Christmas Prezzies

[Guest Cremona]

I was given a selection of Cantoris CDs of Nigel Allcoat and others playing Aubertin organs - including the stunner at Aberdeen. Frankly I was blown away by the organs, and it was interesting to hear how the lokes of Nigel Allcoat and Roger Williams play the organ, as opposed to Olivier Vernet's offering from Vertus (I preferred Allcoat's and Williams' playing). Nigel's improvisation and Pachelbel CDs are also quite superb. Just what is it about these instruments which make them just beguiling? Nigel, thank you for producing some super CDs, they are simply wonderful listening - even for an old romantic like me. Is there any chance of the stoplist for Oxford being posted on this thread?

[Graham Powell]

I was given a selection of Cantoris CDs of Nigel Allcoat and others playing Aubertin organs - including the stunner at Aberdeen. Frankly I was blown away by the organs, and it was interesting to hear how the lokes of Nigel Allcoat and Roger Williams play the organ, as opposed to Olivier Vernet's offering from Vertus (I preferred Allcoat's and Williams' playing). Nigel's improvisation and Pachelbel CDs are also quite superb. Just what is it about these instruments which make them just beguiling? Nigel, thank you for producing some super CDs, they are simply wonderful listening - even for an old romantic like me. Is there any chance of the stoplist for Oxford being posted on this thread?

 

If you ever get the chance, get hold of the Ulrik Spang-Hanssen complete Buxtehude (6 CDs - often on eBay at rock-bottom prices). 2 of the discs were recorded on the Aubertin organ in St Louis, Vichy - a wonderful sound, on disc at least, probably even better in the flesh. Complete with 32' reed (called "Napoleon")!

[AJJ]

I was given a selection of Cantoris CDs of Nigel Allcoat and others playing Aubertin organs - including the stunner at Aberdeen. Frankly I was blown away by the organs, and it was interesting to hear how the lokes of Nigel Allcoat and Roger Williams play the organ, as opposed to Olivier Vernet's offering from Vertus (I preferred Allcoat's and Williams' playing). Nigel's improvisation and Pachelbel CDs are also quite superb. Just what is it about these instruments which make them just beguiling? Nigel, thank you for producing some super CDs, they are simply wonderful listening - even for an old romantic like me. Is there any chance of the stoplist for Oxford being posted on this thread?

 

Here it is:

 

Saint John’s College, Oxford

 

 

I POSITIVE

 

Bourdon (Wood) 8

Portunal 8

Principal 4

Flûte à cheminée 4

Nazard 2⅔

Flageolet 2

Tierce 13/5

Mixture III

Voix humaine 8

 

II GREAT

 

Portunal 16

Montre 8

Gambe 8

Bourdon (Metal) 8

Principal 4

Flûte ouverte (Wood) 4

Octave 2

Mixture IV-VI

Trompette 8

 

III RECIT

 

Flûte Traversiére 8

Flûte 4

Cornet III

Quint 11/3

Enclosed

Dulciana 8

Unda maris 8

Salicet 4

Chalumeau 8

 

PEDALE

 

Bourdon 16

Principal 8

Bourdon 8

Principal 4

Mixture 2’ + III

Buzéne 16

Sacqueboute 8

 

I/II III/II II/III

Tremblant

Appel Buzène 16’

Appel Trompette 8’

 

AJJ

[David Coram]

Here it is:

 

How nice to see such a lot of 8' colour around. This is going to be something very special. The organconservatoire site (organconservatoire.org?) has some photos of work in progress in the workshop.

[Guest Nigel ALLCOAT]

I was given a selection of Cantoris CDs of Nigel Allcoat and others playing Aubertin organs - including the stunner at Aberdeen. Just what is it about these instruments which make them just beguiling?

 

How extraordinary to learn that I get wrapp-ed in Noel papier! Happy listening to these remarkable instruments. Why beguiling? Well, the sounds in the flesh are at times too beautiful to contemplate and there were musical moments in the recordings that one wished to be frozen in time. I know that that sounds totally OTT but until you have the opportunity, you just don't understand.

 

Strangely enough, I came across the organs all by accident and was told about them by an eminent Candian organist who had just returned from France. He just whetted my interest as he said that the organ that he had just played (the first complete Aubertin ever) was such an extraordinary experience. A month or so later when I dropped my mother off in Lamberhurst to recover from a hip replacement, I remembered those words and so I took the ferry from Dover. The rest (to a large number of people) is history. So the great British NHS is at the bottom of all this. Bernard knows this as do the purchasers of these new instruments. At 96 (nearly), my mother is looking forward to the installation of the St John's organ. When I was very very young, I was always taken to the glorious gardens of St John's by my mother when my father was on business. Such is destiny.

 

One reason that I so admire these instruments is that they are conceived from the mind of this renaissance brain. He can do everything (and instructs his faithful band of about 12 workers from around the globe). The only thing that he cannot do is play the organ! A computer doesn't go anywhere near the design at any stage except for the producing of an estimate.

 

One amendment to the specification given here - is that the Flute Allemande on the Pos. will be a Portunal of 8'. It will be more useful in the intimate surroundings of the chapel.

 

So taken with the instruments that the President of the College has himself ordered an organ. I believe that it will be positioned at the East End of the Chapel and will be there for the Summer Term as the present instrument is being dismantled.

 

Happy Christmastide.

 

Nigel

[AJJ]

One amendment to the specification given here - is that the Flute Allemande on the Pos. will be a Portunal of 8'. It will be more useful in the intimate surroundings of the chapel.

 

Edited accordingly above.

 

AJJ

[Guest Nigel ALLCOAT]

2 of the discs were recorded on the Aubertin organ in St Louis, Vichy - a wonderful sound, on disc at least, probably even better in the flesh. Complete with 32' reed (called "Napoleon")!

 

Although seemingly a quirky name for such a reed stop (full length in Vichy), it pays musical homage to the builder of the main church of the town and the creator of the Spa - who was Emperor Napoleon III. With his Empress, Eugene they built their respective Villas and watered there before his exile. Along with the Prince Imperial (who was killed fighting with the British Army in South Africa) they are all buried in the splendid Abbey Church Crypt at Farnborough.

Another example of Aubertin humour is the magnificent Romantic reconstrucation by his 'right hand man' Michael Gaillard, in the great Collegiate church in Thann. There, the 32ft Reed is named after a previous organ builder! Here are links to organ and church.

 

http://perso.orange.fr/eisenberg/orgues/thannthi.htm

 

http://perso.orange.fr/revue.shakti/thann.htm

 

Happy Christmastide.

 

Nigel