Peter Clark

On the profile page there is a category called "friends". What does this mean? There are people here with whom I communicate by e-mail or PM but I am not sure what help it would be to have "friends" in the obviously restricted sense of the word as used on this forum. Indeed I hope that these people are already my friends without my having to declare it publically. I also hope that there are more here who are my friends but with whom I do not communicate by e-mail or PM. I hope in addition that there are those, many of whom may not yet have joined this forum, and with whom I may or may not in the future communicate by e-mail or PM, but with whom I may in the future claim if not friendship then at least not emnity. Is there an advantage to this? How does it work? In sweet innocence Peter

It's Anthony Hunt, organist of St John's Cathedral, Salford.

That rerminds me of something Gordon Reynolds wrote, to the effect that some church organists secretly covet theatre organ add-ons, so they could then reinforce profound statements in the sermon with a distant roll of thunder or add birdsong effects to the notice about the next Mothers' Union meeting. Peter

I watched this again and notice that at bar 1 page 5 he gives us d natutrals rather than d sharps. Why is this? Is there a variant reading? Has anybody worked out this chap's identity? Peter

There is a fairly straightforward arrangement of Danse Macabre in this book: http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0423769/details.html Peter

I don't want to seem Macabre but..... also, Hollins' Trumpet Minuet. Philip Glass Dance No 4 (don't care too much for No 2, and I have no idea what happened to 1 and 3). Hope this helps Peter

...and a considerable musical talent too. I think I once read that he was classically trained. P PS - has anyone ever clicked on the "please click here if you do not wish to wait" instruction when logging in and found it any quicker than waiting?

Thanks Malcolm P

It may be me Macolm but I couldn't find the link. Could you assist? Thanks. P

Please enjoy this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvqSaQ1yijs...feature=related P

Nothing whatsoever to do with the organ but I saw ther episode Blink again last night and it still is the scariest I've seen... Peter

I'd go further and say that the concluding organ voluntary should be seen as an integral part of the liturgy, a response to or a summing up of all that has gone before. Peter

I've just found this.... http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/...RMcomposers.pdf

Patrick I share your fears! For a start I cannot see how "and with your spirit" is any more meaningful than "and also with you". Does this mean then that only the celebrant has a spirit? As to the music, as one who has done a lot of settings for parish and choir use, I am concerned that the new texts will stifle composers rather than inspire them. I know of nobody who is currently working on music for the new texts (which are not as yet officially released). From a theological viewpoint I am disturbed by the proposal to restore "for many" at the consecration of the wine. This may be an accurate rendering of "pro multis" but does not convey the meaning of the Hebrew/Aramaic rabin which means many in the sense of the many including the "all". Back to the music. I trust that the Bishops' Conference will allow the continued use of current settings for at least five years after the change. Watch this space. Peter

The opening recital was given recently by Dame Gillian, details here: http://www.stetheldreda.com/June-August%202009%20web.PDF

I hope this will be of interest to some of the forum members: http://www.icelweb.org/ICELMusicIntroduction.pdf. Peter

Guess who is giving the opening recital..... http://www.belmontabbey.org.uk/restoration...restoration.htm P

I have no problem with toe and heel in Bach or Buxtehude &c but I would never use the swell pedal(s) when playing music from that era, which probably makes me a semi- or pseudo-purist! Neither do I have any real argument with Novello, especially the Orgelbuchlien. The inclusion of the chorale and text assist the interpretation of the music, in my opinion. Peter

Another recording, albeit on a toaster! I must say I am unsure why he didn't get a page-turner, if not a registration assistant. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac7TXZiv2cg&feature=channel_page Peter

Was Tavener's deploring of traces of Messiaen due to an aversion to Messiaen's music (JT was after all a convinced Orthodox at the time) or was it that he deplored being (in his view) derivative, I wonder. I don't actually see a lot of Messiaen there, other than the sectional nature of the piece and the infrequent Messiean-like passages. Peter Peter

I have just listened to Dupre's own recording again and is it my imagination or does he speed up towards the end, ie from the couple of bars before the Cortege and Litanie themes merge? When I started to learn this piece I was warned about this and so always try to aim on the slow side. Peter

I watched this episode again last night and the Doctor credits his organ-playing abilities to "hanging round with Beethoven"!

Yep, it happened in Cardiff Crem a few years back. The Wesley system took over, and now if a family want a "real" organist they have to find onw, or at least the FD does. This seems to happen very rarely (once that I can recall in about 4 years and that was the post-church cremation of a chorister's father at which |I was asked to play as a friend - which I did of course). Peter

The current issue of The Catholic Herald carries an advert for a company called Hymn Technologies offering one of those computerised hymn playing gizmos, which it describes as "the ultimate worship music solution". Adding insult to injury it heads this advert with the strap line "No organist? No musicians?" Really, what can be done about this? It would be irresponsible of me to suggest that members call the company on their freefone number to complain about such insensitivity. The freefone number is 0800 043 0503. Peter

What organ - and what organist? Yours nordically Odin