P DeVile

Gareth, I should contact Watkins and Watson. They will advise better than most. http://www.watkinsandwatson.co.uk/40040/info.php?p=4 Peter

Being only 16/17 when I went there, I don't remember too much about it, apart from the Echo box which had carpet pinned inside the shutters to make the 4 stops almost totally inaudible. Also the timpani drum was just that, mounted on top of one of the boxes with a christie-style attachment for the p and f rolls but no skin because it had perished, so the beaters waggled manically. Peter

I went there about three times in 1977 - 8 key holding and was in a very sorry state then. I did take a couple of photos of it, which you can see if you click here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/pdevile/King...key=eutmvaKShN8 Peter

A few years ago I was asked to look after a village organ and on the first tuning visit looked in the blower cabinet to check for Asbestos. It was certainly there and very crumbly so alerted the church warden, giving him the phone number of a specialist that I recommend. That evening the phone went and a lady told me that she was the organist and wanted to know a little more about the problem. She asked how the stuff actually got out into the church and so I explained that it was drawn through into the bellows, into the soundboard and through the pipes. "Oh that's alright then" said she... " They are all above my head". Peter

Absolutely agree. Coe Fen is one of those tunes that is perfect and doesn't need any descant.... or an organist doing his/her own thing Peter

Apologies that this isn't organ music, but it seems to be the best place to ask.... Does anyone know where the music for this Mag and Nunc setting can be obtained? It is a wonderful piece and was recorded a while back by James Nolan and Laudate. Thanks Peter

My AT mic is an AT 825. The frequency response is 30-20,000 Hz http://www.dv247.com/invt/2630?gclid=CNfI3...CFQOVMAodYyrw-w These often come up on ebay for around £80. Peter

To be honest, I wouldn't use any of the Sony range of microphones, because they are primarily intended for speech, not instrument. The harmonic range only goes down to 100 hz, which is above 8ft C (64hz) so if you want to record unaccompanied voice, the Sonys are second to none, but once you add an organ forget it. Peter

I do a fair amount of recording and use a Roland Edirol R09 with a 4g memory card: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productde...px?ObjectId=757. This gives 4 1/4 hours of recording at 44khz - 24bit. I have an Audio Technica Stereo microphone, which is stunning but for quick recordings, the unit has built-in stereo microphones, which are also superb. It records directly as a .wav file and has a usb connection, so one can drag and drop the files from the card onto the Harddrive. I use Steinberg's Wavelab for editing. Peter

These SACD JAV recordings can play on ordinary CD players too. I have the one from St Sulpice "The Widor Mass", which amongst other bits and pieces, the Mass for 2 choirs and 2 organs is performed and is excellent Peter

Pierre Cochereau: More Rotterdam - worth watching for the concentration on the stop-pullers' faces..... and the shaking organist toward the end! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4QQXCobw40 Daniel Roth - Vierne Symphony 2 Mvt1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOofV3PCnno Toccata and Fugue in D Minor..... again. This time on the Hill Organ in Sydney Town Hall Peter

The young man is Jonathan Bowden, the finance director of Willis'. He has a very fine tenor voice too! Peter

I have one delight that is high up on the west wall. I have to get the double-extension wooden ladder from the side aisle and extend it to its maximum. I then Place it carefully on the polished wooden floor.... - asking myself all the while why I risk life and limb to tune 4 ranks - and rest it against the casework. With tuning tools about my person, I make the ascent and when I get up to the organ I have to heave the whole of the front grille (7ft sq) out from the bottom - at least it is hinged from the top. I didn't mention that the wooden ladder is not exactly modern and so one can wave around like a kite whilst going there. Eventually I get inside to tune the 4 ranks and then come down white-faced. I wouldn't mind, but it takes about 10 minutes to tune the pipes and 50 to get in and out of the b****y thing. Peter

Mind you....... this is quite fun Peter

No no no! The loudest organ I have encountered is the HNB at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook near Ipswich. It has one of the largest screens in Europe, is situated on the west gallery and is simply frightening when standing directly in front of it. The chapel is huge, with 3 domes resulting in an echo of about 8 seconds. If you dont know this one, go and visit! Spec: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N00981 Peter

"With an organ like the RAH, what we really want to hear are things like the Jongen, the Peeters, the Saint-Seans, the Dupre "Calvary in Paris" and anything else which can blow the roof off. I think the orchestral people are a bit scared of that organ to be honest. Knowing the current climate, it probably comes down to a health & safety issue." I did hear the Saint-Saens at the Organ Gala, put on by Raymond Gubbay a couple of months ago, with John Birch playing. I had the widest grin in the place especially at the end because it was just SO over the top. The organ was so loud that the orchestra couldn't be heard at all and the cymbal crashes sounded like a cat sneezing. So I'm not really surprised if orchestra people are a bit scared of it! Peter

I can remember an evensong at St. John's Cambridge in the early 70s when the organ scholar played the wrong hymn tune all the way through.... flat out.....despite the frantic waving and signing from George Guest. Me and my fellow choristers thought that it was terribly funny.... especially as poor old George's face was turning purple. Peter

Me too. Peter

Can I book my tickets now please?? P

Maybe you could try this........ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmXMSfxWXP8 Peter

Re. Rick Wakeman...try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAvpxkIBIs It doesn't really get anywhere, but is interesting. Peter

A veritable feast of good music here: http://www.saintthomaschurch.org/ Follow the link on that page "Listen to some of our choral services" and register/log in and a week's worth of services can be listened to, plus John Scott's ongoing recital series of Ten Saturdays with Buxtehude. The audio quality, though not hi-fi is very acceptable through computer speakers. Peter

I have that recording. I was a probationer at the time, so didn't sing. Stephen Cleobury was the organist and he used the Trompeta Real in the last two chords of the Agnus Dei. It isn't available on CD, possibly because Christopher Robinson recorded it again soon after he got there. The best organists for me that I have heard live are John Scott - especially last year at the Royal Albert Hall. John Pryer, formerly organist at Birmingham Cathedral now at Birmingham Oratory. His improvisations, especially in the french style are truly wonderful.

I have to agree. I heard them last year locally and their diction was very poor and the tuning really wasnt much better. I think that they tend to use the Kings building too much to their advantage. Anyway, I'm biased..... I was at John's! Peter

You dont get a true picture, especially with sudden loud chords (sfz) in pieces. You can easily hear the volume change, while the auto changes the level to avoid overloading. Far better to manually set the level to the loudest bit and when listening later, turn the volume up for the quiet bits if you cant hear it. Peter