Let's have a riot

[MusingMuso]

I agree with this. York is, of course, a mongrel (a bit of Elliot and Hill, a bit of Hill, quite a lot of Walker, some Harrison and topped off with some Coffin!) yet, to me, it sounds perfectly cohesive. One of my favourites, too.

 

Changed three times? In my lifetime, I think it has changed twice - 1960 and 1993. You must be very old(!), or did I miss one?

 

 

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You may be right, but something tells me that the 8ft Bombarde was added after 1993. Also, don't forget the fire, which saw quite a lot done to the organ. There was also some moving about of pedal ranks, but I forget who did it and why.

 

It's difficult to keep abreast of things in the odd world of cathedral organs.

 

MM

[pcnd5584]

I think he may have indeed have been unaware, due to being dead.

 

My apologies - I had forgotten that it was constructed in 1902.

[pcnd5584]

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You may be right, but something tells me that the 8ft Bombarde was added after 1993. Also, don't forget the fire, which saw quite a lot done to the organ. There was also some moving about of pedal ranks, but I forget who did it and why.

 

It's difficult to keep abreast of things in the odd world of cathedral organs.

 

MM

Not according to Organists' Review - Geoffrey Coffin (or JSW) mentions the Bombarde, which was supplied as a (somewhat quieter) solo reed, for use in the Quire. The article dealt with the rebuild of 1993 and it reads as if the Bombarde formed part of this work.

[pcnd5584]

I spent a fair bit of time on the rebuilt St Albans instrument a couple of years ago and found it very good indeed. A local organ builder was with me and was also very impressed.

 

However, we moved on to St Georges, Windsor a couple of days later for 2 Sunday services and realised that we had been fooling ourselves!! It simply blew St Albans out of the water. The fact that it speaks down the nave meant for a very exciting couple of services in the quire with lots of party horn and roar!!

This is indeed a superb accompanimental instrument. I have yet to try Saint Albans.

[John Robinson]

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You may be right, but something tells me that the 8ft Bombarde was added after 1993. Also, don't forget the fire, which saw quite a lot done to the organ. There was also some moving about of pedal ranks, but I forget who did it and why.

 

It's difficult to keep abreast of things in the odd world of cathedral organs.

 

MM

 

Ah, I didn't know about the Bombarde being a later addition.

 

Perhaps you're not so old, after all!

[MusingMuso]

I would inform the Message Board that I have no connection with the current illegal activities going on in our major cities.

 

It weren't my idea guv.....honest!

 

MM

[DouglasCorr]

I would inform the Message Board that I have no connection with the current illegal activities going on in our major cities.

 

It weren't my idea guv.....honest!

 

MM

 

I thought I saw you wearing a hood?

[Contrabombarde]

I thought I saw you wearing a hood?

 

Personally I tend to only wear a hood on Sundays and it covers by back, not my face.

 

For something a little different, how about Dunblane or Clifton? Not exactly British Romantic choral accompaniment territory but I think both stunning examples of their genre and either would keep me happy for many hours.

[David Drinkell]

Personally I tend to only wear a hood on Sundays and it covers by back, not my face.

 

For something a little different, how about Dunblane or Clifton? Not exactly British Romantic choral accompaniment territory but I think both stunning examples of their genre and either would keep me happy for many hours.

 

 

I found Clifton more congenial as an accompanying medium than might appear from its style and stop-list. Certainly a model of its kind, and in a building which I think is one of the few true masterpieces of its period. I'm sure it's lost some of its edge (the organ, that is) over the years.

 

I haven't been in Dunblane Cathedral since the Flentrop went in. Everyone seems full of praise for its quality and sound, but everyone also seems to have some sort of caveat about it, mostly relating to the problems imposed by its position and the need to retain the Lorimer case. So, those who have played it, how far up the scale does it come?

 

A little-known Scottish job is Dornoch Cathedral - a two manual rebuild by Nicholson. Small - like its building - but very fine indeed (although not much to look at).

[themythes]

Years ago I did a week at Norwich and, after an initial moment of panic, found the organ straightforward enough. In fact I rather liked it. I don't think it's changed since.

 

I know Salisbury hardly at all. I've only heard a live service there once, but it left me with little regard for the organ as an accompanimental instrument. The Great sounded far too fat and lugubrious, with the diapason (no.2, I assume) threatening to drown the choir and completely obliterating their consonants in the psalms, which sort of defeats the object of the exercise. Perhaps it was just the way it was used. Looking at the spec there ought to be enough softer stuff there to accompany effectively, but I'm very much on the fence with this one. Apologies if the resident crew read this, but that's how it was.

 

Again years ago, I was also unimpressed with Winchester. Playing the organ felt like taking a lumbering elephant for a walk and I had the same impression on listening to the choir's recent (and mightily enjoyable) Howells CD. I'm not sure whether to blame H&H or Hele's. The sound makes me think of the latter - but I admit I'm biased.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Exeter. This is a superb accompanimental instrument for all the reasons Salisbury and Ely are not: you can use so much of it - even occasionally approaching full organ - without drowning the choir. It's a pity the Solo division faces the wrong way though.

 

One which is surely equally adept at both accompaniment and repertoire is the new Tickell at Worcester. For sheer versatility this one must rank very high, even if it is pipped at the post on any individual aspect by other instruments.

 

Coventry, similarly and superbly - but it would be a damn sight better if it had a proper Solo division. This is why, for me, its soul-mate at St George's, Windsor scores better - but it's not a cathedral, so is disqualified.

 

I have to agree with Vox on virtually all his judgements; although I've never been that impressed with Norwich. It suffers, like so many similar instruments from trying to face both ways while sitting on the fence. It sounds to me to be well mannered but bland and rather characterless. There are probably enough stops on it, however, to find a range of apposite noises from the ungodly flourishing like a grey bean tree to Og the king of Basan.

 

I've always had very slight reservations about Salisbury but I must agree that one should not play Winchester immediately afterwards. Not recommended if you aren't actually totally stone deaf. I recall telling Andy Lumsden shortly before he took up his appointment that the Swell Fifteenth was quite a nice stop. I've no idea if he ever found out.

 

Exeter is a marvellous accompanimental instrument and seems to work better as a screen organ than Norwich. And how refreshing, as a native of these parts, to read that someone on this board has heard the Tickell at Worcester and likes it. Last night I heard David Briggs give the first performance of his transcription of the Elgar Second Symphony. There seemed to be a lot of the swell reeds but then my hearing aids are as ill adjusted as I, and I couldn't really give an accurate description of the general effect, except to say that the Brigadier's famously formidable organ technique was liberally and brilliantly displayed.

 

So many of our cathedral organs have been eulogised in the foregoing posts and it should be remembered that one is often reviewing the building as well as the organ.

 

And I reckon, Vox, that as the organist of St Gs is an automatic member of the Cathedral Organists Association then St G counts, for our purposes, as a cathedral. Would you agree? But Vox is dead right; St George's has to be up there at very the top of the tree - a quite remarkable design with inspired voicing. They should all sound like that.

 

David Harrison

[Vox Humana]

And I reckon, Vox, that as the organist of St Gs is an automatic member of the Cathedral Organists Association then St G counts, for our purposes, as a cathedral. Would you agree?

Sounds eminently reasonable to me, David!

[MusingMuso]

St George's has to be up there at very the top of the tree - a quite remarkable design with inspired voicing. They should all sound like that.

 

David Harrison

 

 

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I absolutely agree too, because this is not only a good specification, the voicing is among the very best, in a building which isn't overlarge. It is wonderfully effective, and probably in my top half-dozen list.

 

MM

[pcnd5584]

Ah, I didn't know about the Bombarde being a later addition.

 

Perhaps you're not so old, after all!

 

Just to make the point clear, once more - this is not correct; the addtion of the Solo Bombarde 8ft. formed part of the work carried out in 1993, by Geoffrey Coffin. It was not a later addition.

[pcnd5584]

I would inform the Message Board that I have no connection with the current illegal activities going on in our major cities.

 

It weren't my idea guv.....honest!

 

MM

Given that a number of people lost their lives (and many others were made homeless) during last week's rioting, perhaps we could keep light-hearted comments in check, please.