geigen

My use of the words 'red tape' merely referred to the fact that, 50 years ago, I am pretty sure none of my organ teachers had PLI. I was not actually dismissing the requirement but bringing the Hire Agreement to the attention of board members. All Colin Pykett's points are well made. I have raised the question - at church - regarding the potential situtation where the pupil leaves the blower on (although I have trained him well and it is linked to the pedal light so he should notice) after a practice session. As yet, no answer. Incidentally, my father was self-employed as a carpenter/builder and painter/decirator and he certainly had PLI during his working life.

A few weeks ago I was asked to give organ lessons to a pupil in one of the churches where I play regularly, so I did the DBS check and the safeguarding training both of which the diocese requires. All expected. One day, out of the blue, the PSO sent me a Hire Agreement to sign. There are numerous clauses and conditions in it but, in essence, I need to take out Public Liability insurance in case I, or my pupil, damages the church in any way. Naturally, I contacted the local Organists' Association which has members who teach the organ. They were extremely surprised I had been sent the document. I have been unable to discover if the music staff at the nearby cathedral are required to sign such an agreement! The objective of this post is not to debate the rights or wrongs of my having been sent this document with its requirements. Rather, I write to alert the forum that these things are on their way. My vicar is a sensible person and she checked again with the diocese on my behalf. When we last spoke she said that our parish is very much ahead of the game as regards the Parish Dashboard. I would be interested to know if anyone else has signed such an agreement but it appears that this is some red tape which colleagues can look forward to receiving.

An absolute fount of knowledge. A great help to me personally over the years. I shall need a while to absorb this sad news.

Thank you to all who have added comments above. T.

I have spent the last few hours writing a very short piece, for a Journal, about the family history of Dr. Haydn Keeton, organist at Peterborough from 1870-1921, based upon records I discovered on the commercial genealogy websites. Does anone know of a biography or source of further material about Keeton since Google searches failed to reveal one (for me at least) although there are various references to him in other publications. The task I set out to do is finished, but I feel there must be something, somewhere.

Book [2] has now been requested.

I will send the Klotz to headcase. Book [2] remains.

I am clearing my shelves and am willing to donate 2 books to the first person/people to PM me (perhaps put a simultaneous reply here so other folk know they have not come first!). I am happy to split the 2. [1] The Organ Handbook - Klotz (1966) [2] Playing a church Organ - Marmaduke Conway 1949 reprinted 1960 I will send - post free - within the UK only.

And Control+zero put it back to normal size. Alternatively, if your mouse has a scroll wheel, Control+Scroll wheel up/down will let you adjust font size in many programmes.

Well said, Sir!

Do you know how long you will have on the instrument to prepare? Something contrapuntal, or at least Baroque, and something showing registration and interpretation skills seems like a good idea. It depends what the job is, so knowing that you should take something which shows you will be able to cope with the requirements of the position. Good luck

As the OP I have no issue with water being drunk in rehearsals. In the first instance I was just expressing surprise that a mug of tea was on display to the congregation [though not touched during the service] and that I have always felt that liquid should be kept away from expensive instruments. I have been interested to read the various posts; the topic has had a good airing. Thanks to all.

I agree. In all my years as one of Dr. Vann's choristers [40+ years ago] none of the choir had water and certainly not the ley clerks. Once we had left school (on weekdays) and arrived at the precincts at 3.45 we had a cup of tea and a biscuit before the choir practice (4.30 to 5.20) and then we went and sang Evensong at 5.30 for 45 minutes. In fact we had to pay for the refreshments ourselves! I do not recall anybody saying that Peterborough Choir was very good, but could have been so much better but for the want of bottles of water for the choir members; they hadn't been thought of. Now that we live in an age when, as consumers, we buy what big businesses tell us to buy, bottles of water are the 'must have' item in all sorts of contexts. It's all part of the instant gratification culture in which we live; I want water now and by golly I'm going to have some. While I am on my soap box, it is the same with mobile phones. The thinking is "I cannot wait to speak to my friend so I'll do it whilst I am driving". I have never seen a choir in which ALL the singers have a bottle of water - it is usually only a few; the ones who think "I am special, the rules do to apply to me". By 'rules' I mean the notion that a choir is a team which has often put on robes for the occasion, yet a few want to lower the tone by showing that they have no regard for previously accepted modes of behaviour in the choir stalls. It would be interesting to know whether or not any Directors of Music have actually said "Do feel free to take water into the service with you" as I have seen in one Cambridge college chapel - do they do it at King's? I doubt it; and if not, then why not? It's a no-brainer really. Yes, I am an old fuddy-duddy and grew up in an age when the shops shut on Sunday. Society moves on - usually for the better - but I don't see why liturgical behaviour should reflect secular attitudes. My question was 'inspired' by having been to an Evensong in a Northern cathedral last week when the organist was handed a mug of tea 10 minutes before the service. Why is it that divine service has to take place in a cafe? What is wrong with the world? I'm off to burn my soap box - then I'll have a cuppa.

I think I am just old-fashioned but it would never occur to me to take liquid into an organ loft, especially were I visiting a church/cathedral to play for a service. Not only would the consequences of spilling liquid over the console be dreadful (I expect) but I should never live it down. Having said that I have seen evidence of bottled water (i.e. empty bottles in the waste bin) in one cathedral, and one other place even has a kettle in the loft plus coffee and coffeemate. This leads me to believe that I am far too uptight about this. But which of you actually drink when seated at the console? Time to fess up.

I like the way he's crawling through the organ with a pipe in his mouth (non-organ variety and not lit presumably!)

I am glad A&M is still in use, but you are correct - not in MY universe. The dreaded Hymns Old and New seems to be everywhere; I cannot publicly share my views on it. They are the 1984 version, 4th impression To clarify, I obtained these hymnbooks from a church which was throwing them out. I was, at the time, taking a choir on a cathedral visit and we had not got hymn books; I didn't want to photocopy at that time (and would still avoid it) I need the space in my loft and these have been there for 9 years. I would rather give them away to a good home than take them to the tip which is why I put the question on here. If anybody can think how else I might dispose of them, please advise. I could try Amazon I guess. I doubt Freegle will yield many takers. I also post on the ABRSM forum - any others I might try. The cathedral near me used to use them when I was a chorister 40 years ago but I think they have moved on and even dumped their English Hymnals now - New EH rules OK! I have not planned my summer holiday yet [if I even have one], so if you live somewhere I'd like to visit I'm happy to deliver them. Sorry to have stirred up a hornets' nest.

Not sure if this is allowed but I have some used Ancient and Modern Revised Hymn books to GIVE away or take to the tip. Some SATB some Melody only. PM if interested and near Northampton/Kettering. Does anybody still use these books?

I've used Finale since 1997 and I'm now on 2004. However I am considering swapping to Sibelius were it not for the cost! If you want a simple piece of software download a demo version of Noteworthy composer. There is some control over formatting but not as much as in the big boys (although I have not played with version 2 very much yet). As for PDFs, the big 2 ought to export to pdf. For other software you can download free utilities which 'print' to a pdf and I do this all the time even from Word and Excel (2003). I use pdf995 but there are others.

I have never heard him say that even when I was a chorister. He used to bemoan the fact that it was sharp (compared to concert pitch) and so he obtained a 'chamber organ' for use with orchestras (this has long since been replaced). A past Precentor used to love to hear Stanley play and accompany the psalms. He used to find effects on the organ other people did not, especially when improvising. Before the 1980/1 rebuild the few pistons could not adjusted (save for ONE on each department) although the tuner could do so. If Stanley played for a service (and I was with him once or twice when he did) he would go through the pistons to check what as on them as he was unfamiliar with them once they had been made more 'spiky' by my organ teacher soon after his arrival as assistant. Granted the old cathedral organ had some weird stops (a 32' on the Great for example) and the old Choir dept. was of limited use but I am surprised that he reported as having had a low opinion of it. Perhaps this has come from whoever the journalist spoke to. Of course in the decade or 2 leading up to the 1st rebuild it was held together with string and chewing gum - one got the impression.

http://www.stanleyvannmusic.org.uk/announcement.htm RIP

Opening Voluntary: Bridge Adagio in E Introit: O Bone Jesu - Ratcliffe (have not heard it for 35 years and I think that's the title/composer) Responses: Stanley Vann Set 1 Office Hymn: The royal banners forward go (Gonfalon Royal) Psalm: 78 (15th Evening) Canticles: Stanford in A Anthem: Thee will I love - Howells Two Further Hymns: Christ Triumphant (Guiting Power) + Lead Kindly Light (Alberta) Concluding Voluntary: Toccata in D flat Jongen

I need to clear some space from my website/server so I intend to remove these pages in the next week. I just thought there could be a collector who would be interested in the information; I still have the originals - somewhere!