peeweeel

In the 1940s my parents gave my late Grandfather's American Organ to St Mary's Tynings Lane Church in Aldridge, Staffs. I felt quite proud to be singing hymns in Sunday School accompanied by it. How long it lasted I don't know as we moved away in 1948.

Peter King will return to Lichfield for a Festival recital (http://www.lichfieldfestival.org/blog/2011/04/18/peter-king/) Friday 8th July, at 12 noon Chapelle de Guillaume Tell - Liszt Prelude and Fugue in E minor - Mendelssohn Sposalizio - Liszt Two Canons from opus 56: v in B minor, vi in B - Schumann Fantasia and Fugue on “Ad nos, ad salutarem undam” - Liszt

T'was popular for weddings at a former Church where my wife was choirmistress. Severe "no sniggers" warnings to choristers were always needed.

Ralph Allwood's brother, Peter, is resigning as Head of Lichfield Cathedral School in July in order to do other things, I think mainly musical. Perhaps an Allwood brothers business?

Quite right - Apologies.

PEDANT MODE on! The Bishop of Shrewsbury is an Area Bishop in Lichfield Diocese. I would think that Fr Paul was appointed by the Bishop of Chester. PEDANT MODE off. I'm glad that it was such a satisfactory event.

Link here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsi...000/9329829.stm

Just a word of caution: most cathedral choirs and organists are on holiday from 18 July to the first full week in September so if there is choral music it will be from visiiting choirs.

I ccould have waited a little longer.

Recitals at Lichfield Cathedral, 7.30 pm: Tomorrow (12 October) Martyn Rawles, Cathedral Organist, "Musical portraits of Paris and London" - including Mozart, Vierne, Vaughan Williams. £10 with CCTV of the Organist's socks and interval wine/soft drink. 9th November "Many hands play light works" Reqests and multi player pieces from the four cathedral organ players: Martyn Rawles, Nigel Argust and Ben & Cathy Lamb. Also £10.

I was taken to meet Harry Goss-Custard in 1948 at his house by the cathedral when visiting my uncle in Birkenhead. I just remember that he seemed a very old man! (I was nine). My grandfather was first Sub-Dean of Liverpool in the mid 20s and uncle had been allowed to sit in the organ loft.

We have had both SoP and Antiques Roadshow at Lichfield. The SoP recordings with congregations were done on succesive nights in November 2006, one for Christmas and one for Easter. We had to rehearse on the days before and wear "spring" clothing for the Easter "show". They also recorded non-congregational items at other times with the Choir, Chamber Choir and a visiting duo "Opera Babes" of whom least said the better! These were used as inserts and also to make a third SoP programme "Saints and Angels" transmitted in the following June. Aled Jones came back several times to do intros and linking pieces to camera for the last one. Jonathan Edwards did the first two before he dropped SoP. The Antiques Roadshow team were around setting up for about a week one May with the recording on the Saturday. Transmission was the first of that autumn season. It seems to be tradition to start each series from a large church. I don't think that they would have been able to use the same crew and sets for both shows simultaneously but Aled Jones could easily "drop in" for links and chat.

We have had a few wealthy benefactors recently and some English Heritage funding but one reason for Lichfield's current problems was the collapse of a Heritage Lottery Fund application which HLF could not fund when their allocation was reduced to fund the Olympics. HLF had previously told us to ask for more than our original application. Ironically the major cost at the moment is the repair of the East End stonework and the 16C Herkenrode glass which arrived in 1802 as the result of a generous near gift (£200 for seven large windows). Getting back to appointments! - Ben and Cathy Lamb have moved into Phil Scriven's old house which leaves the Assistant's house available for letting. No Choral Scholars this year (£10,000 saved) and another house to let.

All things (including the banquets) that we have done in Lichfield Cathedral for many years but we still need £millions more to keep the building in a fit condition.

Wed 11th at 1.10 Martyn Rawles in Lichfield Cathedral. Free with retiring collection.

Try this: http://nottinghamchurches.org/misc/dean.htm

He's interested. I've PM'd Tromba.

A & M New Standard was the last A & M before Common Praise. It included 333 hymns from A & M Revised and the 200 Hymns for Today. I have emailed my son to see if he is interested in the offer. (He's in Bath)

Nigel Argust, Hon. Assistant organist, Lichfield Cathedral, 1.10 pm tomorrow (Wednesday). Retiring collection.

It's not normal. I've known a few and never seen them wear a pectoral cross.

Tangential! I remember visiting Harry Goss-Custard in 1949 with my uncle who was a curate in Birkenhead at the time and whose father was first Sub-Dean at Liverpool. I don't remember any detail (I was 10) but he lived just by the Cathedral and seemed very old. I realise now that he was 78 and still had 6 years to serve although I expect that Noel Rawsthorne was playing most of that time.

You can rest assured that the legal side was very carefully covered. Lichfield is in a very parlous financial situation and the Music Department was the last to be tackled. All three were warned that they would need to apply for jobs. The present solution will cut costs. Phil seems to be genuinely delighted with his move to Cranleigh and the chance to do more freelance work.

Yes it was an interesting and well received evening. He called it "and all that jazz". It included a couple of Firebird movements, Locklair's "Rubrics" and Barber's Adagio for Strings as well as his own transcription of Bernstein's Candide overture.

Thanks, Paul, for an excellent recital. It was good to put a face to the name. I'm glad that the Bower parade didn't intrude!

Philip Scriven has been appointed Organist in Residence at Cranleigh School, Surrey and will leave Lichfield Cathedral at the end of term. The appointment will enable him to extend his freelance work. The cathedral Chapter will announce plans concerning the Directorship of Music "in the fullness of time".