notebasher

[keys" in any case). Throwing the question open wider, what other unusual designs of stop control have people come across, apart from traditional drawstops or stop-tabs? Here's my starter for five: LEDs Button-sized drawstops - an credibly fine organ from a prolific builder local to Leicester, also HERE ILLUMINATED BUTTONS ILLUMINATED NON-DRAWABLE STOPS (why can't toaster-makers stretch to real drawstops?) LCD TOUCHSCREEN (perfect for the Hauptwerk system, but surely it won't be long before a real pipe organ has such jambs) Norman & Beard did a system with stops all in a row above the top manual, and there was a small button underneath each stop. You pushed the button in and the stop came out, and to cancel it you pushed the stop in again. I know they built these at St Mary Banbury, and St John the Evangelist Bradford, but there may have been others. the Bradford organ has been altered to stop tabs, don't know about Banbury it was in the late 70s when I played it, and this system was intact then. See NPOR survey N01269 which has photos. For some years I played an organ at Lutterworth with the Taylor system as you describe. Some found it fiddly, but I soon got used to it. This organ also had double-touch on all the pistons, effectively great/swell and pedal combinations coupled and the reverse on the pedal pistons. Again, once you discovered its existence(!) and how to set it up it worked well. R.

You know, I have played 'Crimond' so often for funerals it's beginning to pall...still, there's always a nice bier or lager to look forward to afterwards. Hearse a toast to all organists... Coat on, scarf on, car keys in hand... R.

I met one who choked in a fit of coffin. He came from Gravesend. R

Hi Tony Thanks for your response, I'll do as you suggest re NPOR. I was trying to see if anyone else could shed any light on this in the interests of accuracy. I'm almost certain I'm right, but it's a very long time since I was there! Ron

A chance look in Wikipedia for S. Peter & S. Paul Aston, states that the organ was a 3 manual by Bancroft 1901, which is the same as NPOR survey N16999 (Banfield 1901, Nicholson 1929) and tends to confirm what I suspected; that this entry for S. Mary is in fact the organ in S. Peter & S. Paul. N16999 is pretty well as I remember it there in c 1960(!). Especially as there is another entry for St Mary Aston Brook D02625 which is different, I think there's been an entry error. I haven't been in S. Peter & S. Paul for 10+ years and as I recall the organ had been altered somewhat, but I didn't get details. Before I mention my suspicions to NPOR, can anyone throw any light on this? The church website appears to be inoperative. Is there still an organ there? Anyone know what it's like? Ron

I am heading up an appeal for the restoration of this 1892 Binns organ at Shipley in West Yorkshire. http://npor.rcm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?...ec_index=N00083 It is completely unaltered tonally, but in 1956 the piston action was electrified from composition pedals, and in 1982 the pedal action was electrified. The aim is to restore it without further alteration retaining pneumatic action for the manuals. Reversing the earlier changes would be very costly and frankly, as organist I'm not sure I'd want to go back to unadjustable composition pedals. The question is: what experiences do members have of applying for conservation grants from charitable trusts, any recommendations, anything I should avoid? Reading another post, and listening to others' views it seems for instance that the HLF is a long and tortuous route and it has been suggested that the alterations already done may preclude it from an award. Is this particular one worth pursuing? We do have an offer already from The Pilling Trust, which is very positive, but still have a long way to go. Total cost of the project is expected to be in the order of £50k. Needless to say we've embarked on a series of local fundraising events: appeals, press releases, concerts, recitals (any volunteers?), social events, open day. I'd be very grateful for any practical suggestions and experiences people have about this whole subject. Ron.

Totally agree with this. People who are generally difficult or obstructive seem to leave themselves open to all sorts of criticisms in my experience. Plenty of other people have to undergo CRB checks, what's the problem??? R.

I confess... I cocked up big-style this morning. Gradual Hymn from Emission Praise 631 'Tell out my soul' to the second tune Woodlands. The layout's most helpful, vs. 1,3,4 are on the second page with the tune, v.2 is on the first page with the other tune. Well you've all probably guessed by now, after the third verse I put the book down, and a voice from the choir fifteen feet below drifted up 'There's another verse...' 'Oh dear' I thought. Still it provided entertainment for the congregation who took it all as part of the pre-Christmas fun... Anybody else want to confess to anything??? R.

Christmas greetings to one and all From the organ loft to the choir stall. Dispel all thoughts of gloom and sinning, Set the Cymbelstern a-spinning To lull the lucky few who might Sing the last verse of 'Silent Night'. Things can get a little murky When we carve up the Christmas turkey. Alas the sad ill-fated bird Would be really quite absurd Devoid of a steaming chestnut stuffing Without which the whole ensemble is nothing. And let's all too thank Manders, our hosts Who bravely support these idle boasts. Verse three of 'O come ye' - much too hard Without a trompette en chamade. So forget the shopping, what next to do? R Go and find the trusty corkscrew!

[i was quite surprised by how small the church is, especially considering that the organ is very large indeed and divided either side of the chancel. We didn't get the chance to hear it; does anyone know what it actually sounds like?] Quote. I played the St Margaret's organ 6/7 weeks ago on a visit to town, the day after it had been tuned, and it sounded magnificent, typical of Harrisons at their best, with some very lovely and refined quieter registers. Sure, it can go very loud, and the tuba over the choir box (ex-Gloucester) is very loud, especially if you're anywhere near it as you are at the console. The 16,8,4 great reeds are enclosed which is an advantage in this situation. I understand that the 2002 restoration aimed to get the organ back to something like the 1911 sound including reinstatement of the great harmonics mixture, then plus a bit. It looks large for the size of the building, but it was perfectly possible to get a variety of fortissimo effects without it being oppressive. The nave of the church is very lofty which helps the acoustics. I liked it very much. R.

[ The latest Wm Hill organ that I've come across with triggers was the 1912 instrument in the Houldsworth Hall, Manchester (now lost). I suppose that Hill may have resisted the trend towards balanced pedals because of the company's characteristic swell box design; triggers being more compatible with horizontal shutters.] That's interesting and it reminded me of the 1911 Hill in Shrewsbury Abbey where the swell and choir pedals are balanced but situated on the extreme right of the pedal board, roughly where trigger swell pedals would be. I suppose it's possible that they were altered to balanced pedals at some stage? I know this has been done in a number of organs, but adopting the central location can, I understand, cause some engineering problems particularly where the pedal action/couplers are mechanical. Alterations to the woodwork in the pedal well can sometimes give a clue to alterations; repositioning of composition pedals for example. R

WH Barnes in 'The American Organ-its Evolution Design and Construction' attributes the introduction of the balanced swell to Walcker in 1863 (p.117). I play a Binns from 1892 which has almost certainly had balanced pedals to swell and choir since new (the manual to pedal couplers work mechanically although the action is pneumatic). Hope this helps. R

There was a composer called Byrd, Wrote motets like you've never heard, Three, four, five part masses That appeal to all classes But sung to guitar sound absurd.

If Couperin could have tried a Harrison Against a Mander for comparison, Or a Cavaille-Coll perhaps Could have been brought from under wraps; He might then not care for F.H. Clicquot - (The famous one at Poitiers, you know). Maybe he'd have preferred instead to try Another Clicquot which from Tesco's you buy. But swigging widow's all very well It can get you under its spell. But now please tell us all what you Think old Couperin would do? (It's really not much good at all Poor François predates them all).

In the bleak mid-winter now frosty winds make moan The carols all get practised, melody over drone It wasn't writ like that at all, basses can't read the notes So a sort of bagpipes' reedy sound now issues from their throats. Let's try out another one, a tune in key of G Sopranos won't enjoy it 'cause it goes above a C And then below another one, the C an octave lower And rather than andante, they'll sing it even slower. Tenors now are different, they like a cheesy song And rather than to learn it, make it up as they go along. Contraltos hoot like tawny owls, with bulging eyes a-gleaming But can't take on sopranos when their top C-sharps start screaming. What's this story all about, does it ring a bell? Or have you never had to train the choir conceived in Hell? Surely if you ever have, you'll know they'll not be missed - Best put on your wellies and gloves - become an organist.

Three cheers for Buxtehude He was felt to be somewhat shrewder Than JS Bach Who wrote fugues just for a lark Trouble was the lark could whistle very well but couldn't play the organ. R

An organist name of Carter Tried hard to write a cantata. He decided to have a good look In his dog-eared old manuscript book But all its pages all were blank And remained so, to be quite frank. He went to a country station To get some inspiration, He listened to birds, dogs and trains And kept the sounds in his brains. But when he went home to write The result was nothing but rubbish. R.

Yes I have to agree with this, and I have many years of vocal coaching behind me, and hopefully a bit of singing still to do! A good vocal coach will help you to develop your maximum vocal range both in terms of compass and dynamics, and it's almost impossible to sing some vowels at the upper and lower limits of your voice without some alteration to the sound. Try singing 'oo' fortissimo on your highest note for example. R

As a matter of interest, I assume the 2' pipes are flues, but what about the 4' pipes at the top end? R

First Psalm - chant by William Bayley 1810 - 1858; my piano tells me it's in E flat. Sorry don't recognise the other chant or the hymn. R.

Hmmm... he's about 30 years younger than me - ah well! But the new website is a vast improvement over the earlier one. I can't help wondering how he manages to hold posts at three churches simultaneously - is there some cloning potion on the market that I've missed??? (wonder what my wife would think about that...) R.

One of my churches uses the Alan Rees 'Saint Begh Service' which I don't think anyone has mentioned. Published by Mayhew 1997 and written for a school in Whitehaven, it's easy to pick up - the church does it without a choir. Unison throughout with optional solo/semichorus bits in the Gloria, and optional descants. Highest note is D (apart from descants) so congregation friendly. Rather more fun than Murray IMHO. Recommended! R.

Just got back last night from a week in London, which included the St Paul's Cathedral recital on Thursday. I can only concur with everything that Mark, Douglas and handsoff have said. I sat about three rows in front of the Mander team under the dome. Olivier Latry's playing was everything you would expect and more - and mostly without a score. The highlight for me was the Thierry Escaich Deuxieme Evocation where at times I just looked up at the dome as the sound came at you from different places in turn, I really found it quite electrifying. And I'd agree about the organ. You certainly knew when the dome tubas came on, and the full is now definitely reed dominated, but what a sound! As an aside, did anyone else notice the BBC outside broadcast van lurking around the north side of the cathedral? I monder if this means we can expect this to be broadcast at some future date? Anybody know? R.

If my memory serves me, St Michael Tenbury Wells (Willis 1873)has an enclosed Tuba on the solo. See http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N03730 R.

Shall we all wear badges to reveal our identities!? P. Or masks to conceal them??? R