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Recitals


Peter Clark

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Guest Lee Blick
On Saturday 28 October, Philip Tordoff will be giving Halifax Parish Church's 1,000th recital at 7.30. Admission will be at 1971 prices (3/-, concessions 2/-). Another attraction is that a specially-brewed Snetzler Ale will be available. I am told it is excellent.

 

The organ is being tuned and fettled in anticipation of this milestone, so if you want to hear the instrument at its best, this is your chance.

 

Actually, it is only the 1,000th recital since 1971. There were certainly some recitals before that, including one given by Marcel Dupre in the late 40's, and a mini-recital by Bairstow during the dedication service in 1929.

 

 

Sorry, I am confused. Is this an entry for a real recital or not? The 28th October is on a Sunday.

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Sorry, I am confused. Is this an entry for a real recital or not? The 28th October is on a Sunday.

 

We can take it that this is just a typo.

I've just cheched on www.organrecitals, and there's no confusion there: definitely Saturday 27th at 7.30pm. I will certainly try to be there; Philip's recital looks both fun and an excellent prospect, not to say a typical Yorkshire Bargain!!

 

To add a further recommendation for the benefit of anyone who hasn't yet been to Halifax Parish Church, IMHO this is an exceptional organ. Although not in first-class order, it sounds well in everything. The case is weird and wonderful but it is the tone that puts it into a special class. The voicing is unique amongst H&Hs of the period - especially the choruses which retain more than a hint of Snetzler. This is such a musical instrument.

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  • 6 months later...

This one seems to have gone quiet for a very long time so....

 

May I draw to the attention of any members who are in (or who are likely to be in) the North West on Saturday that there is a Recital at Christ Church, Port Sunlight- a rarely heard instrument for many, many years.

 

Colin Walsh - 7.30:

 

http://www.willis-organs.com/port_general.html

 

DW

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This one seems to have gone quiet for a very long time so....

 

May I draw to the attention of any members who are in (or who are likely to be in) the North West on Saturday that there is a Recital at Christ Church, Port Sunlight- a rarely heard instrument for many, many years.

 

Colin Walsh - 7.30:

 

http://www.willis-organs.com/port_general.html

 

DW

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Thanks to Henry Willis, I have been reminded to advise all that on Friday the 30th May, Carlo Curley makes a triumphant return to Alexandra Palace, but not in the Great Hall, but in the unrestored Victorian Theatre, with the Allen organ, after an absence of 40 years.

Even if a "toaster" is being played, I hope some of you will attend, and certainly there seems to be much interest, considering the number of tickets sold already. All profits to the theatre restoration fund.

You may recall that from 1875 to 1890, the theatre contained a Willis organ.(see NPOR)

I would like to thank Stephen Smith for his help in publicising the concert under organ recitals.com, and to all the organ associations and societies who have expressed such enthusiasm for this unique event.

Finally, thank you to John Mander for allowing this thread to be resurrected.

Colin Richell.

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Thanks to Henry Willis, I have been reminded to advise all that on Friday the 30th May, Carlo Curley makes a triumphant return to Alexandra Palace, but not in the Great Hall, but in the unrestored Victorian Theatre, with the Allen organ, after an absence of 40 years.

Even if a "toaster" is being played, I hope some of you will attend, and certainly there seems to be much interest, considering the number of tickets sold already. All profits to the theatre restoration fund.

You may recall that from 1875 to 1890, the theatre contained a Willis organ.(see NPOR)

I would like to thank Stephen Smith for his help in publicising the concert under organ recitals.com, and to all the organ associations and societies who have expressed such enthusiasm for this unique event.

Finally, thank you to John Mander for allowing this thread to be resurrected.

Colin Richell.

 

Sounds like something to be avoided at all costs.

 

Sorry, but I just don't see the attraction of Curley's million mile an hour playing.

 

Nick

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Well Nick they do say that one man's meat is another mans poison, and I do respect your view point.

Who is the organist who is very fast on his feet? someone sent me something on the computer, but I could not open it.

He is an American apparently.

Colin Richell.

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Well Nick they do say that one man's meat is another mans poison, and I do respect your view point.

Who is the organist who is very fast on his feet? someone sent me something on the computer, but I could not open it.

He is an American apparently.

Colin Richell.

 

I think you are referring to Cameron Carpenter and the clip is on the Trinity, Wall St, New York site. He takes thumbing down to a new level (often two in fact).

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Sorry, but I just don't see the attraction of Curley's million mile an hour playing.

Up until last January I would heartily have agreed. Then I actually went to one of his recitals. The programme was unashamedly aimed at the general populace rather than organists, but it had something to please (or offend) everyone. The saving grace was the variety of it. There were speeds, yes. He delivered the most breakneck performance of the Orgelbüchlein In dulci jubilo I have ever heard. I very much doubt that it was what Bach had in mind, but it made absolute sense of all those pesky cross rhythms, turning the triplets into veritably joyful peels of bells. Elsewhere there was some footwork to rival Cameron Carpenter too. Yet he opened his programme softly by playing Ar Hyd y Nos on the Swell celestes. A bit naff, tastewise, perhaps, but the musicianship oozed out of it. The sheer musical communciation was for me the hallmark of the programme and outweighed issues of taste. I would venture to suggest a lot of our professional organists would be hard put to match it.

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Whether you like Carlo Curley's Style or not, there is no disputing the fact that he seems to fulfil his stated aims of encouraging the interest of the general public in the organ.

 

John

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Yet he opened his programme softly by playing Ar Hyd y Nos on the Swell celestes. A bit naff, tastewise, perhaps, but the musicianship oozed out of it. The sheer musical communciation was for me the hallmark of the programme and outweighed issues of taste. I would venture to suggest a lot of our professional organists would be hard put to match it.

 

Would this be his own arrangement of Ar Hyd y Nos? If so I heard him play it in the Collins workshop when he was demonstrating the combi organ (now at Trono in Sweden) and I found this to be a most effective tender and warm arrangement - all champagne and After Eight mints! Is it published does anyone know?

 

 

Peter

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Whether you like Carlo Curley's Style or not, there is no disputing the fact that he seems to fulfil his stated aims of encouraging the interest of the general public in the organ.

 

John

 

He is also very sincere and anxious to 'spread the word' (or rather music) - 'same as the rest of us in our different ways!

 

AJJ

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I am delighted to hear from so many Carlo Curley fans, and this gives me great confidence for the Ally Pally Theatre event on the 30th May. Feedback has been very positive.

I can assure you that everyone at Ally Pally is delighted to welcome Carlo back after his very succesful concerts in the 1980's.

As people say, he puts bums on seats, and encourages people who are not normally into classical organ music.to take some interest.

It is understandable that he is not eveyone's cup of tea, and also that "toasters" are despised by many. Give me a pipe organ any day, but the theatre does not have an organ, so the only alternative is to hire one in, in the hope that the sound is comparable to a pipe organ.

Has anyone heard the new Allen organ, and if so what do they think of it, ?

Colin Richell.

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I'm having fun this week playing recitals on two fine instruments, so thought I'd share it:

 

St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham May 14th 7.30pm

Walker 1993: 40 stops, 3 manuals - arguably the best in the Midlands...

 

Marche Nuptiale - Vierne

Basse et Dessus de Trompette (Suite du Premier Ton) - Clérambault

Fugue sur le thème du Carillon des Heures de la cathédrale de Soissons - Duruflé

Résurrection from Symphonie-Passion- Dupré

Theme and Variations on 'Laudi Spirituali' - Briggs

Three Pieces: March - Meditation - Introduction and Toccata - Choveaux

Blues Chorale: 'Die ganze Welt hast du uns überlassen' - Kiefer

Chant de Mai - Jongen

In Organo, Chordis et Choro - Hakim

 

Rochdale Town Hall, Saturday 17th 12.00pm

Binns 1913, 4 manuals...

 

Grand Choeur Dialogué - Gigout

'Great' Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV 542 - J.S. Bach

Badinerie from Suite no. 2 - J.S. Bach

Organ Concerto no 10 in D minor - Handel

Trumpet Tune in D major - David Johnson

Be thou my vision - Gárdonyi

Blues Chorale: 'Die ganze Welt hast du uns überlassen' - Kiefer

In Organo, Chordis et Choro - Hakim

Will o' the Wisp - Nevin

Chant de Mai - Jongen

Finale from The Organ Symphony - Saint-Saëns/Briggs

 

More at http://www.paulcarr.co.uk

 

If you make it to either, please come and say hello!

 

All best,

Paul.

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Rochdale Town Hall, Saturday 17th 12.00pm

Binns 1913, 4 manuals...

 

Grand Choeur Dialogué - Gigout

'Great' Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV 542 - J.S. Bach

Badinerie from Suite no. 2 - J.S. Bach

Organ Concerto no 10 in D minor - Handel

Trumpet Tune in D major - David Johnson

Be thou my vision - Gárdonyi

Blues Chorale: 'Die ganze Welt hast du uns überlassen' - Kiefer

In Organo, Chordis et Choro - Hakim

Will o' the Wisp - Nevin

Chant de Mai - Jongen

Finale from The Organ Symphony - Saint-Saëns/Briggs

 

More at http://www.paulcarr.co.uk

 

If you make it to either, please come and say hello!

 

All best,

Paul.

 

Which transcription of the Bach Badinere are you playing?

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Which transcription of the Bach Badinere are you playing?

 

It's my arrangement of an arrangement in some album I have, can't remember who that arr was by though. The main reason for re-arranging it was that it was in A minor instead of B minor, and having had a few stressful moments caused by having to transpose it, I decided to write it out in B minor and tweaked a few bits at the same time.

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There's an excellent one by Thomas Murray which I'm playing this year, and slightly unusual. RH has the melody (of course), but LH has the bass part, and there is slow double pedalling throughout that fills in the harmony. Its rather good.

 

I'd never thought of playing it A minor, a bit like that version of the Brahms Fugue in A flat minor that was published in A minor to make it 'easier to play'!

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There's an excellent one by Thomas Murray which I'm playing this year, and slightly unusual. RH has the melody (of course), but LH has the bass part, and there is slow double pedalling throughout that fills in the harmony. Its rather good.

 

I'd never thought of playing it A minor, a bit like that version of the Brahms Fugue in A flat minor that was published in A minor to make it 'easier to play'!

 

Sounds interesting - is it published?

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Further to my previous message regarding Carlo Curley's organ spectacular at Alexandra Palace Theatre on Friday 30th May, I have arranged for Carlo to be interviewed on BBC Radio 3's "In Tune" on Tuesday 27th May at 5-15pm should anyone be interested. Additionally I have arranged for an interview on BBC Radio Essex on 23rd May at 3-35pm.

Colin Richell.

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