Priory Records DVDs

[Martin Cooke]

Priory have announced the availability of their new Westminster Abbey DVD which Daniel Cook features in. Interesting that he has come back to do this, or perhaps he had started it before he left. Anyway, it looks like an excellent programme and it's firmly on my Christmas list. I have all the Priory DVDs and I wonder what others have made of them. I have found some of the organ tours a bit stilted - nobody better than Ian Tracey on the very first one and Simon Johnson at St Paul's - and some of the choices of music a bit weird. I do have an affinity to St Paul's but I think that, so far, at any rate, it is the best of all of them. By the way, you can see and hear a snippet from WA on the Priory website - Daniel Cook plays the Dignity and Impudence March.

[Martin Cooke]

And as a follow through to the above... I wonder what we would like to see filmed next? I'm hoping for Truro and then a new one of Canterbury when the new organ has settled down in a year or two's time.

[timothyguntrip]

1 hour ago, Martin Cooke said:

And as a follow through to the above... I wonder what we would like to see filmed next? I'm hoping for Truro and then a new one of Canterbury when the new organ has settled down in a year or two's time.

I'd definitely like to see Southwark included.

[Peter Allison]

I have a few of them, and was really pleased to see the one featuring the city of my birth,  Durham Cathedral, and a close personal friend of the family, James Lancelot 😉

[John Robinson]

13 hours ago, Martin Cooke said:

Priory have announced the availability of their new Westminster Abbey DVD which Daniel Cook features in. Interesting that he has come back to do this, or perhaps he had started it before he left. Anyway, it looks like an excellent programme and it's firmly on my Christmas list. I have all the Priory DVDs and I wonder what others have made of them. I have found some of the organ tours a bit stilted - nobody better than Ian Tracey on the very first one and Simon Johnson at St Paul's - and some of the choices of music a bit weird. I do have an affinity to St Paul's but I think that, so far, at any rate, it is the best of all of them. By the way, you can see and hear a snippet from WA on the Priory website - Daniel Cook plays the Dignity and Impudence March.

I, too, have all 14 of the prior(sorry!) Priory DVDs.  My trouble and strife keeps asking me what I want for Christmas, to which I can never think of any sensible reply (socks and handkerchieves now bursting out of my drawers) so this latest DVD has come as a godsend.

As well as enjoying listening to the music, I have found these DVDs particularly interesting as a means of comparing several organs with regard to their tonal attributes and (as a non-organist) further enlightening myself as to the characteristics of different stops.  This latter point is most easily accomplished by listening to the 'introduction to the organ' sections, in which some individual stops are demonstrated.

[Tony Newnham]

Hi

So far I've only got 4 or 5 of the Priory DVD's.  I find them very interesting and intend to buy some more in the future.

The section on the Norwich Cathedral DVD where David Dunnett demonstrates how he plays one of the pieces is a masterclass in organ control.

Every Blessing

Tony

[DQB123]

I have all of the DVDs and also the Regent DVDS and I'm looking forward to receiving the new Westminster Abbey recording in the next few days or so.

I've just about given up buying organ CDs because I have so many of them that I'll never get to listen to them all unless I have organ CDs playing 24/7/365!  But I simply can't resist the DVDs because they provide much more that is of interest to me. 

What organ would I like to see recorded?  Richard Hills at the Guildhall, Southampton would be BRILLIANT!   Perhaps Westminster Cathedral?  And yes some of the recent rebuilds would be great.

Many years ago Simon Preston did a couple of TV programmes including one on the Royal Festival Hall organ (now that would be an interesting one to record a DVD on), but I have never been able to find a trace of it subsequently.  Does anyone remember anything about his TV programmes?

 

  

[Martin Cooke]

I think I remember the Full Organ piston or a red indicator light playing a part in one of these programmes. 

[John Robinson]

On 08/12/2018 at 20:33, quentinbellamy said:

But I simply can't resist the DVDs because they provide much more that is of interest to me. 

What organ would I like to see recorded?

Yes, I know.  I'm being greedy.  But how about some foreign organs for a change?

Sorry, Priory! 

Edited:  I'm afraid I added my text to Quentinbellamy's quote!  Sorry.

Edited December 9, 2018 by John Robinson

[Rowland Wateridge]

I remember Simon Preston in a TV programme very enthusiastically describing and playing the new and recently-installed Grant Degens and Bradbeer organ at New College, Oxford.  That must have been around 1969 or 1970.  I also have a vague memory of him in a televised recital from Westminster Abbey wearing, I think, suede shoes rather than conventional organ shoes!  Very uncertain of this, but I think he might have played Liszt’s BACH.  (Slightly off-subject, I heard him in recital at Westminster Abbey on my 21st birthday in 1962 - and we are both still here, and playing the organ, albeit in a very much humbler sphere in my case).

Also in the 1970s there was a wonderful weekly radio series “Organ Gallery” in which John Lade visited an organ, usually in a cathedral, and had a conversation with the organist who demonstrated and spoke about the instrument.  I think these were broadcast on Saturday afternoons.  Two that I vividly remember were Francis Jackson at York saying that he preferred to play from the Quire console and liked the composition pedals which he had no desire to change in favour of toe pistons.  He also explained that he had had the Great third diapason tuned sharp (or perhaps flat, I don’t now recall which), an idea which he had borrowed from the USA.  In a programme from overseas, John Lade travelled to Mechelen to visit Flor Peeters.  The organ was in the usual very lofty Continental west-end position.  Flor Peeters explained that he accompanied the liturgy, improvised interludes and played voluntaries, but had absolutely no responsibility for the choir!

Round about that time John Betjeman presented a radio series “Britain’s Cathedrals and their music” - a combination of his inimitable architectural descriptions and the music of the cathedral in question - both  choral and organ.  There was always one major solo organ piece.  One that I particularly remember was Bach’s Fugue on the Magnificat played by Noel Rawsthorne at Liverpool.  I think John Betjeman introduced it as Liverpool Cathedral’s “mighty Willis organ”.  Subsequently LP records of some of these programmes were issued and sold under the BBC’s own label.

Even earlier in my youth, possibly 1950s, the BBC used to broadcast an organ recital mid-morning on Sundays.  

Halcyon days!

[wolsey]

I remember the programme. It was called A Thousand Instruments, and a search of the Radio Times database shows that it was first broadcast in 1975, and repeated in June 1976. As I write this, I feel saddened that both Simon Preston and Peter Hurford (my teacher) are shadows of their former selves, both being cared for in nursing homes where they are suffering from the effects of dementia.

[Rowland Wateridge]

To be clear, that was Simon Preston’s televised performance from the RFH.  I wasn’t aware of his present, sad situation or that of Peter Hurford.

[wolsey]

I think there have been crossed wires - apologies. My reply was addressed to Quentin Bellamy. I have been unable to trace Simon Preston's New College TV appearance in the Radio Times archive, but Organ Gallery is certainly there. The archive is a truly fascinating resource.

[Rowland Wateridge]

No apology needed.  I realised that you were replying to Quentin Bellamy.  I added my second post to clarify the chronology.

Thank you for the link to the Organ Gallery series.  I’m glad to see my memories of the participation of Francis Jackson and Flor Peeters confirmed.  In all honesty I don’t now remember some of the others.  It was a very distinguished series, and John Lade was a very perceptive host and interviewer.

[S_L]

7 hours ago, wolsey said:

I feel saddened that both Simon Preston and Peter Hurford (my teacher) are shadows of their former selves, both being cared for in nursing homes where they are suffering from the effects of dementia.

Two of the really great players/scholars of the 20th century!

I have, slight, and very different recollections of both. Of Peter Hurford giving an extraordinary recital/masterclass on the GDB in St. Martin's Hull and of Simon Preston giving a recital on the York Monster and making liberal use of the Tuba Mirabilis.

I know a church that, rightly, prays for those who are sick and also adds 'and for those who care for them'! Your post, wolsey, has made me very sad!

 

[Tony Newnham]

Hi

I too remember the Organ Gallery R3 series - I think I may still have some that I recorded off-air on cassette.

Every Blessing

Tony

[Dee Surtees]

On 06/12/2018 at 09:30, Martin Cooke said:

Priory have announced the availability of their new Westminster Abbey DVD which Daniel Cook features in. Interesting that he has come back to do this, or perhaps he had started it before he left. 

I heard Daniel give a recital at St Mary’ Edinburgh in the summer, and heeard him say then that he was very busy finishing off projects he had started while at Westminster, in addition to his duties in Durham. I guess this was one of those projects. 

[John Robinson]

On 06/12/2018 at 09:31, Martin Cooke said:

And as a follow through to the above... I wonder what we would like to see filmed next? I'm hoping for Truro and then a new one of Canterbury when the new organ has settled down in a year or two's time.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but if the new Canterbury Cathedral organ is to be recorded, I'd really like to see a similar thing done with the new York Minster organ after Harrisons have finished their work.

[Martin Cooke]

On 21/06/2019 at 20:40, John Robinson said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but if the new Canterbury Cathedral organ is to be recorded, I'd really like to see a similar thing done with the new York Minster organ after Harrisons have finished their work.

Yes - both will be very interesting - and we mustn't forget Robert Sharpe's most generous offer to host us at York one day! 

[John Robinson]

8 hours ago, Martin Cooke said:

Yes - both will be very interesting - and we mustn't forget Robert Sharpe's most generous offer to host us at York one day! 

Yes indeed, both Canterbury and York.  To be able to hear high quality recordings of both, both 'before' and 'after', would be very interesting and enlightening.

Of course, I haven't forgotten Robert Sharpe's kind offer.  Personally, I wouldn't want to actually play the organ - I'd embarrass myself!  But to be able to hear individual stops and combinations of stops demonstrated would be very interesting indeed.

[pcnd5584]

On 06/12/2018 at 13:18, Peter Allison said:

I have a few of them, and was really pleased to see the one featuring the city of my birth,  Durham Cathedral, and a close personal friend of the family, James Lancelot 😉

I particularly like the Durham edition. James Lancelot appears entirely at ease on-camera, and he clearly delights in giving what is one of the best 'sound tours' of an organ in the entire series.

One or two musical (but not familiar with organ construction) friends watched it, and found it to be both interesting and informative.

[Peter Allison]

On 21/08/2019 at 23:28, pcnd5584 said:

I particularly like the Durham edition. James Lancelot appears entirely at ease on-camera, and he clearly delights in giving what is one of the best 'sound tours' of an organ in the entire series.

One or two musical (but not familiar with organ construction) friends watched it, and found it to be both interesting and informative.

He is VERY particular about recording  him though. I made a midnight recording of him playing just 4 pieces, many years ago... But when I have asked him if I can record him in recital, he always says no, nicely of course. As he thinks that if he knows someone is recording, then he is "playing to the mics". I kind of get that, but at the same time it  tends to be a generation thing, going buy all the U Tubes videos and other social media items

[Phoneuma]

52 minutes ago, Peter Allison said:

He is VERY particular about recording  him though. I made a midnight recording of him playing just 4 pieces, many years ago... But when I have asked him if I can record him in recital, he always says no, nicely of course. As he thinks that if he knows someone is recording, then he is "playing to the mics". I kind of get that, but at the same time it  tends to be a generation thing, going buy all the U Tubes videos and other social media items

Good for him - I’d suggest it’s perfectly in order for him to turn down any request to record any public recitals. This seems to be, or at least was, particularly common a few years back when I attended a few recitals in the north with, on occasion, more than one set of devices recording the concerts. Whether or not permission had been sought (and, I know it hadn’t in more than one case) I found it a very off- putting practice. This simply wouldn’t happen in, say, the Wigmore Hall or the RFH so why should it be considered acceptable at organ recitals. It appeared to me that it was nothing more than some sort of trophy-hunting and very disrespectful to the performer (and, I’m assuming, in clear breach of intellectual property rights). 

[Peter Allison]

1 hour ago, Phoneuma said:

Good for him - I’d suggest it’s perfectly in order for him to turn down any request to record any public recitals. This seems to be, or at least was, particularly common a few years back when I attended a few recitals in the north with, on occasion, more than one set of devices recording the concerts. Whether or not permission had been sought (and, I know it hadn’t in more than one case) I found it a very off- putting practice. This simply wouldn’t happen in, say, the Wigmore Hall or the RFH so why should it be considered acceptable at organ recitals. It appeared to me that it was nothing more than some sort of trophy-hunting and very disrespectful to the performer (and, I’m assuming, in clear breach of intellectual property rights). 

just to point out that in over 200 recitals I have recorded, I have ALWAYS asked for permission to do so from both the organist and the place its being recorded. I have very rarely come across an emphatic no, apart from one at York Minster. I have recordings of the late John Scott, David Sanger and Carlo Curley, as well as Nathan Laube, Graham Barber and David Briggs (at York Minster) etc

[handsoff]

On 21/08/2019 at 23:28, pcnd5584 said:

I particularly like the Durham edition. James Lancelot appears entirely at ease on-camera, and he clearly delights in giving what is one of the best 'sound tours' of an organ in the entire series.

One or two musical (but not familiar with organ construction) friends watched it, and found it to be both interesting and informative.

I too have showed some friends including a pianist and a string player, both of whom have in the past been a little disparaging (only in private to me, and that probably reflects my playing!) about organ-playing techniques, part of Thomas Trotter's Birmingham Town Hall DVD and that by Simon Johnson from St Paul's.

They were especially impressed by Simon's narrated version of the Cocker Tuba Tune and said that they honestly didn't realise how much was actually involved in playing a large instrument and what enormous levels of skill and musicianship were clearly involved. They were staggered by the Bonnet Variations and by how one player could possibly perform such an obviously extremely difficult piece and cope with it and at the same time deal with all the registration changes.

The Thalben-Ball Variations for pedals on the BTH DVD simply  blew them away as did the Overture to Meistersingers where the pianist picked up on the Cymbelstern, asking where on the earth did the Triangle come from.

Enough to say that they will disparage no more.

It would be good if music colleges had a stock of these DVDs and showed them to all students. Yes, right...