Guest Cynic Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Dear Folks, maybe I'm mis-using this forum, in which case I humbly apologise. I'm anxious to locate some second-hand Walker stopkeys. Rather stupidly, when I had over 100 in stock I sold a few - now I'm short! I have also heard that someone, somewhere has been known to make new 'banana-shaped' fronts for them. Anyone got any information about this? Please PM or e-mail me. Thanks in advance for any help. P [aka Cynic] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Wooler Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Try St Mary's Aylesbury (www.stmarysaylesbury.org.uk) - they have just installed an electronic to stand in for the Walker/HNB which recently died quite spectacularly. A friend of mine was playing it at a time and the mobile console threw a wobbler and half and showered an impressive cloud of sparks between his legs. They have a 60 stop or so Walker Elephant's tusk console which I gather is sitting in the corner contributing the square root of bugger all to church life. Judging from what is written on the music page of their website they have no intention of restoring it- they anticpate buying a second hand pipe organ. Not bad given that in the re-ordering of the Church in the late '70s/early 80' the Walker component was removed from what I understand to have been its chamber (office space was deemed more vital) onto a gallery high up north of the crossing so that everything spoke up into the bellfry nicely (the Bats in Aylesbury sing hymns terribly well these days!) and complemented it with an HNB extension organ organ the west end in a small chamber north of the new West Choir Stalls, the voicing of which was just plain nasty. Not to mention the fact that the console was put into an essentially seperate room to the rest of the church. In short there was a west organ that could be heard by only the choir, and east organ that could be heard only by a few in the congregation and an organ console in a place where hearing anything in the church was just deemed to be plain luxury!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They might let you have some of their stops though. Just a thought............. Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I went to school in Aylesbury and had the misfortune of playing the organ at St. Mary's several times soon after it was overhauled. Speaking to one of the organ-builders at HNB, he told me that the incumbent wanted the organ built so high up in the transept so it didn't get in the way of the foldup trampolines/table tennis underneath (I kid you not) The 'Chester' extension organ built at the West End was indeed horrible and although the Walker stop-key console looked quite impressive was rather a disappointment to play. A far better Buckinghamshire organ is the 46/III Willis III at All Saints, High Wycombe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Wooler Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I went to school in Aylesbury and had the misfortune of playing the organ at St. Mary's several times soon after it was overhauled. Speaking to one of the organ-builders at HNB, he told me that the incumbent wanted the organ built so high up in the transept so it didn't get in the way of the foldup trampolines/table tennis underneath (I kid you not) I believe you entirely!!! Which school were you at in Aylesbury. I went to Berkhamsted and still love the Willis in the School Chapel which had a thorough overhaul in 2001 and sounds glorious once again. The 'Chester' extension organ built at the West End was indeed horrible and although the Walker stop-key console looked quite impressive was rather a disappointment to play. A far better Buckinghamshire organ is the 46/III Willis III at All Saints, High Wycombe. I gather so- I'm playing a recital there in August. Any tips? Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hi Charles I was at the Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School. The action on the Willis Organ is a little sluggish but there are plenty of tonal resources and registrational aids have been augmented in recent years. I hope you enjoy playing at All Saints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Wooler Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hi Charles I was at the Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School. You weren't taught by Ray Cook by any chance were you? He's a great freind of my- and also the unfortunate recipient of the shower of sparks that the St Mary's organ dished out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Clark Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Dear Folks,maybe I'm mis-using this forum, in which case I humbly apologise. I'm anxious to locate some second-hand Walker stopkeys. Rather stupidly, when I had over 100 in stock I sold a few - now I'm short! I have also heard that someone, somewhere has been known to make new 'banana-shaped' fronts for them. Anyone got any information about this? Please PM or e-mail me. Thanks in advance for any help. P [aka Cynic] I ssed to play (20 years ago) a Walker '65 job (I loved it!) in Holy Trinity Dockhead London SE1, and as far as I am aware the organ is hardlly if at all used these days. It had the bananas you talk about so might be worth contacting them. There again my info may be completely wrong, hence this disclaimer!! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 You weren't taught by Ray Cook by any chance were you? He's a great freind of my- and also the unfortunate recipient of the shower of sparks that the St Mary's organ dished out! Yes! Has he retired? He was an inspiration to me and I managed to get a decent A level music grade. Ray used to be assistant organist at St. Mary's, was he not? I ssed to play (20 years ago) a Walker '65 job (I loved it!) in Holy Trinity Dockhead London SE1, and as far as I am aware the organ is hardlly if at all used these days. It had the bananas you talk about so might be worth contacting them. There again my info may be completely wrong, hence this disclaimer!! Peter I auditioned for that post about 15 years ago. I was very impressed with that organ. Unfortunately I played appallingly on the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Wooler Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Yes! Has he retired? He was an inspiration to me and I managed to get a decent A level music grade. Ray used to be assistant organist at St. Mary's, was he not? He has just retired-last summer in fact. He was an inspiration to me too. During the early '90s, the then vicar of St Mary's made life impossible for him and Dave Radwell (did you come across him too). They were joint Directors of Music at the time and both decided that they'd had enough of him. David is now at Eaton Bray and Ray is at St Michael's Aston Clinton where he has totally re-invigorated the music. I have never met any one of any age with such energy and enthusiasm for music. And with the ability to get even the most limited group of people to sing or play well. When I was at school, I helped out a bit at Aston Clinton and Ray taught he all the basics- very thoroughly too and was a great encouragement. Send me a PM with you're real name etc. and I'll put you back in touch with him if you like! Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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