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handsoff

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Posts posted by handsoff

    Youtube

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I was organist there for about three years. For around £30,000, we got a pretty good instrument.

     

    The G.O. reed unit is fairly 'English' - but powerful. It speaks on a pressure of 150mm and stands behind the north front (the metal Pedal Open Diapason 16ft). However, as the rank descends to the Pedal octave (Bombarde), I had it voiced full out with open shallotts. The result is a powerful quasi-French Bombarde which rips around the church in a reasonably lively acoustic. Fortunately, the voicer (Don Wherly) was superb and there is an extremely good match between the 16ft. octave and the bass of the G.O. Orchestral Trumpet.

     

    If we had been given greater resources, I would have liked to change both mixtures; the G.O. III rank still stings a little - it is the standard Osmond 19-22-26. I had it smoothed out a little. The Swell mixture I had re-pitched, an octave higher than formerly. It is better than it was (previously, its addition to anything other than foundation stops was virtually imperceptible). Again, with more money, I should have swapped the Larigot for a Voix Humaine. As it was, we had to replace the Cornpean from C13 up, since the old stop was unsuccessful - and would not revoice satisfactorily.

     

    The swell box is huge and I saw some space at the back whilst it was being dismantled and asked the builder for a quote to extend the Swell Bass Trumpet down to 32ft. pitch, for use on the Pedal Organ, since the stop was already borrowed on this division at 16ft. Initially he said that there would not be room. However, when the organ was being re-installed, he mentioned to me that there probably would have been room. I wish that I had pushed for this, since a 32ft. reed under expression would have been an impressive finishing touch.

     

    Incidentally, the G.O.Tierce is of course pitched at 1 3/5ft.

     

    Thank you for the detail. I imagine that there are very few instruments with fewer than 4 manuals that have received such attention.

     

    I rarely get to that part of the world but it's on the list for a visit should the opportunity occur.

    Correct Pronunciation Of Stop Names

    in General discussion

    Posted

    How about "Cornet"? My organ teacher fell about laughing when I pronounced it "Corrrné" and said that we were in England so let's pronounce as we see it. I asked him how he pronounced the name of the French city L Y O N S? No answer, but my copy of Novello's Music Primer No.3, "The Organ" by one J.Stainer (the book with lovely woodcuts of organs' mechanisms) connected with my right ear...

     

    Just in passing, the name of the stop numbered 38 on the organ in St John the Apostle, Torquay mentioned above must have casued the odd giggle from students... B)

     

    P

    Daniel Roth - Dupré Cd

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Yes, but I'm afraid 10981 (recorded in 1986 to celebrate Dupré's centenary) has long been OOP. Have you found a seller (preferrably Internet) who still lists it?

     

    I yesterday spent about 30 minutes searching around the internet and found several references to it but nowhere did a copy appear to be for sale. I was going to suggest an Ebay "product search request" or whatever it may be called which asks them to email you should the item become listed on the auction. I won't suggest this though as that would mean someone else might win it! :o

    Worcester Cathedral, 04th & 05th October

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Contender for best service typo ever:

     

    Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face,

    Her would I touch and handle things unseen...

     

    From a service sheet 'somewhere in Cheshire' a few years ago.

     

    I recall a BBC interview many years ago when someone quoted seeing a poster for "Come Ye Sons Of Art Away" with a letter and inter-word space misaligned... ;)

    Daniel Roth - Dupré Cd

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I am no expert on these matters but if it is the stop in question used at the end of Op.20 it seems unlike any other I have heard on a C-C instrument. I have today ordered the Grunenwald CD from Crotchet and shall look forward to its arrival.

     

    The stop is referred to variously on the St. Sulpice website as "Chamade" and "Trompette coudée à forte pression". It enjoys (or we enjoy) a wind pressure of 140-150mm and there appears to be some question as to whether it is entirely a Cavaillé-Coll stop or partly from the slightly earlier Daublaine-Calline work on the organ. Much information, many photographs and even a demonstration of the Hailstorm Machine can be found here...

     

    http://www.stsulpice.com/

     

    There are also many links to video clips recorded there; I found this of S-V C-C playing Dupré to be one of the most thrilling...watch for the régistrant grabbing a handful of stops towards the end.

     

     

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2mHOfP4MEfc

    Daniel Roth - Dupré Cd

    in The Organ

    Posted

    Thank you acc. I'm fairly sure that's it, but the sound of the organ is quite different from the console than in the nave, of course.

     

    That is a fascinating clip, especially the first few seconds when M.Roth is operating the ventils - also another masterly improvisation.

     

    I see he's wearing the organist's essential clothing - a warm scarf! Maybe that is a tip to bear in mind for my holiday to Paris this time next year...I see it was recorded in October.

     

    Peter

    Daniel Roth - Dupré Cd

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I've just been listening to Daniel Roth's peerless (IMHO) recordings from St. Sulpice of the 3 Ps & Fs op.7 and the Variations sur un Noel op 20 (Motette CD 12581).

     

    At the end of the final Variation, Presto, the last chords are played with the addition of a sublime and very big manual reed. Would anyone who knows the organ and recording please be able to say if this is the solo Chamade? It is a wonderfully rounded sound and quite unlike some of the other Chamades in the neighbourhood.

     

    I ask only out of general interest as I like to listen to some recordings with the organ specification on hand and see what registrations are used, approximately anyway!

     

    Thank you

     

    Peter

    St Paul's Cathedral

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Here is the appropriate extract from Mr Mander's note....

     

    Slightly more controversially perhaps, the Dome Tubas and Chorus Reeds are being replaced with new pipes. The Chorus Reeds were remodelled Tuba pipes and sounded too much like Tubas and the Tubas themselves would not respond to a slight brightening which they really needed. The old pipes are being preserved so that if somebody in the future decides replacing them was a mistake, the change can easily be reversed. The new stops should be installed during the first half of August.

    Tewkesbury Abbey

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I'm with the Abbey authorities on this one. The West Window is simply glorious, one of the (many) crowning glories of this most beautiful of buildings and I would hate to see it covered however much the Grove organ needs to be moved - and it does!

     

    I've just returned from Cynic's quite superb lunchtime recital in the Abbey and cannot adequately say how much I enjoyed it. Great to meet you too, Paul. The CDs are about to get their first airing!

     

    P

    Dupre

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I remember playing for Evensong at Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire in about 1970 and had sore fingers and wrists for a couple of days afterwards. The action of the 3 decker was very heavy with Swell coupled to Great. Does anyone know the organ today and if it was "lightened" during the 1980 rebuild?

     

    I can recall my disappointment during rehearsal that so many stops were "prepared for" - especially the mutuations....these have now been added according to the NPOR spec.

     

    P

    Youtube

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Thank you Nigel for the Wanamaker clip. I wish Debenhams in Stratford-upon-Avon had something similar! Here is the stoplist..

     

    http://www.wanamakerorgan.com/stoplist.html

     

    The string division is especially boggling for the mind with its multiplicity of orchestral violins.

     

    This...

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Z8goeFzzQ...feature=related

     

    ...of James Lancelot at St. Sulpice (with Daniel Roth assisting and advising - look out at 5.18!), is great!

     

    P

    Radio 3 Next Week

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I've just had my usual flick through the RT and see that there is an unprecedented amount of organ music on R3 next week.

     

    Sunday sees a couple more bits (quite decent bits..) of Messiaen with Jennifer Bates on the afternoon prom. and the rest of the week has something every day, mostly in the 10 to midday "Classical Collection" programme. Composers vary from Bach (various performers inc Virgil Fox), Vierne, Widor, Poulenc and so on.

     

    What a turnaround from just a few months ago. The BBC does respond to listeners' comments...

     

    P

    Eight Stops

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    Isn't a Vieja an old lady - in Spanish (if I remember my 'O' level days properly) - presumably a slightly more characterful sounding version of a Vox Humana and protruding from the case.

     

    Now there's a thought!

     

    AJJ

     

    I've heard of, and indeed sang with on occasions, a "tenor en chamade". The idea of a rank of pipes voiced to sound like a loose-larynxed octogenarian soprano doesn't appeal! Especially if sounding from right above my head......

     

    I would love to hear the organ shown in the photos though.

     

    P

    Eight Stops

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    Oh well, in that case:

     

    Great

    Principal 8

    Stopped Flute 8

    Octave 4

    Gemshorn 2

    Mixture IV

    Orlos 8

     

    Pedal

    Subbass 16

    Principal 8

     

    I must admit that Orlos was a new one to me and required a quick look on The Encyclopedia of Organ Stops...

     

    It looks good... but have a look also at the lower photograph of the Viejas.

     

     

    http://www.organstops.org/o/Orlo.html

     

    P

    Tewkesbury Abbey

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I went to today's lunchtime recital in Tewkesbury Abbey today, given by Anthony Gritten of RNCM.

     

    The programme:-

     

    Sortie in G Minor (Lefébure-Wely)

     

    Prelude, Aria and Passacaglia (Richard Francis) This was the world premiere performance of this piece, written in 1976 and resurrected last year, played in the presence of the composer. A super piece, which I hope will soon be recorded.

     

    Suite Pour Souvigny (Guy Bovet) This suited the organ in the Abbey beautifully with plenty of chance to hear the many different colours of the Milton Organ. The antiphonal possibilities with the main and Apse organs were nicely exploited.

     

    Next week's recital at 13.00 is by Andrew Kirk of St Mary Redcliffe.

     

    On Saturday 4 October at 19.30 there is an Organ Gala Concert with the chance to hear all 3 organs in use - sounds like a good excuse for a weekend break in this lovely town...I never tire of the Abbey - the standard view from the nearby car park is stunning and even without a great recital is well worth the trip from Stratford-upon-Avon.

     

    P

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