Ast Peter's Nottingham

[Colin Harvey]

As we'd moved Epiphany back to the Sunday just gone and St Mary's choir are still on holiday, I went to St Peters tonight for their Eucharist for Epiphany. The organ was installed just before Christmas I believe and so is now fully functional.

 

I suppose the question everyone will be asking is - could I tell the digital and the pipes apart? My answer is no - but I daresay others with a more expert ear might be able to. We had F in Darke mass, so the full range from an ethereal opening to the Sanctus to a much fuller sound in the louder bits - and it was full without being over-bearing. Introit (Rising of the Sun) and Anthem (The Three Kings) were both unaccompanied. We were given a pretty good taste of some of the solo colours, particularly in the pre-service improvisation on the hymn tune 'Dundee' and then in the Buxtehude 'Wie schon...' at the end. In the hymns themselves you could clearly tell that the Great was speaking out into the nave to support congregational singing - I would have liked to hear rather more variety in the hymn accompaniments perhaps (I wouldn't say I'm subtle with my registration changes in hymns!). It certainly had plenty of foundation in the pedal - the congregation this evening was about 30-odd but it could easily handle many more I'm sure.

 

The old case facing the nave has been retained, the new case into the choir houses pipes and digital stops I believe. http://www.nottinghamchurches.org/music/th.../stpetersorgan/ has some photos - the lighter case being the new one for the choir.

 

If you want to go and hear the organ, they are now using February as a month for celebration of the instrument, and the four Saturday morning 'Coffee break concerts' at 11am all feature the organ as follows:

5th - Dedication by the Bishop followed by Gala Organ Recital - Paul Hale

12th - Choral Pieces with the Choir of St Peters

19th - Silent Comedy with Improvised Accompaniment by Donald MacKenzie

26th - Handel Organ Concerto Opus 4 No. 4 in F and Poulenc Organ Concerto in g - Peter Siepmann (DOM) & Philip Collin at the console with Sarabande

Or the 2nd April (11am again) is Durufle Requiem with the church choir accompanied by John Keys which may be of interest.

David Briggs, as mentioned above, will now give his recital on 30th July.

Alternatively, the music list http://www.nottinghamchurches.org/assets/P...-2011-01-06.pdf shows the many choral services which offer the opportunity to hear the organ perform its main function of service accompaniment.

 

Unfortunately I can't make the Gala Recital but I will try to go and hear it again soon.

 

Interesting to see Paul Hale is giving the inaugural recital. As a member of AIOA and as editor of the Organ Building journal produced by the IBO (which specifically forbids its members from entering into hybrid organ projects), I would have thought he would not have touched this project with a disinfected barge pole.

 

Is it just me or does the new case have tapered prospect pipes? It makes it look like the prospect pipes are planted too far apart, which doesn't look entirely to its advantage.

[Guest Cynic]

Interesting to see Paul Hale is giving the inaugural recital. As a member of AIOA and as editor of the Organ Building journal produced by the IBO (which specifically forbids its members from entering into hybrid organ projects), I would have thought he would not have touched this project with a disinfected barge pole.

 

 

Paul Hale couldn't complain about the combination of electronics with pipes because he has made use of precisely this technology in both organs at Southwell Minster - and pretty effective the electronic pedal stops there are, too.

 

If we're talking about influential folks pontificating one way or the other re: electronics vs pipes, the biggest hypocrite has to be the current Chairman of BIOS who some years ago took a fee for designing the Bradford Computing Organ that currently serves Pershore Abbey, Worcestershire. The Three-manual John Nicholson/Walker organ that preceded this (and was heard to good effect over several years at the heart of the Pershore Organ Festival) was removed following his advice. In theory, the Bradford electronic will eventually be supplemented (but not replaced) by a small tracker organ on the (blank) West wall, though don't hold your breath! It is now something like fifteen years since the pipes went and the electronic took over, and several directors of music have come and gone unable to get this promised improvement carried out.

[Philip]

Interesting to see Paul Hale is giving the inaugural recital. As a member of AIOA and as editor of the Organ Building journal produced by the IBO (which specifically forbids its members from entering into hybrid organ projects), I would have thought he would not have touched this project with a disinfected barge pole.

 

Is it just me or does the new case have tapered prospect pipes? It makes it look like the prospect pipes are planted too far apart, which doesn't look entirely to its advantage.

 

Paul Hale is Dioceasan Organ Advisor and was I believe very involved in the process of choosing to have a hybrid organ, as well as supporting the project (see the blurb on the church website). When our digital in the same neck of the woods was installed he came down to voice that too.

[Tony Newnham]

Interesting to see Paul Hale is giving the inaugural recital. As a member of AIOA and as editor of the Organ Building journal produced by the IBO (which specifically forbids its members from entering into hybrid organ projects), I would have thought he would not have touched this project with a disinfected barge pole.

 

Is it just me or does the new case have tapered prospect pipes? It makes it look like the prospect pipes are planted too far apart, which doesn't look entirely to its advantage.

 

Hi

 

I guess it's a matter of pragmatism. Sadly, not every church can afford a large pipe organ, and some don't have space either. Although digital is second-best, sometimes it's the sensible solution, at least in the short to medium term.

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony