John Furse

It is not for nothing that the woodwind were omitted from Poulenc's Organ Concerto. Modern orchestral instruments almost always sound ‘off’ in such a context: rarely sounding ‘comfortable’ in combination with both their earlier (‘authentic’) incarnations and/or an organ. Flutes would probably ‘blend in’ the most successfully.

http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N07978 It’s very broad and very plain, David. If there was some decoration/ornamentation (carving, gilding, painted panels, grille-work, anything !) between the top of the font and the en chamade . . . Perhaps the finances didn’t stretch (?). I wonder if semi-detached pipe towers would have helped. At least it sounds (all u ü-Tubas) good.

Whilst not pre-supposing owt, it is to be inferred that this must mean that only the ‘major church festivals & more important diocesan gatherings’ will be musicked. Inevitably, the music establishment will become part-time, with part-time musicians - organists, choirs, etc. To state, therefore, that “the same high standards of music” will be maintained is misleading. In fact, this will be impossible to achieve, with the concomitant diminishing in the frequency of rehearsing and the ensuing lack of continuity. This makes the second Welsh cathedral to cull its music establishment in recent years - albeit for different reasons.

Now back & 'crisp'.

“the the service it offers is a perfect complement to the College’s existing scholarly and academic work.” This is the problem: there’s some kind of repetitive issue in the system.

Without being able to access the site, it's impossible to say if it's pre-planned weekend maintenance, or some such. Given the timing of the 'outage', it would have that appearance. It's far too early to start making a right Regal fuss, tho'.

I echo (rather, reverberate) David, here. Sense has finally prevailed; no doubt, after much prayer and informed lobbying.

No, I didn’t get around very much, being otherwise occupied most weekends, David. I seem to recall playing for a wedding on the fine Willis at St Andrew, Halstead (http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=R01158), though. It didn’t have the upperwork or Trombone, then. Must sound very grand, now. An even nicer shot of the Great Bardfield organ (18 May) is here: http://www.essexviews.uk/photos/Essex%20Churches/Essex%20Churches%20G-H/Great-Bardfield-Church-Organ.jpg Nice to know that the Birch instrument is in a new home.

One here, David: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_organ_at_St_Anne%27s,_Bewdley_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1444973.jpg Spec: http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=G00434

“These entries had such equine class: I refer to the Biblical ass. Etym’logic’lly wonky (Since 18th cent., ‘donkey’): It cannot partake of High Mass ! And, whilst, at the hymns it might bray, I’m sure that, oft times, it would neigh ! It must feel quite foolish To sound, like this, mulish – Much better off just munching hay.”

Yes, it was behind an arch facing south: the sound had to go ‘around the corner’ into the Nave, in a rather torpid acoustic. Not an ideal arrangement for leading a congregation. The best place to hear it was in the choir stalls or at the console. One memory is that John Jordan insisted the console be kept free of clutter - a good lesson for many (most ?). Another is the use of the Mounted Cornet for a robust execution of the opening (and closing) scalic roulades of Britten's Jubilate.

The Tremulant's fluctuating nastily ?

AFAIR – a female alto is raucous AFK – absent from keyboard BTT –Byrd, Tallis, Tomkins DGMW – Degens, Grant made waves EOBD – Evensong over: Bull & Dog* FWIW – Father Willis is wonderful IMNSHO – Ireland’s Mag & Nunc ? So heavenly – outstanding. LOL – Lamentations observe Lent NNTR – no Nasard, Tierce, Rohrflute OMG – Orlando MEANS Gibbons OP – Oberwerk/Positiv OT – obnoxious Tuba OTOH – Ottobeuren’s Tremulants oscillate tremendously RSVP – really silkily-voiced Precentor TBA – the Tuba’s stop knob is missing a letter TBC – Telemann: basso continuo TGIF – that Gloria in F TIA – tomorrow: Introit, Anthem TTYF – the Tenors yell foully WTF – wooden Trombone: fabulous * a pub It must be the hot weather.

No more Franck, Peeters or Jongen for the rest of the month, please.

This is a complete, choral version. My local cathedral is one that lacks an organ in its Cloister; although they might have been able to wheel out the Positive on to the desert-like Garth.