Colin Harvey

I assume this is Wimborne. from what I've heard, I like it. The choruses are nice and there are some nice reeds, flutes and strings - except possibly the most foul solo reed I've ever heard in my life in the Mendelssohn. Overall, the organ sounds generally traditional English romantic - and very musical and pleasing it is too, from what I can make out from the recording quality. From the recording, it sounds like the acoustic isn't the most helpful - in fact, it sounds disctinctly unhelpful, which must have made recording this organ quite a challenge. I guess this is probably an organ one needs to hear in the flesh to fully appreciate it and recordings onl give a vague impression of the impact of this organ.

Yes absolutely. Usually this sort of thing is dictated by the grant giving bodies, like the Lottery Fund, rather than the choice of the organ builder.

It needs updating - new photos to go up soon . I'll let ppl know when I've done some work on it.

I think a certain tolerance to indulge the bride on her big day is quite appropriate but agree there are limits. Really, anything over 15 minutes is very bad form - the guests/congregation are getting restless, the vicar is getting worried, the verger is getting irate, the choir are bored, the organist is loving every minute improvising increasingly unsubtly on "she'll be coming round the mountain" and "why are we waiting" waiting for someone to twig. But, seriously, anything after 15-20 minutes, we've had enough and give her a phone call. If I get to talk to the bride beforehand, I'll usually ask, in a light hearted manner, how late she intends to be and will regale them with a list of really inappropriate pieces of music I might start to play if she's too late for my liking. If they are really late, threaten to play the march of Darth Vader as they walk down the aisle. They laugh at the time but never arrive no later than 10 minutes. It works - and if they get to see you afterwards, you get a hug and kiss from the bride if you play well - but you have to ooze charm.

I was interested to read about Walker's experience using the stuff in their organ in Grand Rapids, USA. They used it for tracker runs of enormous distance. I wonder how it is has coped - I got the impression that the church was in a harsh climate.

I've never heard or seem Wimborne but must clearly do so at some stage. I must say, the specification and photos on NPOR don't seem that promising - all I see is a heavily neo-baroquised Victorian Walker (poor thing but if it's at the heart of the instrument, no wonder it sounds so good), some really nasty casework and a rather garish horizontal brass trumpet. http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N10180 But I won't comment until I've heard - and hopefully played - it.

Well, technology and development is alive and well in organ building. Even a very traditional, all mechanical organ like the organ at Twyford uses new technology, materials and ideas where appropriate. So the conveyancing is stuck in with a modern glue rather than Chatham compound, we've eliminated slider seals, etc... But the organbuilders have applied technology and development as appropriate to this style of organ - so the console is free of the latest advancements in stop control mechanisms and we don't have a carbon fibre 32' reed or carbon fibre trackers, all of which would be entirely inappropriate on this organ... But look carefully and you can see it's an evolution of latest thinking and ideas applied appropriately in a new organ with a traditional bias.

Thanks for the suggestions. I wanted some ideas that were: 1. A bit different - I'm rather sick of Jesu, Joy of man's desparing (which I've had at every wedding this month) or panis angelicus 2. Not by John Rutter. Not that I have anything against his music, it's just a bit ubiquitous and his easy stuff often rather twee - had thought A Garlic Blessing would be a good idea, though. So many thanks - some good ideas. I'll look at the How and Vaughan Williams and poss the Geoff Weaver stuff - thanks for the suggestions. And yes, the music is for the Bride and Groom and their guests. But quite often, they know absolutely nothign about choral music so have no ideas at all - so I need to feed them with ideas from which they can make their choices. It was just as I was doing this, coming up with all the standard ideas, I was just wondering "isn't there something new which hasn't been done to death yet" Although I might resurrect the Wesley "Love one another" bit from Blessed by the God, etc... I still like it, although it does have the potential to become rather nauseous if over used.

I've seen an organist quint an entire fugal entry in a Reger Fugue with both feet in this manner on full organ. It worked - almost - but the effect was really quite coarse. I find the 32' bass cornet trick mentioned in a few places on this forum much more effective.

My choir and I were thinking it would be good to have a few standard anthems we can roll out with minimal practice to be sung during the signing of the registers for the fairly frequent weddings we get. I'd like some suggestions on appropriate anthems we could sing. During the summer, numbers get depleted and while sometimes we can muster SATB, we need something that will work well in various guises like SA and SA/Men, with organ accompaniment. The music must also be attractive to the average wedding goer (so read limited or no knowledge or understanding of choral or classical music), easy, enjoyable and safe to sing by an amateur choir but it also needs to be good quality and worthwhile to sing and listen to by the more musically inclined. The sentiment must, obviously, be suitable for a wedding. I've been racking my head for ideas but due to the heat and recent stresses, can't think of anything. Any ideas?

I guess ajt's organ - a large 3m Willis III of the 1950s - must also come into this category. It is a complete contrast against a neo baroque organ and truely heroic in effect, very loud when the wind holds up!

Bone is much harder wearing than ivory and doesn't discolour with age and lack of air/ sunlight like ivory does. Bone copes fine with sweat - not as good as ivory but much better than plastic - it is slightly porous. Surprised St. John's has worn so quickly - I wonder why? MV is a most honourable and modest man. I'm sure if he said he had sufficient ivory and stop heads for the console at St Davids he meant it. I noted he's not exactly short of grey matter up top and would foresee it would be counter productive if he tried to fob a major Cathedral contract with artificial substitute.

Apologies - I had to prepare music last night for the choir but ended up spending an inordinate amount of time just looking at the new arrival taking shape in our church. Not a shiny, plastic key in sight - all bone and ebony... Anyway, the 3rd world question really dissappeared when we realised that the money we were going to raise for the organ was otherwise simply not going to be raised for any other cause, like solving 3rd world debt, etc. It was just going to sit in people's pockets unrealised. At the same time, we realised that we were already a very generous church, giving to many causes both in terms of money and our time and skills and it wasn't really reasonable or practical to ask ourselves to do more. It's not just generous sums of money we donate - we are also very blessed to have an exceptional couple in our church, a pair of doctors, who work for much of the year in 3rd world countries, giving their time and skills in hospitals and surgeries. Remarkable people, who have my admiration and respect. I believe they have recently been in Afganistan.

Yes, absolutely. A good reason for going down the electronic simulation route. I will reply at some stage about how we justify expenditure on such frivolities like new pipe organs when there is massive 3rd world debt, AIDs, starvation, poverty, etc. It was something that got raised in PCC and APCM meetings when initiating our organ project. However, as organist, I didn't really have to justify the argument - that's what I have a (very intelligent and lucid) vicar for.

The Copeman Hart I had to play in Sheffield Cathedral is much, much worse. And that's a much more long-term installation. I know what you mean about the console - I dislike plastic, shiny keys; the toe pistons were too closely bunched together and very stiff and I remember the couplers were laid out in a rather mad way. To cap matters, some clot had managed to pull off the stop head off the Great to Pedal coupler at a concert a few nights before.

Hi Neil I think you've rather missed the point I was making. The point I was making that the arrogance and attitude of the salesman trying to make inroads replacing real pipe organs, of good quality and a viable future, really angered me. I would agree that electronic simulation is, in some cases, more attractive that a poor quality, compromised "real Mccoy". I certainly think there is a place for them and I wish them no malice as they go about their business so long as it does no damage to our heritage of fine pipe organs and the craft that builds and maintains them, of which I am a strong and heart-felt supporter. In fact, I believe in some ways, the electronic simulation market could help and be an assest to the pipe organ industry. I am glad for you that your church now has obtained a good organ which will serve the church well for many years. It is certainly an achievement, of which you and your church must be very proud. I am sure if I am in the Cheltenham area, I will try to pop in and have a look and listen. Having seen the latest Wvyerns, I am sure it is very good. But when you talk about the comparisons of sound quality, I have played the latest and greatest by Wyvern, Copeman Hart, Makin, etc. While many have left me impressed (I ended up quite enjoying the tempory Makin in Sherborne Abbey), I have yet to hear an electronic which can match the quality of sound or flutes from say, Romsey Abbey or St Mary Redcliffe. In a few weeks time, I will have the opportunity to compare the flutes of our tempory electronic against the flutes of our pipe organ when it comes into service. A lot of people (myself included) felt that the sound of the tempory electronic in our church was better than our old pipe organ when it first arrived but the sound now feels rather plasticky and "electric" when looking at the new instrument taking shape. Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. On the flip side of the success at Cheltenham, if you want to hear a few truly awful, fairly modern, digital Wyvern installations, I know a few good places. So I would appreciate it if you do not start calling shots about ill-informed prejudice.

This is simply excellent advice. I would also get a copy of "The Source, volume 3" and sit down with her and go through every song in it enthusiastically until she goes mad. This should not take too long. Also talk about how wonderful spring harvest is and how you wish you could go every year, if only you had time. You will soon have her eating out of your hand, saying just the right things you can use for her agreement to whatever you wish to do and you can then do whatever you like. You can have my copy of The Source, volume 3, Delvin. I bought it by accident and want to get rid of it quickly.

I really cannot comment on the voicing at Petersfield, having never heard it. Perhaps it was just done in a style that the organists at the church just didn't like. I note that people have described the voicing of Lammermuir organs as "characterful and individual" - whatever that means but it does seem to indicate it is a little different from the norm. I understand the Petersfield contract was won on the basis of cost - perhaps a loss leader to develop business in the not-so-lucrative market of English Anglican parish churches but that again is just a rumour. I understand Henry Willis IV walked into the church during voicing and pronounced the organ "the Lockerbie organ/disaster" (sources differ on the exact noun used) but there again, I can imagine HWIV wouldn't be terribly complimentary about an organ he didn't build on his doorstep.

I've heard some interesting, if rather unfortunate, stories about the Lammermuir organ at Petersfield. I have never heard it or played it at any stage so am unable to comment further. The story of this organ's history can be found on NPOR: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=D02704

I would use Aurelia - it becomes quite funny then, with those silly words and the dead-pan timing of Aurelia.

yes, indeed. I'd have also done something about the rather inappropriate upperwork and reeds. In fact, the best thing to do iwould probably be to throw it all out and start again - perhaps saving a few of pipes from the original organ to form a core and inspiration for a new organ.

A church in Winchester brought in an electronic substitute organ to replace the ailing - and not particularly fine* - pipe organ. The pipe organ remained in situ and was still playable - just. It is worth noting that after a few months, the pipe organ was still being used nearly all the time and the electronic was left to gather dust. After a few years, the electronic organ was removed and the pipe organ still remains in use, struggling on with a nearly shot action and wind system. I have heard an electronic organ and a pipe organ played as a comparison demostration. Despite the latest advances, even a small unit electric action organ knocked spots off the latest and greatest simulation organs. * It was originally a rather fine organ but after a number of rebuilds, it has rather lost its way and has become very poor.

It's definately worth a page or two. I find it much easier to play if I've got something like "Uncle Joe has lost his trousers" running through my head - if I don't suddenly burst out in a snigger or two - it actually helps to shape the phrases.... I don't know any of them but there was one about when Bach was an old man (BWV 542, I think....

Is that the Adeste Fidelis variations? The organist at my local church when I was a boy used to play that, on a mechanical action 1910 organ. Heavens only knows how - it wasn't exactly a light action and the last variations with the repeated chords must have been hard work but he never put a finger wrong.

I'm looking at the B major at present - now I've pretty much sorted out my kitchen, I can start to look at it again. I tried playing the fugue subject at the metronone mark and felt it was terribly gabbled at that speed - you simply can't hear or comprehend the notes. Same for the prelude. I'm working at a pace where I feel comfortable, relaxed and in control at all times so I can give an assured performance one day. A very fine piece and I find working at it very rewarding. I love the G minor too, but I think you need quite a big acoustic and an organ that isn't too much of a b**** to play. It needs space for all of those triplet semiquavers to take on that aerial spirit. I don't have either of those right now so have put that one to one side for now until I have the organ and the space to play it.