Paul Isom

It's published by Cramer, no doubt out of print. My copy is falling apart, so I'll contact Cramer and see if they do archive reprints and report back. There is a great deal of interesting music published by Cramer that is worth resurrecting - perhaps they could be persuaded…….

The church that this Harrison is currently in (unless it's been removed for safe keeping....) is a whopper of cathedral proportions. The organ has t/p action, and I know that a home has been sought for this organ for some years. The church was declared redundant as there were problems with the structure - what the problems were, I simply don't know. The organist for some years was Anthony Bogdan (a former work colleague) who jealously protected the instrument, and I know wants a home to be found for this magnificent instrument. He is a fount of knowledge on the instrument. The organ has had some piecemeal work done on it over the years by David Wells, mainly as a result of vandals stealing the valuable materials from the roof. Let's hope that this is the correct guess.......................!

The only redundant Harrison organ I can think of is that in St Thomas, Bedford near Leigh in Lancashire. It's a 1922 H & H and a superb instrument and deserves a good home. From memory it has generous stoplist complete with 32 Open Wood. I believe it was opened by Dupre. I played it quite a few times when a good friend was organist there. My money is on this one and if I'm right, it's a real stunner!

Many thanks for the responses, they have been really helpful. I have finally plumped for the Barenreiter edition. I find it easier to read and there is a different interpretation of the orchestral reduction which makes a little more sense. I now need to check it against the awful Ricordi edition that everything tallies. It's still pretty unwieldy to play, but the Barenreiter edition just makes the job slightly easier.

I am due to play for a concert in a Rome church which includes the Vivaldi Gloria with just organ accompaniment for two Italian and one English choir. We're currently using the Ricordi edition which as am organist, I find utterly hopeless to play from. It's clearly just an orchestra reduction and not really designed for an organist, just the rehearsal pianist. I am desperate to find a more user-friendly edition which has been designed for the organist. Attempts at making the Ricordi edition work for me have ended up with the most appalling results. For instance 'Domine Deus' turns into a comedy act if I try and play the dotted bass line in the pedals as written, and if I just play a pedal note on the beat it turns the whole thing into a complete nonsense, and it's the same elsewhere in the piece. I'm not a bad organist and can cope with most things thrown in front of me, but the Vivaldi is turning into an utter horror for me, and with three and half weeks to go I need a solution fast (an getting another organist is not an option!). Any sensible suggestions about editions and solutions would be very gratefully received. Paul

Having bought myself a portable toaster to enable me to practice at our French house, I have been seeking out various interesting repertoire to amuse myself with my single manual (actually 2 plus imaginary pedal). I have been using my iPad a fair bit and have downloaded all volumes of Les Maitres Contemporains de l'orgue from the IMSLP. These contain some mostly unknown works by composers from all over the world. The French volumes are fantastic and contain some more obscure works by Mulet, Krieger (Toccata), Nibelle, Messerer etc. I can heartily recommend them, and the content is not restricted to just manuals only, and contained in the volumes are some pretty meaty works. I've also been hammering through the Litaize 24 pieces, Fleury 24 Pieces, Vierne 24 pieces, and also the Langalis 12 pieces as well. Can anyone explain the significance of 24 as a figure here, and are there any others who can illuminate me as to the importance of the number 24?

Wonderful!

Just looked out my copy of the album - it's a lovely piece, only two pages long, but has an awful lot to say for itself. My contribution to this thread: Slow Movement from Organ Sonata no. 2 - James Lyon Many works by Santeri Siimes - Finnish composer in his 30s. All terribly French romantic in flavour, some really well crafted music. Sorry, first line didn't make any sense!

Just looked out my copy of the album - it's a lovely piece,money two pages long, but has an awful lot to say for itself. My contribution to this thread: Slow Movement from Organ Sonata no. 2 - James Lyon Many works by Santeri Siimes - Finnish composer in his 30s. All terribly French romantic in flavour, some really well crafted music.

I have just been emptying my bank account buying some more organ music from the excellent B-Note publishers, and have come across two charming pieces by him in the form of two Miniatures (out of seven). I have located the full set of seven in a second hand music shop, but am chasing up the following and wonder if any member can help me: Introduction & Symphonic Finale Needless to say, I would be very interested in any other compositions by him for organ.

As a DOA I am really proud to have sent some instruments to parishes abroad where they are really appreciated (mainly France). It is distressing that churches in this country are simply unprepared to spend the money on the instruments. For some congregations the pipe organ is a casualty of redevelopment of the building, and we have managed to re-home all instruments which have become redundant under such circumstances (and the churches have been really helpful and enthusiastic about ensuring that their organ has a future in other location), and in some cases uncovering some really quite lovely instruments into the bargain. One church in my diocese took a great leap of faith and bought a fabulous Sweetland organ instead of an electronic creation, which was lovingly installed by Peter Collins, replacing an extension organ. For the same price as a modest electronic, the parish got a simply lovely instrument which will last for a very long time. I am occasionally frustrated by parishes who fail to appreciate what they have and try to opt for the cheapest short-term solution. I have recently lost a redundant Norman and Beard organ from a hospital chapel, due to the fact that the developers bulldozed the organ, rather than have the organ removed. Despite advertising the organ, the only enquiries we had were from Australia, and each one fell flat due to funding problems Congratulations to the French on their new acquisitions, which include from my patch, a lovely small 1904 Browne, a Bates of Ludgate Hill (a real find in a church junk loft!) and a Forster and Andrews instrument. Strangely enough - no-one was interested in these organs in the UK................

I am hitting a number of brick walls in trying to find compositions by Emile Bourdon, erstwhile organist of the cathedral in Monaco. I've managed to source the Six Pieces pub Delatour, and have another album, but there appears to be much, much more out there and I cannot find any of it. The music is great stuff, terribly romantic and really quite lovely. Any assistance would be gratefully received. Paul. P.S. Many thanks to those who help with my search on the music of Harvey grace

I am trying to complete my collection of Harvey Grace's organ music, specifically the two volumes of Ten Pieces. I have managed to cobble together Volume II, but Volume I currently eludes me. B Note publishes have produced some of Grace's pieces, but none from Volume I. Searches in secondhand shops and websites throw up a blank. Does anyone out there have Volume I? Paul