Let's have a riot part 3

[MusingMuso]

Is it me or have organists gone mad?

 

Throughout my youth, I was taught that Edwardian organ-building was largely regrettable tonally: not that I entirely agree with this.

 

However, I did (and do) agree with the premise that by the turn of the 19th century, organ builders were being forced down the path of ever increasing orchestralisation; largely due to the influence of Hope-Jones and those who regarded him as a serious builder of classical organs.

 

Surely, the natural development of this, (excellent in its way), was the theatre organ rather than the classical organ, and with it, the first attempt at synthesising orchestral sounds on a keyboard?

 

Why are organists now wandering blindfold into all the same mistakes?

 

Do the romantic repertoires of France and Germany call for orchestral organs?

 

Is the English repertoire important enough to justify a special type of instrument?

 

How many choirs are there outside the cathedral environment, which could benefit from a quasi-Edwardian accompaniment machine?

 

Are we actually going anywhere with all this?

 

MM