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Messages - Barrie Davis

#341
Hi

Im a Classical Organist and wish at times I had the ability to play a Cinema Organ, I never decry Cinema Organists, in fact admire them.

Barrie
#342
There are a number of churches within in the C of E which are closed for Worship but open for historical reasons. St Marys Shrewsbury springs to mind, this church has a fine 4 manual Binns organ and some Harris and Byfield pipework and case. It is played from time to time but who is reponsible for its care and if the situation arose could it ever find a new home? I find it ridiculous that these organs are not used, but this is better than being broken up as is often the case when dreaded reordering takes place.
My own church was reordered some 10 years ago, the choir stalls were removed and one priest said when the organs gone that will make a prayer room, luckily after much fighting this never happened, the congregation value the instrument we have the care of. This makes a change!!!!
#343
Organs in danger / Re: Great little House(?) organ
September 11, 2010, 01:30:33 AM
Hi

I agree totally with David the scale of the pipework would be totally wrong to form a 3rd manual, even if it was enclosed. It would be far better is i could be sold on intact as an house organ.
Yes change the Flute into a 2ft but I would not use the existing pipework.

Best wishes

Barrie
#344
Quote from: barniclecompton on July 05, 2010, 09:18:00 PM
this  organ, as far as i know, has bn sold recently.

That is good news, I dread to think how much was paid for it.
#345
Organ building and maintenance / Re: Hybrid Organs
June 22, 2010, 07:07:09 PM
Ah by failed I did mean the sound was of poor quality.

Barrie
#346
Organ building and maintenance / Hybrid Organs
June 22, 2010, 10:38:11 AM
How do members feel about so called "hybrid" organs?

I have recently played one close to my home and the added electronic stops to the choir and pedal simply failed, or was this a question of speakers?

Allen/Collins built such an instrument at Truno but I have yet to see the stoplist and breakdown of the ranks in this instrument.

Barrie
#347
Hi

I suppose the recipe for the composition of compound stops depends very much on the acoustics of the building and could not really be predetermined in the factory. I have not played the Bull Ring organ since the Nicholson rebuild and wonder if they altered these 2 ranks at all.

I agree with David over the suppression of ranks such as the 21st. This is not needed and moves away from the original concept of the organ in question. I played a large 3 manual Harrison in Leigh where the 21st had been filled with cotton wool and longed to hear the original chorus.

Electronics do fail with their speaker systems a few years ago I acted as consultant with a house organ, the external speakers provided proved to be useless so I called in The Organ Workshop who replaced the lot, the alteration was tremendous and resulted in a splendid organ.

Barrie
#348
Hi

I agree with Tonys remarks about Comptons, I remember St Martins in the Bullring having 2 compound Pedal stops Grand Cornet 32 and Cornet 16, these really did imitate their reed counterparts. The late and great Jack Ivey who tuned the organ for many years told me once that the relays to these ranks were so complicated as they used ranks from many different sources. (He would never divulge the recipe though!) Comptons really were very advanced, but I'm afraid now a days their remarkable work is often scorned or replaced.

Halesowen Parish Church, the much lamented Rushworth and Dreaper had 2 synthetic stops a Clarinet and Musette, I assume space dictated these as the chambers were really crowded. I do have to say that the electronic that replaced this fine organ is like a damp squid.

Barrie
#349
Hi
There is a lot of discussion about the mutation madness of this scheme on another website, after having looked at the specification of the Harmonics Division I have top openly admit that I would not know how to use some of the mutations being specified. There must be some logic behind the design, but I fail to see it, maybe Im getting old.

Barrie
#350
Hi

The only firm I know of by the name of Drake, built the organ in Stourport Parish Church and rebuilt the Ballroom Organ at Buckingham Palace, could they be connected? I have a vague idea that the Drake I am thinking of has the intial W.

Barrie
#351
Quote from: KB7DQH on May 20, 2010, 02:12:47 AM
http://acusticumorgan.com/specification

That's almost scary... :o 8) :o ;D ;D ;D 8)

Now Europe has a floorpounder!

Eric
KB7DQH

I dont have Erics enthusiasm for a 64ft stop and cannot really see any musical usage where it could be justified. When the old Worcester Cathedral organ had one it was never used, the 64 reed at Sydney does cause a rumble but is it musical?
#352
Organs in danger / Christie Organ in Cradley Heath
June 04, 2010, 09:34:56 AM
The Majestic Cinema in Cradley Heath is still standing after being used for a while as a Bingo Hall after the demise of the Cinema, it is now being used as a warehouse in which to store cycle parts.
The organ is still intact, the console is hidden under the stage, the original waterpowered lift still works!! The relays and pipework are in chambers on the right of what was the auditorium, luckily the pipework is heated but the whole organ is unplayable at this time.
Several approaches have been made to the owners in an attempt to rescue this instrument, but they want ridiculous money for the organ, I dont really feel they realise the costs involved after the organ has been removed from its present sad home.
#353
Quote from: NonPlayingAnorak on May 29, 2010, 09:24:46 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/10187964.stm
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/8192770.World_renowned_organist_accused_of_sex_offences_found_dead/

The President of the Royal College of Organists has been found dead, having appeared in court on Tuesday charged with sex offences against a teenage boy between 1978 and 1982: the death is thought to have been a suicide. Now, I knew David, and my parents knew him very well, and none of us can believe the allegations. We're totally in shock that someone so full of life and kindness, someone upon whom we all knew we could depend utterly, someone so universally adored, has gone like this.

I was truly saddened the hear the news of David Sangers death. I find this rather hard to believe and feel after a period of some 28 years that it could been dealt with, if it were proven, in a more sensitive way.
#354
This has to be the worst a 2  manual Bevington in the Roman Catholic Church at Smethwick. It suffered some very bad water damage as a result all the Great and Pedal pipework has been removed, the Great keys disconnected leaving the Swell to try and do all the work. It will never be restored as this is a very poor parish, it is tuned on a hop and a skip basis. They expect miracles to be worked in 3 hours!!!!
#355
What was the organ?