nfortin
-
Posts
511 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by nfortin
-
-
Actually I haven't yet got round to organising anything, perhaps I'll look for a date in the spring.
The Dean Close organ is up to Daniel's usual quality shall we say. St. Stephen's I know less well, but have played, my memory of it is that its actually very gentle and not a shrieking organ at all.
-
I think this thread has begun to wander a little, as they all do. It started out reflecting on mass settings that used to be in regular use in "ordinary" parish churches, as opposed to settings which are still in use in cathedrals and churches with choirs of near-cathedral size and standards.
Pre Series 3 (for those of us old enough to remember), I guess most churches with a 4-part choir did Sumsion in F, Darke in F, and the like, maybe with bits of Merbecke or the Shaw Anglican Folk Mass thown in. Then along came Series 3, and before you could blink it was all Rutter or the (IMHO) dreadful Dom Gregory Murray. So whilst its good to hear that there are still a few die-hards out there keeping Darke in F, Ireland in C et al alive, few of us are now allowed to stray from "congreational" settings.
In terms of cathedral repertoire, I personally don't find many of the classical mass settings particularly helpful to worship, even though they were generally not written as concert pieces. My own favourites as successful liturgical pieces are VW Mass in G minor, which is just sublime, and the Vierne Messe Solenelle which has everything you could want in terms of power, excitement and serenity.
-
Its nice (my English teacher forbade use of that word) to hear of Darke in F, Darke in E and Sumsion in F. I feel quite strongly that these are neglected and to some extent forgotten works. So many of us, in the parish churches, are constrained to use congregational mass settings to post Series 3 texts, whilst the cathedrals now think that anything less than a classical or French 20th Century mass is beneath them. What a shame.
Don't forget Ireland in C - lovely Agnus Dei.
-
A word of comfort for David Wyld.
I have no personal experience by which to judge whether your company upholds the fine traditions of Willis & Sons. Please do not take this as a criticism, I just have no first hand experience to call upon. However in terms of the Willis name and its position in history, you only need to peruse various other threads on this board to find that most correspondents when asked to list their favourite, or the finest, organs in the country will include in their lists at least a couple of:-
- Westminster Cathedral
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Truro Cathedral
- Hereford Cathedral
- RAH
- St Paul's Cathedral
Many also speak highly of Exeter, although I'm less convinced on this one. Anyone who thinks an unspoilt Willis is unmusical should arrange themselves an afternoon in Tenbury Wells ASAP. I can think of few organs that SING as clearly as this.
- Westminster Cathedral
-
Another suggestion, which I forgot to mention earlier, how about "Videntes stellam" by Poulenc. We did this with the RSCM Midlands & South West Cathedral Singers last year and my girls really loved it. Not particularly difficult either.
-
I agree with Paul re. Lo Starled Chiefs, quite a fun piece for organist and singers alike.
How about "Here is the little door" (Howells)
-
The problem with organ stops is that you can't generalise or reliably predict how a stop will sound based on its name. The Tuba at Hereford, for example is a bright and brilliant sound and not at all thick in its texture, whereas I suspect the prejudice against stops of this name is because they are perceived to be podgy.
Two examples from my neck of the woods which have received, thus far, no mention are the Tuba Mirabilis at Bath Abbey, a pre-Klais stop with its own blower, which is of considerable magnificence, and the Trumpet on the solo organ at Bristol Cathedral, which I seem to remember from a previous discussion thread, is engraved "Tuba" on the pipework. These are very different stops. No one in their right mind would want (or possibly need) to couple the Tuba at Bath Abbey through to the Great and Swell tutti, whereas the trumpet at Bristol is an integral part of the unique, glorious, and somewhat heavy tutti of that unique instrument.
The solo tuba on the reknowned H&H in St. Mary Redcliffe is also a very bright and brilliant stop, although for service accompaniment the availability of a slightly gentler solo trumpet would be a blessing.
-
I was taught that one should play with knees together, and when using the toes, with the foot angled inwards to play on the inside of the toe. I would have to admit that this has always seemed pretty damned uncomfortable to me at best, and when you have left-foot towards the top end of the pedal board, or right-foot reaching towards the lowest notes, more-or-less impossible. Its quite encouraging to read that others fail either through accident or design to keep on the inside of the foot.
Back in the dark ages when I took my Associated Board exams there was no requirement for pedal scales, and I was never taught to play pedal scales. Is there an accepted method for these in the same way that there are standard fingerings ? I'd have to admit that the start of the Bach D major needs me to be on a good day for it to be really tidy!
-
I'm happy to confirm that Tewkesbury Abbey is quite (as in fully) dry now!
On the original question I think DHM has summed it up well. Of the two photographs on the web site the new organ front looks far more attractive than the old, although its also a much better photograph, and its hard to see how you could replace the front of the new organ without compromising the instrument. However, if the old front was indeed "listed" and replaced without authorisation then this was an act of reckless folly.
-
The 2-manual nave organ in Worcester was able to play the transept solo organ and also a small number of pedal stops from the transept case, but was never in any way connected to the 4-manual console in the quire. Effectively it was an independant instrument.
-
In recent years, several cathedrals, amongst them Canterbury, Worcester Portsmouth, and Exeter, have installed ‘Nave Organs’ connected to the main console, in order to solve this inherent problem.
Not really true in the case of Worcester. At Worcester there has not been any attempt to add a nave division to bolster the main organ so that in can better support the congregation in the nave. (Well, OK you could argue that this was the point of the so called solo divisision.) Rather, at Worcester, it has been accepted that the main organ in the quire can not possibly be propped up by a few ranks of pipes in order to provide adequate support in the nave, and therefore the approach has been to provide an entire separate organ for this purpose.
-
Does anyone know the timescale? I'm giving a recital there in May half term. Or supposed to be.... Liszt BACH, Franck Prelude Fugue and Variation and Elgar Sonata.
Charles
I accompanied the RSCM Cathedral Singers in St. Mary Redcliffe last Saturday and have played it a number of other times recently including a lunchtime recital earlier in the year. There is a display board in the church giving details of the proposed work and there are also leaflets available.
The organ has been increasingly unreliable in recent years and any visiting recitalist would be well advised to have some alternative pieces to hand in case of need. My programme was built around the Whitlock Fanfare which, in the event, I had to give up on on the day as the Tuba had too many notes missing. (The tuba still has a number of notes missing, also the solo double clarinet is largely unusable. The pedal trombone 16 was not working on Saturday but there are still ophecleides @16' and 32' available.)
Personally I'd like to see the console refurbished or replaced and would find the organ a lot more comfortable and easy to play if the existing peculiar arrangement of expression pedals and toe pistons could be brought closer to the normal standard. I would prefer to see a single swell pedal controlling both sets of shutters, although I dare say others will have good reasons why this is not a good idea.
Andrew Kirk (DOM at SMR) is a very friendly and approachable person, I'm sure he would be happy to supply more information to anyone that emailed him their queries.
Whilst this instrument can not really be considered eclectic many of its sounds are just lovely. I find that it grows on me the more I play it, you do really need to know your way around it to cope with its eccentricities.
-
It must be said that he was rather disparaging of a certain period of the Anglican choral repertoire. In his book, Baroque Tricks, when giving the rationale behind the Gloucester scheme (and stating that, ideally, the cathedral should have two instruments) he says something like "...and one near the Quire, with some touches of Romantic sweetness for as long as Stanford and Wood remain in the repertoire." Or words to that effect. (I am currently in school, so I am unable to access my copy.)
Well, more than thirty-five years later, music by Stanford and Wood seems to be as popular as ever with the cathedrals in this area.
So, after all these arguments, it now transpires that both its designer and builder admit its not fit for its main liturgical purpose. Exactly what some of us (whatever its other merits) have been saying for years.
-
I was also a little surprised to read your commet regarding the Gloucester organ being under-powered. I have listened to it from the back of the nave, in both an empty building and when the nave was virtually full; I felt that it actually projected its tone rather better than did the organs of, for example, Exeter or Salisbury cathedrals.
* p. 211. Ralph Downes: Baroque Tricks Adventures with the Organ Builders. Positif Press, Oxford. (1983).
Well, to be fair, it may well not be the only cathedral organ that is underpowered in this respect, and indeed there may be many that project less well. But I attended an ordination service a couple of years ago and was sitting towards the rear of the nave. Despite being played with "generous" registrations throughout (RH I believe) it was hopelessly inadequate at supporting the singing.
I have said before that I accept it makes a decent job of the French romantic repertoire, although I can't see how anyone would suggest that the very gentle swell strings (and the only strings on the instrument) sound remotely French.
Full organ makes a rich and distinctive sound, but I don't think it would make it onto this thread (and indeed it was not mentioned by anyone in this context) as a particularly loud organ. Of course all such judgements are subjective, and its also some 17 years since I was in Chartres, but my memory is of having been thrilled by the tutti at Chartres in a way that Gloucester has never managed for me.
-
Not as long as you do not mind my stating that I do not care for the Compton at Downside!
For the record, Gloucester sounds almost nothing like Nôtre-Dame de Paris, but very much like the four-clavier Danion-Gonzales instrument in Chartres Cathedral.
Mm, not convinced about that. I found the organ in Chartres to be a most thrilling instrument of far more impact that Gloucester which, for all the rudeness of some of its sounds, is really somewhat underpowered for the building. I don't think anyone listening to the Dupre Preludes and Fugues on the recording I have of Jane Watts from Chartres (Great European Organs no 18) could for one moment think that they were listening to a recording from Gloucester.
-
I must agree - I thought that it was a fairly unpleasant instrument, with a slightly silly console design. I also remember that it was very loud.
Well we've discussed this unpleasant instrument before. It would also usually get into a top 6 list of most untidy console area/organ loft in the country.
It would be quite entertaining to draw up a list of the top "Most Unpleasant" organs, although you'd have to restrict it to large, well maintained organs in major churches to cut out all the dross in the villages. Warwick and Sherborne would be top of my hit parade.
-
I've heard it said that when Sumsion started improvising before evensong on the old Gloucester organ the congregation gradually became aware that the organ was playing. I'm (slightly) too young to know if that was true or not, but I've always thought it a wonderful concept.
-
Yes - absolutely, Pierre.
The Full Organ was thrilling, with a delicious tang to the big reeds - just like an old English spiced sauce....
Well I guess I know which organ is being discussed, and I played it regularly for 4 years. Whilst it was a thrilling instrument I would not agree that it was exceptionally loud. We've been through the arguments about accompanying the choir (it was simple, use little great and keep the swell pedal under control). But for the grand finale it was not unreasonable to couple through the solo Bombarde & Trumpet, possibly even with octave couplers. I can't imagine doing that at Bath.
-
Bath Abbey is very loud at the console. (My daughter, who's been in many an organ loft with me, put her hands over her ears at full Gt+Sw. Haven't tried coupling through the Tuba.)
St Mary Redcliffe is, to my mind, uncomfortably loud at the console.
I haven't had the fortune to hear Westminster Cathedral from the tribune, but its a most magnificent sound - and quite loud enough - in the nave.
-
Repeat after me: Must. Prepare. Properly. On. Unfamilar. Instruments!
Does not apply I'm afraid, I'm very familiar with the instrument having played in many times both in services and concerts over many years.
-
I must admit that I've not been brave playing at Gloucester since my first visit when, after too-little practice time, on a whim I used the Choir Cremona while accompanying Stanford...
Did you work out what the bloody thing can be used for?
-
I recently sold a large upright piano using eBay. To my dismay the buyers said they would move it themselves. It hadn't occurred to me that anyone would be so foolish. I asked them if they realised how heavy it was - no they hadn't - it's over 200 kilo I told them and they asked how heavy was that!! I explained it was the weight of 10 full suitcases - and that they should have a lorry with a tail lift and a heavy duty trolley..... Anyway I made them sign an agreement that removal was at their own risk and they were responsible for any damage..
If you sell an instrument on eBay I recommend specifying a bit more than "Buyer collects"
Irrelevant really, but it made me think, with a smile, of that wonderful Laurel & Hardy movie where they're moving a piano...
-
How strange - I had understood that he left his post as assistant at Wells Cathedral to return to full-time study.
Am I right in thinking that he has not in fact held the post of assistant organist at Gloucester - I believe he was organ scholar.
-
Thats the problem, they will never be as good as a genuine pipe organ. The only good stops on some electronic organs are the flutes, but the reeds are absolute rubbish.
All the electronics I've played are all right organs, but try playing something in full organ, the tone all goes 'foggy' and it sounds terrible.
JA
This would suggest to me that you have not experienced good, state-of-the art instruments. The reeds on our Wyvern-Pheonix are absolutely superb, as are the flutes & diapasons. I don't believe anyone would consider the full organ to be "Foggy". Our loudspeakers sit clearly visible and undisguised on large shelves in the north transept. If we happened to have an attractive pipe front from a former instrument I would see no harm in using it, but we don't.
Since the organ was installed (in 2006) there have been a number of occasions upon which visitors, including other organists, have come to talk to me at the console, from where the battery of loudspeakers are clearly visible, demanding to know where the pipes are. This custom built 42 stop instrument cost us a little over £25K (details available here) . Only one UK manufacturer charges £50K+ for similar instruments.
Personally I would struggle to see any use for an alternative Theatre Organ specification on our instrument at church. It might be fun at home though!
Transcriptions
in The Organ
Posted
I have some overlap with the previous list, plus many others including:-
Faure - Pavanne
Elgar - Imperial March
Elgar - "2nd organ sonata"
Walton - Crown Imperial
Wagner - Grand March from Tanhauser
Verdi - Grand March from Aida
Sousa - Liberty Bell
Sousa - Washington Post
Holzman - Blaze Away
Mendelssohn - War March of the Priests
Coates - Dam Busters March
Plus, of course, most of the wedding processionals and recessionals.