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Forthcoming CD recording in London - which organ would you recommend?

pcnd5584

pcnd5584

New member
Organ Matters said:
Hi!

WOW! Thanks so much for such a wonderful resumé of inspirational instruments.

A Willis instrument between Croydon and Sutton in Surrey might also be worth a look
http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=H00191
- Andrew Freeman saw fit to mention it in an inspirational connexion in his book and it was sufficiently inspirational the 1960s to make a significant and long lasting impact on me as a boy.
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Thank you, David; I appreciate your kind remarks.

It may be worth looking at these two links first:

http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=H00191

http://www.willis-organs.com/carshalton_general.html

The information given on the Willis site appears to be fairly recent. However, the work may have now started - or be shortly to commence.

Here may be seen a photograph of the double case, by Ninian Comper (the 'chaire' case is a dummy screen, placed behind the console):

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1662407


Organ Matters said:
Hi!

As for the Harrison instrument - those reeds in a public school chapel have the job of competing successfully with the singing of 700 enthusiastic teenagers . . . and work well in that regard . . . !!! However, personally, I have gravitated to the excitement of Isnard and Moucherel.

Best wishes

David P
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Well, I can appreciate the sentiment, if not the sound; it is good to hear that they sing well at Charterhouse.

With regard to instruments by Isnard, arguably that at S. Maximin, Provence (1775) is perhaps the most famous extant example of his work. I should certainly like to hear (and play) this organ. However, I must confess that I am even more keen to play the superb Cavaillé-Coll instrument in S. Sernin, Toulouse.
 
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GarethGlyn

New member
Once again I offer my fervent thanks for such a full reply to my query. I'm extremely glad to have discovered this forum.

Kind regards,

Gareth
 

Organ Matters

New member
pcnd5584 said:
Well, I can appreciate the sentiment, if not the sound; it is good to hear that they sing well at Charterhouse.
Click to expand...

:) Despite being very unfashionable, I have a sentimental attachment to it as I grew up on it organistically - the sound is to me a form of "mother's milk" as a result and for such irrational reasons I will defend it till my dying day, much to the perplexity of its detractors. As also such styles of instrument have been increasingly bastardised, extant instruments unaltered must become more intrinsically rare and I feel it is important to preserve such things. . . .

With regard to instruments by Isnard, arguably that at S. Maximin, Provence (1775) is perhaps the most famous extant example of his work. I should certainly like to hear (and play) this organ. However, I must confess that I am even more keen to play the superb Cavaillé-Coll instrument in S. Sernin, Toulouse.
Click to expand...

Um! That sounds interesting - I'll have to research it. My youngest son repeatedly reminds me that St Max is not the only exciting instrument in France and points me to some on the northern French coast in the St Omer region (from memory). One day, I hope to get back to Albi to try the instrument but the organist titulaire there is greatly possessive about anyone touching it . . . Phillipe Bardon at St Max is brilliant and his courses on that instrument are wonderful at all levels. Recordings that he has done of items at St Max echoed by the organist titulaire at Albi are so much more exciting and enspirited.

At St Max there is for sale a double CD with sections devoted to St Max, Albi, early Cavaille Coll and another - a very interesting progression.

Sadly flights this week prevented going down to the festival at Rieti but that is going to be a particularly exciting experience in due course. A friend was a pupil of Formentelli and is extremely excited by it.

Sorry, these ramblings are getting rather off topic, but one of my passions is finding ways to breathe more excitement into the concept of the organ and it's been great to host at least a couple of performances of Cochereau in my attempts to introduce the organ to concert audiences.

Best wishes

David P
 

GarethGlyn

New member
A long time has passed since I first posted the original query on this thread, and I think I ought to bring you up to date on developments.

Many people very kindly responded to my request for suggestions as to which organs in the London area would be suitable for a recording which would eventually involve an orchestra; I tried several of these, but for one reason or another (general non-availability, refurbishment in progress, etc., etc.) I was less than successful.

Anyhow, in the end the BBC came on board and offered to get the piece recorded in Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (under Grant Llewellyn), and the hall's organ - so that the recording could be done without the necessity of overdubbing.

Although the organ is an electronic one, the Beeb's offer wasn't one I could really refuse, so that's the course that was taken.

The piece, Gwylmabsant, is now available as a track on the double CD "Welsh Incident" - those interested can find more information here: http://www.sainwales.com/en/store/sain/sain-scd-2653

- the site offers short audio extracts of the various tracks, but the clip of Gwylmabsant contains more orchestral intro than organ! - however, I believe each track is also available to download individually from the same source.

The Hoddinott Hall organ doesn't really compare with other instruments that have been used in performances/broadcasts of this work (e.g. the organ of St David's Hall, Cardiff), but at least the CD got made....
 
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John Watt

John Watt

Member
I am Clan Watt, of the people who had weirs and invented wires.
When I was a show-band player working through agents and managers in Toronto, Canada,
I was invited to go with an agent to see an act from Quebec auditioning at the bar for Quebec bands.
That was separate because of trade restrictions between Quebec and Ontario. I was the lead guitar player,
they would have to hire as Ontario job practice, even if I sat in the audience and got paid.
We walked in, walking past a man dressed in an Elvis jump suit, with a drummer behind him,
and a man sitting facing the side wall, with a keyboard and bass pedals, a three-piece.
I wasn't expecting anything I would like, the agent calling out play a slow song.
The singer began "it's a rainy night in Montreal", and yes, it was Gino Vanelli,
sounding like Gino Vanelli, huge hits from the start, his brother and a hired drummer.
He was very friendly, talking about Italian electronics and synthesizers, wonderful.
Now you can get a synth with functions like, Miles Davis horn, muted, over your shoulder,
and so much more. Investing in a machine like that could last an inspiring musical lifetime.
 
John Watt

John Watt

Member
GarethGlyn said:
A long time has passed since I first posted the original query on this thread, and I think I ought to bring you up to date on developments.

Many people very kindly responded to my request for suggestions as to which organs in the London area would be suitable for a recording which would eventually involve an orchestra; I tried several of these, but for one reason or another (general non-availability, refurbishment in progress, etc., etc.) I was less than successful.

Anyhow, in the end the BBC came on board and offered to get the piece recorded in Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (under Grant Llewellyn), and the hall's organ - so that the recording could be done without the necessity of overdubbing.

Although the organ is an electronic one, the Beeb's offer wasn't one I could really refuse, so that's the course that was taken.

The piece, Gwylmabsant, is now available as a track on the double CD "Welsh Incident" - those interested can find more information here: http://www.sainwales.com/en/store/sain/sain-scd-2653

- the site offers short audio extracts of the various tracks, but the clip of Gwylmabsant contains more orchestral intro than organ! - however, I believe each track is also available to download individually from the same source.

The Hoddinott Hall organ doesn't really compare with other instruments that have been used in performances/broadcasts of this work (e.g. the organ of St David's Hall, Cardiff), but at least the CD got made....
Click to expand...
That's the trouble with organs, they all sound different and one is never enough.
I just replied about synthesizers I hear as better, so you might find some progression after all.
 
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