John Robinson

Well, it seems to have worked just fine. Nice console.

As a participant in Scottish country dancing, I have to say that I find Irish dancing slightly hilarious. Admittedly, the footwork is very impressive, but I somehow think something's missing in the hands and arms department! (Apparently, it's something to do with a religious requirement of them to 'keep their hands to themselves'!) Sorry for straying off-topic.

I completely agree, and what has not really been addressed yet when considering this pipes v. electronics debate is the fact that the pipe organ is a real and historic musical instrument, whereas the electronic organ is really just an attempt to copy the sound of the pipe organ at lower cost! To put it another way, would anyone dare to offer an eminent violinist the use of a synthesiser?

I beg to disagree. I find the discussion of stop lists, organ design and such matters of prime interest on here. Admittedly, as I am not an organist (but having a lifelong interest in the organ), I tend not to post on a forum populated in the majority by organists, but I do visit every day to glean information and knowledge about the organ and, should stop lists ever be outlawed for any reason, I should find that a great loss. Surely, it should be possible to discuss choices of stops and so on without anyone feeling offended!

I do take your point, Colin. We threw out a perfectly good CRT TV a few years ago because no-one wanted it. Nevertheless, there do seem to be some for sale. Just one site I found: http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/crt-tv

I posted the question on another specialist site and received the following response: "The recorders are digital. But the inexpensive cameras are still analogue, surely? The cameras use a digital imaging chip same as CCTV cameras have done for the last 30-odd years. The output is on a BNC, and the signal is basic composite video. Whether there's any inherent delay in the camera's own processing is hard to say if the camera has processing (image enhancement, iris control etc), but with a simple cam I wouldn't expect it to be any different to basic CCTV cams from 20 years ago. The area with the most significant delay will be the monitor. LCD TVs have inbuilt processing time that delays the picture anything up to 120ms. The answer is to buy a secondhand CRT portable TV. They have no significant delay at all." I hope this may be of some help.

So is it no longer possible to obtain analogue CCTV systems?

Not trying to be funny, but that's where mirrors are superior to CCTV: they work at the speed of light! Seriously, though, I'm surprised that there aren't CCTV systems that are capable of working without any appreciable delay. They seem to manage at King's College, and no doubt at many other places too. Perhaps Maplins are not the best choice and I shouldn't be surprised if someone with the right experience on here will come up with a better source.

Would it be possible to ask Alex Woodrow and Jonathan Eyre about the possible location and composition of the proposed nave organ?

Deja vu!

I'm very pleased to hear it (or will be, hopefully!). I have always regarded the replacement of a perfectly good pipe organ in the nave by an electronic substitute as a mistake. As I understand it, the objection at the time was that the presence of a 'box on stilts' got in the way of the view! I, too, would be interested to hear where the new division will end up and, for that matter, what its composition will be. I don't think there are many suitable places for it, actually. I also agree about the lack of a double on the Great, although there is on the Swell of course. As I understand it, there isn't really much available space in the organ chamber, certainly for a 16' stop.

Actually, I've had a good look on Google maps and King's is roughly the same size as York Minster's chancel, in fact a little longer if anything. Bearing in mind that York Minster is said to be acoustically 'two separate buildings', perhaps King's is bigger than you give it credit for!

I just tried and found new posts from today without any problems. Why not e-mail Admin? Good luck.

I thought that the boy singing 'Once in Royal David's City', and pretty much ignoring Boris Ord's finger, was quite amusing.

I can relate this to the recently broadcast documentaries on Canterbury Cathedral. Although I'm sure it was unavoidable to have to include the background sound of the organ, the BBC made sure that no direct mention was made of the organ or organist. A shame, as I was looking forward to at least a short interview.

Yes. Having heard (on recordings) the 'new' (2002, I think) tubas in the Cologne Cathedral organ (at least the ones in the Transept Organ), I do think they sound more 'lively' than most traditional British ones. I assume this was done in order to work better with the more strident (compared to British) German sound. Sorry about all the parentheses!

I'm pleasantly surprised how English sounds, especially tubas, are finding increasing interest in Germany. How well do these fit in with traditional German voicing?

Yes, a single diocese with three cathedrals: Ripon, Wakefield and Bradford. Strangely, I think it is now called the Diocese of Leeds(?).

I'm sure you'd find some loudspeakers in there (for what they're worth)!

I do believe that LEDs are the future of lighting, or will be when prices come down a bit.

Thank you. A very interesting document.

Is the old case still there? If so, then that's at least a start. I must say that I think settling for a toaster is rather short-sighted, especially for Oxford University. Anyway, now that it has just about given up the ghost, hopefully the authorities will see sense and install a real organ again.

No, it's on one of the 'extras'. Buy it; it's excellent, as all of the Priory DVDs are.

How about the use of rails? Although the floor is obviously strong enough, moving a heavy weight along steel rails would probably reduce friction and result in an easier move.