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Peter Clark

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Posts posted by Peter Clark

    Dupre - Cortege et Litanie (again!)

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I have just downloaded what I think is a somewhat eccentric performance of this, by Todd Wilson. The tempo seems erratic as does the registration. Some speeding up towards the merging of the two themes is evident and he seems to release the pedal octaves on the last page throughout, between some bars, having no pedal about five bars before the end, bringing them back for the final three chords. Any thoughts? Or am I about to find myself the subject of a lawsuit?

     

    Peter

    Musical Standards in Church

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I would not allow this...

     

    Yes Patrick but you are a priest and I just an organist - the authority vested in the former is not often recognised in the latter. A good example is that one year. on Adevent 3, I played Wachet Auf at Communion, after the communion hymn had been sung, and by arrangement with the celebrant who thought it a good idea. The piece took us into that period after communuion before the closing prayers and blessing and I was told off by a parishoner - in fact a CHOIRISTER - for "keeping Father waiting". I pointed out that the piece was appropriate to the season and that its inclusion in the liturgy had the full approval of the celebrant. Response? Oh that's OK then if Father said so. That's what I come up against.

     

    HW's suggestion of playing them the YouTube video - thanks for the idea but it would make no difference I'm afraid. Thank you anyway!

     

    Peter

    A Whiter Shade Of Pale/wachet Auf?

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I have just downloaded from Amazon - an increasingly disturbing habit - the Procol Harum concert in Denmark. A wonderful blend of the best of rock music and the best of the "classical" style. The orchestra and choir really enhance the music of PH, and Gary Brooker's voice, though not trained as such, really evokes a degree of emotion rarely found in rock.

     

    Peter

    Musical Standards in Church

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I wonder if this particular video (which links to another equally bad) is what I call an "Auntie Mary Moment" - that is where a friend of either the bride's or groom's family plays the piano and therefore it is imagined thatr he/she can also play the organ. I have heard worryingly bad wedding and funeral playing just in the past 6 months because of this (oh and I make no claim to be FRCO standard but just, as I have remarked earlier here, a competent organist capable of putting in a decent recital about once a year and accompanying Mass and other services to most peoples' satisfaction.)

     

    Patrick and other clergy here can probably advise as to the pastorally best way to deal with the Auntie Marys of this world - but quickly please as I have the annual meet this year's couples session this Saturday!!

     

    Cheers

     

     

    Peter

     

    Well we had the meet the couples session on Saturday and I gave them my usual talk - choose hymns that are most likely to be known by the congregation, consider the appropriateness of entance and exit music (I had a bride who wanted to come in or go out the the Titanic theme tune but pointed out that the film's storyline hardly communicated the optimism which a wedding ought to suggest) and then asked if anybody intended importing a organist; only one couple did, and stated that the bride's brother was an organist. Further enquiry - in private, after - revealed that he "used to play when he went to church", and that he would be coming over from France the day before the wedding when he could try out the organ. If he coudn't manage the organ he would use the keyboard. Hmmm.....

    William Albright

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Interesting! His Facebook reply to me (above) also suggested it was psalm/hymn 103. On the front cover of mine, the number 103 has definitely been printed at a later stage next to the number 303 on the title page. Perhaps we should ask him again! You or I? :huh:

     

    I have written to Fredrick asking for clarification. I'll post here as soon as I get a reply.

     

    Peter

    William Albright

    in The Organ

    Posted

    It's a typo. My copy was amended to read Psalm 103 when Fredrik sent it. I've enjoyed playing that piece for quite a while now, and have got quite a lot of his other scores. All very good stuff indeed.

     

    That's odd because when I wrote to him about this (on Facebook) he didn't suggest chaging the title. So what is it I wonder, 103 or 303? Not a major problem though as it is great piece.

     

    Peter

    Classic FM Hall of Fame

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I tried Dupre but to no avail! I would also have liked the Bach double violin concerto BWV 1043 but that didn't come up either. Curiously Messiaen's Apparation did come up, which I would not have imagined a CFM favourite!

     

    Peter

    William Albright

    in The Organ

    Posted

    As already mentioned, I've also just taken possession of the Tango. However, can anyone explain the reference to Psalm 303 (yes, 303) in the title, or am I missing something blindingly obvious?

     

    I already asked him. Psalm means hymn in the Swedish hymnal and the Tango is based on that hymn tune.

     

    Peter

    Musical Standards in Church

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I wonder if this particular video (which links to another equally bad) is what I call an "Auntie Mary Moment" - that is where a friend of either the bride's or groom's family plays the piano and therefore it is imagined thatr he/she can also play the organ. I have heard worryingly bad wedding and funeral playing just in the past 6 months because of this (oh and I make no claim to be FRCO standard but just, as I have remarked earlier here, a competent organist capable of putting in a decent recital about once a year and accompanying Mass and other services to most peoples' satisfaction.)

     

    Patrick and other clergy here can probably advise as to the pastorally best way to deal with the Auntie Marys of this world - but quickly please as I have the annual meet this year's couples session this Saturday!!

     

    Cheers

     

     

    Peter

    Best Bargain

    in General discussion

    Posted

    The Camilleri 'Wine of Peace' is worth it - from our only renowned national composer! Very relaxing and easy to play. From what I remember, you need a high pedal F sharp at the end - strange, as I cannot think of a single instrument here which has such a compass.

     

    I'll second VA's recommendation of Wine of Peace. I find that by playing the right hand on the positive and the left hand on the swell, and by coupling up the pedal to a great soft 8 & 16 stops (with no pedal stops drawn) I thumb down the final f#.

     

    Peter

    William Albright

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I have some Albright and enjoy playing it - it isn't cheap - can you tell me how much these pieces cost.

     

    Flights of Fancy just set me back almost £30.00 - Edition Peters - but I think worth it. What Albright do you play?:

     

    Peter

    William Albright

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Prompted by a frequent contributor to this forum I recently downloaded the CD of this suite (the composer calls it a "Ballet for Organ") from Amazon and now I have ordered the score - which ain't cheap folks! - and wonder if any others play it? It seems a strange yet wholly succesful mixture of jazz, ragtime, "churchy" music, theatrical burlesque and modern American - hints of Copeland it at least one movement.

     

    Worth checking out.

     

    I also commend the music of Fedrick Sixten as discussed on another thread. I've just got his Tango and Toccata Festival.

     

    Incidentally I can't be the only one whose expenditure on music has increased considerably since joing this forum!

     

    Peter

    Hymns Discussion

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Personally I think most service have far too many hymns and that they interrupt the liturgical flow of Eucharistic services. They also, almost certainly, cause more upset and argument in churches than anything else.

     

    Malcolm

     

    If you mean that hymns must take second place to the proper liturgical movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Sancus, and other euchristic acclamations and Agnus) I agree from my own Catholic perspective , but there are those members of this forum who come from a free church background where hymns are often the embodiment of doctrine, and who would not find use for the Kyrie &c at every service they attend or at which they preside. Worshippers in the Catholic tradition often find spiritual and theological comfort (in both senses of the word) in hymns coming out of the non-conformist experience. And quite franly, thecongregational hymn singing that I have witnessed in such churches knocks the socks off that encountered in my own church!

     

    As to upset and argument, the late Cardinal Basil Hume said he often dreaded going back to his monastery (Ampleforth) as the liturgy caused too much bickering!

     

    Peter

    Hymns Discussion

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Peter,

    I have said that I won't comment any more on matters theological, but I'm afraid I must. Tony refers to John ch. 1. It reads

     

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    He was with God in the beginning.

    Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ...

     

    He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ....

     

    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. ...

     

    The nature of the Holy Trinity must always remain a mystery; it cannot be adequately expressed in human language. But I have always understood that 'Three in One and one in Three' summarises the doctrine. I, though, am not a theologian, and am happy to be corrected if I've misunderstood.

     

    Regards to all

     

    John

     

    Three persons in one God and one God in three persons but those persons are not each other.

     

    Suggest end of this discussion or continue by PM?

     

    Best

     

    Peter

    Hymns Discussion

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Hi

     

    Basically, Kendrick's words are scripturally based. Phrases such as "Hands that flung stars into space/To cruel nails surrendered" say a lot theologically in a few words - Jesus as Creator ("In the beginning was the Word ... (Jn1)) and the contrast with Jesus willing submitting to crucifixion. "This is our God/The Servant King" points both to the divinty of Christ and the suffering servant prophecies of Isaiah. Take a close, thoughtful look at the words. The musical style might not be what some people "like" (and Kendrick isn't a great musician) - but his word are, in the main, very thoughtful and have a lot to say.

     

    I have interviewd Graham Kendrick a few times in the past for radio programmes - he takes his songwriting seriously - and runs songs past theologians.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    Tony

     

    Tony this may not be quite the place for this but I wonder if "Jesus as Creator" is theologically sound? It sits uneasily with kenotic christology and anyway the understanding in trinitarian theology is that "Jesus" (son) is not "Father" (creator) - and indeed neither are "Spirit" (sanctifier) though each participate in the divine economy. If Kendrick indeed runs his stuff past theologians I wonder how much notice he takes of their advice?

     

    Cheers

     

    Peter

    Hymns Discussion

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Hi

     

    TD-S isn't a musician (by his own admission) - and the Kendrick words are full of theological nuances.

     

    Every Blessing

     

    Tony

     

    Tony I am not sure what you mean by "theological nuances". Could you explain?

     

    Thanks

     

    Peter

    Hymns Discussion

    in General discussion

    Posted

    An interesting discussion today about hymns between Ann Harrison of the RSCM and Timothy Dudley-Smith. The question was about whether "traditional" hymns were still being sritten. TD-S cited what he thought two good modern hymns: Be Still for the Presence of the Lord" (which I agree is a fine piece) but then lost a bit of credibility when he cited Kendrick's "From heaven you came" aka The Servant King - in my opinion one of the most atrocious pieces of word setting in the last 30 years.

     

    It is worth doing a listen again if you missed it.

     

    Peter

    New Year, New Music?

    in General discussion

    Posted

    What a nice idea! If I publish it, I might get around to keeping to schedule. Immediate pieces on the list are (once I've finished off the Franck Prelude, Fugue and Variation and a small clutch of Parry Chorale preludes from his second book)

     

    Toccata Chromatica - Ad Wammes

    Gigue Fugue - JSB

    Movmt 1 from Widor V

    Schumann Fugues 6 & 3 on BACH

     

    They should give me plenty to think about for the next few months!

     

    Good luck with the Bach F major. It's not really that difficult but for those notorious trio sections, which come with practice. A steady pace is best - it's not a gigue but a passepied, which is slightly slower - don't feel you need to race it to outdo GTB. The fugue is a biggie - on a par with the D major BWV 532 - but very satisfying, esp. the final page, when Bach combines the two themes (I think it's Bach's only double fugue in the organ preludes and fugues). But the Toccata is addictive when you can play it...

     

    And best of luck with Mendelssohn 4 - I thought it was a swine when I learnt it - esp. the first movement!

     

    Thanks for the encouragement! Incidentally when The Great Dame played it as her opener for the inaugural recital st St Peter's Cardiff she only played the Toccata, deeming this to be historically accurate no doubt.

     

    I love the Ad Wanmmes Toccata Chromatica - one of those great pieces which unfortunately sounds a lot easier than it is - and you can detect Wammes' background as a rock musician in parts of the work. I started this when I found Miroir to be a swine (do you play it?).

     

    Incdidentally Wammes is a very nice and encourging man. When I ordered the Toccata from him he wrote a nice note on the inside cover and wished be success with learning it.

     

    Peter

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