Jonathan Thorne

Sorry I meant to say the Birmingham Oratory UK - a fine Nicholson organ in a Catholic Church J

ok!

I seem to remember the edition - my copy has a redish cover - is it the D maj one?

The Cochereau is fantastic in all ways and I don't think there is too little of the master's footage, it was good to hear of his family and students. Regarding pcnd5584 comment about "The sound, the visual aspect, the atmosphere - God, sometimes England can be so boring! - has he not heard of even played the organ oratory - a rare publicly organ indeed.

There is also an interesting one on the organ I play at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham as a Quintadena 16 on the Positiv.

I would like to know what people's thoughts are about the interpretation on Vierne's organ music as I am dong a part of my final exam about him. It is obvious that Vierne's scores was littered with phrase marks and if one looks at Symphony 4 then fingerings too. With all this to mind I have heard many different approaches to his music including the composers own and I would be interested to hear any (intelligent) responses from you people out there.....

They look like interesting CD's, have played Bavo myself - very nice. Some other improvisers - Pierre Pincemaille, A Mason and J Pryer from B/ham

I think the Organists' Review has actually improved despite what other people have said. As an undergraduate organ student I have been inspired by the content and the revised style of the new publication. Its layout is more user-friendly, open-minded and approachable. With regard to the review section I have found it more informative better presented with clear miniature photos of each front cover for the cd's. I did find the previous issues very cold and it seemed to stay in a very 'British' and closed frame of mind, which is no good if one is going to talk about performance practise of many different styles and genres of the organ's repertoire. There may still be some work to be done, but it is certainly a step in the right direction and credit goes to the new team who have vision, enthusiasm and style. I look forward to the next issue....... JT

have a look @ http://www.stmarksepiscopalchurch.org/organ/organstops.pdf for spec!!

There are thousands! It depends on player, building, organ, record label and price. There is a really cheap set going for about £40 played various Swedish organs by Hans Fagius on the Brilliant Classics label, available at Amazon. Hyperion have recorded a completed series played by Christopher Herrick, on various and rather nice Metzler organs in Switzerland. Not to mention some recordings by Jacques Van Oortmerssen. There is also a good set by Kevin Bowyer on the Nimbus label too. These are just a handful, but it should point you in the right direction.

Sorry but what has this got to do with Richard McVeigh's website. Are we loosing the thread a bit?!!!

As an organ student and part time organ builder myself I think the website is very good and there are some nice pictures of the Beverley Minster organ. I've some good and some not so not personal websites. I thought about having one once, but I though - what the point, but that is only my personal feeling.

This is an intersting possibility. Where does this 'rumour' come from?

I am helping out with a restoration on a small Gern organ and I am trying to find out any information about him. The organ I’m working on has so many similarities to the work of A Cavaillé-Coll, whom Gern, I believe, was an employee. Not to mention the organ is virtually original e.g. the majority of pipe-work, the nameplate, stop-heads and the aluminium squares used for the mechanism one can certainly say that this is the work of him, but there is no date. Why? I would be interested to know from anyone if they have any information about him e.g. Where did he live? When did he leave A C-C? Are there any drawings or pictures of him? Many thanks JT

A good recording!

True that was why I asked the question!!! I also saw it on D B's website! However this is a real British organ with a lot of charactor and richness in a fine Cathedral.

Am I right in thinking that the organ at Bristol Cathedral is undergoing restoration?

Whilst exercising my interest about E M Skinner I came across a book on Amazon by Dorothy J. Holden. I was just wondering if it is a recommended book or if there is any other literature about this great organ builder.

Does anyone know of a uk distributor of the Cochereau DVD? It is by the Solstice label. Thanks. Jonathan Thorne

Last Friday I had the opportunity of tuning of a two manual organ by Sweetland of Bath. It was a charming and rather and amusing instrument and a pig to tune i.e. you had to take half the front pipes out in order to tune the Swell! Interesting that they used aluminium squares, just like Cavaillé-Coll and his work mate August Gern. Therefore this suggests 1800's onwards. We could find no date. I would be interested to know of any other people who have come across any Sweetlands. JT

I would be interested to know what type of pipe work various organ builders would use for constructing a 5 rank cornet. This has always intrigued me, because every builder does his own thing. Having read about and visited a Cavaillé-Coll organ in Paris, I have noticed that Cavaillé-Coll used a ‘Chimney Flute’ or rather ‘Bourdon à cheminée’ for the 8ft basis’s of his Cornet’s, but for the Grande Orgue at St. Etienne in Caen for example he uses a canister flute instead for the whole rank. I would like to know what type of pipes would be used for the rest of the Cornet. I have seen one new organ with a canister flute for the 8ft and then open metal flutes for the rest of the pitches.

The Dulciana is an interesting stop. I used to think them as a useless stop and maybe I still do, but I remember asking if a village organist if he found it a useful stop. His answer was YES! Of course it shut me up and the organ builder I was helping at the time laughed at me. In England at one time it was the 'done thing' to have a Dulciana, its job was (perhaps) accompany a swell reed or something, rather then use the ‘fat’ Claribel . I think we all must respect this. I recall one organ builder saying that it's best to cut them down and make good use of them. I think English organ builders are perhaps making their Salicional's bigger and now the 'English' Dulciana being replaced by a Gamba perhaps in the 'French' style. People's tastes are now changing!!...

Didn't Herbert Howells say that Liverpool Anglican Cathedral was one of the finest organs for his music? There is a good series of recordings available on www.priory.org.uk of the organ music of Howells, featured at Kings Cambridge, Winchester and Hereford Cathedrals.

I think the link given my Mr. Mander is the current specification and of course is different to the 1920. The 1920 specification is available at www.bios.org.uk. Go to the NPOR-Address link and then you would have to type in your e-mail address (for some reason) to access the data base. When you do, then ONLY type in Gloucester in the TOWN box (as the search engines are not that great), you should then be able to find the Cathedral and any specific specifications from there, including the 1920 spec.

Thank you very much for the wesite links, I've had a further look and will do so again soon! JT