annoying, maddening, irritating, infuriating, exasperating, aggravating, frustrating, demeaning, insulting - and I'm not sure why we do it!

At Cambridge the 'Higher' Doctorate, by examination, is a MusD and, as 'wolsey' has commented is rare, to say the least, and no 'walk over' by any means. However I think you mean that you wonder why he hasn't been given an Honorary MusD given the hugely prestigious and enviable position he holds. The statutes concerning Honorary Doctorates say: Current employees of the University and Colleges, although not formally excluded from consideration, are not usually considered. I suspect that, perhaps when Cleobury decides to retire, he will be awarded an Honorary MusD. I enjoyed both the live broadcast and the recorded broadcast from Kings this year. I don't have a problem with Sir Christemas, I have performed it on a number of occasions and choirs have always enjoyed singing it. I also thought the Rutter piece was, as usual, superbly crafted - even if I didn't enjoy the noise it made! My Christmas viewing included watching the Midnight Mass from Leeds Cathedral which I thought was simply excellent - but that is for another thread!

Thank you for that. I have performed quite a lot of Richard Rodney Bennett's music, including the opera 'All the King's Men' and, much more recently, in the same programme as the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's new opera 'Mankind', the song cycles 'The Aviary' and 'The Insect World'. The music was superbly crafted, beautifully written and much appreciated by performers and listeners alike. In a 'another life' I also performed the 'Reflections on a Scottish Folk Song' and the 'cello Sonata! May he rest in peace.

Both of the Orders of Service are on the Kings College website. http://www.kings.cam...ne-lessons.html Hope that helps.

I was present last Friday night at Birmingham University where there was a concert, given by Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, that included Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire and Olivier Messiaen's Quator pour le fin du temps, two of the truly great works of the 20th Century and possibly works for which, certainly in the case of Schoenberg, the composer is best remembered. Before the Messiaen there was an announcement that Jonathan Harvey, who had been born locally in Sutton Coldfield, had died and that the performance of the Messiaen was, that night, dedicated to his memory. Those who know the Messiaen and those of us who knew Jonathan well, will realise how singularly appropriate this particular dedication of this particular piece was. Jonathan left to the world a wide variety of music including a settings for choir of Come Holy Ghost, written in 1984, and Dum Transisset Sabbatum from 1995 and for organ and choir God is our refuge written in 1986. There is also a Fantasia for organ which he wrote in 1991. The Fantasia has, along with Laus Deo, also for organ, been recorded by Kevin Bowyer on a CD that also includes works by Malcolm Williamson and Peter Maxwell Davies.. Jonathan Harvey died last Tuesday, the 4th of December. May he rest in peace.

I played for a funeral on Tuesday. Nothing special in that but it was on a strange instrument in a church I didn’t know and so I thought I had better arrive just that little bit earlier to familiarise myself with the instrument and to see whether it had any strange habits! All looked well, the console was laid out nicely it all seemed as if it did what it was supposed to do and then I sat down to play and felt a very large ‘drip’ which landed on my trouser leg. At first I didn’t realise where it was coming from until the second drip came very shortly afterwards. Looking down the pedals were soaking wet and I could see a pool of water underneath – the roof was leaking right above the console. I went into the sacristy to tell the Parish Priest whose expletive was slightly not what I was expecting but he was very concerned that I wouldn’t get wet and offered to lend me an umbrella!!! I thought about this for a moment and pointed out that it really wasn’t practical – especially as I only had two arms and two feet and really needed all of them to function properly and also that the console was in full view of the congregation. It might look a bit strange balancing an umbrella and playing the organ at the same time!! Eventually he gave me a towel to protect my trousers and all seemed well. During the first hymn the towel slipped off my leg and fell onto the pedalboard. And so I am left playing with two hands and my right foot whilst trying to slide the towel off a concave board with the left. Written down here it, perhaps, doesn’t seem very funny but the very serious offering of an umbrella was hilarious and the sight the congregation must have had of me trying to dodge the rain, play and remove the towel from the pedalboard all at the same time certainly must have livened up the proceedings – perhaps that’s why they didn’t sing!!! When I write my book I might include this. I wonder if we might like to cheer ourselves up prior to the great onslaught of Christmas by telling of our worst/best/funniest nightmares or experiences. Best wishes for Advent.

John Jordan directed the music at the Roman Catholic, not the Anglican, Shrine at Walsingham. It seems that he played 'with his usual zest' on the Feast of St. Cecilia (November 22nd) and died the following evening. To those close to him it must have been a terrible shock but I hope that my end is as quick! The Reception of the Body will take place on Thursday 6th December at 4.30 pm in the Slipper Chapel. The Funeral will take place on Friday 7th December at 12 noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation. May he rest in peace.

PM sent - best of luck!!! SL

It's not the views that I object to - I don't have a problem with someone disliking a performance or a style or whatever. What really grates, what really annoys me, is the manner in which it is put!

'Bums on seats' is a strong argument - and one that was always going to be picked up on - the rest of the comment is just patronising! So why do the Germans and Austrians want to hear him - why is it that the Berlin Philharmonie and the Mozarteum in Salzburg are offering him a residency? - the same reason - perhaps that's why the Berlin Phil got Rattle - bums on seats!!!

I had decided not to post anymore on this board and, indeed, wrote to JPM to tell him as such and to give my reasoning but this thread, possibly more than any other I have read, has annoyed me beyond measure, hence this post. I can't say that I particularly like Cameron Carpenter's style of dress but I'm certainly not offended by it. It isn't important - I might have dressed like that when I was in my 20's - but not now and we have all, at some time, made fashion 'faux-pas'!!! His playing doesn't particularly do an awful lot for me either, I admire his phenomenal technique but think that his musicianship is, perhaps sometimes, a little misplaced but we can all look with a certain horror at performances we gave when younger and not as wise as we are now. I could say that about a good many other musicians I know, some of whom post on here! - and we have all heard performances, in some cases by distinguished players, where we have wondered "why do it like that?" My grandmother gave me my first keyboard lessons. She was an FRCO and a fine player in the days when women weren't encouraged to pursue academic careers. As well as imparting a lot of music she also sort to instill into me what you might call 'old fashioned' values. One of them was that it is better to say nothing about someone than to say something bad or to cause them upset or to malign them in public. Sadly, I have to say that, I think, some of the comments here have not reflected those values and, in my opinion, have been less than one would expect from professional, intelligent, articulate members of this community. Consider this without cynicism. If Cameron Carpenter is so bad why have the BBC invited him to take part in the countries most prestigious music festival? A festival broadcast throughout the world and a festival running at a time when large numbers of people ( I will refrain from falling into 'commentator mode' and saying 'the whole world') are focusing on other events also being broadcast from this country. Why is it that he has been invited, next season, to residencies at two of Europe’s great concert halls, the Berlin Philharmonie and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Perhaps what some can't cope with are that some of the comments made by Carpenter in the 'Evening Standard' article. comments that, perhaps, don't live up to my grandmothers high ideals, and posted by Philip J Wells are more true than some of us would really like to admit and point directly at some of us. I could go on but, in short, I think that some of the comments on this thread are reprehensible and some of them are not worthy of intelligent, articulate musicians or of this board.. I fully expect to be shot down in flames but it is high time this thread was put to sleep!