AJJ Posted November 21, 2009 Posted November 21, 2009 A wet Saturday afternoon in at home (a few others here seem also have been on line) has allowed me to watch the new Priory DVD from Lincoln (Mrs AJJ and the small AJJs declined to watch as expected!!) - it really is rather good. An interesting selection of pieces well played and a good tour of the instrument with Colin Walsh who picks out not just 'stock' sounds but things that sound good there - for instance - adding the Swell Vox Humana to a flute combination to give it more edge - who'd have thought of that! He also shows some of the combinations that could be used with the choir etc. I must admit that I am not a great organ DVD fanatic but this one shows both instrument and player in a fine light and for old time's sake (we lived in Lincoln in the late 80s and I sang with the choir for a while and had organ lessons there) it is a really nice souvenir. Mind you..apparently there is a St Paul's Cathedral DVD (with Simon Johnson) from Priory coming out in a while....'might need another wet Saturday afternoon as that could be good too! A
Vox Humana Posted November 21, 2009 Posted November 21, 2009 'might need another wet Saturday afternoon as that could be good too! In Britain? No chance!
Philip Posted November 21, 2009 Posted November 21, 2009 As reported elsewhere, I shall pick it up at the launch recital tomorrow evening at Lincoln. Looking forward to both recital and DVD though, not seen any of the previous ones but have heard very good things about them!
John Robinson Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I think I might have one as a Christmas present from She Who Must be Obeyed. I shall just have to be patient. I hope you're right about the St Paul's one, but I haven't seen any adverts yet.
AJJ Posted November 22, 2009 Author Posted November 22, 2009 I hope you're right about the St Paul's one, but I haven't seen any adverts yet. Mentioned in their newsletter and discussed on the 'phone to Priory last week - not due for a while though! A
Malcolm Kemp Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I find these all these DVDs very interesting and helpful and Priory are to be congratulated, not least for their good customer service over the phone. It is also good to have organ DVDs that don't waste time unnecessarily showing the player taking his overcoat off and then putting it on again but, on the other hand, those DVDs (from other firms) do show us some wonderful organs in wonderful churches. Malcolm
John Robinson Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I find these all these DVDs very interesting and helpful and Priory are to be congratulated, not least for their good customer service over the phone. It is also good to have organ DVDs that don't waste time unnecessarily showing the player taking his overcoat off and then putting it on again but, on the other hand, those DVDs (from other firms) do show us some wonderful organs in wonderful churches. Malcolm I assume you are referring to the John Scott Whiteley ones! Yes, I agree that the bees, the wandering down the church and the overcoat removal are possibly superfluous, but I think the producers are going for the 'arty-farty' approach. This is evidenced in the strange camera angles used in some of the recordings but, rather than being distracted by them, I find at least some of them quite interesting, especially where it has been possible to record the actions and internals of the organs. I think that there is the option, in some of the DVD recordings at least, to watch the player throughout rather than the 'artistic' stuff. I'm not sure, though, as I haven't watched mine recently.
Vox Humana Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I assume you are referring to the John Scott Whiteley ones! Yes, I agree that the bees, the wandering down the church and the overcoat removal are possibly superfluous, but I think the producers are going for the 'arty-farty' approach. Nevertheless, to show them just once at the beginning would have been enough, IMO. To have them before every piece is irritating. That certainly happens in the first two volumes - I've not seen the Signum one. I think that there is the option, in some of the DVD recordings at least, to watch the player throughout rather than the 'artistic' stuff. I'm not sure, though, as I haven't watched mine recently. There certainly is in the first two volumes.
Paul Morley Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 I assume you are referring to the John Scott Whiteley ones! Yes, I agree that the bees, the wandering down the church and the overcoat removal are possibly superfluous, but I think the producers are going for the 'arty-farty' approach. This is evidenced in the strange camera angles used in some of the recordings but, rather than being distracted by them, I find at least some of them quite interesting, especially where it has been possible to record the actions and internals of the organs. I think that there is the option, in some of the DVD recordings at least, to watch the player throughout rather than the 'artistic' stuff. I'm not sure, though, as I haven't watched mine recently. Wasn't the arty stuff on these DVDs courtesy of Damien Hirst?
pwhodges Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 It was; does that make it somehow less annoying? Because I hadn't noticed! Paul
Paul Morley Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 What would be annoying would be if DH was paid more than JSW for his contribution...
Jim Treloar Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Probably find DH was paid more. For completeness, the latest Priory newsletter states that as well as a DVD for St Pauls, there's also one on Canterbury in the pipeline.
Malcolm Kemp Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 I confess that I rather enjoyed the Dambusters' March and wondered what earlier generations of Lincoln organists would have thought of it! Shades of Robert Wolff at Thursford, just down the road from Walsingham. Actually I thought the Lincoln organ sounded very good in lighter mood! Malcolm
ick1508 Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 the Dambusters' March... Big RAF presence around Lincoln. Waddington, Scampton etc. I remember driving to work up the Lincoln bypass and getting an unexpected Red Arrows display early in the morning. (They, like us, can't always rehearse quietly and on a small scale)
Philip Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 The MD of Priory spoke on Sunday evening about the making of the DVDs. In particular, he talked about how they tried to do scenes to match each piece. They had rung up the RAF to try and get them to do a flight over the Cathedral. They had originally arranged two dates - and on the first the weather wasn't right, and on the second the plane had broken down! However, they eventually found a date and Priory were able to film the flight as they hoped. It is testament to the attention to detail shown by Priory in putting these DVDs together.
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