handsoff
-
Posts
779 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by handsoff
-
-
Extraordinary! He squeezed every last drop out of it.....
-
The disc mentioned above, the Vierne Mass from Sacre-Coeur with Fred Gramman playing the Grandes Orgues, arrived at the weekend. The comparison with the Cochereau version from Notre Dame is startling. The ND de P recording is full of fire and exuberance with, to my ears, typically French singing - enthusiastic but not quite "there". The organ playing is stunning and takes no prisoners as far as letting the choir be heard is concerned, "If they want to be heard then let them sing more loudly!" seems to be the instruction from the console!
The Sacre Coeur recording is much more sober and taken at a slower pace, no doubt because of the more generous acoustic (I made the reverberation period, listening through Sennheiser headphones to make sure, to be 8 seconds at the end of the Benedictus). The singing is better, more in tune and in time but somehow lacks a little of the bite and atmosphere of the other recording. The organ though, is absolutely wonderful and makes the hairs on my neck stand up. I'm glad to have both recordings as they can be played at different times according to what frame of mind I'm in. The ND de P is for that after-dinner time on a Saturday night when a second bottle has been opened (even Mrs T. likes the music then!) and the Sacre Coeur for an quiet(ish) afternoon with a cup of tea.
Also on the doormat was the Daniel Roth recording of the Widor Mass (JAV SACD). I just love the Widor Mass and have very happy memories of performing it in the late 1970s - I can't remember where but it was a wonderful experience. This recording of the Mass with the accompanying improvisations is just great, even though the pronunciation is slightly strange to us more used to an Italianate sound. Once again, the organ (St. Sulpice) is stunning. Another St Sulpice recording recently arrived is the ifo "La Tradition de Saint-Suplice" with Bach, Widor, Dupre, Grunenwald and Roth - once again a mix of organ and choir, and again superb.
The final disc was the freebie from the BBC. I found this to be quite excellent too - great playing and a lovely instrument.
Is there a more thrilling musical sound than a big Cavaille-Coll tutti with the 32' Bombarde towards the bottom of its register? Not for me, so much so that our Autumn 2009 holiday is going to be 2 weeks in Paris, sadly, well sort of, all previous hols being already booked...
P
-
Dunno how long it's been there, I've certainly seen it wheeled out on a number of occasions. I think it must have a "big brother" as I'm sure I've seen a chamber organ on stage from time to time. i once asked if, having proven myself with the firsh three notes of "Three blind mice", I might be permitted to tickle the ivories of its rather bigger brother in the concert hall but sadly but predictably such permission wasn't granted.
I thought the same but playing the first few notes of Bach's Fugue in D major (BWV 532?). I changed my mind because I thought it might sound horrid transposed down a tone...
-
I went to the lunchtime concert in Birmingham today. The organ scholar, a charming young lady who acts as page turner for the concerts, was just outside the doors of the hall with a 3 stop (Stopped Diapason, Open Diapason and Trumpet), 5 note (C to E) hand-blown tracker organ in a glass case. All the "works" were visible and visitors were invited to have a go.
What a great idea - to give everyone the chance to see how a tracker organ works and to see and hear what sound comes from the various, nicely-voiced pipes. Well, not see the sound, but you know what I mean!
Peter
PS Sorry if this is old news, but I hadn't seen it before.
PPS The concert was superb - plenty of opportunities to hear the many colours of this wonderful instrument. And the chamades.....
http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/lunchtime-organ...homas-trotter-7
-
I emailed the Controller of Radio 3 last week asking if there was a deliberate policy of ignoring organ music on his station. The reply, from the Managing Editor of R3 is pasted below. It skates nicely over my main point, which is why won't they broadcast substantial works for the organ, such as, say, a complete Vierne or Widor symphony? The Breakast Show under Rob Cowan, does play a small amount of organ music, but usually Bach (not that there's anything wrong with Bach) or something else of a similar nature. This programme though is not the forum for a large scale work. It's more akin to Classic fm where one gets a tantalising little snatch but nothing more substantive because the audience is likely either to be in the car or dashing about feeding cats and children, so want only relatively short pieces.
Thank you for your comments on organ music. Given the amount of space available in listing magazines, that is not really the most effective way to find organ music on Radio 3. However, I think that - as you have noticed in in the mornings -organ music does occur on a regular basis. As with every musical genre, it is always a matter of balance, and therefore your email is valuable in making us discuss this once again. You can influence the situation yourself, by getting touch with our breakfast programme, as well as Radio 3 requests. I also believe that you might be pleased when some of our future plans are make public in the next month.
Thank you for your interest in Radio 3, and do continue to let us know your opinions.
-
My copy of the Royal Holloway College disc arrived yesterday - I agree completely with the previous posters' comments. It's a beautiful sounding organ, perfectly in balance and with ravishing upperwork. The music is perfect for the instrument and superbly played. As they would say on Ebay - top stuff, highly recommended.
After reading pcnds's comments about the Cochereau recording of the Vierne Messe Solennelle, I bought a copy from Discovery Records, and although I've so far played it only on the West Gallery hi-fi, it blew me away. The end of the Benedictus is stunning but it's insidious really to pick out any particular section. OK, some of the singing is out of synch, on occasions the basses are a bit bar-room and one or two tenors seem to be mounted en chamade, but what the hell? The enthusiasm of the performance is infectious and the Grande-Orgue with the master in charge.....what can one say? It just about brought tears to my eyes. As soon as Mrs T. goes out I shall fire up the East Gallery system and really let rip. Thank you pcnd, for the recommendation.
I am waiting with bated breath for the Naji Hakim recording from Sacre Coeur to arrive as it will be a most interesting comparison, and hopefully "La Tradition de St. Sulpice" disc won't be too far away either.
P
-
When I sang at St. Mary's, Warwick it was the practice for the audience (for such it mostly was) to listen attentively to the final voluntary. If it was something good, then the gentlemen choristers would dump their robes in the vestry and make a rapid re-entry to the nave to listen. There was usually some applause. It's appallingly bad manners for anyone to make a noise during the voluntary (except the organist!) - I was always taught that the service wasn't over until the last chord had died away...
It irritated me for years that the audience in Kings for the Christmas Eve 9 Carols rustled and chatted after the Bach so that one's attention was drawn away from the second piece. In September last year I emailed the BBC and asked if it might be possible for someone at the college to ask for quiet? Whether it was my email or not there was a distinct improvement last year.
P
-
When I was a very young chorister aged about 9 I sang in the choir of my local church near Stratford-upon-Avon. The organist was a stern old (at least to a 9 year old) lady who only ever played 3 post-service voluntaries in strict rotation and only once, to my knowledge, used the Great open diapason. This was at the end of Onward Christian Soldiers when an Assistant Bishop was present - she must have been trying to impress. Anyway, that's not the story....
One Sunday night, about 20 minutes into Evensong, a really horrible smell began to make itself known. There was a bit of giggling and whispers that Miss S..... must have passed wind. After another 10 minutes it was less funny and one little girl ran out of the stalls with a hand over her mouth towards the vestry. As the electric heating pipes got warmer, the smell became so bad that several others left, including at the start of the sermon, Miss S.....
It transpired that a member of the choir,
, yes it was I, had trodden in something unmentionable and canine, and as it warmed up........P
-
What makes you think that the cleric would have sufficient musical knowledge to enable him to get the joke?
Going off at a slight tangent, on my last day at school I chose to play the "Wedding March" as the closing voluntary after the morning assembly because of the Headmaster's and Assistant Head's habit of processing side-by-side down the aisle of the school chapel. They got the joke but seemed rather more thunder-faced about it than the congregation. Oh well, it was too late to take way that year's music prize...
-
Whilst on holiday in Dolton, North Devon last week, my wife and I visited the village church and noticed this plate below one of the organ cases. The plate isn't in very good condition and the image isn't too clear. As I had only my compact digital camera with me rather than my DSLR it needed a fair amount of work in Photoshop to get to this stage but the wording was readable on the higher resolution version.
It reads...
1. The organ is damp, a lamp or stove is placed in it and left to burn all night with the result of setting it on fire.
2. The Organist, the Blower, the Tuner or a workman making repairs strikes a match or lights a spirit lamp, taper or candle which he leaves burning with the result of setting the organ on fire.
3. The music desk lights are movable brackets which can be placed so that flames touch woodwork. This is done once and the whole is set on fire.
You have been warned!
The organ itself has a lovely sound, quite powerful but with a very pleasant sweetness to the quieter stops. The specification is on NPOR and I shall be sending some photographs to them over the next few days. By the way, the Swell Oboe is 8', not 4'...
Peter
-
Not much help in your quest Iain, but it's fun to watch!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kmXMSfxWXP8
P
-
Oh baby!
That is quite superb - doesn't half look difficult judging by the glimpses of the sheet music...What a marvellous acoustic in La Trinite and a super organ. Thank you Alastair for posting that. That's another CD on the (long and lengthening) list then.
I'm in Birmingham on Monday for the Town Hall concert and will wander up to the Symphony Hall shop and have a look through their stock. Maybe it'll appear on the playlist before too long.
Peter
-
The recording from Priory's deleted list recommended by justinf (thanks again) arrived this morning. I hadn't previously heard any of these pieces by Naji Hakim and found them just fantastic. The Danse and Final from the Hommage a Igor Stravinsky are particularly exciting - such energy and vitality - and perfectly expressed on the C-C in Sacre-Coeur. Now, I would just love to hear this piece at Symphony Hall one Monday...
I wonder if the appreciation of the pipe organ and its music is unique in that one buys a recording to hear a particular instrument and along the way is introduced to such new musical experiences as the Hakim pieces on this disc. Do, for example, fans of the cello buy a particular disc simply to hear an historic instrument? I shall now have to seek out more of M. Hakim's recordings. What a pleasant chore!
-
The organ in the Parish Church of Berkswell (an attractive village near the notably unattractive ribbon development of Balsall Common in the West Midlands) has this...
http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N05833
...which on paper looks interesting. I'm over in that area quite frequently so will attempt to have a look in the near future. I fear, though, that the church will be locked given the adjacent area's roughness. I'm sure I could ask at the vicarage to be allowed in for a look, but that might lead to an offer of playing it. After 20something years without touching a keyboard, that might be too embarrassing.
Keeping handsoff for the sake of others...
-
The key change on P. 7 looks spookily familiar. Oh look, it goes back to D major on P.8 too!
P
-
There was a piece on "3 Breakfast" this morning about the desirability of piped classical music being used in shopping arcades as a deterrent to assorted oiks and yobs, together with a request for emailed comments.
I complied with the request saying that there wasn't nearly enough pipe(d) music on Radio and asked for more organ music. My email (and name) were read out, followed immediately by the playing of a CD of Prelude & Fugue by Bruennes (apologies if misspelt). I emailed to thank Rob Cowan and received a reply within a couple of minutes - "A pleasure Peter and a welcome prompt".
At least they listen, if only in the very short term!
-
Full marks for enthusiasm and your kind efforts in keeping us informed! However, I hate to be pessimistic, but previous experience leads me to question your confidence. Your word 'surely' might apply to some broadcasters but not IMHO to the BBC. We'll see who's right.
I totally agree cynic - point taken! I heard the item in the car whilst returning from my early morning swim and can only assume that the optimism was caused by an excess of oxygen in my bloodstream!
-
The Early Music Show (weekend lunchtimes 13.00 - 14.00) is concentrating during February on the musical traditions of Paris. The announcement said that a proportion of the programming would be from Versailles, so I would hope that the organ therein is featured. They surely won't ignore the other organs in the city so there should be at least some organ music of interest, in addition to the show's normally high standard of offering.
-
I think it's an interview about forthcoming Birmingham concerts. In Tune doesn't release a playlist before the programme - adds to the suspense! I imagine there will be something from a CD.....
Peter - listening as I type at 17.07 having missed the first 5 minutes through having to take a phone call <;o(
-
Thomas Trotter is appearing on "In Tune" on Radio 3 tonight. Programme starts at 17.00.
Peter
-
justinf, thank you very much for the further replies, I'll get onto the Priory site within the next few minutes!
I imagine that the stop must have been renamed during the work you mention. The mutuations and mixtures sound exceptionally bright and "tinkly" (as my good lady describes them!) and are a real pleasure to hear. I didn't previously know about the workings of the C-C mixtures. I have learned more about pipe organs in the few weeks I have reading these fora than I probably did when playing them!
All good wishes
Peter
-
Priory Records has a wonderful recording of the Sacré-Cœur in their Great European Organs series (No. 22, PRCD 327). Naji Hakim plays his own music (Memor and Hommage à Igor Stravinsky, which I found quite thrilling even they are not to all tastes) and Franck's Prière and Chorale in E Major. The reverberation is incredible; The big D Major chord at the end of the Hommage seems to roll on forever!
Back in 1996 I went with some friends to a recital in York, Pennsylvania given by M. Hakim and he autographed the CD. I'm still a bit embarrassed to have bothered him, but he seemed a pleasant fellow and more than happy to oblige.
As for that "Progression Harmonique", it appears in the liner notes from 1990:
Solo expressif (IV)Bourdon 16Diapason 8Flûte harmonique 8Octave 4Flûte octaviante 4Octavin 2Progression HarmoniqueGrand Cornet 8 rangsClarinette 16Trompette 8Cor Anglais 8Solo Chamade (IV)Tuba magna 16Tuba mirabilis 8Cor harmonique 4Assuming this composition matches the 1985 specification given at this site, the "Progression Harmonique" corresponds to a "Fourniture II-IV". According to yet another site, JP Swiderski did some restoration work in 2000, so perhaps this mixture was renamed as part of that work. I don't know its composition, though. Any takers?
Thank you for the reply. I've just checked the Priory website and No. 22 has been deleted! I wonder if a request would elicit a reissue? I should love to hear that recording. M. Hakim's compositions really fire me - at least those I've so far heard on the "Canticum" CD from Saint Trinité - fabulous free-spirited music in the finest of the French tradition.
-
I've just spent a rapturous 49.01 minutes listening to a just-delivered CD of Daniel Roth improvising at Sacré-Coeur. I had never previously heard this organ and struggled a bit to find a recording. This one, from 1985, is stunning. The improvisations are among the most musical I have heard and the instrument is simply beautiful.
Highlights? Track 2 - Récit de cornet and track 7 - Fantaisie sur Wachet Auf, ruft uns die Stimme, but really it is wrong to pick just 2 in isolation from such a disc.
I suppose many people on here are already familiar both with the organ and the disc but for those who are not - I think it's £13.50 well spent.
The disc is Motette CD 10751, bought from Allegro Music. Unusually, the accompanying notes give the resistrations used for each improvisation which helps those of us who are no longer active on the keyboard. There is one stop on the Solo Expressif with which I'm not at all familiar, Progression Harmonique V.......any takers?
Back off to play it again before Mrs T. comes home and to reflect on my attempts at improvisation in the school chapel - I was often bribed to play "Themes from the Magic Roundabout" without the Head noticing! Sometimes successfully........
Peter
PS Apologies for the missed capitalisation in the title but I was so chuffed to have found the acute accent on my PC I forget the shift key...
-
The Naji Hakim improvisation is stunning - I don't know he concentrates with the hordes around the console. I had an involuntary giggle towards the end when he was "crossing hands". It brought back memories of the Beverley Hillbillies when Grandmaw boasts that Ellie-May (really her grandson in drag!) could play the pianny (sic) so well she could even cross her hands on the keyboard....
The link below is the next section of YouTube and is well worth a few minutes of your time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibFI9xEaON8...feature=related
Peter
, yes it was I, had trodden in something unmentionable and canine, and as it warmed up........
Sacred Music
in General discussion
Posted
I've just watched the Saturday repeat. What an absolutely fascinating and beautifully put together programme. The balance struck by the presenter was spot on - not all patronising for those with little or no knowledge of the music from that period but in sufficient depth for those who know more about it to find something new. The 4 members of Harry Christopher's "Sixteen" were quite superb in their demonstrations of the music. The photography too was a match for the musical content.
I can't imagine that the rest of the series will disappoint.
P