Worcester Cathedral

[Guest Roffensis]

But if nobody ever took the risk, there'd never be any new organs.

 

Barry

 

But to balance, there would still be some old ones, and are at present thankfully. I am delighted to learn that the new Worcester organ is earning such excellent praise indeed.

 

R

[Ronald Shillingford]

Having now heard the recent BBC Broadcast of Choral Evensong from here a few days ago I am delighted to hear the new Kenneth Tickell organ. His firm has done a good job considering they don't normally build Organs with electric Action as proposed to a direct mechanical action. Tonally it develops well in this rather dull acoustic. The full Swell was a revelation and the Mixtures I am glad to say are not too harsh and shout at u lol. The Tuba as well is very sucessfull . All in all it's quite a gutsy sound which is what I like to hear. The only thing thats misssing unfortunately is the Double 32's from the Transept Organ. So let's hope it won't be too long before this up and running. Well done to u Adrian for giving so much of your time to highlight the progress of the Organs on here and to your vision of what was long needed here.

[PF Baron]

It's horses for courses. We know all about your fondness for the Worcester organ, and we can understand it, and maybe go along with it a certain way. But lots of other people thought it was dreadful, and those people have had their way. Perhaps they were wrong, but perhaps not. Who's to say? And anyway - the deed is done.

 

B

 

And what about building a new organ beside the old one, if people do not like it ?

 

So taht the old one, seen as a document, can still be consulted by other people.

 

Best regards to all,

 

PF Baron

[DQB123]

And what about building a new organ beside the old one, if people do not like it ?

 

So taht the old one, seen as a document, can still be consulted by other people.

 

Best regards to all,

 

PF Baron

Is that what a church or cathedral is for?

[gazman]

Is that what a church or cathedral is for?

 

But of course! What else?

 

However, I find it constantly difficult to persuade the clergy not to keep interrupting organ practise with their insistence on holding silly things like services....

[Pierre Lauwers]

The church service itself may be seen as a kind of Heritage (2000 years old!),

and much are of artistic value.

Mr Baron express an attitude of mind which prevails today this side of the Channel.

The 20th century was the most disastrous by far since the mankind exists, and as

a result the human beings are more crude today than 250 years ago; it is time to

question the "progress" somewhat, before we give the Earth the final shot.

A bit of respect for our History would not harm.

 

Pierre

[Malcolm Kemp]

Thanks, Holz G, for trying to introduce a bit of humour into what has become a rather tedious argument. You are lucky if you work with clergy what actually want to hold services. We are all extremely lucky that Adrian Lucas has given so much time and energy to keeping us fully informed, with copious excellent photos, about all aspects of the building of the new Worcester organ. I have a slight vested interest in that my first serious organ teacher (George Austin) had been an articled pupil to Ivor Atkins in the early years of the 20th century and I heard many tales of the organ as it was then. When in my late teens he took me into St George's Hanover Square to see the preserved Hope Jones console there and we happened to meet the Vicar who, by chance, was also called Atkins.

 

We are never going to agree on whether it is best to rebuild/restore or replace and, as has already been said, what is right for one situation will be quite wrong for another. Perhaps this would be an apt time for members to agree to differ, whilst respecting each other's point of view, and close the subject? I am sure that Arian Lucas is a very reasonable chap but some of the comments posted on this topic must have made him wonder why he has bothered to be so helpful to us.

 

My late night meditation in my bath tonight will be an amusing one of visualising Holz Gedeckt and Quentin Bellamy each trying to fit as many "preserved" organs as possible into the side aisles of their respective churches.

 

Malcolm Kemp

[PF Baron]

My late night meditation in my bath tonight will be an amusing one of visualising Holz Gedeckt and Quentin Bellamy each trying to fit as many "preserved" organs as possible into the side aisles of their respective churches.

 

Malcolm Kemp

 

 

Dear Mr Kemp,

 

English humour not being in my chromosoms, I regret to have to admit that I did not particularly appreciate that you tried to ridicule what I just wrote above, without really factually, as far as conservation is concerned, answering the opinion I expressed.

 

In some cases, there is place to put a new organ in without removing the old one (...and by leaving the old one in position, its dismantlig costs could even be saved, if its structure is safe enough not to cause safety hazards)

 

This does not apply to any case, of course (e.g. in a french cathedrals and churches, of course, where organs are usually above the west end, so, there, we have to make up choices)

 

Respectfully,

 

PF Baron

[DQB123]

Dear Mr Kemp,

 

English humour not being in my chromosoms, I regret to have to admit that I do not particularly appreciate that you tried to ridicule what I just wrote above, without really factually, as far as conservation is concerned, answering the opinion I expressed.

 

In some cases, there is place to put a new organ in without removing the old one (...and by leaving the old one in position, its dismantlig costs could even be saved, if its structure is safe enough not to cause safety hazards)

 

This does not apply to any case, of course (e.g. in a french cathedrals and churches, of course, where organs are usually above the west end, so, there, we have to make up choices)

 

Respectfully,

 

PF Baron

Ooooer.....

[PF Baron]

Dear Mr Kemp,

 

English humour not being in my chromosoms, I regret to have to admit that I did not particularly appreciate that you tried to ridicule what I just wrote above, without really factually, as far as conservation is concerned, answering the opinion I expressed.

 

In some cases, there is place to put a new organ in without removing the old one (...and by leaving the old one in position, its dismantlig costs could even be saved, if its structure is safe enough not to cause safety hazards)

 

This does not apply to any case, of course (e.g. in a french cathedrals and churches, of course, where organs are usually above the west end, so, there, we have to make up choices)

 

Respectfully,

 

PF Baron

 

 

...and, by the way, to be 100 % clear, this has absolutely nothing to do with any kind of considerations about the quality of Mr Tickell's new organ in Worcester.

 

I was only speaking about conservation of older instruments.

 

Respectfully,

 

PF Baron

[Pierre Lauwers]

When an ancient organ, in France or Belgium, is placed at the usual west-end

position, it is often possible to build a new one....The british way.

This could indeed have been done in Brussels Cathedral; the new -and excellent,

as I often said- organ is placed on an aisle of the nave, while the old one was

at the west end. It was destroyed only because someone wanted it to dissepear.

 

So we did our part of destructions, in a time it was a relief for me to go to Britain

from time to time, enjoying some "old nails" that were still appreciated then.

Maybe a certain amount of sacrifices are necessary in order for a dedicate society to

realize it is time to question the whole thing; this is the kind of thing Voodoo priesters

told me when I was in Togo (western Africa) visiting their temples to study their

Faith in the context of my studies.

 

Pierre

[Lucasorg]

Just a reminder that the Dedication Weekend for the new Worcester Cathedral organ takes place next weekend - October 4th and 5th.

 

Saturday's Choral Evensong at 5.30 includes all sorts of demonstration of the organ in all its variety and the 8pm recital by Thomas Trotter should be an absolute wow! Tickets for the recital can be ordered from the Worcester Live Box Office on 01905 611427 and cost £15.

 

On the Sunday, the Sung Eucharist at 10.30 features a new double organ mass by Adrian Lucas and the 4pm Evensong will include the installation of the new Archdeacon of Worcester.

 

Come and join us.

 

Incidentally, the first CD of the organ will be available at the recital. I've recorded the Reubke Sonata and the whole of Vierne I to show off all the colours of the instrument. Availability through Worcester Cathedral Shop only, though I may make some available through e-bay if you're interested.

 

With best wishes,

 

Adrian

[Guest drd]

Thanks!

 

Will try to be there for both Evensong and the recital on Saturday. Just happen to be in the Midlands that day!

 

Impressed to realise that there were sufficient funds to rebuild the Archdeacon of Worcester, too!

[contrabordun]

Impressed to realise that there were sufficient funds to rebuild the Archdeacon of Worcester, too!

No, it sounds from AL's post as though it is a completely new one...

[Vox Humana]

Which soundboard is he going on?

[gazman]

Were he a bishop, would he have to be mitred to fit the available space?

[heva]

Depending on the quality he might even be stopped ...

[pcnd5584]

Is that what a church or cathedral is for?

 

Of course not....

 

.... it is to keep the organ dry.

[gazman]

Of course not....

 

.... it is to keep the organ dry.

 

 

Wasn't that what Sydney Campbell used to say, or am I thinking of the wrong person?

 

Of course, he was quite right.....!

[Vox Humana]

Sidney!

 

I can imagine him saying that.

[pcnd5584]

Wasn't that what Sydney Campbell used to say, or am I thinking of the wrong person?

 

Of course, he was quite right.....!

 

I had thought so - but it might also have been someone connected with Southwark Cathedral. I shall have to see if I can find the reference somewhere.

[Vox Humana]

Well, Campbell was at Southwark from 1953 to 1956...

[pcnd5584]

Well, Cambell was at Southwark from 1953 to 1956...

 

Of course he was - how could I forget this?

[pcnd5584]

Well, Cambell was at Southwark from 1953 to 1956...

 

In my defence, I was up very late watching episodes of NCIS back-to-back....

[Lucasorg]

Members of this board may be interested to learn that the new CD of the organ at Worcester is now available via Ebay - follow this link. As this disk will only otherwise be available through the Cathedral Shop, this seems the most obvious way to bring it to a wider audience.

 

Adrian