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Thanks, Graham I'm sure both links will prove very useful. Best wishes J

Hi My son has been trying to get hold of a copy of Langlais' Fete but all his usual suppliers say 'out of stock and out of print'. Does anyone know how or where I might acquire, legitimately, a copy? Thanks J

If you were going to learn one new piece for Easter, what would it be, and why? J

Indeed, I'm sure it was a light hearted comment laced with a modicum of awe and appreciation. (I really did not want to engender a whole lot of attitudes about who said it, why, and whether anyone should have reported it - I've found people can be really prickly about this sort of thing and it's the organs I'm interested in, not the personalities.) Please, if I beg, can we keep away from the people and concentrate on the instruments - at least in this thread? Beg beg beg. Justadad

At the organ scholarships open day in Cambridge earlier this year a Director of Chapel Music from another college described the King's organ as "a big, romantic slush bucket". I have no idea whether that was ungracious, harsh or spot on. So I thought I'd ask the assembeld experts ... Which are your favourite Oxbridge organs, and which are you less keen on? Justadad

Dear Paul I am sure that your refined congregation will appreciate that having you bemoan 'Colours of Day' and denims is an insignificant price to pay for your expertise and experience. Otherwise, probably they don't deserve you and certainly you don't deserve them. Best wishes Justadad

The soon-to-be vacancy at St John's, Cambs, was advertised in the Sunday Times Appointments section today.

I don't know. It may do. I've not actually used them. That video of the cellist having a fit of the vapours was pulled because of copyright, or so they said. I don't know whether they cancelled the poster's account. I've seen several clips on You Tube of various organists demonstrating Cavaille Coll organs, playing music that is not out of copyright and they were all still there last time I looked. I guess the reality is that the volume of copyright infringement via the internet is so vast and the legal frontiers so flimsy that it's simply impossible to regulate on a contributor basis. It makes sense for the powers that be to seek licenses from You Tube and their ilk, whom they consider to be the 'makers'. So, surprising as it seems given what appeared to be the prevailing wisdom, it's OK to put vid clips of copyright material on You Tube as far as the MCPS-PRS Alliance is concerned, but it's not OK for You Tube to carry it yet, and they're trying to sort out a blanket license that makes it OK. One may indeed be infringing You Tube's terms of service but what are their sanctions other than deleting the audio or video clip? Even if they cancelled the account people would just create a new one. What does seem to be clear, however, is that MP3s of ones Cathedral Choir performing Howells' Collegium Regale morning canticles hosted on the organist's own website is a big fat no-no, no matter how many of the people involved have agreed to it unless one obtained a pre-agreed license from MCPS-PRS. Another interesting point on copyright. The whole Bach canon is available online for free as is Buxtehude, and as is the Clerambault piece in the ARCO syllabus. I wrote to the RCO asking if it was OK to use the online copy as the music is out of copyright, or was there a problem with edition copyright, or would it be lawful but frowned upon. This is their reply (which I found very useful but also quite surprising). I don't foresee a problem in terms of copyright. I don't know about the quality of the editing though, and how this edition compares with printed editions recommended for the examination. I would go ahead, but try to make a comparison with other sources before confirming this as your source for the exam. Yours sincerely Andrew McCrea Director of Academic Development Checking the editing is obviously good advice but I had previously thought, wrongly, that downloaded scores were simply not acceptable. One lives. One learns. Best wishes barry

Thanks Mr B I called the MCPS-PRS Alliance On Line Licensing helpline (020 7306 4991) and tried them out with the wedding video scenario. They said ... (All the following assumes that all performers have agreed to be filmed and published and that the only issue is some of the music not being out of copyright.) If it's posted on You Tube (or similar) then You Tube are responsible for the licensing, not me. They are in discussions with You Tube on this very issue as we speak. If I posted it on my site I would need a license and I'd probably have to get it pre-approved. Therefore the clips I posted previously may contain music which is not out of copyright but it's You Tube's problem, and as far as the MCPS-PRS is concerned neither I nor any message board which carried a link to the clips is doing anything wrong. Best wishes barry

Thank you both. L was the only person visible in the clips, and I had proper permission to make and use the clip non-commercially. Yes, I've had the advice about not putting vid-clips of L on-line on the grounds that all people will do is tear him to shreds, and I'm sure it's solid, if sad. I have no intention of posting anything else. The clips I refer to were made when he was 14/15. He was just an enthusiastic amateur who wasn't expected to become an object of professional scrutiny. The ABRSM board has several young organists, one of whom had asked a specific question about moving between manuals, and there's that bit in the Campbell before "blow up the trumpet" ... anyway, enough justification of something that wasn't what I wanted to find out about. Let's forget L. Suppose someone filmed or recorded any organist here playing, with their choir, music written by a composer who was not out of copyright. Suppose everyone in the choir and their church authorities were happy for the organist to put the clip on their website and make it freely available. Does the fact that the composer hasn't been dead for 70 years make it a copyright infringement? Best wishes barry

I hope you will not mind too much a question borne of ignorance from an organ scholar's dad. A few months ago I put links on another board (ABRSM) to some video clips of my son playing Britten's Jubilate in C and Campbell's Oh Be Joyful in a service at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. I filmed it with the gracious permission of Her Majesty The Queen, and just thought other young organists might be interested to see it. It was pointed out to me, quickly, by another contributor that I was in breech of copyright as neither composer had been dead for 70 years, and shortly thereafter the Moderators removed the thread. I have just spent a delightful hour or so listening to downloads from the website of a contributor here whose link is in his signature, and whose site lists several live recording of various cathedral choirs he has accompanied playing, inter alia, Howells. So I'm confused. If I were to post, with his consent, a video clip of my son playing A Wills, from music which he has bought, would I be in breech of copyright law? If The clip was the Howells Collegium Regale Mag & Nunc canticles (with that wonderful, caged-tiger Gloria) would I need permission of the DoM and all the Gentlemen and Boys (notwithstanding the fact that ot would be polite to ask)? Best wishes barry

Lawrence thinks he's very lucky to have grown up with the Chapel Royal HCP organ as his 'home' instrument. What I'm about to say will doubtless be a bit basic for the aficionados here who could comment on the finer points of the reed voicing, or whatever, but having three manuals, some 32's, a good action and plenty of registration aids since he began to learn aged 11 has not only been very useful, but I think it's had a considerable influence on the way he plays. He's a good sight-reader, and that helps, but I think he spends more time registering his pieces than working on the notes themselves. Of course, that's silly to say as both things happen at the same time but, hmmm, well mostly he can play the notes so spends more time reworking and reworking the sound to get that just the way he wants it. He played for the Stainer Crucifixion at Easter and I remember one place where I think the lyric was about darkness across the face of the earth (or something equally grim) and he managed to squeeze a desolate growl out of the organ that drew audible shivers from the audience. He likes to get the atmosphere right. Being a chorister at the CR for over six years before becoming organ scholar was also significant. He is very much more a liturgical accompanist, I think, than a recitalist. He plays two or three voluntaries a month but prefers (and is good at) accompanying the psalms, canticles and anthems and as Frank said, the organ is a fine accompanying instrument. Last Sunday the organist was absent and L had all of Evensong to himself. As the choir began to enter the chapel for practice he was working on the anthem, Insanae et vanae curae. After the first page and a bar of organ intro some of the Boys could not resist joining in. Soon they all had, and the Gentlemen decided to pitch in too. There was something magical about that; as if no one had to be doing it, there was no conductor or congregation, and everyone was just doing it because they loved it. Thrilling!

My son is a student member of the RCO, and proud of it. Earlier this year he did a one day workshop that they organized in Oxford. I didn't count but I guess there were about 40 kids aged 11 to 18, split into various ability groups. They all got to play the GDB at New College and a few other college chapel organs - good experience for them, I'm sure. Lawrence had 15 minutes individual transposition training which was a great help in preparation for the Oxford organ scholarship awards competition (which he took in September) and we all heard David Briggs give a lunchtime recital at Christ Church. Lawrence also had 10 minutes of improvising with David Briggs on the organ at St Mary Magdalene. It was magical and that, alone, was worth the fee and the subscription, several times over. It seems to me that the RCO does a good job of encouraging young organists, giving them the opportunity to meet others who share their interests, play historic intruments they might otherwise never get anywhere near, and something to aim for beyond grade eight with their certificates and diplomas which, I think, help to maintain high standards. I have had occasion to e-mail or phone various RCO officials from time to time and have always had prompt and helpful replies. Justadad

Hello I'm Barry Thain. I'm not an organist; not even a musician really which is proved by the fact I sing first bass in a choral society. But I also act as occasional registrant, page turner and chauffeur for my son, Lawrence. He's 16, in the lower sixth at school, is organ scholar at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace with Carl Jackson, and organ scholar elect, New College, Oxford (2008). He's taking his ARCO exams next July. If anyone is interested I have a clip of him playing Langlais' Incantation pour un jour saint, in Exeter College, Oxford. PM me if you'd like to see it. I have read many of the threads here and am in awe of the depth of knowledge shown by the contributors. I hope you will not mind me asking the occasional ignorant question or expressing an opinion or two. Thank you for having me. Justadad