Vox Humana Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 You took the words out of my mouth. Nigel has taken us on a fascinating journey with this organ. It would be a shame if he sailed off into the sunset now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 You took the words out of my mouth. Nigel has taken us on a fascinating journey with this organ. It would be a shame if he sailed off into the sunset now. .............and hopefully more will be forthcoming when the next one arrives. AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrick Coleman Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Absolutely support Paul, Vox & Alastair. Apart from being fascinated by the instrument and its progress, I have learned so much by following this thread. Bring on the next one, I say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Absolutely support Paul, Vox & Alastair. Apart from being fascinated by the instrument and its progress, I have learned so much by following this thread. Bring on the next one, I say! The continuing St John's and Worcester documentation brings a welcome sense of reality to our little world on occasions - 'much gratitude for Nigel Allcoat and Adrian Lucas giving of their time to provide us with all this information! AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Just returned to Leicestershire having had the afternoon playing. Here are a few PICTURES . Not many - as there was some scaffolding up in readiness of putting back choir stalls and lighting - so there are only a few to be going on with!. Anyway - I preferred to be an organist and not a photographer today. I shall take some more when I take a few friends on 8th February. The organ was exhibited yesterday to about 60 Fellows and select guests by Bernard Aubertin and Max Barley, the Organ Scholar. Therefore 10 days from arriving at the Portal in a large container from France. It will now settle in and become adjusted to the climate and position in the Chapel before adjustments and titivations to speech and action. There are going to be some dust particles from the minor works still to be carried out in the chapel and so a thorough 'going over' will ensue after a short time, I am sure. All is quite splendid and I think will inspire a good number of people. I meant to say too that in David's specification, the Recit Quint is unenclosed too. Also that the Cornet (like the Pedal Mixture) has a first notch which has a special purpose. In the Mixture it allows only the 2ft to sound (thus just the ticket for a Sweelinck Psalm of course), but the Cornet III on the first notch starts at Middle treble c# and fully out, begins on Middle C. Some repertoire requires this if both hands play on a split keyboard with a Cornet in the treble. I shall give some details about the 8th March when they become available. All the best best, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I pass on a message from St John Baptist College, Oxford concerning the Open House Day on Saturday 8th March that they are kindly creating for friends and interested readers here and on Face Book. Should students, schools and teachers be interested, I believe that the morning is being made available for them. I also suggest for consideration if you are driving to Oxford - use the excellent Park & Ride service that operates from points on the Ring Road. It is far easier and cheaper than parking in the city centre unless you have a Blue Badge. Good parking in St Giles for those people requiring this. I hope that this message does not cause offense to any readers or to our benevolent hosts without whom we would be decidedly the poorer in all things Organ. Dear Friends, St. John's College, Oxford, has just completed the installation of its new 3 manual, 32 stop Aubertin organ. You are warmly invited to participate in the celebrations by attending an Open House on March 8th, 2.00-5.00 pm, where you will be able to play and hear others (including Nigel Allcoat) playing this extraordinary and historic instrument. The Chapel is in the heart of the College. For directions, please see the College website (www.sjc.ox.ac.uk), and the map on the University website (http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/maps_and_directions/colleges_and_halls.html). The closest parking will be on St. Giles, the main thoroughfare leading north out of the City Centre. We look forward to seeing you Yours sincerely, Martin Stokes Fellow and Tutor in Music, St. John's College, Oxford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinstanley Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I was in Oxford yesterday and after hearing the Frobenius in The Queen's College (wonderful) I wandered into St John's as it was open to visitors. I regret I did not hear the organ but the casework and craftsmanship is just stunning. To my irritation the battery in my camera was flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbouffant Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 the battery in my camera was flat. hopefully this is a fate which will not befall the new organ.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I was in Oxford yesterday and after hearing the Frobenius in The Queen's College (wonderful) I wandered into St John's as it was open to visitors. I regret I did not hear the organ but the casework and craftsmanship is just stunning. To my irritation the battery in my camera was flat. What a pity it was not today. You would have heard amongst others three Cathedral organists, an Abbey organist, a cathedral organ scholar and myself as I was teaching there from 10.45am until 6pm. So glad you enjoyed the vision nevertheless. We all had terrific fun. I hope you can make the 8th March. All best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 I hear that M. Aubertin will be attending the Open Day in Oxford next Saturday. A number of people have inquired about whether he would. Now you know! All best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Sayer Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I hear that M. Aubertin will be attending the Open Day in Oxford next Saturday. A number of people have inquired about whether he would. Now you know! All best wishes, Nigel Best wishes for an enjoyable and enlightening Open Day on Saturday. I had the privilege and pleasure of an advance visit last week and was mightily impressed by an instrument of great character and integrity - and different in many ways from its confrères in othe college chapels. This is surely how it should be in a seat of learning, whose raison d'être is to stimulate and broaden the mind. For young organists (and other musicians, too) this means close encounters with as many different styles of instrument as possible. The smaller Oxbridge chapels are uniquely placed to promote this ideal, being largely freed from traditional liturgical constraints, as a glance at the chapel service list will show. So perhaps we need to leave behind pre-set Anglican notions of the organ's role and celebrate the new arrival for what it is, a superb musical instrument. JS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whrrr Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Thank you to everyone who organised this open day. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and was most impressed with this new and refreshing instrument. Well done! Mark Walker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 It was indeed a great pleasure to meet people and listen to many lovely sounds - ...and some rather strange ones! M. Aubertin's composure while hearing some experiments was to be marvelled at. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 M. Aubertin's composure while hearing some experiments was to marvelled at. Indeed it was. Much the same could be said of the President and the music team who I hope won't be deterred from allowing future visits. Thanks to all for arrangements, wonderful refreshments and a great afternoon. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Sorry I couldn't get there - domestic duties precluded - 'will get there soon though!! AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Glad to hear it went well. Alas, tennis elbow in one arm and pulled tendons (or maybe arthritis) in the shoulder of the other conspired to give me a bad night and I just didn't feel up to making the trip. To say I am gutted is an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 What a gloriously happy day - thanks to all those who were able to attend. I know that Sir Michael was quite overwhelmed that such an interest has been taken in the college's acquisition and was touched by the friendly comments he received. There were many other musical happenings up and down the country. Nevertheless around 200 came and went throughout the day. It was so good to put faces to some of the log-on names from here! Thanks for all your support and lovely playings. All best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Lane Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 What a gloriously happy day - thanks to all those who were able to attend. I know that Sir Michael was quite overwhelmed that such an interest has been taken in the college's acquisition and was touched by the friendly comments he received. There were many other musical happenings up and down the country. Nevertheless around 200 came and went throughout the day. It was so good to put faces to some of the log-on names from here! Thanks for all your support and lovely playings. All best wishes, Nigel Glad it went well, unfortunately a playing commitment got in the way. No doubt I will get to hear it before long. Does sound as if it were an exciting day however. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Carr Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 What a gloriously happy day - thanks to all those who were able to attend. I know that Sir Michael was quite overwhelmed that such an interest has been taken in the college's acquisition and was touched by the friendly comments he received. There were many other musical happenings up and down the country. Nevertheless around 200 came and went throughout the day. It was so good to put faces to some of the log-on names from here! Thanks for all your support and lovely playings. All best wishes, Nigel Many thanks to you too, Nigel for your input and communications via this board and fb during this exciting project. I think many of us will have 'fresh' ears when we next register a trio sonata too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Harvey Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Nigel, many thanks for bringing this exciting and very successful project to the public arena. It's a very fine organ and I enjoyed our brief discovery into its sounds and abilities. It looks and sounds perfectly proportioned to the chapel - if only every organbuilder were such gifted architects, voicers and craftsmen! Many thanks to you and the college for putting on a lovely afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Just a little note to close the chapter on this new organ. This is the day 2 years on (the Monday following the clock change), when the Oxford expedition committee set off on the Eurostar for deciding about the new college instrument. It is engraved on my memory as half didn't turn up to catch the train as they had forgotten to change their bedroom alarm clock - having been away for a couple of days! So David Flood and myself trained exclusively and, surrounded by empty seats arrived in Paris where an excellent lunch was had whilst we awaited the rear-guard. Oh! What halcyon days of academia. All best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 The final chapter is slightly re-opened! "14th May 2008 The Lord Bishop of Winchester (Visitor of the College) dedicated the organ this evening during a grand Solemn Mass. The choir of St John's (directed by Organ Scholar Max and accompanied by Miles and strings) sang Haydn's Organ Mass. Nigel played the hymns and the 1st movement of John Stanley's E Major Organ Concerto as an Epistle Sonata. The Solemnities (which took 2 hours) concluded with Nigel playing an improvised Te Deum with the choir singing alternating verses with the organ. The organ verses showed a multitude of registrations. A Dinner afterwards was served in Garden Quad for all concerned. The oldest person there at 97 years (and without whom the Aubertin would never have come to these shores) was Nigel's mother.The organ now sings for generations to come. Deo Gratias. Amen" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 The final chapter is slightly re-opened!"14th May 2008 The Lord Bishop of Winchester (Visitor of the College) dedicated the organ this evening during a grand Solemn Mass. The choir of St John's (directed by Organ Scholar Max and accompanied by Miles and strings) sang Haydn's Organ Mass. Nigel played the hymns and the 1st movement of John Stanley's E Major Organ Concerto as an Epistle Sonata. The Solemnities (which took 2 hours) concluded with Nigel playing an improvised Te Deum with the choir singing alternating verses with the organ. The organ verses showed a multitude of registrations. A Dinner afterwards was served in Garden Quad for all concerned. The oldest person there at 97 years (and without whom the Aubertin would never have come to these shores) was Nigel's mother.The organ now sings for generations to come. Deo Gratias. Amen" 'Sounds superb - thanks for all the continuing info. - as with the continuing Worcester work we are lucky to have those such as Nigel and Adrian to give us these 'chronicles' AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Lane Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 'Sounds superb - thanks for all the continuing info. - as with the continuing Worcester work we are lucky to have those such as Nigel and Adrian to give us these 'chronicles' AJJ Hear, hear! Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 A postscript. The new 5 stop Positive with much decoration was installed this week at the East End of the Chapel - now making a trinity of instruments by Bernard at St John's College. The place seems more of an Organ Faculty now! Also installed were new instruments at Cambridge, York and Burbage. After a few months of settling in, the main organ will have a good tune (the flue work has not been tuned since leaving the workshop last December), and a thorough regulation in readiness for John Scott's opening concert on Saturday 25th October. Best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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