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Highest/scariest Organ Loft?


biggestelk

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On September 9th, they missed the bus to the World Trade Centre and had to take a later one. If they hadn't been late, they would have been in the WTC, using our tickets, when the terrorist attacks happened. It still chills my blood to think about it....

I guess you mean September 11th...

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I guess you mean September 11th...

 

 

You're right. Living in Newfoundland for the last eight and a half years has fuddled my senses regarding the conventions of writing dates on different sides of the Atlantic.

 

Also, September 9th is my sister's birthday and therefore deeply embedded in my subconscious.

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I've got the opportunity to play the new H&H at St.Edmundsbury soon. The console looks to be a long way up! Anyone been up there yet, and what is that like?

 

CP

Going tomorrow! The old console was certainly high, and, for me, a bit frightening.

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Going tomorrow! The old console was certainly high, and, for me, a bit frightening.

 

 

Weren't you at St. Pat's, Dublin at one time, Stephen? I always found that fairly scary, but at least it was spacious. How do they compare for you?

 

I'm hoping to try Bury when I go home on holiday at the end of August. It makes me feel old, because I was at the opening of the Nicholson and shortly after Colin Goulden and I were asked by Fred Oxley to do the demo to the Organ Club.

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I've got the opportunity to play the new H&H at St.Edmundsbury soon. The console looks to be a long way up! Anyone been up there yet, and what is that like?

 

CP

 

The console is in more or less the same place now as it was before. The difference now is that the organ now has a proper choir (& nave) case so the new console is formed into this. The old console was detached in terms of construction but was placed between a simple arrangement of functioning display pipes. I twice played the former incarnation of the organ for small services and have to admit to finding my fear of heights rather trying on me. Varying factors seemed to contribute to my feeling. One being that I had to look up at quite an angle to see the TV monitor (which showed a shot from a camera looking right down) and the other being that my assistant seemed to be keen on opening the little doors in the overhanging surround behind the playing area. When these were open the vast distance to the floor could be seen while actually sitting on the stool!

 

I'll be interested to see what you think of the present arrangement. Almost all the reeds are new apart from the Walker Oboe on the Swell. A lot of the better old fluework has been retained including most of the pedal basses. A lovely pair of strings on the Solo have been retained. There are also two ranks from the 17th & 18th centuries still there.

 

John R

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Weren't you at St. Pat's, Dublin at one time, Stephen? I always found that fairly scary, but at least it was spacious. How do they compare for you?

 

I'm hoping to try Bury when I go home on holiday at the end of August. It makes me feel old, because I was at the opening of the Nicholson and shortly after Colin Goulden and I were asked by Fred Oxley to do the demo to the Organ Club.

Yes, I was. I never found it scarey, though. Bury St Edmunds is much worse.

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I seem to remember someone (Simon Lindley?) telling me that the console at St Edmundsbury was equipped with a fire escape in the form of a rope ladder. Is this still the case?

 

==========================

 

Doesn't rope burn?

 

A metal/metal rope ladder would be better, I would have thought.

 

Once went down the pothole Gaping Ghyll on one......365ft drop......I don't recommend it.

 

It's much more fun on a Bosun's Chair, and even better "flying" down with a fall arrester attached; like film stuntmen do.

 

MM

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==========================

 

Doesn't rope burn?

 

A metal/metal rope ladder would be better, I would have thought.

 

Once went down the pothole Gaping Ghyll on one......365ft drop......I don't recommend it.

 

It's much more fun on a Bosun's Chair, and even better "flying" down with a fall arrester attached; like film stuntmen do.

 

MM

 

A pal of mine from Cumbria is a keen potholer, I'll bet you know him! Mentioning no names without his permission, but he works at Sellafield, and is a good organist as well.

 

CP

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A pal of mine from Cumbria is a keen potholer, I'll bet you know him! Mentioning no names without his permission, but he works at Sellafield, and is a good organist as well.

 

CP

 

 

=============================

 

 

I gave up pot-holing about 40 years ago; largely due to the loss of three close friends in rapid succession. They had all the equipment! <_<

 

I doubt that I know the Cumbrian pot-holer, but if I see someone glowing in the dark, I'll sing the opening to BWV565 and see if there's a response.

 

I once went downstairs in the middle of the night and saw fish-bones glowing on a plate. I thought I'd been irradiated and a gonner.

 

How was I to know that phosphurus in fish bones can glow in the dark?

 

MM

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I seem to remember someone (Simon Lindley?) telling me that the console at St Edmundsbury was equipped with a fire escape in the form of a rope ladder. Is this still the case?

 

I well remember a rope system there that included a device to limit the speed. Somehow, I don't remember seeing it on my last visit there. It was certainly a good idea as the only route to the console from the top of the spiral staircase stairway was right through the organ. The console is still a distance from the top of the stairway(as neither has really moved in the recent work) so there would still be good reason for the rope system now.

 

John R

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I well remember a rope system there that included a device to limit the speed. Somehow, I don't remember seeing it on my last visit there. It was certainly a good idea as the only route to the console from the top of the spiral staircase stairway was right through the organ. The console is still a distance from the top of the stairway(as neither has really moved in the recent work) so there would still be good reason for the rope system now.

 

John R

Didn't see a rope in the organ loft and no-one gave me safety instructions!

 

Still find it very scary to look over the organ loft.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Going tomorrow! The old console was certainly high, and, for me, a bit frightening.

 

I played at St.Ed's on Tuesday evening after Evensong. James was most welcoming, and the organ truly fabulous, especially those two big Solo reeds! My wife was a little anxious going up the tight spiral stairs, and I was quite surprised at the roominess of the loft, which helped to offset the feelings of being so high up. The double swell pedal arrangement is very clever, though one has to get used to it, and as usual the console is a model of H&H comfort. I highly reccommend a visit. St.Mary's next door has a bigger instrument, but this is let down by its cramped chamber, and the lack of acoustics in the building- a surprise given the size of the church!

 

CP

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