Vox Humana Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Is this firm still in business? They haven't updated their website for the last three years and neither of the books listed there as "forthcoming" has appeared as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Powell Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Is this firm still in business? They haven't updated their website for the last three years and neither of the books listed there as "forthcoming" have appeared as far as I know. Vox, I wrote to Ian Bell earlier this year regarding a publication date for his book "The voice of Jupiter". He stated that the book was still "alive", although no date was given, and no mention was made of Positif Press. Sorry, this probably isn't much help........... Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 They still produce the BIOS Journal every year - give John Brennan a ring - he's an approachable chap! AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 The more I see of "published works," the more I realise that they seldom are! I'm afraid that the future of the specialist-book is not looking very secure, and I just wonder why people don't just self-publish on-line, and make hard-copy available to those interested via one of the usual print-companies. I've stated this before, but music-pubishing is a disgrace, and so many fine works remain "unavailable" even though they could be made so at the press of a button on-line! The whole thing is just primitive. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip J Wells Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I emailed Positif press earlier in the year about the availability of their forthcoming books and was assured they are stll in the pipeline. The most recent publications seem to be the short histories of organs at Abingdon, Arundel Cath and Boyns Hill, Maidenhead. On a related note you may be interested to know that John Norman has just (20 Sept 07) published a new book “Box of Whistles, The: Organ Case Design - Its History and Recent Development” £40, but Tesco are doing it for £28 on line. Synopsis (taken from Amazon) - The standard work on organ case design, Andrew Freeman's "English Organ Cases", was published in 1921. Since then, particularly in the last 40 years, there has been a revival in organ case design which almost rivals the glories of the late seventeenth century. This revival has, so far, been little documented so there is now room for a comprehensive survey which, hopefully, will become the new standard work. The new book has been recommended to me but Tesco's are out of stock at the moment. Also of interest on Amazon under “Toys and Games” (I searched using “Organ Gloucester”) for £129 you can play the organ of Gloucester Cathedral. Toy Safety Manufacturer's minimum age: 14 years Product Features This is your chance to play the organ within the magnificent setting of Gloucester Cathedral Location - Gloucester, Minimum age is 14, Available all year on selected dates More details are given on the Amazon site for this activity toy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cynic Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I emailed Positif press earlier in the year about the availability of their forthcoming books and was assured they are stll in the pipeline. The most recent publications seem to be the short histories of organs at Abingdon, Arundel Cath and Boyns Hill, Maidenhead. On a related note you may be interested to know that John Norman has just (20 Sept 07) published a new book “Box of Whistles, The: Organ Case Design - Its History and Recent Development” £40, but Tesco are doing it for £28 on line. Synopsis (taken from Amazon) - The standard work on organ case design, Andrew Freeman's "English Organ Cases", was published in 1921. Since then, particularly in the last 40 years, there has been a revival in organ case design which almost rivals the glories of the late seventeenth century. This revival has, so far, been little documented so there is now room for a comprehensive survey which, hopefully, will become the new standard work. The new book has been recommended to me but Tesco's are out of stock at the moment. Also of interest on Amazon under “Toys and Games” (I searched using “Organ Gloucester”) for £129 you can play the organ of Gloucester Cathedral. Toy Safety Manufacturer's minimum age: 14 years Product Features This is your chance to play the organ within the magnificent setting of Gloucester Cathedral* Location - Gloucester, Minimum age is 14, Available all year on selected dates More details are given on the Amazon site for this activity toy. *One wonders why this particular organ was chosen - I agree totally about the wonderful setting, of course. Why the age limit? Totally by-the-by: When I was Chairman of the Gloucestershire Organists' Association (in the late 1990's) we arranged a real-life Play the Organ day (publicised by flyers sent to every primary and secondary school) which involved arranging open-access consoles at several venues, culminating with Gloucester Cathedral. That event was completely free and we got a reasonable take-up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 *One wonders why this particular organ was chosen - I agree totally about the wonderful setting, of course. Why the age limit? Totally by-the-by: When I was Chairman of the Gloucestershire Organists' Association (in the late 1990's) we arranged a real-life Play the Organ day (publicised by flyers sent to every primary and secondary school) which involved arranging open-access consoles at several venues, culminating with Gloucester Cathedral. That event was completely free and we got a reasonable take-up too. This does sound quite expensive. Without wishing to denigrate either the present Director of Music or his assistant, one can receive a consultation lesson with certain top French players (on the organs with which they are associated) for rather less than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 I imagine that if you contacted one of the "experienced tutors" direct it would come a lot cheaper. Surely a formalised arrangement such as this cannot have been made without the blessing of the cathedral authorities, so presumably the cathedral itself gets a cut. Then there will be the fee creamed off by the Activity Superstore Ltd for arranging the whole thing. Little wonder it's so expensive. I wonder what the take-up rate is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contrabordun Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Ingenious idea though! So which organs would we pay £100+ to play? (and for how long?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrabombarde Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Would you really want to use a 32' reed for extended periods though? Ingenious idea though! So which organs would we pay £100+ to play? (and for how long?) For just £200 you can spend half an hour on the Blackpool Tower Wurlizter : http://www.theblackpooltower.co.uk/ballroo...nexperience.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 For just £200 you can spend half an hour on the Blackpool Tower Wurlizter : http://www.theblackpooltower.co.uk/ballroo...nexperience.htm Personally, I would want to be paid double that (in cash) to have to play this instrument for half of that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Personally, I would want to be paid double that (in cash) to have to play this instrument for half of that time. Now tell us what you REALLY think of the instrument! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contrabordun Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 For just £200 you can spend half an hour on the Blackpool Tower Wurlizter : Have you noticed how "just" in sentences such as this usually means the opposite of its dictionary definition? Doncha love marketing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Morley Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 For just £200 you can spend half an hour on the Blackpool Tower Wurlizter Have you noticed how "just" in sentences such as this usually means the opposite of its dictionary definition? Doncha love marketing? One would have thought that anyone in reasonable travelling distance of Blackpool wishing to play a Wurlitzer could book time on the 4M+P 20rk instrument in Stockport Town Hall for considerably less than £200.00. (As I'm sure eveyone is aware, this is the organ built for the Odeon Cinema, Oxford Rd, Manchester, which also spent 20 or so years in the Free Trade Hall.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cynic Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Ingenious idea though! So which organs would we pay £100+ to play? (and for how long?) Well, certainly not that one! I refer, of course to Gl******er. Blackpool Tower Ball Room is a well-finished musical instrument by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 For just £200 you can spend half an hour on the Blackpool Tower Wurlizter Have you noticed how "just" in sentences such as this usually means the opposite of its dictionary definition? Doncha love marketing? One would have thought that anyone in reasonable travelling distance of Blackpool wishing to play a Wurlitzer could book time on the 4M+P 20rk instrument in Stockport Town Hall for considerably less than £200.00. (As I'm sure eveyone is aware, this is the organ built for the Odeon Cinema, Oxford Rd, Manchester, which also spent 20 or so years in the Free Trade Hall.) ================================ Indeed it was at the Free Trade Hall. and I am reminded of the fact that I spent a whole day running up and down 6 flights of stairs bringing organ-pipes down to ground-level. I recall thinking, half-way down, on about the 40th sortie, that if my then wobbling legs gave way or if I tripped on the stone-stairs, the Tibia rank would have been somewhat altered for all time. Still, it had its moments, especially since I upset the actress Jose Lawrence, who glared at me when I wrestled an ash-tray from her grasp and told her to share it! I bet she never thought a common workman dressed in overalls could talk to her that way!!!! Fooled her that time, eh? MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geoff McMahon Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 To go back to the start of this thread, John Brennon and Positif Press are still in business. Some of the titles he is planning to publish in the future are taking a little longer to come to fruition than he had hoped as they are still being written. He hopes to update the web site shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Well, certainly not that one! I refer, of course to Gl******er. Blackpool Tower Ball Room is a well-finished musical instrument by comparison. Thank God that we are all different.... This said, I find it difficult to comprehend how such a comparison could be made in all seriousness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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