Tony Yearsley

I have the LP Allen record by Thalben Ball at Chichester Cathedral, Polydor Select 2460 243. It is a stereo record with a note on the sleeve saying that it can be played on a mono system with a stereo compatible cartridge. I got it from the Allen organ supplier in Kent when Allen first appeared

A Hammond Model E was installed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1938 while the pipe organ was being being refurbished. It was still there at the end of the war, eventually being returned to Boosey & Hawkes in 1954. I believe that the organ was loaned, as it was good publicity.The cost of the console at that time was £550. The D20 speakers made by Boosey & Hawkes cost £72.10s. the type that my father had when he bought a secondhand version after the war for £250 with two speakers.

The 1928 dated A&M index has as follows:- First line Number Name of tune Composer or source of tune At the Lamb's high feast we sing 127 Alla Menschen mussen sterben J. Hintze, 1622-1702 (Salzburg) Incidently my father was given this by the choir at Godmersham 'In affectionate remembrance of many happy hours' when he moved as vicar elsewhere.

Many thanks for the advice. There are a number of you tube performances, all played on one manual. In most cases the melody comes through very clearly with appropriate registation so I will be sticking to that.

I have been listening to Virgil Fox's Masterclass on the web - most instructive and amusing. A lady student plays this Brahms chorale, melody with a swell reed and all the accompaniment on the great. My recent Novello version shares the accompaniment between both hands as there are impossible stretches for the LH. Another student at the end asks whether it is possible to use pedals for the accompaniment, which Fox dismisses as not easy. Is there another version where the bass is modified? It would not seem possible to solve the problem by 'thumbing down' The 1969 recording is very unclear with the accompaniment at very low volume. Any solutions?

Many thanks for the plethora of wisdom in the replies. I wondered whether the question of pipe control would creep in!

Only recently have I discovered this fascinating website, trawling through most of the past discussions. I have had a lifelong interest in all aspects of organs and the repertoire. Recently I had the fortune to try the Frobenius organ in Kingston Parish Church. I understood this to have tracker action and wished to experience a relatively modern instrument, as I have only played earlier organs with very heavy action, particularly when coupled. Imagine my surprise to find that the light action on each manual when coupled did not increase so that the ability to articulate the starting tone must be lost on the manual to which coupled. Can this be described as a tracker or mechanical action when coupling is achieved by non-mechanical means?