John Robinson

I can see a happy sleeping monkey as plain as the nose on your face.

I suppose that a non-speaking front could comprise a reflecting board with false pipes in front simply for appearances sake. Expensive, though.

I suppose that this might be due to a reduction in interest in the Christian religion these days. A similar situation, as I'm sure many are aware, is the amalgamation of three dioceses in Yorkshire: Ripon, Wakefield and Bradford, to form a single diocese which I believe is now called the Diocese of Leeds. A fair decision, I suppose, in order not to suggest the pre-eminence of any one of the three constituent parts. There still remain three cathedrals, though... for now!

Hear hear. A sign of the times, I'm afraid. How much longer before we return to common sense?

I'm sure I posted a response to this post, but it seems to have gone.

To be honest, I wouldn't expect a layman to know the difference between a pipe and a stop. Many seem to think that the pipes they see in the case are the sum total. It can be quite humorous really, like the woman at the recital of the new Manchester Cathedral organ who asked me where the loudspeakers were!

Perhaps the flues are the ones having gone out of tune!

Hopefully, many churches remain relatively cool even in this hot weather. I have even been known to set foot in one just to escape the heat, even if there isn't an organ recital in progress.

Great! The more female organists, the better.

Wow, I wouldn't have thought it. You're older than me! Still, I wish you a long and happy retirement.

Yes, I have a copy of that video. The 'Willis brand of humour' to which you refer begins a bit earlier, at 6:30. I, too, found that very funny. Then there's the bit about the church organ 'which does not appear on their books', with the explanation of why!

I'd like to echo that, if I may. On the other hand, I hadn't thought you were that old, John, going by the last time I saw you a few years ago!

And not a single double on the manuals!

Is it? I had no idea! I assumed that it must be the same time and place, just a different viewpoint. Apologies.

I wasn't aware of this. I have heard several Willis organs and can honestly say that they have all sounded excellent to me. In what way has Willis been open to condemnation, because I'm afraid I don't understand? Having said that, the Harrison ones are good too!

Thanks. Certainly an impressive sound. If it is of any interest, I found this: which is the same performance, obviously filmed by someone in a more favourable positions (plus a bit extra at the beginning) which benefits from avoiding most of the annoying 'audience noise' where people can't shut up and just listen!

Yes, a very good idea. This is what they do in my wife's choir's (Byrd Singers, Manchester) concerts, and it works very well.

Don't let them in! ?

Yes. A logical solution, but how many places would do that. I'm sure most of the incumbents would much prefer everyone to face the altar (for some reason!), in fact I'm surprised that more don't ban organ recitals as being 'distracting'! Traditional pews could be a bit of a problem, though. I remember attending an organ recital at Haarlem many years ago. The seating consisted of individual chairs, most of which had been turned around to face west. The recital had already started when a couple of people entered (very quietly) and, as luck would have it, chose two chairs that were still facing the 'wrong' way and turned them around, accidentally banging the legs together a few times rather loudly. I recollect that there was a gentleman in an elevated position to the side of us (although I don't remember Haarlem having balconies at the side) recording the recital on a tape recorder... with a face like thunder!

I agree. I'm not being flippant, I really am not, but where organs are on a gallery at the west end of the nave, why can't the seats (or even pews) be turned around. I should mention, I suppose, that as I am an atheist the organ is far more important to me than an altar. Perhaps a compromise, such as what is frequently found in the Netherlands: seating in the nave facing the middle aisle; side on to both altar and organ. In answer to your question, though, I suppose we usually only ever see the back of conductors!

Yes, society is changing... sadly.

I wonder whether the lack of interest in organ recitals in this country is related to the rise of 'happy clappy music'!

Somehow, I can't imagine that happening here, and it's not due to a lack of a federation of British organ builders. I'm afraid the organ world here will never have that status and support, not until far many more members of the general population become interested in the instrument and its music. If only the organ had the same number of aficionados as does football, we'd be world leaders in organ building (some would argue we already are!) and music.

I'm afraid that this does not surprise me in the least. Some years ago I attended a recital at Cologne Cathedral and more recently at Passau Cathedral. In each case the building was packed, in fact in the case of Cologne people were sitting on camp chairs in the aisles. We're talking of thousands of organ music fans. In Britain you'd be very lucky to get a hundred, far less in some places.

I assume that the alterations that are to take place in the York Minster organ will be to address the perceived problems of the organ not being strong enough to support the many people who can fill the nave. As Francis Jackson has said in the past, if the organ is made much louder to support congregations in the nave, it will be much too loud for the people in the chancel. Even if these forthcoming changes manage to achieve at least a partial solution, I maintain that a better strategy would be to add what was removed in (I think) 1900; a separate nave organ. More expensive, though, of course! Still, there are many cathedrals which now have a separate nave organ, I don't see why York shouldn't as well.