P DeVile
-
Posts
151 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by P DeVile
-
-
Thank you. I did wonder about adjusting the humidistat in the organ loft to see if that would switch it off, but, as I'm recuperating from a nasty bit of surgery, would do myself a mischief moving the heavy furniture it would require to get at it.
Your idea of a hydrometer sounds good.
I've learnt this evening that the machine has been running constantly for at least two days, although the church heating hasn't been on and the atmosphere has been, well, moist to say the least!
I had doubts about the person who was recommended by the then organ tuners to fit the humidifier, and have since heard negative comments about him, since confirmed by the wiring. It has not been serviced in 11 years. I recommended to the Vicar earlier today that it be serviced.
Gareth, I should contact Watkins and Watson. They will advise better than most.
http://www.watkinsandwatson.co.uk/40040/info.php?p=4
Peter
-
Thankyou so much for this. It is really kind of you to show these wonderful phots. What a shame......
R
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
-
Unfortunately, this is one of my specialist subjects. Anything that has asbestos that is crumbling or shedding fibres is dangerous and needs removal or encapsulation by experts. It is a very expensive process, but the risks make it too serious to ignore. Air tests are relatively straightforward and will quickly indicate whether urgent action is required. I know of people who have suffered horrible deaths as a consequence of this material, please do not ignore it.
JC
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
-
(I am afraid I was not fussed on the descant to Coe Fen - perhaps like Michael, mentioned recently, it is another hymn tune which doesn't really need a descant?)
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
-
The cheaper single point Audio Technica stereo microphones can suffer from the same problem as the Sony ECM-MS957 and 907 - very poor bass response. For example, AT's PRO24 lists a frequency response from 100 Hz to 17 kHz and AT's ATR25 specifies 70 to 18,000 Hz. A couple of friends in the recording industry have suggested I should have bought a pair of Audio Technica microphones instead of my Rode NT-3s, so my advice only concerns the need to check the frequency response of the cheaper offerings, particularly if they offer user selectable beam patterns via a switch. This is implemented in a way that wipes out low frequencies!
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
-
On the subject of microphones, any suggestions for good inexpensive kit? The Sony EC907 or 908 (I think that's the number, same microphone, nbut one has attachment for video camera, the other for lectern) is regularly cited as very good by people recordingt musical instruments; I have one for my camcorder that I have been quite satistfied with, though it does seem to lack bass a bit. It was around £50.
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
-
Sound Forge is OK for certain tasks, but makes editing difficult because it only allows 'destructive editing' where the post-edit audio replaces the pre-edit audio and the edit cannot be adjusted. You really need software that allows 'non-destructive editing'. I have used a variety of such packages including Steinberg Wavelab, Magix Samplitude, and Pro Tools, but these would be total overkill in your case. I would actually recommend Sony's Vegas software, because even though it is primarily for video work, it allows fairly intuitive non-destructive audio editing and handles the burning of a Red book CD at the end.
I've heard some positive comments about Audacity, but haven't tried it myself.
A note about MiniDisc - the quality isn't quite 'CD-quality' as the audio is compressed (a little like an MP3) to fit it onto the disc, but it's fine for your purposes. Quite often Sony don't include a digital output, but an analogue connection to your PC isn't going to noticeably affect the end quality. Your PC soundcard converts it back to digital again, hence why you see it as being handled digitally by the PC. The choice of microphone is the most important decision, and you could do far worse than the small Sony stereo microphone available as an accessory to MD recorders for about £90-100.
Hope this helps!
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
-
Here is another recording of M. Roth, this time playingin Rouen. I very much want to pick up this CD after watching the video, but it requires an SACD player. Has anyone on this forum invested in an SACD player? Was it worthwhile? I wonder if they make computer optical drives with SACD capability?
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
-
Did anyone see tonight's programme from St George's Hall, Liverpool?
A young man who works for Willis was featured, having brought along some photographs of the organ pipes in 'storage' along with an original Willis nicking knife. (As an aside, would two of these implements be known as 'a pair of knickers'?)
His name wasn't mentioned. Did anyone recognise him? (Dr Wylde?)
John
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
-
==============================
If anyone ever suggests training cameras on me, I shall insist on the whole thing.
I shall arrive at the venue like Sir Elton John; brushing people aside whilst calling them "Pigs", "Animals" and "Vermin."
I shall then proceed to the dressing-room (vestry?), demanding chocolates, fine-wine and eye-shades; snarling at the page-turner, "I don't DO Milk Chocolate darling. Get out of my sight!"
Then there would have to be a complete hissy-fit, throwing things around and breaking them, before finally rolling into a ball and crying, "I can't go on."
I would then cast plastic-smiles to the camera during well rehearsed "difficult" sections, fling myself about a bit, roll my body left to right across the keyboards at the end of each piece, and after the final tour de force, leap onto the organ bench with arms oustretched to work the applause.
As most organists tend to be elder statesmen, they would only have to watch the televised House of Lords to pick up a few ideas about "playing to the gallery."
Knowing what most organists are like, perhaps it isn't such a good idea, because they'd probably end up resembling a sort of musical Boris Johnson.
MM
Can I book my tickets now please??
P
-
-
Yes - I found the following on Wikipedia:
"Rick Wakeman of British progressive rock group Yes also used pipe organ to excellent effect in a number of the group's albums (including "Close To The Edge" and "Going For The One"). Wakeman has also used pipe organ in his solo pieces such as "Jane Seymour" from The Six Wives Of Henry VIII and "Judas Iscariot" from Criminal Record. Even more recently, he has recorded an entire album of organ pieces - "Rick Wakeman at Lincoln Cathedral"."
Graham
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
-
Does anyone also remember the recording of the Langlais Messe Solonnelle by St John's Cambridge/Guest on LP when Jonathan Rennert brings on the Trompeta Real for the final chord of one of the Hosannah sections - is this available on CD?
AJJ
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.
-
It would be even better if he took the Kings job as well, the current sound of the kings choir is dredfull!
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
Portable Recording Devices
in General discussion
Posted
I have the Roland Edirol R-09 and it has an optical out from the headphone socket. I highly recommend the unit as it is just so versatile and though I mostly record using my own microphone plugged into it, its own mics are excellent as well. It's worth getting a 4gb sd card, which gives you just under 4 hours recording time at the highest setting.. 24bit 48khz .wav. It is worth making sure that anyone that has this unit makes sure that the firmware is kept up to date.
I agree with Tony that it is also worth putting it through a computer to edit the files.
Peter