Alistair McEwan
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Posts posted by Alistair McEwan
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I may be joining this discussion rather late, but it's still nice to be talked about!
Welcome Simon!
Thankyou for a brilliant opening recital of the splendid Copley beastie. What was that gentle encore piece?
Alistair
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'Have just heard the programme - some nice bits - Malcolm Archer at the Ballroom was a bit alternative. I played a piece the other week that veered off in a similar way to his Jesu Joy - 'trouble was it didn't head towards the seaside rather some atonal zone due to a complete mental block on my part! Huw Edwards was good. Is Gordon Stewart back over here again?
AJJ
As you say, some nice bits.
IMHO the Tower Ballroom offering was a wasted opportunity, in fact, a rather out-of-tune mess.
Gordon Stewart is now back at Huddersfield Town Hall. Full details on his website.
Alistair
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Llandaff is to have a totally new organ in the next few years, the draft stoplist is not out and about yet as far as I know but no doubt the instrument will be an exciting one given the company that is to build it and the importance of its situation. I seem to remember reading that a prime factor in its design will be its part in the liturgy rather than any major repertoire slant so what would you do in the situation? Let's say 55 - 60 stops, nothing contraversial and with a normal cathedral music programme in mind - and what about the nave bridge case?. We haven't had one of these stoplist 'thingies' for a bit and it is the weekend with rain forcast (in the UK at least) so there may be some time available - family and duties permitting. Who will start?
AJJ
Slightly more scope at Llandaff, Alastair, 76 speaking stops in total.
On with the thinking caps!
Alistair
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Well I did Daisy in a Philip Glassy style which seemed to go down OK. Forgot to mention that they also had the "Clap Clap" Gloria. (A Gloria at a funeral Mass? Yes, that's what I thought.....).
Peter
I am sure the mourners appreciated your Daisy interpretation - nice one Peter!
Perhaps the "Clap Clap Gloria" was featured as a tribute to the deceased who I suspect was wearing her celestial tap shoes.
Alistair
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It's just a bit of a part-time larff mate.
I could well imagine Nigel Kennedy doing much the same thing.
Completely off-topic, but I bet you didn't know that a truck full of prawns is worth more than a medium-size organ, and that if you filled one with boxes of disposable razor-blades, it would cost less to drive the organ at the Albert Hall and crash that?
MM
Excellent reply - informative as ever.
Keep up the good work.
Alistair
(Fellow Bryan Rodwell admirer)
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I missed this on Christmas Day and the BBC replay on line was not including it - how was it?
AJJ
Both organ voluntaries are always included in the repeat KC service broadcast on Radio3 on Christmas Day.
Track down Afternoon on 3 and advance 2hrs 30mins to hear the closing bars of Bach and the complete Briggs Sortie. A refreshing change from the usual bill of fare.
A
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Last Wednesday I attended a carol concert at the RAH, and this venue is the only one where I bother to go, mainly to hear the wonderful Willis/Mander organ.
The concert was not really my cup of tea (too classical), and because a famous orchestra was taking part, plus trumpeters, the organ was not used as much as I would have liked.
I do not know who the lady organist was, but she was very competent, and frankly I was disgusted that when the conductor gave out credits at the close of the concert, he did not mention the organist at all.
The organ is always an intregal part of these concerts, especially when the audience is invited to participate in carols for all, so I feel that it was bad manners, but perhaps the conductor did not acknowledge the importance of the organist.
Any views?
Colin Richell.
In this particular case, the lady in question may have been the orchestra's regular organ/keyboard player and therefore not singled out for special mention or even acknowledged by the conductor. In my experience, guest organists are more likely to be acknowledged, however, it all seems to depend on the conductor.
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Glad someone else had this problem, I thought it was just me. The BBC could have put one of its 'I'm sorry there's a problem with the sound' notes on screen, would have saved me fiddling with wires rather than enjoying the service. And rather surprisingly, the Rogers did sound quite good. I wonder if that old Bradford is still kicking about there. Both the cathedral choir and the chamber choir were on good form. Sadly, not the girls choir, which was a pity. I missed the credits at the end, who were the little Baroque group? Anyone spot how many little boys couldn't stiffle/hide the yawns.
Def not a repeat from prev years. One or two robed members who were not there last year. Bishop of Dudley was good, we used to enjoy him when we lived more local.
The Baroque group was the Cheltenham-based Corelli Orchestra.
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MM's ascertation of 11 seconds reverberation at Liverpool Cathedral may well be correct when the building is empty and cold, however, bathed in warmth this afternoon and with a full nave, the best I could estimate (albeit crudely) over a wide dynamic range was around 5 seconds which I found surprising. Quite sufficient to mangle some of the music! Both organ and player (IT) were on top form.
A
Oops - sorry about the Merlotspeak - 2nd word should be whatever you feel appropriate!
Cheers
A
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Absolutely!
Am I also correct in perceiving that many (if not all) churches and cathedrals have a more lively resonance in colder weather?
MM's ascertation of 11 seconds reverberation at Liverpool Cathedral may well be correct when the building is empty and cold, however, bathed in warmth this afternoon and with a full nave, the best I could estimate (albeit crudely) over a wide dynamic range was around 5 seconds which I found surprising. Quite sufficient to mangle some of the music! Both organ and player (IT) were on top form.
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I'd heard that Simon N was only at the Roman Catholic cathedral as a Sabatical for a year was then returning to the Episcopal Cathedral. I now assume i'm wrong, but isn't it a bit of an odd move?
The article written by the Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral states that Simon wishes to concentrate on his playing rather than choir training. At the Metropolitan Cathedral the only service currently featuring choir and organ is the 11.30am Mass on Sunday.
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So who's running things at the Episcopal cathedral now?
AJJ
According to the September edition of the Episcopal Cathedral Magazine, Duncan Ferguson (Asst Org) will become acting Master of the Music until August 2008 - this will give ample time to recruit Simon's replacement and serve any period of notice. Nicholas Wearne (New College,Oxford) has been appointed Assistant Organist until 2008.
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Does anyone know if the new Matthew Copley organ with the 32ft pipework in the case has ever been installed in St Mary's Edinburgh ? According to the Matthew Copley website it says that it was due for completion last Easter but there has been no further news.
Martin
October 2007 update!
The 57 spk stop west end organ is now playable and most impressive it is too. The 5 stop east end choir organ together with the second console should be operational by the end of 2007.
I spoke recently with the new Cathedral Organist, Simon Nieminski, and understand that plans are being made for a series of inaugural events commencing February 2008. A CD recording is also in the pipeline.
Alistair
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Perhaps pcnd might entertain this idea when playing away on chamade-free instruments!
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Absolutely.
I know a respected organist who does not value greatly the art of improvisation (other than getting a bishop form point A to point C). One of the arguments he once used was the opposite of this thought. He maintained that he thought that it was cheating for a recitalist (for example) to improvise on his own themes - he felt that this would all have been worked-out in advance. Aside from the fact that, as I previously wrote, no-one would expect a recitalist to sight-read major repertoire in a concert (which is roughly equivalent), the provision of themes by a third person is rarely satisfactory. It would be like someone approaching Beethoven and saying "Ach! Güten morgen, Herr Beethoven! Here - I have an idea for the last movement of your new symphony...." and promptly whistling some banal, meandering 'tune'. It is possible that Beethoven himself only arrived at the final theme after honing his inspiration carefully, until it was exactly the way he wanted it.
Certainly, there are occasions when a theme will spring to mind fully-formed.
I am not particularly proud of this, but at the Friends' Evensong last Sunday afternoon, I played the procession out to an improvised fugato on I'm Popeye the Sailor-man. This was largely because my boss had already played Whitlock's Chanty (from the Plymouth Suite) after Sung Mass, and subsequently played a movement from Handel's Water Music after Choral Matins. He then turned to me and said "Now what's my assistant going to play after Choral Evensong, now that I have nicked all the best bits?" Since we had both had lunch at The Kings Head, and consumed a bottle of Merlot (14% by volume), followed by two double whiskies each in the White Hart, all I could think of was the above, which I rather glibly (and not entirely seriously) announced. My boss responded with "Excellent! That is what I shall expect."
Oh joy, I thought.
So that is what they got.
Well done pcnd! Entirely appropriate for this service and decidedly better than what Latry and Hakim had to contend with.
I am sure the musical aware members of the congregation enjoyed this latest Tucker-Merlot production!
Cheers
Alistair
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As ever a nice mixed bag of opinions
I like organ transcriptions, and as one or two people have said, Thomas Trotter does them exceedingly well
For me this wil be a bit of s sentimental journey.
I remember as if it were yesterday being taken to the Town Hall for the first time, in our music teacher's (John Sidebottom - sadly no longer with us - but well known amongst the Town Hall crowd on Wednesday lunchtimes) old caravanette, and seeing for the first time the towering cliff face of green and gold organ pipes.
GTB's recitals were electrifying! Part of the magic was watching him sitting at the old Willis III console, playing something quite ferocious, and his body would hardly move. It was as though he was just sitting there and the music was happening all by itself. And what a gentleman!!
I recall David Briggs playing when he was just a boy, and being very jealous of what was even then a wonderful talent.
Of course everyone thought Thomas Trotter's appointment to be a terribe mistake - how could such a youngster have sufficient repertoire to satisfy the Birmingham audience's taste and sophistication? (!). Well, everyone was, of course wrong, and Thomas has brought great credit to a great city and we all love him to bits!!
The organ then sounded differently to how it did after the Mander re-build. Somehow it seemed more sonorous, had a growl about it which I haven't heard since then. Of course now it sounds wonderful (hopefully even better with the re-ordering of the hall).
We moved to Surrey in 1990 and I lost touch with what was going on for a while, and when I heard that the Town Hall was closed and some of the rumours......well it was all very sad.
However - Happy Endings in sight . Thomas Trotter and our grand old organ back together as they should be. I dare say GTB, Cunningham and all the other shades of organists past will be there applauding too. I can not imagine any of them pulling a face at a transcription or two. But then again...there is Bel Rondo i suppose!
Enjoy the concert if you go. I'll be the chap with the biggest smile in the hall.
TT's programme is very much what I would have expected, a real crowd-pleaser, and just what the punters have been waiting for. This is NOT the opening recital on a new organ but rather a musical reunion.
There will be plenty of opportunities in the future (for those of us who have not heard this fine instrument in the flesh) to enjoy a choice of music more likely to tempt listeners from Dorset or Dumfriesshire!
Have a great time Willy.
A
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How did they perform this miracle then?
I've never actually been inside St.Giles, but I have paced around outside a few times.
I have this awful recording from the "Great Cathedral" series, I think played by the late Herrick Bunney.
The building sounded to have had no acoustic at all on that recording, and the old organ was fairly awful too.
I shall have to check with Ben Saunders and find out if it was Edinburgh.
MM
The sound of the old overblown heap was not at all distinguished and the acoustic was unhelpful. Mercifully, in recent years, the situation has been greatly improved - new floor and general re-ordering. The mighty Rieger can reach every corner of this sprawling building with ease!
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Good stuff - I wonder where he is playing as Leeds Cathedral at present has a Phoenix.
AJJ
The big sound and generous acoustic would suggest the Rieger in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh where Benjamin Saunders was an assistant.
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I know that both Jonathan Bielby and Philip Tordoff (Wakefield Cathedral and Halifax PC respectively) have been at the same posts for about 40 years, which must deserve either a medal or a pint of "Bishop's Finger."
However, it wasn't many years since both of them were totally eclipsed by an old lady who had been organist of a church in the Yorkshire Dales for over 65 years, and had begun there after singing in the choir as a girl!
How many years has Dr Alan Spedding been at Beverley? It seems cover ions rather than years.
You know people have been there a long time when you can recall turning up to hear them play driving a Ford Anglia.
MM
Dr Alan Spedding appointed in 1967.
I wonder what he was driving in those days?
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Oh no, we're back to puddings again! But the lack of a 16' reed is a good point. St Albans will be adding one to the GO in the upcoming revisions. Clearly the gap needs filling and I wonder if the same applies here? Problems of space? The horizontal approach may solve this, but even pcnd would draw the line here?
I agree, Mark, GO 16' reed can be most useful.
By the way, St Albans organ has had a 16' GO reed since 1962. The additions are to be 8 and 4' chorus reeds.
Cheers
Alistair
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Does anyone here know of music that would be good for paying after a baptism service? Im due to play one soon, and was told that a bach p+f wouldn't be ideal. Does anyone know what might be?
Something from Handel's Water Music springs to mind!!
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Did there not used to be a set of volumes called "The Climax Organ Albums" or suchlike?
In 1960 I inherited No.6 of The Climax Album for Organ (W.Paxton 36-38 Dean Street,London) which contains such gems as Chanson Triste, Overture to Deborah and Achieved is the Glorious Work!!!
It came in a brown paper cover - so much for the swingin' sixties.
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Isn't he in the process of putting an instrument of interesting design and construction into the RC Cathedral of St Mary in Edinburgh?
AJJ
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You may be interested to know that the re-designed organ will mercifully look nothing like the curiously proportioned drawing on Matthew Copley's website!
Spread across the west wall and divided by the west window, the layout is:
Left Right
SOLO SOLO Tmpt
GREAT Console SWELL
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PEDAL PEDAL (at floor level)
The small CHOIR section is in the sanctuary area at the East end.
Alistair
Isn't he in the process of putting an instrument of interesting design and construction into the RC Cathedral of St Mary in Edinburgh?
AJJ
Oops!
Hopefully you get the idea.
A
Liverpool Organ Day
in General discussion
Posted
My sentiments exactly.
Nice to have a brief chat with you after Daniel's impressive recital.
Alistair