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sbarber49

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Posts posted by sbarber49

    Sir David Willcocks (1919-2015)

    in General discussion

    Posted

     

    I agree wholeheartedly with this. The "Anthems from Kings" recording would most likely be one of my desert island discs. I could die happily listening to his interpretations of the Naylor or Faire is the heaven. Similarly, to my mind no one has caught the pathos at the end of Byrd's four-part mass so deeply and movingly as Willcocks and the same goes for Byrd's Ave verum corpus (even though his interpretation of the latter can hardly be what Byrd had in mind). What so often came over in his performances (and in many by his contemporary Bernard Rose as well) is the sheer sense of holiness and worship. That sort of quiet piety seems to be out of fashion today, but these men knew how to make it tell.

    I have just bought the "Anthems from Kings" CD. I'd never heard it but it's such beautiful singing. Likewise the Howells Coll Reg. I used to be very sniffy about King's - much preferring St John's. Listening to many King's recordings in the last couple of weeks has reminded me how good they were.

     

    I do find much singing these days too loud and too excited. Often seems to be a competition between the front and back rows of cathedral and college choirs.

    Most pointless stops?

    in General discussion

    Posted

    The (beautiful) third of the Trois Meditations of Ropartz is one such piece, but I would need more courage to add the 16 and III. If you don't know this piece - it's on IMSLP - a real gem.

    Not legally downloadable here, of course.

    Purcell/Clarke

    in The Organ

    Posted

    You learn something every day!

     

    According to Wikipedia, as well as The Trumpet Voluntary, Purcell's "Trumpet Tune in D" is also by Jeremiah Clarke: “The famous Trumpet Tune in D (also incorrectly attributed to Purcell) was taken from the semi-opera The Island Princess, which was a joint musical production of Clarke and Daniel Purcell (Henry Purcell's younger brother)—probably leading to the confusion.”

     

    Apparently this has been known for many years, though not to me. I see the OUP Wedding Book and the new Purcell Album edited by Martin Setchell both still think it’s by Purcell.

     

    There's a recording of Clarke's The Island Princess from which it comes here:

    (at 3.20)

    (I must admit that at first I didn’t believe the Wikipedia article.)

     

    Has anyone got a copy of the book Wikipedia gives as a source: “The Trumpet Voluntary” by Cudworth, C., & Zimmerman, F. B. (1960).

    Music for Inductions

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I don't suppose anyone has an outragious version of 'I the Lord of sea and sky'? We don't have it often, it's not that kind of place. But when we do I'm afraid it's orchestral reeds, nothing above 4' and all the tremulants with chords of added anythings galore! Some love it, the choir think it's hilarious!

     

    F-W

    I have a descant/reharmonization I can send you if you want (PM your email to me). Not outrageous but fairly extensively reharmonized.

     

    Stephen Barber

    Highland Cathedral

    in The Organ

    Posted

    I took it down from YouTube the first time I needed it. I once played for a wedding at Bangor Parish Church, Co. Down, when two pipers took part (pretty devastating - asked to provide 'backing', I found that I could use nearly all the very hefty big 3m Hunter and not drown them out! Beforehand, finding out what we were going to play, one of them said, '"Highland Cathedral" - you probably won't know that one.' I said, 'I not only know it, I used to be Organist there!' Not many people could have said that (I think there are four people living who are, or were, Organist at St. Magnus Cathedral).

    So why didn't you use all the organ? I'd rather hear the Bangor PC organ than bagpipes any day!

     

    I didn't know the "Highland Cathedral" was St Magnus.

    Baroque Tempo

    in General discussion

    Posted

    Not only is ridiculously fast tempi a problem in Baroque music; some Anglican church music - and especially Psalms - is now performed significantly faster than it was fifty years ago. Perhaps the problem with the Baroque tempi is like so much with life these days; everyone's in such a hurry all the time. I'm sure I've read somewhere (perhaps in the writing of Peter Williams, I'm not sure) that Bach was very aware of the speed of the average human heartbeat. Surely that gives us some indication of what he was thinking?

     

    Malcolm

    Not to mention hymns!

    Peterborough Parish Church (St John the Baptist)

    in General discussion

    Posted

    I wanted to answer pcnd's query about this organ, but the topic has been locked, so:

     

    pcnd wrote:

    I notice (from the current issue of the Church Times) that a Director of Music and Organist is required for Saint John the Baptist, Peterborough. I further note (from the NPOR*) that this church possesses a 'vintage' Harrison organ, with its original stop-list largely intact. The only ranks missing are the Pedal Ophicleide, and the G.O. Harmonics (17-19-flat 21-22) and Octave Tromba. One minor alteration was the transposition of the former 8ft. Viole d'Orchestre on the Choir Organ to 4ft. pitch. There are a few colour photographs, two of which show the console, which looks to be quite dignified and largely unspoiled. However, I see that there is a note reading 'Specification superseded' near the top of the entry, so perhaps there have been some further alterations to this instrument.

     

     

    It would be interesting to know whether any contributor has played this instrument and can give an idea of its current state (and stop-list).

     

    As the outgoing organist I can give confirm that the NPOR specification is accurate: (http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N03444)

    The list of current and previous organs is admittedly confused now – it was fine until CKea’s useful information was added in 2009.

    The organ is a fine Harrison from 1917 and is tonally unaltered (with the tiny exception of the Choir 4ft string which was originally at 8ft pitch). Sadly in 1980, and with the best of intentions, the tubular pneumatic action was ripped out and replaced with a cheap and not very responsive action. Enough of the Harrison action remains for it to be converted to a proper electro-pneumatic action and there are plans to do this and renovate the instrument. Possibly also to install the prepared-for stops.

    The more I play this organ, the more I love it. The Swell reeds are not as smooth as later H&H ones and are, I think, superb. The Great 8, 4, 2 chorus is excellent, but not really enough for a large church. The organ is great for English romantic music, of course, but also copes well with French, though it does need a pedal reed. It’s obviously less good for Baroque music, the pedal being the problem. The massive Open Wood is too big and the Geigen is too small (same rank as the Great 16ft). I tend to use Great and Swell coupled but a Great Mixture would allow the Swell to be kept independent and coupled down to provide a stronger and more clearly defined pedal line.

    I will miss playing this instrument very much but have decided that, when I become an old-age pensioner in November, I will play the organ (Walker 1865) in the village where we now live.

    did you just end up a the pub?

    in The Organ

    Posted

    A few more:

    Widor 2nd Symphony Finale (though I find one bit very difficult)

    Guilmant 1st Sonata Finale - a superb piece (though I either have to leave out a couple of pedal notes or buy organ shoes with bigger heels)

    The Belier Toccata - at first I turned up my nose at it, but having played it once or twice I find it rather good and always enjoyed by listeners. It's very easy, which is a big plus! (on IMSLP)

    Dupré: Placare Christe servulis (from the Tombeau de Titelouze)

    Dupré, again: the Prelude - from the P & F in B

    Vierne; The superb Finale to the 3rd Symphony

    Fleury: the last of his "Vingt-quatre pièces pour orgue ou harmonium" - brilliant piece - and easy. (Basically manuals only, with a few pedals at the end. Recorded by George Guest for Rymuse.)

     

    And if they don't have to be French:

    Lemmens Fanfare

    Bédard: Toccata from the "Suite for Organ" - okay a bit trite, but very effective

    Archer: the Toccata from the "Suite for Organ" which is a very good piece, I think, but easy to play (The Suite also has a beautiful Adagio, in my opinion)

    Also Archer: the Centenary Toccata from the "Lancaster Suite" - not quite such a good piece but I still enjoy playing it.

    I've also played a Toccata in F minor by Ralph Driffil which I quite liked.

    Francis Jackson: Toccata (from Toccata, Chorale & Fugue) - a bit fiddly but a great piece

     

    RE: the Vierne Carillon from the 24 Pièces, I don't use the adaptation by Pierre Gouin but I think it does work. After all, Vierne wrote it so that it could be played on a harmonium. Would he have used the octaves graves if he'd played it on the organ? It's a bit thin if played as written unless there's plenty of 16' tone.

    Lincoln Cathedral choir in financial trouble?

    in General discussion

    Posted

    See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10598116/Labours-50p-tax-will-damage-British-business.html

     

    Scroll down to three letters about cathedral music, in particular, a letter from David Lawson. Anyone know anything?

     

    Later:

    Though this seems to be based solely on this from the Lincoln Cathedral website:

    ‘Put simply we need to double the number of paying visitors. Even then there remains a major challenge’.

    Prelude & Fugue in G minor by Dupre.

    in The Organ

    Posted

     

    Are you sure?

     

    I understood that it contained scores which had entered the Public Domain, and were thus out of copyright.

    Quite sure! IMSLP has scores which are out of copyright in Canada and the USA, for instance. If you try to download Dupré you will see a notice telling you that the music is still under copyright in the EU.

     

    Downloading scores which are still in copyright in this country is as bad as photocopying them.

    Set Free

    in Nuts and bolts

    Posted

    Agree the pointlessness of multiple pistons on small organs - and equally the bewilderment of once being given the keys to a >100 stop 5 manual organ with a grand total of 8, non-adjustable pistons to the entire organ.

    I remember playing for a concert on this organ (http://www.andriessenorgelbouw.be/organs/GsbShow02.jpg) and resorting to sticking post-it notes on the stops I might want to use. (Didn't have time to set the generals.) I played Karg-Elert's Nun Danket on full organ throughout as I got the tutti on and couldn't get it off again. Quite a racket!

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