Rowland Wateridge
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Posts posted by Rowland Wateridge
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Quite a bit to read in it, but this article is helpful. ‘The Wilderness’ was a very early work when S S was newly-arrived in Hereford in his early 20s. I think the comparison with “Lead me Lord” is telling.
Didn’t Liszt do something similar, ending some of his major organ pieces with a harmonisation of a Lutheran chorale - thought-provoking and, as you say, consolatory and in total contrast after the massive sounds which had preceded them.
https://www.church-music.org.uk/articles/samuel-sebastian-wesley.asp
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The Cathedral website indicates that services and visiting have resumed, but confined to the nave and cloister only. Certainly for the time being there is no question of the Tickell organ being playable.
Very close examination of the photographs shows how close to the organ the damage has been. The external photograph shows a small-bore copper pipe (no idea what this might have been) passing from the first bay into the second now severed.
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I am certain that the Tickell organ on both sides of the quire internally occupies the triforium and consequently at least part of the aisle roofspace behind it, with the clerestory windows wholly above. From the photographs, it seems that the fallen pinnacle has extensively damaged the outer roof and internal stone vault of the aisle in the first bay of the quire on the north side. The organ is wholly within the second bay, and I suspect that it would have suffered significantly if this damage had occurred only a matter of feet further east. It’s by no means uncertain that necessary repairs to the roof and vault so close to the organ might have some impact. Doubtless we can expect further information about this from Worcester.
The second photograph here, courtesy of the BBC shows the internal damage and the near proximity of the pipes in the north case. You can get an idea of the respective positions internally and externally from the situation of the apex of the aisle window which is the same one at the left in both photographs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-59463928
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Your description fits Stratford-upon-Avon URC Church (NPOR D01532) except that you mention that you would like some thumb pistons, whereas this organ already has an “in key piston system”. The photograph on NPOR shows something similar to the ‘sugar cube’ types, so maybe my detective work has resulted in a wrong identification!
But if it is this one, according to NPOR the action is TP (although the stop actions must be electric). Surely a telephone call to Nicholson’s or a PM to Andrew Caskie (with the correct location) should provide you with some reliable answers. I’m sure they won’t make you feel in the least embarrassed or think that you are being ‘silly’. Gathering information wouldn’t be committing the church, and could well be assisting them as it’s extremely unlikely that anyone there will know any answers, or understand the technicalities! -
With sincere apologies to St Bavo - what is the latest situation there with these problems? - as the Board has been decidedly silent recently, this “irreverent tale” from the late Stephen Bicknell might lighten some people’s day. He carefully uses pseudonyms throughout, but his opinions of the composer and organ are loud and clear.
https://www.stephenbicknell.org/3.6.66.php
For anyone who ventures into the other tales in this series, only in the case of St Sulpice and Maître Daniel Roth does Stephen Bicknell, from awe and respect, use real names.
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He is mentioned in the book “Wednesdays at 5.55, Organ Recitals at the RFH” as an innovative player. His recital in 1972 included the ‘Dorian’ Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Johann Krebs’ Trio in C minor (then more usually attributed to Bach). Not ‘contemporary’ music, but could probably be considered missionary repertoire at that date. Pierre Cochereau, no less, withdrew from giving a recital two weeks later on the strength of Robert Munns’ getting in first with his performance of the ‘Dorian’ which Cochereau had also planned in his programme.
I only heard Robert Munns play ‘live’ once at the 1963 reopening of the Walker organ, rebuilt by Kingsgate Davidson, in St Giles’ Church, Ashtead, Surrey - the first organ I had ever played while at school in the 1950s. I have a feeling he may have had some personal family connection with Ashtead, but can’t find details of his earliest years. He held a number of important church appointments, including Holy Trinity, Brompton, alongside his extensive teaching and recital performances. He held diplomas of the RCM, RAM, RCO and TCL.
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COP
in Organ Music
From Five Preludes on English Hymn Tunes: East Acklam (“For the fruits of His creation”), the tune and the Prelude both by Francis Jackson, of course; published in revised edition by Banks, 2019.
(I have just re-read your rubric, and this may well be one you already had in mind!)
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There's a candidate at Winchester in the time of Samuel Sebastian Wesley, possibly either Kendrick Pyne or William Spark both articled pupils who ‘lived in’ with Wesley; Kendrick Pyne was almost a member of the family, and known to Wesley as “Kenny”. Interestingly both protégés made their careers and found fame in the North at Manchester and Leeds respectively. Wesley was admonished by the Dean and Chapter for “leaving the organ in the hands of a lad, however talented, but only … “. Here my memory runs out; I thought it was ‘only 14 years of age’ but can’t say that with any certainty - and it might even have been younger. I think Kendrick Pyne is the more likely candidate of the two. The story is told in Paul Chappell’s “Dr S S Wesley, 1810 to 1876: Portrait of a Victorian Musician” (published Mayhew-McCrimmon, 1977). Unfortunately I can’t lay hands on my copy at present, but maybe someone else can fill the gaps. The dates should identify the young player.
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2 hours ago, S_L said:
Was Peter Latona the DoM at the National Basilica in 2016? - I have a feeling he went there in 2017!
He was definitely there in 2008! I don’t know a date of appointment. On this occasion he might have been playing and his deputy conducting the choir (for this service moved up into the gallery).
No doubt Dave Harries will share the result with us if he enquires of Dr Latona, as suggested.
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As you say, this clip is from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC - the Washington RC Cathedral is separate. I don’t know the answer to your question, but much of the music at the Basilica, including the responsorial psalms, is composed by the Director of Music, Dr Peter Latona, and he is the man you need to contact. I found him very helpful with a similar enquiry.
email: pjl@bnsic.org
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This subject cropped up yesterday on a ‘Christian’ blog where similar comments about inequality were being made. But on delving, I found that The Times reported in December 2019 that the girl choristers in English cathedrals then actually outnumbered the boys - by two! Of course that might have changed by now. I’m not sure that some of the above comments are up to speed. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the girls’ choir founded by Richard Seal at Salisbury Cathedral. After a bit of a gap - after all, it was considered revolutionary at the time - other cathedrals followed suit. Most, if not all, now have a girls’ choir, and one or two are mixed and have been for some time, so there has been no lack of opportunity for girls in recent years. Of course they have to pass the auditions just as much as the boys, but the 2019 figures suggested that they had achieved numerical parity then.
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There would have to be the most dramatic change of heart on the part of the powers that be. They were implacably opposed to having the organ at all, and it was scrapped for two principle reasons: the alleged presence of asbestos contamination which was claimed to be uneconomical to rectify and, rather more relevant, the hall was being redesigned with the space occupied by the organ being used differently in the new design - which did not include any alternative space for an organ. In a nutshell, they didn’t want any organ! - or certainly not a pipe organ!
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3 hours ago, Adnosad said:
Finally I would feel sorry for any organ firm who has to come in and make good the damage caused after the builders; remember the old adage, " no mess - no job ".
Sorry to seem to be monopolising comment today, and for mentioning Winchester again, but this was a classic example. The Cathedral organ underwent a substantial rebuild and enlargement by H&H in 1986-88. Almost immediately afterwards it was cocooned in enormous plastic sheeting, while major work was done on the structure of the tower above. When that was completed and the plastic sheeting came off, Mark Venning inspected and found “the equivalent of ten years’ dust”, I think were his exact words, or very similar.
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Agreed the additional costs are likely to be substantial, but surely still a bargain. One possible snag which I didn’t foresee is that the stone ‘Positive’ case apparently houses the whole of the Great, the ‘main’ case, which goes with the organ, containing the Swell and Pedal. So there will have to be some re-arranging to re-house the Great wherever it ends up.
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I haven’t checked whether ‘virgir’ is St Paul’s misspelling or yours! But the vergers at St Pauls are definitely virgers, spelling confirmed on St Paul’s website (and Collins Dictionary). Also the same at Winchester Cathedral and doubtless others of older and more traditional ways. The Church of England Guild of Vergers call their quarterly journal ‘The Virger’, all of which, for me at least, reinforces what a wonderful country this is!
I was pleased to see that Whitwam’s of Winchester are the suppliers of the sophisticated new equipment. In their earlier incarnation they had the most wonderful music store in Winchester where I bought many an organ CD (and others) and admired the display of instruments from grand pianos to triangles, and some early ‘electronic’ organs and keyboards. Upstairs was the music department with everything you could possibly wish for. Sadly it is no more. The firm was founded by Mr Whitwam, a lay clerk of Winchester Cathedral, more than 100 years ago. In earlier times, concerts (they must have been for small audiences) sometimes took place on the premises, then called ‘salon’. One such where the details have come down to us was a piano recital by J A Sowerbutts of RCO fame.
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17 hours ago, Contrabombarde said:
What in the world is a "Bombarde (one pipe only, common to lowest 12 keys of pedal board, 15 inches wind) 32 foot" stop?
The organ is now at Durham School and retains this stop ‘Bombarde 32 1 pipe’ - see NPOR N04178 (already linked 13 September above). Also still there is the pedal Contra Tuba 32 with the mystifying addition ‘Solo’. The original description of the Pattman organ above (also 13 September) contains an explanation of derivation of the Contra Tuba from the Great (N.B. the stops are numbered differently, but correspond) and “lowest 12 quinted from itself” - suggesting something similar for the ‘Bombarde 32 1 pipe’? Someone who knows someone at Durham School could solve this.
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I recall reading something about a new organ being proposed for Magdalen College, but can’t place a finger on it.
I think John Mander wrote about the difficulty of constructing an organ in the existing (uniquely?) stone case. The German advertisement offers the organ entire, including the main case, for €30,000 - surely a bargain - but if I have translated correctly, the stone ‘Positive’ case (containing parts of the Great) will remain in the Chapel. As a structurally integral part of the screen, it has to.
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6 hours ago, S_L said:
Wonderful Rowland - where do you find this stuff from?
Eventually tracked down on the YouTube thread of this very same Mander board, posted by MM on 25th June 2010. He began with the organ chamades from Esztergom, adding “I'm terribly sorry! This is the more refined version:- MM”, and then followed up with the carillon with organ, trumpet and pan pipes. I suggested this might be from a church in Vienna, but have since wondered whether it could be somewhere in the Netherlands. I think it’s a masterly piece of coordinated playing! I think the organist aloft has a CCTV link, but that’s all - like many an English cathedral organist, I suppose.
It’s a rousing piece, but can sound quite elegant in some orchestral versions. Inevitably there are several Viennese recordings, and others include the Berlin Philharmonic and von Karajan.
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5 hours ago, Niccolo said:
I tried looking for the video Rowland Wateridge mentioned that was of “Wien bleibt Wien” arranged for carillon, organ, trumpet, and pan pipes, but I haven't had much luck.
Fingers-crossed, here it is (Adnosad, take cover!). There may be an Ad to skip at the start. There are several organ versions of ‘Wien bleibt Wien’.
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Not at all. It’s interesting to hear of bells supplementing the specific liturgy of the day. I guess this might happen also in the Netherlands and other countries where carillons are prominent.
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No answer is possible to Adnosad … “Ears have they, and hear not” … The once in 80 years experience was beautiful as well as magical.
We are rather straying from portable carillons to the real full-size ones in towers. USA yields a rich harvest, most universities having one or even more; the University of Michigan has two on campus, one of them among the largest anywhere and also by Taylor’s of Loughborough. Just along the street from Washington National Cathedral is another large one at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This features during the Mass there on great festivals with a peal immediately preceding and leading directly into ‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo’. Dr Robert Grogan is Carilloneur and Organist Emeritus.
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30 minutes ago, Adnosad said:
Just to add to the list of these devices there is one attached to the clock mechanism in the chapel at Eaton Hall …
There’s something similar at Winchester Cathedral, although I have only heard it once (in my now 80 years). Back in the 1970s Raymond Daveluy from St Joseph’s Basilica Montreal gave a recital (incidentally, Martin Neary was somehow able to bring a host of international virtuoso recitalists to Winchester in that era) and, as a noted improviser, Daveluy was inevitably asked to extemporise. He was given a theme by Anthony Caesar, and we had an impressive 10 minutes of wonderful varied interpretations and playing. At the conclusion, the theme was repeated on the bells from the tower above. The effect was magical!
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Some years ago, it must have been in August 2000, with my local organists’ association on a visit to Geneva led by the late, and sadly early deceased, Martin Hall, we had the experience of hearing Lionel Rogg as both organist and carillonneur. The former was on the van den Heuvel at the Victoria Hall (Geneva named their principal concert hall in honour of the British Queen) and the carillon was the following day at St Peter’s Cathedral. Our visit coincided with the late Queen Mother’s 100th birthday, and we were instructed by Lionel Rogg to assemble outside the cathedral at 12 noon. Punctually he appeared at a very great height emerging on the roof of the cathedral from a door and entering another in the tower. He then played the British National Anthem and ‘Happy Birthday’, followed by combining them in an inverted fugue.
Back to mobile carillons, not sure whether Adnosad would like it, but some time ago Musing Muso posted a video of a particularly complete, I thought rather impressive and substantial one (it would have required heavy lifting equipment to be portable), played with organ, trumpet and pan pipes - possibly from a Vienna Church. I have been unable to track it down. They played “Wien bleibt Wien”, a very catchy piece which the carillon seemed to suit well.
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18 hours ago, Niccolo said:
I was wondering if their is any information available about the design of the touring organ that was built by Harrison & Harrison for George Thomas Pattman?
You may know this already, but the National Pipe Organ Register is an invaluable source for locating organ specifications, locations, dates and details of builders in England, Wales and Scotland. Having said that, without further information I was not able to locate Pattman’s organ. I have read about it in odd places from time to time, but it had not ‘registered’ that it was still around, in the chapel of Durham School and listed under NPOR N04178.
An invaluable tip for making searches on NPOR is to insert just a single word or place name, or the index number if known. That was how I located the Pattman organ. Obviously several hundreds of listings turn up for ‘London’ and you could be specific with a more local name like Southwark or Westminster. Or you can search for a church name if it is an unusual one - omit ‘Saint’ just the name like ‘Swithun’ or ‘Boniface’ as two examples. That will produce a limited number of results, and it is easy to select the right one. There are more tips on the NPOR home page, particularly for searches about organ builders.
Coventry Cathedral
in The Organ
Posted
No ‘instruments of torture’, but I hope a reasoned assessment!
Coventry Cathedral organ is a masterpiece, nothing less. I was slightly saddened to see no reference to Cuthbert Harrison or David Lepine in the appeal announcement, but I guess those names are largely unknown to a younger generation. Surely Coventry ranks as Cuthbert Harrison’s magnum opus alongside the RFH, although he hinted quite strongly that Coventry was achieved without some of the constraints of the RFH. And, of course, there is no question that the organ “remains largely unused in a locked building”. I don’t think that comment could even be justified about most parish churches up and down the land.
Actually, 60 years is a very impressive innings before a major restoration such as this, equalled only, I think, by the one planned at Norwich. Of course cathedral finances can be precarious, but it seems rather sad that these major instruments have to rely on public appeals for their necessary care and survival.