Jump to content
Mander Organ Builders Forum

Something very unusual and very beautiful


Martin Cooke

Recommended Posts

It's not often we hear professional organists do anything other than play the organ, so these recordings by David Briggs are all the more interesting. Stay tuned beyond the initial piece which is wonderful enough for something that brings together his skill as an improviser with his ability on an instrument with which he is not usually associated. It's here, and you don't have to have a Facebook account to watch. While on David's FB page, I am certain forumites will enjoy David's performance of Pièce Héroïque. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be very interesting to see other instances of performers in different roles. Whether this forum would agree or not might be a different matter. As David Briggs was a a violinist in the National Youth Orchestra, we shouldn't be too surprised at his skill on that instrument. I have long wished to see someone emulating J S Bach's feat of playing the violin whilst adding a bass on the organ pedal board. Perhaps a member of the forum could find a suitable video clip?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are (were?) a few videos on You Tube of a Dutch organist playing cornet & organ - not seen anything of him recently, and the name escapes me.

I tried playing recorder & organ at the same time once - not really a success.  It would have taken a lot of practice for just one item in a concert.  I might give it a try again one day.  I occasionally play organ & piano together for sections of some worship songs - it only works if you can get the keyboards close enough, or, as I've done recently with a few of the items I've been recording for church, I've got my Viscount Cantorum V set up above my digital piano - not ideal, but it works for the application.

Every Blessing

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this might have been what you were referring to - left hand and pedals on the organ and right hand on the cornet! I love starting the Nine Lessons and Carols with this beautiful Krebs chorale prelude but fortunately have always been able to enlist a trumpeter. This is quite quite special:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMX7O7aJtg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/11/2020 at 07:50, Martin Cooke said:

It appears to be the same clip, Peter,

Of course it is, Martin. My apologies to you, and all - too many tabs open in my browser and too many trains of thought at the one time. 😳 What a wonderful, poised performance he gave, mind you!

Here in Belfast, my old organ teacher Garry Rodway also taught cello, and I believe he once flirted with the violin himself. He told me a story of an organist he knew, whose name I've wholly forgotten, who used to play something like this occasionally after services... what a great talent, whoever exhibits it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Contrabombarde said:

I think this might have been what you were referring to - left hand and pedals on the organ and right hand on the cornet! I love starting the Nine Lessons and Carols with this beautiful Krebs chorale prelude but fortunately have always been able to enlist a trumpeter. This is quite quite special:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMX7O7aJtg

That's the chap.  There's a few other tracks on his YT channel of similar things, and a few other "odd" combinations of instruments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...