Southampton Guildhall On Radio

[Colin Harvey]

Dear all,

 

I thought you might like to hear this organ, recorded on Wednesday on the Radio:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005b...ill_03_12_2009/

 

Have a listen from 2 hours 15 minutes 10 seconds onwards.

 

You will all be delighted to know that this organ is pretty much fully operational, including the Melotone and the 32' Diaphones. There really isn't space on this board for me to fully describe the features and abilities of this remarkable instrument. But you get to hear Peter Hammond talk about the organ and he's been instrumental getting this organ back to full working order.

 

There's a good opportunity to hear the organ in the flesh, at 3pm on Sunday 13 Dec 2009, where Richard Hills will be playing the organ, alongside the Southampton Phil and Victoria Simmonds (they won't be playing, just singing alongside it). Tickets £12/£9 from the box office, 02380 632601. I understand there's an idea to do a recording of this organ - probably a 2 CD set with one side played on the variety console, the other from the classical console (and hopefully a few duets played from both consoles...).