John Morris

British Pipe Organs Facebook site is excellent.

Rather fine set of Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes (Helmsley, Aus der Tiefe, Little canonic variations on Jesus bids us shine, St Columba, Veni Emmanuel and Hanover) by Kenneth Leighton op 72 published by BR and dedicated to Herrick Bunney. Shall be playing Aus der Tiefe on Wednesday next week!

They stay, listen and applaud where I play; I publish about 100 words about the concluding voluntary in the weekly newsheet as a result of a request from a parishioner.

I too was brought up on Matins and always saw it as a 'sunny' service that would put a spring in your step. It is difficult to think of more beautiful words than are in the Te Deum.

Was saddened, just after Christmas, to see that the OUP shop in Oxford had closed. I went on to Blackwells, but there wasn't really a huge selection in the organ music section.

Years ago, I played at a funeral at an RC church with a west end organ, miles away from anybody; can't remember what the first hymn was, but the second was 'How Great Thou Art'. The priest managed to announce them in the wrong order with 'How Great Thou Art' first, so, rather than fumble through the hymn book, I decided to busk it and a quick mental run-through of the first line or so pointed me to the key of F. That all worked fine until the second half of the tune where the hapless congregation suddenly found themselves having to screech up to high A's. I've always been wary of that hymn ever since (as I'm sure they have)!

Apparently, one of Terry's finer moments at a Westminster Cathedral was when he yelled (at the clergy) 'can't one of you b*ggers even sing an alleluia?'

Sounds good!

Thank you - most interesting.

How very sad.

I haven't seen Roger Fisher's yet, but I was very grateful to be able to observe online, and passively participate in, the funeral of Catherine Ennis (who died six months ago today) and thought it was a beautiful and moving occasion. It was, of course, done in a highly professional manner.

'Presumably the distinction isn’t between singing at sporting events (allowed) and between congregational singing (forbidden), but between outdoors and indoors.' Exactly.

If I remember correctly, the melody of 'so mote it be' (in this case, in F major) would be: F (down to) D, (up to) E, (up to) F.

The first Chief Engineer of the RAC was an organist in Southport for many years Would you know his name and at which church he played?

I find the JSB B minor quite ominous, maybe even menacing. That might translate into the progression from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the distressing aspects of denial, betrayal and death manifesting themselves later that week.

Whitlock: Duetto (7 Sketches on verses from the Psalms) and Toccata (Plymouth Suite).

An excellent choice - you can almost smell the salt in the air!

It will be the 75th anniversary of Percy Whitlock's death on May 1st - plenty of time to get those fingers and feet moving!

A terrible loss.

I see that Salisbury Cathedral is looking for an Assistant Director of Music according to Organists Online. https://organistsonline.org/required/Organist-Salisbury-Cathedral-November-27-2020

Quote: (And yes, I know that the plural of forum is meant to be 'fora' but that does seem very pedantic these days, and I think I saw in at least one university style guide recently that Latin plurals could/should be avoided). Thoroughly agree with Martin Cook's excellent comments above and join him in welcoming new blood into this excellent forum. I suppose the forum/fora thing is a bit of a moot point, but I have every intention of retaining the correct plural of syllabus, if only to avoid drenching the person to whom I am talking with the somewhat cumbersome 'syllabuses'!

Parry - 2 sets of chorale preludes (a bit of a misnomer, as they are based on familiar hymn tunes); Whitlock - 6 Hymn Preludes; Leighton - 6 Fantasies on Hymn Tunes. And, if all else fails, try out a bit of improvisation with John Riley's excellent guidance! https://6b94b880-ccc9-4eb7-8829-698a57b1dd09.filesusr.com/ugd/46893a_0012398c277a45b0ac49e4fab43538e0.pdf

I see that the sale has now ended, but someone must have got a bargain along with free professional help taking it apart and re-assembling it!

https://www.downsideabbey.co.uk/news-from-downside/?fbclid=IwAR0wuXOEslAplp-8BUdUKGIlH-9Yi6tBQDKtcwpZ0vgAvqpW9kJf1Ms0VQU

Brilliant news!