Constructing A Recital Programme

[MusingMuso]

.........shapeless and full of hot air to little effect (like Reger, but in a totally different way).

 

 

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You have been removed from my "friends" and struck off my Christmas List.

 

MM

[Vox Humana]

With your aversion to Herbert it was always going to be loaded sponges at dawn.

[MusingMuso]

Wagner is sublime only in the opera house when the whole effect can be experienced, and you can be drawn into the emotional roller coaster. I suspect the same is true of most music - it works in its proper context. This is the danger of an organ recital, where the music has often to be taken out of context and given a different magic - a very fine art, I think you'll agree. A clever recital with no soul - . An emotional recital with no technique - equally . It may sound a little simplistic,, but I think - very long-winded pieces apart - that you could play anything at a recital as long as you use it to make the instrument sing. This provides a proper context for the music to work its magic and the recitalist to be recognised for his/her skill.

 

BTW - this is why I hate Classic FM - because I can't bear bits of music fitted in among banal adverts and smug chatter.

 

 

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I went into early training....honest.....early nights, no alcohol, chastity......that sort of thing.

 

I was dragged kicking and screaming by my then partner, to a performance of "The Ring," and what happens?

 

I go home covered in bruises, that's what!

 

The overture began, and the next thing I can recall was a very large woman falling upon me. It was like a nightmare!

For a moment or two, I thought I had somehow ended up on stage, and Brunhilda was setting about me, but in truth, I had fallen asleep, and the dear lady decided it might be best to tip-toe past me (like an elephant carrying an umbrella) during the interval.

 

She stumbled and fell, and I suffered crush injuries.

 

On her return, I smiled sweetly, and sang the opening line of the George Michael classic to her:-

 

"Wake me up, before you go!"

 

My American partner thumped me hard on the upper-arm and told me to "Shut it!"

 

Another bruise, another limb......but at least I FELT the performance.

 

I have never listened to Wagner since.

 

MM

[pcnd5584]

With your aversion to Herbert it was always going to be loaded sponges at dawn.

'Loaded sponges'??

 

This is nowhere near as threatening as drawn Chamades at dawn - where is your sense of adventure?

[MusingMuso]

'Loaded sponges'??

 

This is nowhere near as threatening as drawn Chamades at dawn - where is your sense of adventure?

 

 

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You just keep your chamade where it belongs!

 

 

MM

[Davidb]

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You just keep your chamade where it belongs!

 

 

MM

 

does flashing your chamade in public count as indecent exposure? or is it only when playing baroque:P

[bombarde32]

does flashing your chamade in public count as indecent exposure? or is it only when playing baroque:P

 

 

.......depends if it is triple harmonic or not........

 

....we don't want to frighten the horses..

[pcnd5584]

.......depends if it is triple harmonic or not........

 

....we don't want to frighten the horses..

 

It is harmonic from F18 - but I do not know if this extends up to the top. It is difficult to tell, since the resonators are arranged to be visually effective, and are positioned on three different levels, facing west.. Tuning it is awkward, since it is not easy to tell, simply by looking at the pipes, which notes one is about to tune. I should stick some labels on the chest, at some point.

 

Perhaps I shall go inside the organ later today and take some photographs to post here.

[MusingMuso]

I came across a "recital programme" performed by the late Philip Dore in 1930, when he was at the Bournemouth Pavilion.

 

The official programme had the following music listed:-

 

Two Chorale Preludes ... ... ... Bach

Sonata on 94th Psalm . . . ... ... Reubke

(a) Aubade ... ... ... E. Johnson

(b ) Moto Perpetuo.

Lost Chord ... ... ... ... Sullivan

Overture to ‘Ruy Blas' ... Mendelssohn

 

Apparently, after the Bach preludes, he turned to the audience and asked them what they would like to hear, with the result that the ACTUAL programme then went as follows:-

 

Finlandia

In a Monastery Garden

Fairy Clock

Poor Old Joe

Imitation of a Salvation Army Band

Imitation of the little boy next door learning to play the harmonium

Because

Sleepy Valley

Toreador's Song

Tweet Tweet Tweet

 

Now why have I never thought of this democratic approach to recitals? I'm fairly certain that this would go down better than all the classical rubbish we all play, and it would save us so much hard work.

 

Would anyone DARE to do this to-day, I wonder?

 

 

MM

[Davidb]

Perhaps a slight variation upon this MM, would be that if you are giving a recital at 'your' church, you put a note on the pew-sheet that you will be taking suggestions for music to play at your upcoming recital (about a month - 6weeks in advance) - then construct a program (As far as is possible) out of those suggested, with perhaps a few serious pieces

[andyorgan]

Perhaps a slight variation upon this MM, would be that if you are giving a recital at 'your' church, you put a note on the pew-sheet that you will be taking suggestions for music to play at your upcoming recital (about a month - 6weeks in advance) - then construct a program (As far as is possible) out of those suggested, with perhaps a few serious pieces

 

Yes, I tried this a few years ago to raise money for the rebuild of the organ. I gave people a fairly free hand, and I included a repertoire list for them to choose from also. I also said I was prepared to learn some new repertoire if they had any other requests. As it turned out, the recital made a fortune for the organ appeal (and people gift aided, so that increased the value of the donation) and the only new piece I had to learn was a rather odd trumpet tune by Stanley. I had feared someone might make me learn fistfuls of Reger, or Messiaen, but they didn't!

 

Hot on the heels of that, when the organ was done, about three years later we invited people to sponsor their choice of hymn on a hymns cd which we were doing to with the choir. Also brought quite a bit in as well.

 

PS That wasn't the Philip Dore related to the ex Direcotr of Music at Ampleforth, Dore, and his son who is currently on the staff there, William?

[gazman]

PS That wasn't the Philip Dore related to the ex Direcotr of Music at Ampleforth, Dore, and his son who is currently on the staff there, William?

 

I guess it was the Philip Dore. An old LP (1971) of mine states that he was organ scholar of Queen's College, Cambridge, city organist at Portsmouth, organist of Mullingar Cathedral, Lecturer in Music at University College, Dublin. He was also on the music staff at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, and Brighton College, and later at Ampleforth College. He looks a bit ancient on the photo of him on the LP sleeve, and his playing seems to be rather influenced by advancing years.

[andyorgan]

I guess it was the Philip Dore. An old LP (1971) of mine states that he was organ scholar of Queen's College, Cambridge, city organist at Portsmouth, organist of Mullingar Cathedral, Lecturer in Music at University College, Dublin. He was also on the music staff at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, and Brighton College, and later at Ampleforth College. He looks a bit ancient on the photo of him on the LP sleeve, and his playing seems to be rather influenced by advancing years.

 

Thank you for this, most interesting. I knew William Dore a while ago and his father was active in the Yorkshire music scene when I was but a little boy...