John Robinson

It's very directional, though. A CD I have (can't recall the title without going to look!) was recorded using a microphone suspended high under the central tower (for some reason) and the TM is much less overwhelming compared to the full organ. I understand that it is almost quiet (!) from the quire, but then it does point the opposite way.

Yes, it's the only organ piece that my long-suffering wife says she really enjoys.

Perhaps on the grounds that it has a steady beet and should only be played by someone who knows his onions!

I think we'd all like to see more of that. I can remember only ever seeing three TV series about the organ: Gillian Weir Howard Goodall John Scott Whiteley and radio programmes featuring the organ are very rare these days.

I'd say that the reed, at least, was discarded because it is well beyond possible repair!

I should have thought that this would be a useful addition to fortify a 4' for pedal solos. (I'm not an organist, so I may be completely wrong!)

I suppose that it's rather predictable that not one of the pieces chosen by the BBC is for organ! As for your list, Paul, I'm not sure about the Messiaen. I think that would just confuse most children!

What an excellent description! I'll remember that.

'Dumbing down'?

I agree that this is a not uncommon situation in this country, yet I have been to organ recitals in Germany and Holland where the church has been full to bursting. Having sat down (luckily my wife and I arrived early enough to get a seat!) in Cologne Cathedral a few years ago, people were coming in with camping seats and the like and establishing themselves in the aisles - and it's not as if it's a small building. What are they doing right, and what are we doing wrong? Just a national characteristic, I suppose.

I just got around to listening to this (on headphones). I found the sound of the 32' Bombarde very impressive, especially as it is (I believe) on no more than 4" wind pressure. This just goes to show that high wind pressures are not essential to obtain loudness, even in reeds. I suppose that the answer is that in order to have loudness along with smoothness (as in English organs compared to those of other European schools), higher pressures are necessary.

Yes indeed. According to my little book, all four Great reeds were originally made by Walkers in 1903-4. Then the Trumpet and Clarion were "revoiced as dominant Trombas" by Harrisons in 1916-17, although they were still called Trumpet and Clarion. The four Great reeds were, at that time, placed on "7 and 15 inches", although it is not clear which were on which. Then in 1960, Walkers revoiced them again, this time on 4 1/4", the same as the flue work, and stood them on one of the main windchests, the Posaunes being on an upper chest on 7". And there they all remained until 1993.

Prior to the 1993 alterations, only two of the four reeds (Trumpet 8' and Clarion 4') were on the 4 1/4" main chest. The other two (Contra Posaune 16' and Posaune 8') were on the upper chest at 7". In 1993, the Trumpet and Clarion joined the other two reeds on a new 4-stop raised chest, the new Cymbel and Cornet taking their place on the main chest. The only other alteration was the old Tertian II being replaced by the new Sesquialtera II. As far as I know, the old 2-stop upper chest was moved to the East side of the Solo box within the screen to accommodate the new Bombarde 8' on 10" pressure (and one slider remaining unused). So if it is the Trumpet and Clarion that have been moved down to the main chest, and restored to their original 4 1/4" pressure, there remains two unused sliders on the upper chest. Perhaps it has been decided just to leave these unused. Personally, I'm not sure why it was thought necessary to move these reeds and lose two valuable flues (notwithstanding your low opinion of the Cornet!); if they thought the 7" wind pressure was too high for the Trumpet and Clarion, couldn't they have left them there and reduced the size of their foot holes? Or perhaps they are just trying the lower pressure temporarily... I hope. Incidentally, is it in fact Harrisons who are doing the work, as was suggested earlier?

Thank you. Yes, I got that. Two of the Great reeds have been moved down to the lower-pressure chests, displacing the Cymbel and Cornet. But that leaves two empty slides on the upper chest, doesn't it? Are they to be left unoccupied, or will they be installing a couple of new stops? Edit: ...assuming that the 'experiment' is successful and the trumpets are left in their new positions.

I think it's a shame to lose both of these stops. If they really must go, with what are they replacing them? Who just disposes of stops without replacing them with something?

I understand that in 1993 Coffin placed all four Gt reeds on a separate (raised) chest on 7" WG. Prior to that, I think that two were on 7" and two on a main chest at 4 1/4". Presumably, then, either the raised reed chest has had its pressure lowered or some of the reeds have been returned to the main chest (at lower pressure) replacing some of the flues that were on that chest. Do you have any more details? Btw, since when did Harrison's become involved with the Minster organ (since the 1930s, of course)?

It seems to me that the BBC can no longer be regarded as a truly national broadcasting organisation, as it leans increasingly to the left and practises more and more PC activities. We need a replacement that is truly apolitical and presents, as much as possible, a wide cross-section of musical styles and programmes. If the public in general funds its activities, then the public in general should be catered for fairly.

Returning to the matter of reverberation time, didn't the RFH once have an installed electronic reverberation system, or am I imagining that?

And more recently, too. I believe an extra octave of pipes was added, for this purpose, to the Solo Bassoon 16' at York Minster in, I think, the 1990s.

I wonder how these same people regard the harpsichord.

Sad news. On an incidental matter, it's good to hear people referring to it as the East Riding. As I understand it, this change of name (back to the original) came about due to local people's pressure. All we need now is the reinstatement of the North and West Ridings!

I had a little bet with myself, before clicking the link, as to in which country this is in. I won!

All those mutations and an apparently strange choice of stops reminds me of l'Eglise du Chant d'Oiseau in Brussels, and certainly its Positif division. This, too, was designed by Guillou, although he seems to have gone a few steps further at Leon!

That reminds me of when I was at junior school (must be between 7 and 11 years of age) when, just prior to some sort of musical event at our local church, our teacher warned us that the music would be a little slower than we were used to because "the organ cannot play as quickly as Mr Feather (our deputy head) plays the piano"! I remember even then feeling a little put out that someone should suggest that the organ could not 'keep up' with a piano so, presumably, I must have had some interest in the organ even earlier than that.

I'm relieved to hear that this (and other historically important organs) is safeguarded. On the other hand, if the church is concerned about a lack of income, wouldn't it be possible to encourage attendance of both the happy-clappy and the traditional people (who have apparently gone elsewhere), on different days if necessary. I just feel it's a shame that the organ is no longer used for worship. Similarly, the church could be used for both pop concerts (if there's nowhere more suitable) and organ recitals - most certainly on different days!