notebasher

So did I; rather more so than when I found out we couldn't withdraw our savings... Ron

So what would you recommend - should we sign the Downing Street petition or will that do more harm than good, would you say? R.

Try asking a Yorkshire bandsman if he plays a 'corrné' and see what he says... R

I was told fairly recently by a Director of Music who has since moved on to St.Chad's that H&H were about to rebuild The Abbey organ (and frankly he ought to know) but I'll believe it when I see it. That's interesting, because over the past few years Principal Pipe Organs and later Trevor Tipple were two names mentioned as possibles for the work. At the time one of them told me that lack of funds appeared to be a major issue here. R.

I knew this organ in the 1960s when the church was in full use and Sam Baker was DOM. And I'd agree it's well worth a visit, yes, as I recall better at the console - the sound didn't really get out due to the organ being stuffed into a chamber. Another of my favourites in Shrewsbury is the 1911 3-manual Hill at the Abbey Church. Here there's plenty of space around and above it and this to me sounds very good in the church. It was never completed; last time I played it a few years ago it was very tired. The church website says they're planning to rebuild it, but it has said that on and off for years and nothing's happened yet. But worth a visit if you can get on it. R

[f good photos both of the instruments and the building they are in. So, anybody else heard this organ, or played it? DT It must have been 8/10 years ago when we stayed overnight in Dijon en route to the Correze and went to Sunday morning Mass at the cathedral. At that time a small notice by a door stated that if you wanted to see the organ, turn up a quarter of an hour prior to Mass. We did, and the organist invited us to stay up in the organ loft for the Mass - the best part of two hours! (special Mass for an archbishop or someone whose last Sunday it was). The organist was I think Yves Cuenot, who was very friendly and told me a lot about the organ and the work then recently done to it. And a brilliant player. Although the organ is primarily classical in concept the recit is more symphonic in style and sound. I remember the organ caused a lot of controversy in France at the time, as not everyone liked it, and besides it was rebuilt by Gerhard Schmid from Bavaria (not French - shock, horror!). I didn't have opportunity to play it - too many VIPs about and a buffet/party which started in the cathedral straight after Mass - but I thought the sound was absolutely stunning! I have a CD of it somewhere. Well worth a visit if you're within striking distance of Dijon, I'd agree. This organ really cuts the mustard (sorry!). R

St John, Buxton, South case is empty. R.

Hello Barrie. No it doesn't have that feature, and I can't see any evidence that it ever did (like the setter stopknobs) - unless there's something I've missed. The piston actions were electrified in the 1950s and updated in 1982 when the pedal action was electrified. Manual actions remain pneumatic and the intention is to retain this feature. Spec is unchanged from 1892 - no plans to alter that either. Sorry you won't be able to come! Hope you're keeping OK. Ron

Hello Barrie. No it doesn't have that feature, and I can't see any evidence that it ever did (like the setter stopknobs) - unless there's something I've missed. The piston actions were electrified in the 1950s and updated in 1982 when the pedal action was electrified. Manual actions remain pneumatic and the intention is to retain this feature. Spec is unchanged from 1892 - no plans to alter that either. Sorry you won't be able to come! Hope you're keeping OK. Ron

Members may be interested in a recital to be given by Harry Bramma on Saturday 20 September at St. Paul's Shipley, West Yorkshire, 7.30 pm. This has been arranged by the Bradford Organists' Association as one of their meetings, but it is an open event and we'd like to get as many as possible to come, hence no admission charge, but a collection. The organ is a very good 3-manual Binns, due for some restoration. See here http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N00083. Currently I play here most Sundays. Be good to see any members who can come. There will be a bar too! Ron.

I have the OUP/Coleman copy. PM me if you can't get a copy, you can borrow mine. R.

Really sad, but not new. when I started organ lessons in the 1950s my local church (which I still attended and had been in the choir until my voice broke) wouldn't let me near the organ. More specifically the 'organist' (a non-pedal playing pianist) wouldn't, and the vicar hadn't the guts to persuade - or tell her - otherwise. So I had to pay another church three miles away for organ practice, where I had my lessons. I always vowed I'd never do that to anyone, and it's really disappointing when it turns out this sort of thing still goes on. After all this time I never knew why, and wonder why such churches expect loyalty. They don't frankly deserve it. Some of these people seem to have no idea of the notion of getting people on board and encouraging them. I have to say that subsequent experiences have mostly been happier, but what do we have to do to alter this? R.

I was wondering how you managed to get the right size buying off eBay, especially with regard to Colin's point about trying them on first and the difference in sizes. It's bad enough for me with ordinary shoes. Will they take them back if they don't fit, do you know? R

Perish the thought... R.

If this is how clergy see us, it's sad; maybe it's time more of us did something about it. Yes, it's a fact that there are organists who conform to this model; I know of some, but not all of us do, the same way that most clergy aren't control freaks. Almost certainly as usual it's the few that give the rest a bad name, while the majority just get on and do the job. So what can the average parish organist (which is how I would class myself) do something about it, i.e. change perceptions? Any ideas anyone? Or perhaps I'm wrong and most organists are awkward old b*****s. R.

Don't know, but I once played an organ with a handle; does that count? R.

About three weeks ago at one of my 'regular' churches the vicar and his wife celebrated their Silver Wedding, so I played the Mendelssohn as the voluntary. Mind, he guessed what was coming and appreciated the joke and the congregation also made the link. R.

'Glad that I live am I' can be found at SP 499. Music: Geoffrey Shaw, Words: Lizette Woodworth Reese (American poet 1856 - 1935). R.

Yes OK, point taken, but in this instance the composition indicated by 'Cornetdeschats' is 12.15.17 (presumably at 8' C?) so you wouldn't expect many breaks in it would you? But if it started in the bass as, for example, 17.19.22 you'd expect maybe two breaks and it would then end up as something like 12.15.17. Even then, arguably it's easier to deal with two drawstops rather than one two-stage one (how would you set it on pistons?); you still get a useful separate 2' and there's no reason why you couldn't have a 2 rank tierce mixture to add to complete the chorus, so long as it's voiced as principals for chorus use. R.

Fascinating. But if the mixture is 12-15-17 why not have one stop-knob for the 15th and another drawing the 12th and 17th? Would that take up any more space on the soundboard? That way you've also got a sesquialtera without the 15th if you want it. R.

True, it doesn't specifically say anything about audio recordings as such, but I can't recall ever being asked for one - plenty of videos, yes, so I would assume they would include sound, they all do nowadays. Well I suppose the organist has agreed to it, but I don't actually know, it's about 45 years since I played the organ there, it was a Nicholson 3m. But a video wedding for £55 ...I don't think so, someone else can have it! R.

This one is quite interesting on this subject. See the 'Getting Married' section, the bit just above the horizontal line partway down the page for how someone deals with it. R.

Two interesting and contrasting theories there MM; I'm certain one of them is correct, but discretion of course forbids me to say which...but no prizes for guessing!!! R.