John Robinson

How very interesting. Clever use of different octave couplers to make full use of the available stops. I wasn't aware of the 'Pedal Divide Solo Octave to Pedal' coupler until now. The more I hear about this organ, the more fascinating it becomes. Thank you.

According to the 2020 Harrison specification, the Solo will include octave, unison off and sub-octave couplers, though it doesn't state whether or not the Tuba Mirabilis will be affected by these. I think if it were to be so, it would produce a devastating sound. I'm sure Robert Sharpe could clarify matters.

Yes, I have had an interest in the development of the York Minster organ for many years. I remember reading somewhere that Francis Jackson described the instrument as changing 'chameleon-like' over the years to accommodate current tastes. Francis, of course, added a number of mutations (Cornet, Sesquialtera, Nazard, Tierce, Larigot) during his tenure, only two of which remain in the current rebuild which I think is a shame. Of course, we can't keep adding more and more stops into a limited amount of space and the additions and alterations being done by Harrisons at the moment will be, I think, a great advantage in making the instrument more assertive especially when being used with a full nave. I particularly like the addition of a second 32' reed in the Pedal and a Harmonics mixture in the Great. When all is completed, I very much hope that Priory might be persuaded to produce a second DVD/BD of the York Minster organ, which would provide an interesting comparison of the new with the old (a copy of which I already have, of course).

I believe that such photos need to be viewed using a special apparatus such that the left picture is viewed by the left eye and the right with the right. I am able to cross my eyes to view such pictures, but the two would have to be exchanged side to side. I might try that using Photoshop when I have a few minutes.

Interesting. I wonder what the boxes with crosses underneath the pipes are. At first, I thought they might be wood pipes, but that would be pointless.

Thanks for this. We were there in March last year and, of course, visited St Stephan's. I wondered at the time, looking at the no-longer-functioning console, what the rebuild might turn out like. It does look like the previous organ facade but, reading the information provided, the contents seem to have been enlarged and the description of the internal layout is particularly interesting. I, too, look forward to hearing it at some time in the future.

Yes, I enjoyed that. I thought the sound was really quite good even on my laptop speakers. A good choice of music, too, which should please most.

Quite unusual and, yes, beautiful.

NPOR states that in 1979 the bottom 8 pipes were removed 'to improve access'.

I don't suppose anyone here attended, but the organ was very impressive. I have never heard it played flat out as tonight, in both the Grande Choeur Dialogue and the Vierne Mass. I think it would have been more than adequate in a middle-sized cathedral. The toaster was nowhere by comparison. Oh, and the choir was OK as well!

Thank you Martin. Corrected now. Some would say that I live in the past!

May I please provide details of a forthcoming choir and organ recital by the William Byrd Singers at 7.30pm on Saturday 29th February 2020 at Christ Church, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2DZ. Conductor: Keith Orrell, organists: Richard Lea and Robert Woods. Tickets: £12, £10 (concessions), £5 (students), available online (www.eventbrite.co.uk), or at the door (although these events are usually very well attended!) Eugène Gigout: Grande Chœur Dialogué from Six Pieces d’Orgue (2 organs – RL RW) Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine (with organ – RW) Joubert: Pro pace motets Libera pleben O tristia secla priora Solus ad victimam Joubert: Prelude on ‘Picardy’ Op. 55 (with organ – RL) Clausen: In pace Vierne: Messe Solennelle Op 16 (2 organs – RL RW) Kyrie eleison Gloria in excelsis Deo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei (Although it is advertised as featuring two organs, it is actually one organ (details on NPOR) and a toaster!)

Still quite narrow. I'll have a look for my booklet tomorrow when I have more time.

I seem to recall from a booklet I can't lay my hands on right now, that the 32' Praestant is of a relatively narrow scale, the bottom C of 235mm (9.25") diameter if I recall, which seems very narrow comparatively speaking. I must have another look for the booklet to check my facts.

Exactly. I have recorded some of my favourite organ LPs on to minidisc for exactly that reason, but also for the convenience of being able to listen to them in bed (you can't easily play LPs in bed) - listening using headphones, of course, so as not to disturb Marge!

Hear hear.

Yes, I can believe it! I really hope that they begin making these again (though I doubt it) because if and when my Minidisc turns its toes up I shall desperately want to replace it. Perhaps, if it does pack up, a repair might be possible.

Just my four penn'orth, but I have a Sony Minidisc which I find perfectly good. I understand from reviews, etc, that it isn't exactly hi-fi, but with my high-frequency hearing loss (discussed elsewhere) I can honestly say that I can't hear the difference (using good headphones) to my hi-fi system with four-way speakers! It's also far better than my old tape cassette player (now ditched) which medium, I have to say, has always been hopeless what with low quality reproduction, tapes stretching and getting tangled up.

I'm pleased to see that Leeds seems to be a forward looking city with regard to the organ, what with this, the proposed alterations and additions to the Town Hall organ and the continuation of free lunchtime recitals there as well.

Our last vestige of hope? Yes, certainly the Christian church is dying out in this country and some believe that the organ may die out with it. On the other hand, we still have concert hall organs which appear to attract some sort of audience and, of course, we still have cathedrals and Oxbridge colleges in which organ music is still heard. In fact, there must be still some support as both Canterbury and York cathedrals are presently having their organs rebuilt (per a thread on this web site!). To be perfectly honest, as an atheist, churches being closed down doesn't concern me too much, accepting that they are closing because people appear not to want them. That sort of sounds fair. Sad, though, that organs are also disappearing locally. So what is the answer? I'd like to think that if the Dutch can do what they're doing, perhaps we can. Unfortunately, I can't think how we'd go about that. When a primary teacher, I did attempt to instil some sort of early interest in the organ among my charges. I have no idea how successful or otherwise I was.

Sadly, I have never had the opportunity to directly compare a 32' Wood with a 32' Metal, but I had assumed that the metal pipes would have more harmonic development than the wood ones, giving the metal ones more 'drive' as you describe it, and the wood pipes possibly being more weighty and 'foundational'. I'd be interested to know whether or not that is, in fact, the case.

Yes, unfortunately I have never been able to develop the necessary skills to play. If a genie should ever offer me three wishes, one of them would be that I was able to play the organ well. I have not yet considered the other two! My Christmas music consisted, this year, of only two sources: the King's Nine Lessons and Carols and a CD of their Christmas music. I was pleased to find that their standard of music has remained, under their new musical director, as excellent as it was under the distinguished Stephen Cleobury.

King Jesus Hath a Garden Quittez Pasteurs (No, I didn't play them. I'm not an organist. I enjoyed listening to them. I'm very good at listening!)

That's interesting, and it prompts me to ask whether coupling a more local division to a remote one might help with this sort of thing. Perhaps attempting to pay more attention to the local sound might help with 'ignoring' the slightly delayed remote sound. I should point out that I am not an organist, so please don't be afraid to point it out if I am talking a load of tripe!

As with most things, it is a good idea to compare different options. Many hearing aid outlets offer a trial period (mine did, anyway - Boots) and, presumably, you can try a pair here, try a different brand elsewhere, and so on. To be honest, I didn't though. I went with the first pair - Phonak, but on reflection perhaps I should have tried different ones.