John Robinson

Is it possible that the Swell wind pressure could have been increased at some time since 1945 (and before the Mander rebuild)? For example, I believe the Lewis pipes for the Dome Diapason Chorus were installed in 1949. Could other minor alterations have been made then or at other times since?

Our host's company added a Vox Humana to the Swell, but whether this was added to the 3 1/2" chest or the 7" chest is not clear. In either case, I wonder whether John Mander would have this information to hand. Personally, I'd bet on the wind pressure not having been raised during the rebuild.

According to an undated (but subsequent to the Mander alterations) booklet: Great = 3 1/2" and 7" Swell = 4 1/4" and 7" (so you're both wrong!) S. Choir = 2 3/4" N. Choir = 3 1/4" Solo = 7" and 15"/17" Chancel Pedal = 6" and 12" Dome = 8", 17", 20"/25" and 30" Dome Pedal = 6", 12" and 20" West = 6" and 15"/25" This booklet is a little old now, but I can't imagine anyone changing the wind pressure of such a highly regarded Swell. Of course, the booklet could be wrong...! John Mander would know.

I'd like to echo that.

You know the solution: an enharmonic organ! But where to put all the extra pipes?

Yes, an excellent day. I particularly liked John Mander's response when asked (as a panellist) for his opinion on the replacement of pipe organs with 'toasters': 'Organ builders like to see the installation of digital organs as they can look forward to a new contract in twenty years' (or words to that effect)! There was another amusing anecdote from him about King's, Cambridge, but I'll leave that for another day.

I'd like to see much more in 'Nuts and Bolts'. I could contribute, but my contributions would be mostly questions!

Thanks.

At the risk of sounding a bit dim, are this to be broadcast and, if so, on which channel?

An excellent article. As for 'swooning', perhaps the likes of Jane Parker-Smith! As for male organists, shall we say I respect them highly and envy their talents and abilities.

I couldn't agree more, Unfortunately, these days the only thing that seems to matter is ticking the appropriate boxes!

And, of course, they are much less likely to fail than incandescent lamps.

Yes, indeed. I teach at a primary school and encounter these trite offerings at every assembly, almost invariably accompanied by happy clapping. The simplest tunes and the simplest lyrics, usually constantly repeated, presumably because it is assumed that anything more complicated will be well beyond the comprehension of children's little minds. Funny, I was a child once (a long time ago, admittedly) and the 'old fashioned' hymns that we sang didn't seem to confuse me. Which came first I wonder, the cerebrally-challenged composers of this rubbish or the cerebrally-challenged children it tends to produce?

Excellent!

This extract from 'The Great Cathedral Organ Series Remembered' by Brian Culverhouse, from the CD-ROM that comes with the boxed set recently discussed on this site, made me laugh. It describes, of course, the Tuba Mirabilis: "A famous recitalist and obvious candidate for our second LP was Francis Jackson at York Minster: also a composer in his own right, he had charge of a fine instrument that J. W. Walker & Sons had rebuilt in 1960 with some fascinating stops. This led us to include Cocker’s Tuba Tune as a demonstration piece. As soon as Francis started to play it for the balance tests, the needles on the mixer flew in all directions and we had to grab the microphones and retreat towards the west door. But we coped, and the result was a sound unique in the entire series."

Me too, every day in fact. May I, also, thank the Mander team for the provision and maintenance of this site, and wish all contributors a very happy new year.

King Jesus Hath a Garden In Dulci Jubilo (Latin + German version with descant)

Just a 'heads up'. According to my EPG, the programme starts at 9.30pm.

Control +, at least in Firefox! I don't know about IE.

I, too, have been wondering why no-one has been posting. It can't be that they don't know about the move; I'm sure everyone must have received the same e-mail as I did. I have been able to bookmark the front page and, in fact, it still forms one of my 'tabs' in Firefox. The poster info. on the left is OK so long as people don't write a complete tome about themselves!

I haven't heard the Vox Balaena 64' live, but I believe I may have heard it on a recording (yes, I know that defies all logic!) and I, too, thought it very impressive especially as the source (32' wooden Principal) isn't particularly large, is on a relatively low pressure, and there is no separate 21 1/3'. As for the tubas, I agree. I wonder whether these were 'experimental' in a way, as Klais (and as far as I know no other German builders) have no real experience with such high pressure reeds as have firms such as Willis and others. They're not unpleasant (to me at least), but I'd rather they'd asked Manders to put in something like the Royal Trumpets at St Paul's! On that point, I'd like to say that all the tubas at St Paul's are, in my opinion, the prime examples of 'party horns' that I have heard, and there is such a variety as well: - the Willis tubas 8' and 4' - the new Mander tubas in the dome section - 16' 8' 4' * - the Trompette Militaire 8' discussed recently on this board which, of course, came from America, and - the Royal Trumpets 16' 8' 4' I mentioned above. * I haven't heard these live either, but I remember many years ago hearing their predecessors (by Willis). I can't even remember who the organist was on that occasion, but the naughty man began his recital with a chord played on these causing me to jump out of my skin.

...before it's too late. I'm serious. Unfortunately, in the days when organists were (occasionally) given knighthoods, the organ was rather more popular than it is today.

The (many) clues are in the text!

Don't you have to be a footballer or a pop singer these days?

I suppose they're tubas rather than free-toned trumpets and, as PWH says, the recording's rather crap. Also, the Royal Trumpets at St Paul's are, in my opinion, exceptional.