Philip J Wells

Many thanks for posting the link to the set of pictures. I'd had an inkling of what to expect from the Harrison and Harrison advertisement in the latest Choir and Organ. A really interesting new case(s). Two points about pedal pipework. 1. If I were spending that amount of money I would have hoped that re-used pedal pipes were given a fresh coat of paint etc to ensure all joints were sealed. Not so here. Is this a conservation point so we can see what is old and what new or just standard practice now (H&H did the same at Cirencester)? 2. I have never seen wooden pipes with metal canistered tops. I assume this is left over from the old organ and is a method used to lengthen pipes when they are re-pitched rather than add new woodwork with a wooden stopper. Is this so or does this promote a new type of organ tone? PJW

It's been done. Ashley Grote played the arrangement by Tom Winpenny of the Walton, Prelude and Fugue 'The Spitfire' as an outgoing voluntary at the final Choral Evensong at this years 3 Choirs festival. Unfortunately I did not hear it but it would come as no surprise to learn he used the new solo Trompette Harmonique. It sounded pretty good a few months previously in one of his recitals, pre the new reed. PJW

A disgraceful intrusion by the BBC woman announcer who seemed to like the sound of her own voice.

Has anyone else heard that David Hirst, Managing Director of H&H, has resigned? PJW

Gloucester Cathedral shop now stocks a new booklet about the organ by John Balsdon. Unfortunately, it does not mention pitch or temperament in the specification details. The 2010 details include the new Trompette Harmonique 8 [on 8 inches wind] playable on the Choir Organ and also Manual IV, [the west positive]. A new tranfer has also been added; Great reeds on Choir. The booklet includes a CD (which I have not yet heard) with tracks by Sumsion [for those who want to hear the old organ], Sanders, Briggs, Nethsingha and Partington. PJW

And hood it to keep out the flies and other debris.

I do not wish to steal anyones thunder but I am not aware of any announcement yet so I expect it will be introduced at the 3 Choirs by which time it will be voiced and settled in (I'm told it is being installed at the moment). A donor has provided funds for Nicholson to install a new solo reed, and higher pressure blower, to be voiced in a french manner. I and several of the Gloucestershire Organists' Association await the result with interest. This may be the same donor who has paid for the free recitals this year (a big vote of thanks) and the excellent TV projection system in use in the Nave for the recitals. It is very interesting to see who just uses the stop stepper function, who does not need a page turner, and those who obviously accompany choirs and do far more hand registering. Marks are awarded by the panel for snazzy socks, clean shoes, not showing too much bare leg and actually using pistons and the 4th manual (rather like playing sermon cricket)!!! I wonder if in time some of these 'TV' celebs will be worrying about the lighting (the Gloucester keys on the TV can look nicotine stained) and whether they have a make up department. Is it all getting out of hand; do you get paid extra? PJW

Not if they have no television/radio and do not follow football. PJW

No, its going in the pit in the screen above the 'additional' pedal stops so it will sound into Nave and Choir. Well thats the theory so I'm told PJW

Oh no! is this what they are installing at Gloucester Cathedral at the moment!

Gosh, thank you for posting the link John. Some project; and to think we can't even re-install all of our groundbreaking instrument in the RFH! PJW

We don't have to imagine what this would look like we already have an example at Appleby. http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/PSearch.cgi...N01610&no=2 PJW

I think you might mean Edinburgh RC Cath rather than Glasgow (which has a re-homed Vincent Willis I think). For the RCs a word with John Rowntree might be beneficial. PJW

That was how I thought the BIOS Historic Organ Certificate Scheme was originally going to work so the little available lottery money could be targetted on such instruments. PJW

An article by Paul Hale in the Feb 2010 Organists' Review on the new Llandaff instrument does indeed state that "The cases were designed by Nicholsons and by Simon Platt, an architect specialising in organ cases and famed for such ingenious and beautiful creations as the nave organ cases in Brussels Cathedral". PJW

But to be pedantic Christ Church Oxford reused the old organ case, whereas Llandaff has two new cases and the case at Coventry (pipe racks) was also new. PJW

I see the author notes that Vann "played the cathedral organ only infrequently and had a poor opinion of its quality". I have never heard the Peterborough organ in the flesh, and whilst the case is admired this is the first time I have seen a criticism about the organ generally. Is Vann out of step here or did he prefer the more muddier sounds that were fashionable pre 1954? PJW

Bit late now, but Jose Hopkins gave a talk on Anneessens at the BIOS Bernard Edmonds recent Research Conference at Birmingham in February this year. I hope it will get written up somewhere in due course. There are still some examples around in England such as that in Chippenham, Cambridgeshire: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N03029 which has a BIOS Historic Organ Certificate grade II*. PJW

I am not a member of the Bristol Assn but know that they are also visiting: St German's, 3 man William Hill 1885, Willis 1964 St Augustine's 3 man William Hill 1895, HN&B 1967, H&H 2000 and Trinity Methodist 3 man HN&B 1909, Roger Taylor 2000. PJW

Wrong organ!

Thanks to John (and others) for their reports on this intersting new organ. Definately one to go on a list of future visits. PJW

Unfortunately, the editions of Crockford's Clerical Directory available on "ancestry.co.uk" only go as far as 1932 just after Noel Aubrey Bonavia-Hunt [bA Pemb Coll Oxford 1905, MA 1909] had served from 1916 to 1930 at "All SS. St John's Wood". The entry ends with L. to Offic. Dios Lon. and St. Alb. from 1930 and show an address at 96 Broadhurst-gardens, N.W.6. [is Ally Pally nearby?] with a Maida Vale telephone Number. He is listed as Author, The Church Organ 1920; Modern Organ Stops 1932. I am also aware that he authored The Modern British organ; Irons in the Fire and The Tradition of the Organ (issued under the auspices of the Federation of Master Organ Builders and the National Union of Musical Instrument Makers, in 1939). I think there are pictures of him voicing pipes in one of these publications and he liked a full sound of Diapason holding up Schultz (and Doncaster Parish Church?) as an example. So it seems he was quite influential in organ circles. PJW

I have a big problem when listening in the building to this organ that strangely I do not have in other places. I can not reconcile the sound I hear with the case I see. An old case and a modern(ish) reedy sound. I also think it a pity that an opportunity was missed to be really bold and restore the colours and finishes of the cases, something I gather Jones was keen to do. Having seen a photographic exhibition at Tewkesbury showing what was uncovered of the original case colours the black case now seems somewhat dull (even if full of the marvellous embosed Dallam pipes). Was it not the organ Jones built for Rugby that caused his later demise? (I think Kenneth Jones was a very talented modern organ case designer who managed to come up with some very original designs. I did not like them all but that does not stop me admiring his work). PJW

Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to upload these and sharing them with us. There are some interesting shots there such as the haskelled bass and parts of the suspended action. What an inprovement on the looks of the old organ. PJW

Did Katherine Venning (late of H&H) produce some comparative figures for an IBO Newsletter within recent memory? PJW