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saundersbp

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Posts posted by saundersbp

  1. Pipe Up! The Organ Podcast

    https://anchor.fm/leedsiof/episodes/Daniel-Justin--Pipe-Up--The-Organ-Podcast--Episode-One-ee1rpi/a-a26l3fi
    By Leeds International Organ Festival
    Our weekly podcasts are hosted by David Pipe, Leeds International Organ Festival’s Artistic Director, who’ll be joined by guests to chat about the online Monday recital series. Guests will include some of the recitalists themselves, alongside composers, conductors and music journalists.

  2. LIOF LIVE LAUNCHES MONDAY 11TH MAY 2020
     
     
     
     
    We’re delighted that, despite the current situation, the billed Monday recitalists will be generously providing some short video and audio clips for us to broadcast each week on our Leeds International Organ Festival YouTube channel lioflive.org.uk. Audiences can now enjoy these world-class performers from the comfort of their own homes, wherever in the world they may be.

    This year’s artists have also kindly agreed to feature in the 2021 Festival instead, so I hope that these weekly mini-recitals will give a wonderful taste of what will feature in next year’s exciting programme.
     
    Tune in every Monday at 1.15pm to lioflive.org.uk for
    Leeds International Organ Festival Live.

     
    11th May: Jonathan Rennert
    18th May: Rachel Mahon
    1st June: Friedhelm Flamme
    8th June: Angela Metzger
    15th June: David Pipe
    22nd June: Qianyu Zhang (Accordion)
    29th June: Thomas Leech
    6th July: Sean Montgomery
    13th July: Alessandro Bianchi
     
    Find more information at leedsiof.org
     
     
    LIOF is delivered by 
    Diocese of Leeds Music

    For more information about Diocese of Leeds Music's proactive response to the coronavirus outbreak click here.

    To subscribe to our Schools Singing Programme YouTube channel and participate with our daily singing sessions 
    click here.
  3. Neither the Peters or Russian editions contain any glissandos! The Russian edition has a little more guidance in the way of registration and manual changes, and is unique in having the final fugue as well as Aria and Toccata. I agree it is a pity neither of the two suites are available as they are great music for audiences.

  4. There are three organ works by Mushel: The Uzbekistan Suite, the Samarkand Suite and the Six Pieces. There are also a couple of pieces for organ and other instruments. The Toccata is the middle movement of the Uzbekistan Suite, which is in the order of Aria, Toccata and Fugue. Personally I don't think when played in the context of the entire Suite, the Toccata requires any augmentation as its slightly sudden ending forms a launchpad for a musical response, which is the fugue. The same device is used of course in many Preludes (Toccatas) and Fugues by other composers. My own choice is to play it from the original Russian edition which is very significantly different from the OUP version. Noel Rawsthorne says he never actually met Mushel or was presented with a manuscript by the composer, but its a very nice story that has become folklore. Some have likened it to a Cossack dance. Personally I'm not so sure as audiences unfamiliar with the work and not given programme notes prompting them with an interpretation of what they are hearing have said that they hear a Stalinist five year plan and the happy workers turning the wheels of Soviet production! One might guess therefore that the Toccata was one of the pieces actually approved of by the authorities and hence allowed to be published in Russia and Germany. The other organ works are so different in style by contrast: far more lyrical with an almost whimsical quality.

     

    I hope this is of help.

  5. All voicing completed except for the Reeds which are being done over the next month and then scaffolding removed. If you don't live in Leeds, you can hear the organ:

     

    2009

    24 December - 11.30pm

    BBC RADIO 4

    Christmas Midnight Mass, Cathedral Girls' and Adult Choirs

     

    2010

    10 February - 4.00pm

    BBC RADIO 3 (live)

    Choral Vespers , Cathedral Boys' and Adult Choirs

     

    14 February - 4.00pm

    BBC RADIO 3 (repeat)

    Choral Vespers , Cathedral Boys' and Adult Choirs

  6. I would be stunned if a serious professional organ builder would persistently vent their irritation, on a lack of success in winning high profile contracts on a public forum. They do not do so because important new potential clients would be completely put off by such uncontrolled and amateurish remarks.

     

    The organ builders that I know have pets and talk instead to them (rather than the internet) about their disappointments.

  7. It is saddens me to see the culmination of many years of effort being written off with a few glib remarks casually tossed around which display a surprising degree of ignorance about the organ builders mentioned.

     

    A simple example would be the poor vexed soul worried that Klais had “no experience whatever” with N&B organs. It may be helpful to look up the firm used on recent N&B projects, try Auckland Town Hall for example.

     

    Neither firm was chosen on the basis of cheapness, or because anyone was intoxicated by a brilliant PR machine, or because the client (me!) or consultants were clueless. It was based on a thorough and critical evaluation by an array of serious, thoughtful, conscientious and experienced individuals over a substantial period of time.

  8. The Phoenix is going somewhere very beautiful in the very far North, but better not say where whilst negotiations are taking place.

    The two firms were chosen after a lengthy tendering process from British and other European builders.

    We have been relatively insulated from exchange rate changes through contractual agreements.

     

    Best wishes.

  9. Please find some information regarding the organ at Leeds Cathedral for the interest of members.

     

    The instrument was removed in 2005 to Bonn when the Cathedral was closed for restoration. It is being restored and reconstructed with new sections for the reordered sanctuary above the new location of the choir stalls at the east end.

     

    The scaffolding is now being put up to facilitate the delivery of the instrument which will occur in July and October.

     

    There are photos of work in progress in Bonn here together with other pictures from the new organ for St Patrick's in Huddersfield

     

    Both specifications can be found here

     

    I can update the photos as work progresses if its of any interest to members

     

    Benjamin Saunders

  10. If it’s still of interest, the cathedral has a website at http://www.sobor-kaliningrad.ru

     

    with the organ page here http://www.sobor-kaliningrad.ru/index.php?page_id=228

     

    Organ spec is here http://www.schuke.com/files/Disp%20HO.pdf

     

    and wikepedia article here http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Königsberger_Dom

     

    I have been doing a bit of research as I have been asked to do a couple of recitals there in the summer. The first of these is themed around reconciliation between the UK, Russia and Germany, and to remember the many victims of the bombing of the city in WWII, especially the children. There is a wonderful DVD about the construction of the two organs which can be obtained from the cathedral.

  11. Yes, I have both seen and played this organ.

     

    On the positive side, I would say that the build quality is excellent, both in terms of materials and craftsmanship. It is an instrument built to last. I would also rate this company's organs outside the UK pretty highly, and due to labour costs, plus the fact that you are not importing from a Euro country, they could be argued to represent good value at the moment.

     

    But on the negative side, its a sad and all too common model of what can go wrong when an expert consultant is not engaged, and a poor ambassador for this firm. The builder seems to have responded to a hotch potch of demands from local architects, church committees, and well meaning enthusiasts. In my opinion, its looks and sounds like an unfortunate reconciliation or irreconcilables. Pity – this is a good builder.

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