Organ matters - Organs matter!

HI David

You need this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFVlqOalJNs&NR=1

Sixsmith and sons are quite famous for building these types of organs, and considering as Tony mentions the sophistication of electronic instruments at the time then these were welcome and in my opinion more suitable and reliable instruments for a church which didn't have a large amount of money to spend on an organ.

The instrument I play upon on Sundays has only two ranks, however on the single manual there are 7 stops and 3 in the pedal. I think this is about as small as you can make the instrument but nevertheless it just about works.

A more interesting extension organ that was built by Rushworths is here http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N10804

It has 22 stops from basically 4 ranks. This organ is now no longer in use and I would love to move it round the corner to our church, but again we face the financial issues of trying to this

Best wishes

Marc

Dear Jonathan

As I live in Manchester, I would be willing to give my time and lend hand with any lifting packing general dogs body stuff. I know its not much but if you need an extra set of hands I am here.

I am available for the next few weekends and in the weekeday evenings

Please PM if of any use

Marc

Hello,

I decided to post here so we can all get an opinion from an "Atheist Organist"

I am also sorry this is a long post!

From what I discuss you will probably agree that I am an enigma and maybe should go and do something else, but hopefully you will see my disagreement of "why Atheist can't be organists"

A bit of history first

I have been to church on a very regular basis (most Sundays) since I was born. My father is a church going Anglican Christian. As a child it was where I was on a Sunday. I joined the choir at the age of 7, earned several RSCM medals and attended Friday night choir practice on a regular basis. At the age of 11 and because I attended a school with an organ, I started to learn to play.

At the age of 15 my father enrolled me to play at a local church. I was at this stage quite enthusiastic to do this, so I could gain experience in playing and as I had been involved in the church for some time, it was not a new experience. As a 15 year old an extra £ 7.50 in the pocket was also a welcome gift! (the organ was a very basic electronic affair)

For the next three years I played regularly on a Sunday at this church (only missing maybe four or five in a year). I enjoyed the welcome and liked to offer a service, which everyone appreciated.

I then moved out of the area and there was a gap where I didn't play the organ. A couple of years passed by and my sister, who was getting married, asked me to play the organ for her wedding, including Widor. Eek, being a bit rusty I thought I had better get up to scratch.

I was living at the age of 18 in South Manchester and thought where is one to find a pipe organ? Ah the local church. I made contact with them and asked if I could have a couple of practice sessions on the organ. The wonderful Vicar at the time, a man named Dick Gilpin, said no problem. I was at my second practice session when the assistant curate asked what I did on a Sunday morning. I did say that I used to play but not for a few years. I did at this point realise that I missed the regular playing and also the fellowship of the people I was playing for, so agreed to start playing again on a Sunday morning.

I played regularly for the next 6 years. The organ was an old University two manual reed organ as this was the sister church (awful, but that didn't matter)

The congregation of this church was small but they all attended very regularly and they were loyal to the church.

Then the sister church got closed down to allow funds to be moved into the main church for maintenance purposed. I was now redundant.

I was then asked by the main church to become the full time organist and choirmaster as the existing organist was retiring. I was still only in my early 20's. I felt because I was not a Christian that this would not be the best thing to do as the commitment, eventhough I enjoyed playing greatly, would probably too great so declined.

About six years passed and I met my now wonderful wife. She regularly goes to church and is a devout Christian. She is a pianist and has on occasion played the organ in the event of the regular organist not being available. With this in mind she was asked to stand in at a church in South Manchester. I had missed playing for sometime so I suggested that I could play and she agreed.

Having not played for some time, I was a little rusty, however the mechanics of playing for service soon returned. Once again, I was asked by the team vicar if I did very much on a Sunday morning. I agreed to play once a month to get started with, however within a month or two that became every Sunday.

The church I play at every Sunday is St Richard's, Peel Hall, Wythenshawe. I have been there over two years now. We have not had a vicar for over a year and are in interregnum. I have chosen all the hymns for this period myself and I feel part of this community even though I am not a believer in Christ. I enjoy giving the small congregation my offering of music, be it basic. They appreciate me greatly as they tell me every week and I know if I was to leave then this could be detrimental to the future of the church. The organ is very basic (A single manual Sixsmith extension organ). I know I am not a good organist, but I am very enthusiastic and am now due to my age (37) becoming more committed to improving. I want to keep playing to organ and making people happy and that can only happen at church. So this is the enigma, what do I do?

Do I leave the church to fend for itself without a musician? In this team there are five churches with only three organists. I cannot see my beliefs changing in the near future, considering that I have spent so much time listening to the Christian doctrine.



(I have not discussed my feelings and love for organ music here as that discussion could go on forever, but I have the same feelings and love for church organ music I believe as a Christian does)

Am I an outcast, an impostor? That is my argument

Thanks for reading

Marc



PS I would also like to point out that Atheists do not know everything as has been previously commented upon, there are fundamentalists claiming these things in every faith and following. If we knew everything wouldn't life be so simple!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Continuo-Organ-Small-Church-Pipe-Organ-/190496082316?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item2c5a73898c

Dont think you would need a faculty for this one!

Yes, lets hope it goes to a more welcome and worthy home, especially one where it will be used day in day out. I would have loved to have taken it for the church where I play, however it doesn't surprise me about the £ 175. This figure is trivial really considering the cost to remove and resurrect the organ. I would guess £ 20 to 30k to do it properly?

The increase in awareness of the pipe organ is essential, lest we disappear into dust!

Well after 41 mins, his idea of the ideal virtual organ sounds good, but will the loudspeakers let it down!

Agh, think this is the weak link, again!

If you have a spare 1hr 30 mins, its an interesting watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeOvWB8TeV0&feature=related

A very interesting opinion about the organ, one I have much agreement with. Quite interesting, especially in the context of an Athiest talking, and quite a champion

Hope you find it interesting (scroll through to Cameron's bit about 10 mins in)

PS dont think he would be allow to play in church in that outfit! and I also dont agree with his preferal of virtual organs to pipes (so maybe I've contradicted my previous statement!)


Marc

On my house organ the Dulciana is a very useful stop, its the only stop that can't be heard through the walls! It also is quite stringy which works very well with the stopped flute.

I understand what you are saying about not being able to hear many Dulciana stops especially in larger churches, however when you are only a couple of meters away in the case of my house organ then the rank is a blessing!

Quote from: NonPlayingAnorak on January 12, 2011, 01:49:59 AM
Why should they need to dispose of it? It's on a West end gallery, which they can't exactly turn into a meeting room or whatever they put in former organ chambers...

Maybe they feel somewhat guilty about its demise and would rather have it out of sight!

(sorry I shouldnt be so beastly!)

This one looks to be a gem
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Large-historic-church-organ-/140499153364?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item20b666f1d4

http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D00288

Surely one for a professional firm to rescue?

got to be worth a punt!

Excellent , cant belive I missed that on Radio 4 (being an avid listener of the Today programme)

There are also some interesting clips on Youtube of Richard Wright of Pink Floyd in the 60s playing the organ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOwk4BWsiEA

Just goes to show the way the instrument crosses over between musical genre

Thank you both for your opinions, I will try the shoes for a while to see what happens. I do like the heels which make certain pedal runs easier, but it is a bit like going to a new country for the first time, it takes some time to get ones bearings!

I'm glad to hear that it is not just us lowly amateurs that play in socks; and yes Tony I have been known to wearing hiking socks in a cold church!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Hey we don't appear to have a section about playing the organ??

Anyway maybe one can be created, or an administrator can move this thread to the most appropriate place.

My question to everyone who plays the pipe organ is about the issue of playing in shoes or in stocking feet

I have always played in my socks. I don't know the exact reason why, but possibly down to the type of shoes I was wearing when at the age of 13 I began to play the organ. I would have thought if it was a deadly sin, then my organ teacher would have insisted that I wear shoes?

The reason that this question has arisen is that I have asked for and received a wonderful pair of organmaster shoes for Christmas in a vain attempt to alter my thinking about pedal technique and whether to wear shoes or not. I think in the back of my mind that it is a little amateurish to play in socks (may be incorrect?), but I am trying to undo 25 years of "bad technique" by forcing myself to play in shoes.

My thoughts about playing in socks are

1: It was maybe easier to learn quickly how to play the pedals?
2: I can cheat and actually use my toes to help play consecutive notes (bad technique?)
3: My feet are more sensitive when feeling for note position (I should really not rely on this)
4: I doubt Marie C-Alain, Jonathan Scott or Wayne Marshall ever played in their stocking feet!

My thoughts on playing in shoes are

1: The feeling of being an amateur would hopefully be overcome
2: I may never be able to play as well in shoes as in socks (could this just take a lot of practice, or is it so ingrained in my technique that I will never be able to do this?)
3: Would my pedal technique be forced to improve due to lack of being able to cheat?
4: The organmaster shoes give me 2 inches in height (always a bonus)


This topic is a little in jest, but I thought after forcing myself to try and use shoes that maybe I was incorrect and that there is nothing wrong with playing in socks


Your thoughts would be most welcome

They would be excellent, I suspect the shipping cost would be a high to the uk.

I am just trying to extend my 8ft (TC) Viole D'amour rank down to bass C, so only 12 pipes needed really. Think I will send A. Sixsmith an email to see what he has lurking around

I'm after the bottom octave (12 notes from bass C) of a stopped metal 8ft rank, gedackt/rohr flute or similar. Must be stopped to fit under my ceiling

If anyone has anything lying around I would appreciate hearing

Many thanks
Marc

Dear Eric

I suspect there are a few, I being one as well as a full time organist (work that one out!)

I've being playing the organ at school then at church for 25 years now, there's plenty of time left for me to convert or not (as will would have it)

People should just love each other, thats my belief

Marc

Here is a quite a good picture of the outside and inside (showing the organ) of the church

http://www.happy-valley.org.uk/civicsociety/stjohnschurch.htm

I hope this one finds a new home, however the number of redundant organs in Manchester is now building up!

(PS I dont normally post at 3am in the morning, its one of those sleepless nights!)

Hello

Just a little report about the open day at Henry Willis

We had a very interesting couple of hours last Saturday visiting the organ works of Henry Willis. It was a bit like a child entering the largest sweet shop in the world, well for myself maybe not my wife!

Having never been to a proper organ builder's before, it was great to see the tools they use to create these wonderful instruments. What made the journey to Liverpool even more poignant to me was that we passed the church, St Cyprian's that the majority of my house organ pipe work came from. The church, which is in Edge Hill, is looking very run down now with many tiles missing from the roof (pictures can be seen on my website, www.thecavendishorgan.com), but my sadness was soon removed by the magic happening at Henry Willis, the work they do is truly timeless and long may it continue.

It is great to see that the great craft of British organ building is alive and well and growing stronger; the 32ft pedal reeds that they have just made for the New Zealand organ they are currently building were true amazing, the Willis website contains some good pictures showing the progress of this organ, http://www.willis-organs.com/

Best Regards

Marc