Guest spottedmetal Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Dear All I've been looking at Ebay for an analogue toaster to take up three octaves for some experimental Italian stops . . . and missed one by nine minutes . . . so if anyone sees/knows of one ready for decomposing down south I'd be grateful . . . But Item 130207572442 has just appeared which looks of interest to many. By drawing attention to it here I'd hope that it will stay within the fraternity and shares it with others appropriately. . . It's on a Buy It Now so could easily get lost to elsewhere. Best wishes Spot The description is: ORGAN MAKERS ARCHIVE ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS AND ORGAN RECITAL PUT TOGETHER IN THE 1920S ONWARDS NICELY BOUND ITEMS INCLUDE WALCKER LUDWIGSBERG J.J.BINNS CONACHER SHEFFIELD BATH CHURCH ORGAN NICHOLSON WORCESTER SEVERAL NEW ORGAN CONSTRUCTIONS ST JOHNS BUXTON NEW OPENING OF ORGAN 1921 J.J. BIINS BRAMLEY LEEDS FLYER CASTELTON DERBYSHIRE WESLEYAN CHURCH 1924 OPENING OF MEMORIAL ORGAN MANY MORE ORGAN DEDICATIONS ALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 But Item 130207572442 has just appeared which looks of interest to many. By drawing attention to it here I'd hope that it will stay within the fraternity and shares it with others appropriately. . . It's on a Buy It Now so could easily get lost to elsewhere. At the price being asked, I think it's safe to say that it'll being staying where it is! DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spottedmetal Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 At the price being asked, I think it's safe to say that it'll being staying where it is! Yes! But there might be gems there. Anyone collecting archives might usefully write to the vendor and see what's really there - one never knows . . . One presume's from the price that there would be a large quantity Best wishes Spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Before I shall have gathered this sum, there will be reconstitutions of Hope-Jones organs in Britain. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDavidson Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Yes! But there might be gems there. Anyone collecting archives might usefully write to the vendor and see what's really there - one never knows . . . One presume's from the price that there would be a large quantity Best wishes Spot Well I was sufficiently intrigued by the one of the pictures which showed a drawing of the organ in Queens' College, Cambridge that I wrote to the seller asking for more detail about exactly what this item includes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Judging from the list presented, this appears to be nothing more than an odd collection of flyers, specifications and recital programmes; the value of which I would consider questionable and of limited antique value. There's no shortage of optimists and con-men in the world of "antiques" and "collectables." I knew a chap by the name of Leslie Wilkinson, back in the 1960's, and during his lifetime he amassed (that being the right word) the most fabulous collection of catalogues, specifications and memorabilia. It wasn't restricted to the UK, but included original material from Moller, Casavant, Skinner, Walcker (etc) and all the normal UK names. Of special interest to me as a teenager, were the beautiful Hill, Norman & Beard brochures and specifications, which were ever so classy, on heavy laid paper of the type that Ferrograph tape-recorders used to use, with little bobbles all over it. Heaven knows what happened to this collection on his death, but I guess it was just thrown out when the house was cleared, along with a Rushworth & Dreaper, 2 manual and pedal "Apollo" Harmonium. Like all such collections, I suspect that the value is not really monetary; though in my own collection I have the original Liverpool Cathedral Book (not just the organ), an awful lot of out of print music, a few postcards including one of the original console at Wanamaker, and all sorts of things which make them, at least to me, fairly priceless. When I see this sort of nonsense on e-bay, I just ignore it. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip J Wells Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 It would be nice to think that some people would offer their collections to the British Organ Archive, either during their life or write the intention into their Will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 It would be nice to think that some people would offer their collections to the British Organ Archive, either during their life or write the intention into their Will. They could -should?- I myself already wrote down the some papers I have to go to the Musée instrumental, Brussels, immediately after I shall begin to see the matters "from the other side of the grass" (from: "vunn d'ander sééït d'rââs" in my dialect). Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDavidson Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Judging from the list presented, this appears to be nothing more than an odd collection of flyers, specifications and recital programmes; the value of which I would consider questionable and of limited antique value. Yes - according to the seller it is a collection of approximately 80 brochures, leaflets and recital programmes which have been bound into a single volume. Possibly some interesting items in there but far from being an "Organ Building Archive". I would rather like to have that Binns leaflet / brochure, but not at that price. I might make a much more modest offer on the item when it fails to sell for its current asking price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 We may add the seller makes a marketing mistake. The educated people are not rich nowadays ! The money goes to "bling-bling", luxury cars etc -not books etc- Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notebasher Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Yes - according to the seller it is a collection of approximately 80 brochures, leaflets and recital programmeswhich have been bound into a single volume. Possibly some interesting items in there but far from being an "Organ Building Archive". I would rather like to have that Binns leaflet / brochure, but not at that price. I might make a much more modest offer on the item when it fails to sell for its current asking price. The same seller's also offering twelve bound volumes of 'The Organ' from 1920 onwards, ref. 130207874228 'at a buy it now' price of £120... R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDavidson Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 The same seller's also offering twelve bound volumes of 'The Organ' from 1920 onwards, ref. 130207874228 'at a buy it now' price of £120... R. Well I might offer him ten quid for that as well when he doesn't manage to sell it either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notebasher Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Well I might offer him ten quid for that as well when he doesn't manage to sell it either So much? Offer him a fiver and spend the rest on a half-decent bottle of wine from Tescos, I would. R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Well I might offer him ten quid for that as well when he doesn't manage to sell it either Hi Single copies of "the Organ" usually retail around £2.50 or so - 12 bound volumes at 4 editions each is exactly £120. (Apart from not having the cash, I wouldn't pay that much as the bound volumes don't normally have the adverts included - and anyway, I've a fair number of copies from that era anyway, so I'd be looking for singles). Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 If readers have just a touch more cash to spare than the Ebay delicacies on offer, I notice that for £139 you can purchase 60 CD's of ALL the Bach Cantatas originally started to be recorded in 1971 by Harnoncourt and Leonhardt. I have some of the LP's which are memorable - utterly. The Times have them on sale in today's paper. 0845 602 6328 (quoting JU913) will secure. If this opportunity is part of the global financial meltdown - I am all for it. This is amazing and to be prized. The project took 19 years to complete and should cost £499. Two 300 page books also come with them. £139 includes P & P !!! Rush! All best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Alas, with a wife, building society, council and water company to support I can ill afford to blow a sum like that, but I admit I'm tempted. I remember the reviews that appeared in The Musical Times as and when the original LPs appeared. The reviewer - who if I remember aright was no fan of what were then called "authentic" performances - got progressively more irate with Harnoncourt as the series progressed. Apparently Harnoncourt gradually developed a trait of positively thumping the first beat of each bar. It began innocently enough, but by the later cantatas apparently reached quite mannered proportions. I have the CDs of the Christmas Oratorio and I can see what the reviewer meant, though it does not bother me. I have heard some cantatas on the radio where it did though. Even so, if I had the money I still wouldn't let that put me off. A big plus to my mind is that the choirs and soloists are all male - and the treble soloists are usually superb. Also the speeds are usually spot on for me. They have the right amount of bouyancy without being superficially fast, as seems so prevalent today. And it's such glorious music. The original LPs all came with a full score of the cantata. Sadly, this isn't practical with the CDs - or is that what the two 300-page books provide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Alas, with a wife, building society, council and water company to support I can ill afford to blow a sum like that, but I admit I'm tempted. I remember the reviews that appeared in The Musical Times as and when the original LPs appeared. The reviewer - who if I remember aright was no fan of what were then called "authentic" performances - got progressively more irate with Harnoncourt as the series progressed. Apparently Harnoncourt gradually developed a trait of positively thumping the first beat of each bar. It began innocently enough, but by the later cantatas apparently reached quite mannered proportions. I have the CDs of the Christmas Oratorio and I can see what the reviewer meant, though it does not bother me. I have heard some cantatas on the radio where it did though. Even so, if I had the money I still wouldn't let that put me off. A big plus to my mind is that the choirs and soloists are all male - and the treble soloists are usually superb. Also the speeds are usually spot on for me. They have the right amount of bouyancy without being superficially fast, as seems so prevalent today. And it's such glorious music. The original LPs all came with a full score of the cantata. Sadly, this isn't practical with the CDs - or is that what the two 300-page books provide? The 2 x 300 page books provide amongst other things, words and translations. This is for me an invaluable source of reference when playing German Chorales and Preludes where it is quite necessary to have the meaning at the forefront of the brain. German is a language that never came my way in education and as a hopeless linguist therefore, I am most grateful for such references and guides. I always remember what a thumping (not in the beat sense Vox!) surprise it was to hear Jesu Joy of mans' desiring for the first time in this series. The UK performances (with which I had always been brought up, firstly on the piano as I was a musical grandson of the originator of that arrangement), often were more based on funereal speeds and Myra Hess poignancy - take the rendition on last Sunday's Songs of praise from Hereford on BBC1 for example. The happiness that flows in the Cantata (this movement ending the first and second halves) is glorious and nothing like our English way. An ear-opener! Alas, the scores are not provided. Such a pity as it is a revelation to see the skeleton Arias on the page as you follow, come to life through Obligato and Continuo realizations. What a simple. effective and less time-consuming way to compose when you write only three staves and put your trust in the wizardry of a keyboard player. I also think it highly instructive for organists to have these as it shows (certainly to me) that the Cantatas are Bach's supreme gift to the world until its end. Also one just marvels at the virtuosity of writing and performance. Organists shouldn't just have organ music on their shelves! Then you begin to think what a huge humbling and historic moment it must have been when they were performed to the faithful in Leipzig. Then you realize how much time it must have taken to compose amid the other routines of Bach's life. No computers. No photocopiers. No telephones or mobiles. No electric light. School teaching. Family life. Choir training. Thinking. Reading. Travelling. Shopping. Praying. And then he got down to writing for the organ as well ..... All best Wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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