OK, who runs this place, who's here?

[NonPlayingAnorak]

So, who is our admin? I know that David Pinnegar of Hammerwood House (who alerted me to this forum) was recently threatening to set up a non-commercial rival to existing, commercially-run organ fora... David, is it you?

Also, to any other registered users here, if you wish to, please do introduce yourselves...

I am Richard Harrold, an 18-year-old A-level student from Leatherhead, Surrey. Let me be clear, I am not an organist. It's been a number of years since I even played a piano and I only ever tinkered with the organ. However, I maintain a strong interest in the organ, its construction, sound and visual impact, and its music. I also know a reasonable amount about church architecture, so I've got a rough idea what makes for a good acoustic and what doesn't. I'm planning to become an architect (though I also dream of a career in automotive engineering and design, reviving the once-great, once-groundbreaking Rover brand as the greatest sports saloon maker in the 21st Century). My mother is an FRCO organist and a well-established teacher of organ and piano: two of her organ pupils are currently OxBridge organ scholars, a third was at Oxford a few years ago, and three more take up Oxford organ scholarships this coming autumn (as long as they get the necessary A-level grades!). Two of this lot are twin brothers who are private pupils, one is from the same school which produced the other three. My father is a classical musicians' agent (and general dogsbody for the family) - on his roster are the pianists Malcolm Binns and Rosemary Tuck, the clarinettists Murray Khouri and (until recently) the legendary Gervase de Peyer, the Baroque woodwind multi-instrumentalist Gerard McDonald, and the medieval specialists Ensemble Unicorn - a few years ago he also represented a pupil of (among many other famous names) Montserrat Torrent, a chap called Oscar Candendo Zabala, of whom his famous teacher said, upon mention of his name, "Ah, Oscar! He plays like a dream...". I'm not sure what's happening with Oscar, except that he has moved from San Vicente in San Sebastian (with its Cavaillé-Coll organ, one of over a dozen in that area, including at Santa Maria del Coro in SS, a near carbon-copy of the organ Franck played at St-Clothilde: he's been very busy with the Cathedral and performing and conducting work in Spain... I am also well-known to the much underrated organbuilder Matthew Copley, who has been a close family friend for more years than I've been alive, [edited - Richard has been increasingly becoming well-known to many . . . ].

Please feel free to shoot me down in flames if I try in any way to portray myself as an expert in anything at all, because I'm not. I'm here more to listen than to talk (though I do keep an eye out for worthy organs under threat).

--

Edit - confirmed David Pinnegar is indeed our host here. How he manages to run this and continue with the heroic effort of restoring from near-collapse and running of Hammerwood House, I do not know: those of us who can might perhaps consider sending him some donations, if not towards the upkeep of this forum, then towards the upkeep of a precious piece of this country's heritage... we might also write to Downing Street, recommending David for a big state honour for services to conservation...

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

I've just joined.  I'm 58, a Baptist minister in Bradford (and an organist).  I'm currently President of the Bradford Organists' Association, and one of the editors on the National pipe Organ Register.  Formerly an A/V technician and radio producer.

I'm interested in anything that has a keyboard!  I enjoy most organ music, but have a fondness for the early English repertoire (Stanley, etc) - and conveniently, my current church has a c.1820 chamber organ with the GG compass called for in a lot of this music.  I also play Harmonium seriously, and have a c.1870 Alexandre at home as a practice instrument, along with a Hauptwerk/Free/My organ/Miditzer rig which will appear in the Electronic Organ Constructors' Society magazine as soon as I get round to writing it up.  Other instruments are a 1970's "Combo" organ and a few electronic keyboards of various types.  My home pipe organ project is currently on hold - the windchest proved to have serious problems, which I have neither time nor workshop space to sort out.

I'm currently working on restoring and re-mastering the Electronic Organ Constructor's Society tape library.

Every Blessing

Tony

[Organ Design]

Dear David

I feel it is very important that any comments posted on this site are accurate. I would be grateful therefore is you would remove the comments involving me from Richard Harrold, not his parents.!

Will speak soon.

Best wishes,

Matthew

[organforumadmin]

Dear Matthew


I have removed Richard's secondary comment which was clearly poorly thought . . . and left the former comment relating to your being underrated, which I believe would be the common opinion of all who know you!


As all who know Richard know, he is like the Curate's Egg, means awfully well but leaves mud on the carpet rather often in whatever he says or writes . . .


If anyone does notice any mud on the carpet, so to speak, within this forum please can you draw it to our attention using antespam at gmail.com and we will get out the editorial "shake 'n vac" as fast as is practicable.


Particular thanks are due to volunteers assisting with admin on this forum who have worked hard in this regard.


Meanwhile we look forward to you posting details of your recent Hastings organ restoration in the Organ Builders section of the forum and details of the temperament used there.


Best wishes


Forum Admin