Organs on Google Street-view

[Damian Beasley-Suffolk]

Interesting view of Hexham's front here

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.9711954,-2.1023726,3a,75y,95.81h,95.17t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPqf5gURhfcmGvURDj4OMMxe5ToXUxs9FJx96Vi!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPqf5gURhfcmGvURDj4OMMxe5ToXUxs9FJx96Vi%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya28.58945-ro-0-fo100!7i9728!8i4142

and a view of its much less interesting back

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.9716057,-2.1025749,3a,75y,283.78h,104.84t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOrMe3R-eqAquxb67MY0fMNwxurHZ7mW-0wi-iG!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOrMe3R-eqAquxb67MY0fMNwxurHZ7mW-0wi-iG%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya156.87067-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

If you go up the stairs in the south transept and peer into the triforium adjacent to the organ, you can see what I think is the Echo organ of the previous instrument.

Why is the back of this instrument so bland? I can't find an explanation of the ideas behind its design.

 

[John Robinson]

11 minutes ago, Damian Beasley-Suffolk said:

Interesting view of Hexham's front here

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.9711954,-2.1023726,3a,75y,95.81h,95.17t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPqf5gURhfcmGvURDj4OMMxe5ToXUxs9FJx96Vi!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPqf5gURhfcmGvURDj4OMMxe5ToXUxs9FJx96Vi%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya28.58945-ro-0-fo100!7i9728!8i4142

and a view of its much less interesting back

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.9716057,-2.1025749,3a,75y,283.78h,104.84t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOrMe3R-eqAquxb67MY0fMNwxurHZ7mW-0wi-iG!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOrMe3R-eqAquxb67MY0fMNwxurHZ7mW-0wi-iG%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya156.87067-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

If you go up the stairs in the south transept and peer into the triforium adjacent to the organ, you can see what I think is the Echo organ of the previous instrument.

Why is the back of this instrument so bland? I can't find an explanation of the ideas behind its design.

 

A couple of interesting things occur to me here, not knowing anything about the Hexham instrument.  Perhaps someone can help.

Is it possible that the 'back' (the chancel side) of the organ is mainly covered up for a very good reason?  That the organ, being so close to the choir stalls, might be too powerful here unless attenuated by the use of these boards, yet unobstructed at the nave side where a more powerful sound is needed.  (Or perhaps the chancel and choir stalls are never actually used.)

My other question, completely unrelated to this particular organ though brought to mind by the picture, concerns the common practice of providing a curtain to 'hide' the organist from view.  Is this done for the organist's benefit, if s/he is a 'reserved' sort of person, or to avoid the congregation being aware of his/her presence as a distraction from the religious side of things?  Hopefully, the curtain can be slid to one side if a recital is taking place!

[Rowland Wateridge]

Firstly, NPOR N04090 gives as the reason for the appearance of the organ's east (?) front "Plain rear to hide tuner's passage boards".

But these pictures are puzzling.  The 1991 IAO Congress was held in Durham, and included a coach visit to Hexham for a recital by Nicolas Kynaston (as I recall).  One front of the organ, and I assumed it to be the back, was almost entirely vertical swell shades, and it was very noticeable at the time how much the swell pedal was being used, and, unless I am mistaken, the shades opened slightly sequentially and their action was very 'fluid'.  We understood that it was wholly mechanical.  I can't reconcile that memory with the 'Google' photographs.  Moreover there is mention on NPOR  of 'East swell shutters with indicator'.  Létourneau worked on the organ subsequently in 1998.  Did they make changes to the original Phelps east front, and does it incorporate the vertical swell shades?  Someone with local knowledge can surely tell us.

Curtains around the console were standard at practically every English cathedral and some major churches, and still are in quite a few.  On my last visits to York and Lincoln, they were still there.

[Tony Newnham]

Hi

I don't know the reason for curtains hiding the organist - I suspect it's to reduce distractions.  When I was director of music at Rye Baptist Church, many years ago, the decision was taken to re-order the platform area, removing the fixed central pulpit, and as part of that I suggested they removed the curtain hiding the organist (organ was centre front as in many free churches).  Several of the congregation commented the following Sunday that they'd founds it fascinating - especiallyas, for the first time, they could see the pedals.

Every Blessing

Tony

[John Robinson]

2 hours ago, Tony Newnham said:

Hi

I don't know the reason for curtains hiding the organist - I suspect it's to reduce distractions.  When I was director of music at Rye Baptist Church, many years ago, the decision was taken to re-order the platform area, removing the fixed central pulpit, and as part of that I suggested they removed the curtain hiding the organist (organ was centre front as in many free churches).  Several of the congregation commented the following Sunday that they'd founds it fascinating - especiallyas, for the first time, they could see the pedals.

Every Blessing

Tony

Indeed.  I'm pleased to hear that many found the presence, even the existence! of an organist fascinating.  That is one of the reasons I mentioned it.  I shouldn't be surprised to hear that some are not even aware of an organist, believing that the organ is a machine which plays itself, just like their HiFi at home!

I always found the story of the famous organist W. T. Best amusing when, awaiting his prompt to play a town hall organ, the mayor announced to the audience that "The organ will now play", remained in his seat and when a questioning look from the mayor was forthcoming said, "Damn the organ, let it play!"

I personally believe that the organist should be visible to the congregation (assuming s/he is willing!), just as everyone else on the 'stage' is.  It might even result in the general public in this country taking more interest in the organ especially as, if the organ had as much public following here as in, say, Germany and the Netherlands, we might find that fewer organs in churches are being scrapped!

[Colin Pykett]

Mention of curtained organists brought to mind John Betjeman's description of St Enodoc's church in Cornwall:

 

... "A rattle as red baize is drawn aside,

Miss Rhoda Poulden pulls the tremolo,

The oboe, flute and vox humana stops;

A Village Voluntary fills the air

And ceases suddenly as it began,

Save for one oboe faintly humming on" ...

 

I think she was playing a reed organ, as the poem ends with:

 

... "The Lord's name by harmonium be praised" ...

 

To me this is particularly and sadly evocative at a time when it's next to impossible to envisage visiting that beautiful place.

[DaveHarries]

Cologne Cathedral's organ can be seen here but, unfortunately, not from the loft. I wonder how Google would go about adding images although clearly it is possible for users to do so as shown by this one - https://goo.gl/maps/AWjPSFYDNtpxk5Gn6 - which has been added by a user. If I find myself in Cologne again it would be tempting to ask if I can do a panorama from the organ loft. The view of the cathedral interior would be as splendid to see as the organ itself is to hear!

Dave

[andrewm]

If we are in Germany here’s the Rieger in Regensburg https://www.google.com/maps/place/St+Peter+Cathedral,+Domplatz+1,+93047+Regensburg,+Germany/@49.0156188,12.0984913,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x479fc1a5d4612f6f:0x868578d45332b41f

[John Robinson]

23 hours ago, DaveHarries said:

Cologne Cathedral's organ can be seen here but, unfortunately, not from the loft. I wonder how Google would go about adding images although clearly it is possible for users to do so as shown by this one - https://goo.gl/maps/AWjPSFYDNtpxk5Gn6 - which has been added by a user. If I find myself in Cologne again it would be tempting to ask if I can do a panorama from the organ loft. The view of the cathedral interior would be as splendid to see as the organ itself is to hear!

Dave

I agree about the Cologne Cathedral organ, with which I have had a long-term interest, and it does produce an excellent sound.

On that matter, there is a broadcast on Facebook tomorrow and weekly thereafter at 1845.  Excellent close-ups of the player in action, of course!

https://www.domradio.de/web-tv/orgelfeierstunde-drittes-konzert

I watch these on Facebook using Amazon Firestick on our TV with good quality sound, though it should be possible to do it on a computer.  Incidentally, it states 2000, but that is 1900 our time of course!

EDIT:
My apologies.  I have just 'tuned in' to watch this evening's recital and find that it actually starts bang on 1900 (our time).

[SomeChap]

Another find - the seven-manual console of the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City

These 360 panoramas seem to have become more and more popular in the last couple of years.  What do people use to make them?  I had a feature on my phone where I could stitch lots of photos into one panorama, but it was very fiddly, took ages and the results were often very poor.  There must be a better way?  I wouldn't mind making a few myself!

Re. the Echo organ at Hexham, I seem to recall reading somewhere it was retained as a tax-efficient measure, to prevent having to pay VAT on the Phelps because with the old Echo still in situ the Phelps could be categorised as an 'additional organ' - does anyone know if that's true?

[SomeChap]

From the monstrous to the diminutive - this one divides opinion but I must admit I'm an admirer - St Martin-le-Grand, Coney Street, York.  I find it refreshing.

[SomeChap]

This one's a bit blurry, but shows the Kelvingrove Lewis in action.

[andrewm]

Can anyone identify who is playing?

[S_L]

2 hours ago, andrewm said:

Can anyone identify who is playing?

 

James Hunter ?

[Rowland Wateridge]

5 hours ago, andrewm said:

Can anyone identify who is playing?

Chris Nickol, I think, but only on the strength of a Google search.  

[SomeChap]

A glimpse of the nave console at Ripon

[John Robinson]

13 minutes ago, SomeChap said:

A glimpse of the nave console at Ripon

Thanks!  Many other excellent pictures of Ripon and the cathedral too.  I must make an effort to take another trip to the city of Ripon, assuming that we'll be able to enter such places once again!

[SomeChap]

Also, does anyone know anything about this little Victorian-looking organ recently nestled up near the high altar at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford?  I spotted it on the Oxford Bach Soloists' outstandingly excellent St John Passion video on Good Friday.

[SomeChap]

47 minutes ago, John Robinson said:

Thanks!  Many other excellent pictures of Ripon and the cathedral too.  I must make an effort to take another trip to the city of Ripon, assuming that we'll be able to enter such places once again!

Indeed, Ripon is a lovely place. I was in St Alban's Abbey recently, and admired the newly-restored (pretty much from rubble!) shrine of St Amphibalus in the S Quire Aisle.  Much of the new carving on it having been carried out during the 2020 lockdown, one of the gothic-style stone figureheads sports a PPE mask!

[Choir Man]

Salamanca Cathedral: https://goo.gl/maps/1jXTv2sZLjNvwP7t8

[peterdoughty]

St Anne's Cathedral here in Belfast. And a much smaller instrument inside an interesting-looking church I've never actually been in myself!

[Vox Humana]

20 minutes ago, peterdoughty said:

And a much smaller instrument inside an interesting-looking church I've never actually been in myself!

Is there actually anything behind that row of display pipes? I'm wondering whether they speak or are just for show.

 

[John Furse]

2 hours ago, Vox Humana said:

Is there actually anything behind that row of display pipes? 

If you zoom up the image, you can see smaller pipes behind.

It's this: NPORView C00379

 

[Vox Humana]

3 hours ago, John Furse said:

If you zoom up the image, you can see smaller pipes behind.

It's this: NPORView C00379

 

Thanks. There hardly looks to be the depth to accommodate four ranks. Must be pretty tight in there.

[peterdoughty]

Because it's nearly the weekend, I hope nobody will mind a bit of frivolity, so with fingers crossed... 🤞

The Wave Organ in San Francisco (info, video)

The Singing Ringing Tree near Burnley (info, video)

The Bamboo Organ (no actual street view unfortunately, but still plenty of photos to peruse) in Las Piñas, Philippines (info, video)

The Heldenorgel in Kufstein, Austrian Tyrol (info, video, and another)

The John Cage Organ in St Burchardi, Halberstadt (info)

The Giant's Organ at the Giant's Causeway World Heritage Site, Northern Ireland