DouglasCorr

...jolly good - not too pervasive (as tubas go...!)

The redication recital last night at St Pauls was another organ concert not to have been missed! Oliver Latry played a programme, mostly from memory, showing the features of the new organ. Bach G maj P&F primarily on the Dome choruses - who would have thought such clarity would be possible!? In the Franck 2nd Chorale and other works, the new tubas were much in evidence - and blended in so effectively. The new mobile 5 manual console. with its magnificent carpentry and proportions, allowed a clear view of Latry. I was amazed at how Latry could successfully play pieces like the Dupre P&F in g min and the Boellman Toccata at top speed - without any any concession to the ~6 second echo - technique? good acoustics? Having just heard the Royal Albert Hall organ last week (John Scott), one realises how superior St Pauls is, in terms of its beauty of tone and in its cohesive and useful range of colours and volumes. I don't know why this should be. Perhaps the flying saucers have not improved the RAH acoustics. Maybe it is intrinsically different in concept, through being a concert organ..? And possibly St Pauls is better because of the experience gained by Willis in builidng the RAH first?

Daniel Roth gave a superb recital yesterday on the Mander organ in St Peters Church, St Albans. One of the best recitals I've ever been to - he played an all French programme from Boely through to Falcinelli and one of his own compositions - each piece played with heady pianistic virtuosity! - and Sulplician pauses!!! (shame about the dead acoustics). Pdf programme here. The organ sounded remarkable! Very convincing in a programme that was stridently romantic French music - from the fairly English looking specification you would not believe how well the organ sounded. ....after such a recital that would have exhausted/killed many...he planned to catch a 6am flight to be at St Sulpice to play for the 10:30 mass!!!

I wonder how many people were at the Organ Show - last night at John Scott's excellent recital there were I would estimate only about 300-400 - hardly enough to cover the expenses involved I should think. What needs to be done to increase the audience? The Latry recital a little while ago had quite a good attendance. Is it the programme/performer/time of year.... ?

Did anyone go to the Organ Show at the RAH?? What was it like?

Part 4...? ... it was getting really interesting ....

But are there any more videos ???

In surfing the web I noticed an exciting new appointment- Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin has just begun at the RCM as Professor for organ!

I thought all my problems would be over!! I've just got Supadance 9000 shoes from their shop in Essex!! - nice shop, lots of sizes, nice sales girl... But when I got home and tried them out, I realised I should have thought more about this previous post- The Supadance shoes have suede soles and heels. While the Supadance shoes are light, flexible and minimise ones foot size, compared to my self modified Clarks shoes with leather soles and heels they feel like they have glue on the soles. OK for toes only Bach players, but in general I think they will take some getting used to. But, importantly, Vox Humana's note shows that there is no point in me trying Organmaster shoes as a last resort, as they will have the just the same problem. Hmm... more practice or back to the High Street?

I've just looked up the programme for the "Organ Show": Chopin, arr. C. Carpenter - 'Revolutionary' Etude (Op. 10, No. 4 in C Minor) Demessieux - Octaves Joe Hisaishi - The promise of the world / The merry-go-round of life from Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle Liszt - Mephisto Waltz No. 1 John Williams - From Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I. Harry’s Wondrous World II. Invisibility Cloak III. Hedwig’s Theme J. S. Bach, arr. & ed. C. Carpenter - Evolutionary' Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Ellington - Solitude (after Sheep May Safely Graze), coupled with Grainger and J. S. Bach Cameron Carpenter - Love Song No. 1 Cameron Carpenter - from New York City Sessions (2005) technoëtude+Nightclub Scene Cameron Carpenter - Improvised Sonata based on great British television themes I. on ITV's Agatha Christie’s Poirot (theme by Christopher Gunning) II. on Cosgrove Hall's Wind in the Willows (theme by Keith Hopwood) III. on ITV's Inspector Morse (theme by Barrington Pheloung) and BBC1's EastEnders (theme by David Lowe) Not sure what to say about all that really....! But I was astonished to see that the very next day John Scott is giving the following programme, also at the RAH: Mendelssohn, arr. W.T. Best - Overture to ‘St Paul’ G.F. Handel - Concerto in F Op. 4 No.5 i) Larghetto ii) Allegro iii) Alla Siciliana iv) Presto J.S.Bach - Prelude and Fugue in A minor, WV 543 Wesley - Larghetto in F# minor Dupré - Prelude and Fugue in B major Saint-Saëns, arr by E.H. Lemare - Danse Macabre Willian - Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue Ad Wammes - Miroir Howells - Psalm-Prelude Set 2 no. 1 Vierne – Naïades and Carillon de Westminster from Pièces de fantaisie I notice that both are promoted by the RAH - they must evidently not expect one to suck up the other's audience. ...think I know which I would go to

Clearly the length of your leg (avoiding technical bone names...) is going to be fairly critical!

stilettos would look really nice... what colour suites you?

it must be tremulo!

Since the year before last i have been struggling with my modified Clarkes shoes. I really must get over my other problem -

Come on! Why don't you go the whole bit?!

I was there - The key thing was not only the balance, but the perfect blend of the organ with the orchestra - no shrieking mixtures here! OL is a great performer and artist! I think I should add that in the Messiaen orchestral piece, those of you who were not present missed an extraordinary way of bringing gongs to a climax! The half dozen or so percussionists of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France faced away from their gongs, which were hanging low down behind their backs, and with a backwards underarm action they proceeded to beat the gongs violently to a fortissimo! Maybe this is to conform to some EU health and safety directive for ones hearing, or perhaps just a French way of doing things? Better not try to play the organ this way….

Hmmm...?? these claims are in fact more likely to be true!! I am the best, most accomplished organist with the largest repertoire in GU51 3LT!!

Wow! This is a must have – what’s the number/book?? Sits alongside other battle hymns with magnificent poetry like “Say not the struggle naught availeth, …. If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars, it may be in yon smoke concealed…. These are memorable hymns – enough to put anyone’s hood in a twist… !

The things I like about Trooping the Colour are the raucous shouting that goes on while the music is playing, as well as the music having to stop anywhere in the middle of a phrase .....reminds me of.....

Thanks for suggestions - but I would really like to go and hear it live if I can find a suitable recital.

I would also like to hear St Ouen - but can't find any information - has anyone got any internet links please?

Concerning St Sulpice and St Sernin, I agree with you, but don't forget the size of the building and the organ position make a big difference. St Sernin is smaller in volume and in terms of width compared to St Sulpice. I don't think you can really make a like with like comaprison - both are magical in their own way. Also no one has recently mentioned that the dates of the organs at St Sernin and at St Sulpice are 30 years or so apart - you wouldn't expect that Cavaille Coll's ideas to have remained unchanged over such a period. (the new organ at Chartres (which I don't like the sound of) is not at the west end, but on the south wall as far as I remember)

On Thursday I attended the Memorial Concert at St Sulpice for Hervé Lussigny, who was the registrant-assistant in the organ loft for 22 years and whose Memoriam is published here. Four organists played: Suzanne Chaisemartin; Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin, Pierre Cogan and Daniel Roth. They each played two pieces, beginning with a solemn movement: Suzanne Chaisemartin: Prélude from Symphony no 1 Vierne Fantasie in G Bach Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin: Prélude Ropartz Sonata VI Mendelssohn Pierre Cogan: Cortège et Offrande Cogan Choral no 3 Franck Daniel Roth: Tierce en taille de Grigny Gloria (Livre d’Orgue pour le Magnificat) Roth At the end the Salve Regina was sung by the audience, with an improvised introduction, accompaniment and gentle conclusion by Daniel Roth. The organ sounded magnificent. Few can have had such a moving tribute.

I think RF Stevens of Kentish Town North London was one of the last reed organ builders see e.g. RF Stevens. I had (1960) a 1 manual rebuilt reed organ from Stevens. They told me they made new organs for the Navy and I think the Prison Service, although I thought the reconditioned ones were better than their new ones - which looked ugly and had very stiff keys!

It may amuse people to know that about 35 years ago I saw an advert in the Organ or Musical Opinion that advertised the services of an organ builder - who would be pleased to provide quotations for installations - but added "No practise organs"!