Organ matters - Organs matter!

Thanks so much for drawing these to attention! What a programme!

Best wishes

David P

Another recording of this instrument, Robin Wells playing the Guilmant Organ Symphony, is on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaKX1Tpr9-o

Best wishes

David P

https://youtu.be/PyTWvXKUrII
https://youtu.be/Kbvdd1t0d2k
https://youtu.be/56iadfadpEY
https://youtu.be/AWkUhnqxaDE
demonstrate well what this instrument is all about.

As for the instrument being too loud . . . it can't compete with 700 young people and full orchestra. These sounds must be of the most magnificent of any.

It is of an enormous loss to the organ and musical world, and a loss to our British musical heritage.

It exemplifies why there should be a conservation Code of Conduct for organ builders to ensure that organs are not wilfully destroyed and people be encouraged to keep such instruments in place. The organ conservation world lags behind almost every other area of conservation and ICOMOS specifically values nowadays what is known as "intangible" heritage - which includes the sound of a place. This organ is intrinsic to the sound of its place.

Best wishes

David P

Here's how the Harrison and Harrison sounds and how versatile it can be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPW2WKq0IGU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIl-LRafVO4

Best wishes

David Pinnegar

It is with great regret to read on Facebook that the firm of Nicholson & Co. Ltd have been awarded the contract to undertake this work.

The chapel, as the largest War Memorial in the country, has an intrinsic heritage value beyond organs and the sound of this organ was an inherent part of that heritage. It is the sound to which a generation went off to another war, with perhaps the infamous Tuba compared to a set of fog-horns, inspiring confidence and determination in its generation.

We are the poorer without such.

One hopes that
a. the instrument as is might be sampled for the Virtual Organ community
b. rather than "three best ranks preserved" the whole instrument might be made available for sale and preservation, probably in a country where the past is better respected.

Those who disrespect the past are robbed of the wisdom with which the mistakes of the past might continue to accurse the future.

Best wishes

David P

Next Saturday 19th June at 7.30pm come and hear David Gammie play at St John's Duncan Terrace, Islington. Free entry with collection.

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)
Rhapsody in D, Op. 7/2 (from 3 Rhapsodies on Breton Folksongs)
Fantaisie in E flat
​Con moto - Allegri di molto e con fuoco
'Pro Defunctis', Op 150/6 (from 7 Improvisations)
Prelude & Fugue in E flat, Op. 99/3
Marcel Dupré (1886 - 1971)
Final, Op. 27/7 (from 7 Pieces)
Prelude & Fugue in F minor, Op. 7/2
Invention in A major, Op. 50/11 (from 24 Inventions)
Deuxième Symphonie, Op. 26
​Preludio  -  Intermezzo  -  Toccata

A former Scholar of Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford, David Gammie began playing the organ as a young teenager, and gave his first public recital in London in 1968, when he was 16. He graduated with a degree in Classical Art and Literature, but music has been the focus of his life for the past 40 years. A competition prize in the 1970s led to his joining the BBC's roster of organists in the days when Radio 3 broadcast two recitals every week; in 1977 he gave the first British broadcast of Franz Schmidt's monumental Chaconne, and in 1980 another first - the first programme to be entirely devoted to the music of Charles Tournemire. Since 2001 David has been Organist and Assistant Director of Music at the Sacred Heart Church in Wimbledon (home to another famous Walker organ, but very different from this one). His solo performances there have included some of the great masterpieces of Catholic sacred music, including Messiaen's Holy Trinity Meditations, Tournemire's Seven Last Words, Dupré's Stations of the Cross, Maleingreau's Passion Symphony, and Petr Eben's Job. He also enjoys working with other musicians; highlights have included a Handel Concerto with the London Mozart Players, the Saint-Saëns Symphony with the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra, and in 2013 a rare performance of Franz Schmidt's spectacular Fuga Solemnis for organ and 18 brass instruments. In his parallel career as a writer, David has written booklet notes for over 100 CDs, and programme notes for all of Thomas Trotter's Birmingham City recitals since 1983. In another long-standing collaboration with the late John Scott at St. Paul's Cathedral, he has written commentaries on the complete organ works of Buxtehude, Bach, Frank, Widor, Vierne and Messiaen. This year his comprehensive survey of the music of Marcel Dupré has been reprinted in New York to accompany Jeremy Filsell's performance of the complete works at St. Thomas, 5th Avenue.

The trouble is that sounds and techniques of achieving them change greatly.

The Italian Vox Umani is two flute pipes beating against each other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw8KCZR40Co

The reed version also needs a flute to beat against. If this is done properly as at St Maximin, the sound is sublime. The pipe is very similar to the Cromorne, the transition from Krumhorn to Clarinet, and again at St Maximin built by Isnard in 1775 the sound is sublime.

If anyone has the Hauptwerk St Maximin sampleset perhaps someone might be able to demonstrate. Whilst playing the real instrument the rank of Cromorne is right behind the bench and unsuspectingly one jumps out of one's seat whilst playing.

Best wishes

David P

The other day I went to tune a piano for a friend who has a lovely Steinway. Many of my friends enjoy a wide taste in music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb6pt3OvU_o but this particular friend is passionate about French Baroque - and it works on the instruments I tune - https://youtu.be/4dCQyD57e9M

The instrument had been played every day for 18 months and particularly in lockdown and the hammers were worn flat, so flat that I re-shaped them as they should be and perhaps the recording might sound smoother as a result.

Best wishes

David P

How brilliant and inspiring!

Thanks so much for bringing this news

Best wishes

David P

James Dawson has made a ground-breaking documentary -
https://vimeo.com/520060433
gives a taste.

Best wishes

David P

Member dragonser might be able to help.

Best wishes

David P

A prize for innovation goes to this lady . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCGhQ0SXsNg

A house organ . . . perhaps rather a larger one . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROmgja_Jx0Q

A full five manual about to be restored:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1GrIrH_ANo

Best wishes

David P

The organ at Kassel St Martin by Rieger Orgelbau
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQEJ18d0tms

is based on demonstrations heard at the 2011 Zurich symposium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxhgZObqlLw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRmLHvtHruk

Best wishes

David P

Thanks for pointing this out.

The English version of the page is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_of_St._Ludgeri_in_Norden

The 5:4 perfect third is in cents 386 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_intonation) so this temperament has three major thirds very near pure at 389 cents and altogether 6 significantly better than Equal Temperament.

Best wishes

David P

By chance I happened on details of the temperament used at St Maximin - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orgel_der_Ludgerikirche_(Norden)

It's certainly very effective

Best wishes

David P

On Facebook there was a photograph and caption by John Mander with said stopknobs and explanation, unless I'm much mistaken.

It's really good to see that the Mander heritage continues now in Kent.

Best wishes

David P

A friend pointed me to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhssiBJlER4 which is certainly a tour of the world's instruments claiming fame . . . .

Best wishes

David P

I haven't been following matters in the organ world closely and with shock saw a photo on FB of JPM with boxes of ivory stop knobs having to be sent for destruction. It didn't dawn on me immediately but the news was rather graver than that of mere stop knons.

Manders have been leading builders, restorers and scholars of organs in our generation and their loss is incalculable. I just hope that they leave behind resources in their wake going to other firms but their demise is a most sad loss to the British organ.

It would be appropriate for others to write more about the achievements of the firm in tribute here, and likewise is the loss of the Mander forum which has been a repository of knowledge from which so many have gleaned inspirations.

Whilst the future of the Mander forum is to say the least, perhaps members from there might feel comfortable communicating here and feel "at home". Tony Newnham, PCND, Barrie Davies and Pierre Lauwers are admins and moderators here and anyone else wanting to take part is welcome and we hope also that you'll feel that moderation here is in good hands.

This forum exists to provide enthusiasm and encouragement to organs and organists and organbuilders. It's also a place where organ builders are welcome to indulge in "free advertising", talking about instruments they're building and without inhibition. It's only about enthusing about new things coming along and the best of the old that perhaps new people will sit up and realise that organs are worth talking about, enthusing, and finding enjoyment.

Best wishes

David P