DouglasCorr
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Posts posted by DouglasCorr
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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!!!
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A friend of mine who went has sent me some photos and is ringing me this evening to give a report. If there's anything worth reporting I'll post it later. Seems he was quite happy to talk to the audience afterwards and autograph programmes &c., Apparently the audience was able to buy a new DVD which is not yet generally available in the UK.
The photos show him signing autographs whilst dresed like one of the higher orders of angels &c., (I've never seen an angel so this is guesswork on my part.)
Malcolm
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.... ?
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Did anyone go to the Organ Show at the RAH?? What was it like?
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Anyway, here are some more (Les Morts on the Späth, the rest on the Walcker).
- Fantasie und Fuge über "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam"
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Part 4
I'm particularly impressed with the “Ad nos”, played entirely without the help of assistants. Oh, and from memory, “of course”...
Part 4...? ...
it was getting really interesting .... 
- Fantasie und Fuge über "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam"
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Here is a video of Marcel Dupré playing his In dulci jubilo in St-Sulpice.
(Not quite as immobile at the console as the teachings of the Lemmens/Widor/Guilmant school would have made us believe.)
But are there any more videos
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In surfing the web I noticed an exciting new appointment- Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin has just begun at the RCM as Professor for organ!
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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-Whether you would get on with Organmaster shoes depends, I think, on how you pedal. I couldn't at all. They have suede soles and leather heels, which means that the soles have a measure of "grip" on the keys and the heels none at all. This is exactly the wrong way round for me since I am used to anchoring my heel and sliding my toes. With the leather heel I just could not keep a heel on a note at all. In the end I took the shoes to a cobbler and had the heels replaced with smooth rubber (having first asked him to put suede ones on and been advised against it since they would rub off). The suede soles I don't mind, but I think I would have been happier with leather.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?
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I have just checked the Royal Albert Hall web site to see if there is an organ recital this October, and Cameron Carpenter is booked to perform there on Tuesday October 21st.
Dave Mills
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
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.... so I can see the advantage in a larger heel. But how much heel is to be desired? How should we calculate this accurately? Does one's shoe size make a difference?
Clearly the length of your leg (avoiding technical bone names...) is going to be fairly critical!
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High heels are much better, preferably 6 inches. Ethel Austin is very good.
R
stilettos would look really nice... what colour suites you?
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it must be tremulo!
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Since the year before last i have been struggling with my modified Clarkes shoes. I really must get over my other problem -
There is a famous dance shoe shop in St Martin's Lane London.... Lots of silver glitter shoes in the window ...I felt uncomfortable about going inside.... -
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The Saint-Saëns was electric (although the Final was borderline too fast for the woodwind) with very good balance between organ and orchestra. Wish I'd been there in person!
IFB
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….
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But, for me, the ones that really get my goat up are the 'best organist in [suburb | city | country]' or 'best organist of the next generation' claims, that are essentially meaningless.
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!!
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.... processing down the aisle to the hymn, "See the evil hosts advancing, With Satan at their head."
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.....
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The Jeremy Filsell Vierne CDs give a good impression.
AJJ
Thanks for suggestions - but I would really like to go and hear it live if I can find a suitable recital.
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Maybe, having noted swalmsley's comments about the St. Ouen recitals, this would be an opportune time to ask when would be the best time to visit Paris? My wife and I have decided on a fortnight in Autumn 2009 but would appreciate some advice on the timing. We have sort of planned on 2 weeks self-catering (for the flexibility) in September/October and wonder if this is going to result in plenty of music being available? I think Rouen is about 60 minutes train journey from Paris and the chance to hear the organ there must not be missed. Thank you in advance for any advice.
and St. Ouen equal first - but this is based only on recordings!
P
I would also like to hear St Ouen - but can't find any information - has anyone got any internet links please?
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The thing that impressed me the most was the pervasive nature of the sound, quiet combinations and single stops just filled the whole church regardless of where you were stood. The Grande Flute Harmonique was so solid it felt like you could reach out and touch the sound.
You don't get that at St. Sulpice, even less so at Notre Dame, you do however get it at Chartres!
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)
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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.
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During a fairly protracted period of agonising whether to buy an electronic organ I saw a couple of times on Ebay a two manual and pedal practice harmonium made by Rushworth and Dreapers and was sorely tempted to bid, except that I knew it wouldn't get through my front door. Whether the new owner sold it quickly afterwards or whether there are several of these things still in existence that appear on Ebay now and then, I don't know.
But it does raise some interesting issues. Does the expertise, and materials, exist to build a fully reed-driven home practice organ rather than a pipe organ, if I so wanted to? I might be wrong, but I can't imagine many pipe organ builders would be wildly enthused if I approached them to build me a complete stand-alone console just so i could plug in some electronics and have a digital practice organ. Who these days has the know-how to build a home practice organ-replacement harmonium (ie at least two manuals, pedals, pipe organ compass), and how would the cost compare to a small home pipe organ or a toaster?
Probably hopelessly off topic , but I love the way discussions on this forum develop!
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!
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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"!
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I did not go to any recitals apart form that in St. George's Tall, by Ian Tracey. For the record, despite work being carried out to the winding, by a non Liverpool firm, the organ still sounds like Niagra Falls. We also were treated to sticking notes, and a general impression the organ is well past it's glory days.
R
I'm puzzled and shocked! Just a few years ago I remember an appeal for the organ - to which I contributed - I thought it was undergoing a complete restoration?
it was getting really interesting .... 
I've just got Supadance 9000 shoes from their shop in Essex!! - nice shop, lots of sizes, nice sales girl... 
St Pauls Cathedral
in General discussion
Posted
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?