Hi
On Saturday, Bradford Cathedral is the venue for the second of our Centenary Events. Apart from the Cathedral Organ (see http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=A00542), we have arranged for the Wingfield Organ (http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=E00205) to be in the cathedral for most of the rest of the year. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play this instrument - it's a reconstruction of an organ from the Tudor period.
We also have 2 chamber organs coming, a Fairground organ (for those who like the lighter side of things) - and hopefully a display by the Cinema Organ Society. As I commented in another post, I will be playing a Harmonium at times during the day, and the Early Music Shop will be there with their kits of portative organs, along with displays by various organisations, and various other things describing how the organ works, etc. Well worth a visit - Bradford Cathedral is just at the edge of the city centre, close to Forster Square Station, and an easy walk from Bradford Interchange.
The day concludes with a special choral evensong by the cathedral choir, and a recital by cathedral organist Andrew Teague, including a new piece commissioned for the event and written by our president-elect, Paul Fisher.
Hope to see some of you on the day.
Every Blessing
Tony
(President, Bradford Organists' Association)
:'( too far for me I am afraid... BUT it sounds like so much fun 8) 8) 8)
I would ever so much appreciate your observations after the event...
Eric
KB7DQH
Hi
The day was a success! I don't know how many people we had through the door - but most of the time I guess that there were at least 50 around (we ran from 10:00 to the end of the recital following evensong). The various displays generated a lot of interest (and hopefully a few new members). We had 2 "no shows" on the exhibitor front - Early Music Shop cried off at the last moment, and one of the portable chamber organs didn't turn up, which was disappointing. The other instruments drew numbers of people when they were played - the Debain Harmonium especially - I don't think many had heard a harmonium in good condition and played tolerably well. The sound certainly carried around the cathedral, despite the instrument being tucked away in an ambulatory alongside the chancel.
The Wingfield organ also generated a lot of interest. For those who don't know, it's one of the instruments produced for the Early English Organ Project (their web site gives a lot more detail), and is in residence in Bradford Cathedral until December. Playing it is quite a culture shock. The keys are small, and only about 3 1/2 octaves. Stop controls are at the side of the case, where the ends of the sliders protrude, and the pitch is based on F, so is around a fifth adrift from modern instruments (playing a C key gives F at modern pitch) - somewhat "interesting" if you have perfect pitch.
The Cathedral Choir excelled at Evensong - despite Bradford only being a recent foundation, and normally only have choral services on Sundays and Mondays, the choir was significantly better than the last Cathedral evensong that I attended (which was in a cathedral that had better remain nameless, but has a far more established choral foundation).
Now it's bcak to normal work!
Every Blessing
Tony
Too bad about the no-shows :-[ but it sounds like a pretty good showing all the same :)
Eric
Hi
Yes - the "no shows" were a nuisance, as space had been allocated, and I'd intended to demonstrate the chamber organ at some point during the day (as it was, i did a second session on the Harmonium, which drew quite a crowd). Both firms are the losers, as we must have had at least a couple of hundred potential customers for their organs (and in the case of the Early Music Shop, a good deal more) through the place during the day - and we could perhaps have used the space for a digital organ, or a Hauptwerk or Miditzer rig.
Still, I think the day was a great success. The Cathedral authorities have said they wouldn't mind hosting one every year - but I doubt that will happen - most of us by Saturday evening were glad that centenaries only happen every 100 years, so the next one will be someone elses problem! Actually, a suggestion has been mooted which might be practical as maybe an annual event - but I'd better not say any more at present until we've discussed plans with the relevant people.
Every Blessing
Tony