Nice work, Sherlock!

BTW, Candide almost done!

I know that those who read my post would do a google search immediately.

Two weeks before this weird recital, I attended a superb all-Messiaen recital. The organist was Gail Archer, who is based in New York City. It was the second of six recitals devoted to the complete organ works of Messiaen. It is unfortunate that I cannot attend all six. I am looking forward to the next one on Les corps glorieux.

Fantastic!!

If you haven't heard TT's new CD from BTH, it is utterly fantastic. Reproduction of the organ is superb (especially if you have a half decent stereo) and very appropriate repertoire. Its available from Regent Records, or I suspect, at the Town Hall itself.

Christopher Moore

W.T.Best - March for a Church Festival
G.F. Handel - Concerto in F, Op.4, No.5
Max Reger - Benedictus
T.A. Walmisley - Larghetto in F minor
Percy Whitlock - Plymouth Suite

Nice 3-manual Hill. It's hard to get a good view of the console from the nave (it's tucked away behind the Can choir stalls), but there was a video camera set up and a projection screen set up on top of the pulpit, which made for a very good view of the manuals and some of the drawstops.

Christopher gave a very interesting and informative spoken introduction.
The recital itself was very good. The organ's got quite a large variety of stops and he showed it off very well. I was fascinated by being able to watch what he was doing with his hands and how that related to the sounds.
:-)

T.

...

Yes, I've heard Richard play a number of times and can confirm he is a very talented player.

....

Arnfinn Tobiassen

Duruflé - Prelude et Fugue sur le Nom D'Alain


This was an organ solo as part of a concert, rather than a recital per se. But it's one of my favourite pieces for organ and was played on one of my favourite organs by an excellent organist, so I thought it was worth a mention.

Which organ was that? Just curious.

A rather fine 3-manual Willis.

T.

It's one of my favourites too - had a go at playing some of it last week!

I may be being slow but I really don't get it...

EDIT: got it now!

I don't think we should explain in a public forum.

(edit: Some people prefer to keep their location, connections, etc. private, so I think anyone else who knows those things about someone should leave it up to the person themselves to choose what to share and what not to.)

Maggie is right - Richard is a very, very talented player!

Forgot to post - last week went to a very special recital by David Sanger to re-open the newly restored organ:

Guilmant - March on a theme of Handel
RVW - Rhosymedre
William Harris - A Fancy
Howells - Rhapsody No 3 in C# minor
Hollins - Maytime Gavotte
Oskar Lindberg - Sonata in G minor
Messiaen - Apparition de l'Eglise Eternelle
Vierne
- Naiades
- Andantino
- Carillon de Westminster

all of which showed off the organ wonderfully, but I was especially gripped by the Messiaen. I don't know much about Messiaen's music yet, but am gradually discovering its splendour and this piece was described as one of his more accessible.

(Ps in case anyone remembers about the exam/organ problems I was having, I eventually withdrew from the grade 5 exam because there was going to be no heating in the church, it was freezing and my hands just wouldn't work properly, so not even a remote hope of a distinction - resolved to take organ exams only in summer in future!!)

Would of gone to one today but it was cancelled

Who was it?

Has anyone heard Paul Derrett?

I was going to go to the Wiltshire and Bath organ society annual concert on saturday, but i ran out of time to go in the end.

I know this has nothing to do with organ, but the other week i went to the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester (the organ there looked fantastic, sadly it wasn't played1!) to see the Manchester Camerata play:

Mendelssohn: an overture, but i forgot the name, but i know it's not a very common one
Beethoven: piano concerto no.2 in Bb Major, soloist: John Lil
Beethoven: 5th symphony

The concert was very good, and John Lil was fantastic. I hadnt heard of him before, but apparently he's famous for playing beethoven, and is a specialist.

Jacob.

Anyone who might be around Exeter in the middle of July could PM me if they would like to come to one of mine.

Someone called Roy Massey is playing locally in a couple of weeks' time. Will it be good? Should I go? What should I expect?

oh ! Roy was one of my professors at college for a while. He 's ex - Hereford Cathedral.

Should be good - although it's ages since I've heard him play. I remember he played the Gigout Scherzo as an encore at the Fairfield Hall - the first time I'd heard it and I was hooked.

Where's he playing?

SS Peter and Paul, Church Hill, Nutfield, Surrey RH1 4JA, Saturday 5th July, 6.30p.m. Tickets, costing some (sorry, don't know how many) pounds are available at the door.

Bring a cushion - the pews are just about comfortable enough for a service, but could be a bit much for a recital.

If anyone is interested, there is an organ concert on at the Royal Albert Hall this saturday with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at 7:30PM

John Birch / Stephen Disley - organ
Camilla Roberts - soprano
London Philharmonic Choir
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Robin Stapleton - conductor

http://tickets.royalalberthall.com/season/...10175&src=t

Looks very good!
I'll be going with my uncle, but i'm not too sure where we're sitting!

Jacob.

I have been listening to final year and masters candidates doing their final (piano) recitals at the conservatoire.

The standard is very high

it is

a. enjoyable
b. inspiring
c. depressing

all at the same time

Thanks Deborah - would like to go if I can. It's OH's birthday weekend so may not be straightforward - but will keep it in mind.

Geoffrey Morgan

Wagner - Grand March from 'Tannhauser'
J.S.Bach - Partita 'Sei gegrusset, Jesu gutig' BWV 768
Massanet - Meditation from 'Thais'
Karg-Elert - Toccata 'Herr jesu Christ' from Op.65

Franck - Choral no.2 in B minor
Hollins - Bourree
Reubke - Introduction & Fugue from Sonata on the 94th Psalm

Rowley - Rustic Scherzo


This was definitely the most fun I've ever had at an organ recital. It's no secret that I like it when organists give spoken introductions to their programmes. Geoff divided his up into little bits, giving intros to a piece or two at a time and make them not only informative but extremely funny too, with interesting anecdotes and comments like "I hope you like G minor - we're going to be it for the next 18 minutes" and suggestions for which parts of the programme would be suitable for taking a nap! Highly entertaining. :-)
Of course his playing was brilliant too - the highlight for me was the Bach.

T.

I would concur with all of this for Geoffrey's recitals. Always good programmes and immaculate playing, he tells very entertaining stories as well.

Battle of the Organs: David Briggs and Wayne Marshall

love their improvisations...wished i could play like this.

Tickets are £10 (£6 concessions). I don't know which works he'll be playing, but music is by Bach, Elgar, Grainger, Whitlock, Widor and Wills. I hope it's in that order, because it's alphabetical, which makes me happy* I'll go if I can, but I've got a couple of other things to do on Saturday, so might not be able to make it, but expect a report if I do.

*to go slightly off-topic for a moment, my (clarinet) diploma recital consisted of Finzi, Saint-Saens and Weber, in that order. I was asked about the running order during my viva, and resisted saying (but only just!) that I'd chosen to play the works in alphabetical order of composer surname.

Miss_Tickle_Thea is doing one lunchtime tomorrow , her last one in Ripon. 1pm, you even get free coffee and a sandwich. I will post a report about it.

if you see Miss TT please give her my best wishes and tell her I miss her posts

(and yes, I know the reasons).

Just back from Thea's recital in Ripon. Mwl1 was also there with his Dad for the forumites. It was nice to meet them.
As usual the recital was very enjoyable.
She played Bach Toccata in F, pieces by De Grigny, Tomkins, Messaien (L'Apparition de l'Eglise Eternelle), Vierne , and Leighton (his Paean). Highlight for me was the Messaien, (I'm a fan of his organ music), but this piece I didn't previously know. The way Thea was able to build up the registration to a shattering climax , and then wind it down again was well managed. However I'm not sure that it was the right cup of tea for some of the (relatively elderly) audience.!
For me the Bach was a little heavy on the pedal registration, but that just my humble opinion!
This was her last recital in Ripon. I have been priveleged to get to all three of them. I'm sure Oxfordians will enjoy her playing when she gets to Corpus Christi. I hope she will come back on the forums also.

It was a delight to meet you, F#m! I enjoyed the programme. I must agree with your comments - I think some people were holding on to their metaphorical hats! Nonetheless, it was very spectacularly done.

As a bonus, the building was full of incense...

Peter Wright


Georg Muffat - Toccata duodecima et ultima
Alexandre Boely - Andante con moto in E flat
J.S. Bach - Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 545)
Jehan Alain - Deux danses a Agni Yavishta
Lionel Rogg - Partita sopra "Nun freut euch"


Good spoken intro, interesting program and a very impressive display of "working around a problem" as there was a broken note on the swell, which meant he had to play almost everything on the great. It was a fairly modest two manual organ, and he still managed to get plenty of variety and kept the strands of the music distinct. I didn't even know about the problem with the swell until afterwards!

Freddie James

Buxtehude - Praeludium in D major (BuxWV 139)
Mendelssohn - Sonata no.6
J.S.Bach - Prelude and Fugue in A major BWV 536
Brahms - Fugue in A flat minor
Messiaen - Sortie (Le vent de l'esprit) from Messe de Pentecote


No spoken introduction and a few minor hiccups, but still impressive for a 17 year old.


Alex Stobbs

Walton (arr. Gower) - Coronation March 'Orb & Sceptre'
Reger - Pastorale
J.S. Bach - Piece d'Orgue
Parry - Chorale Prelude on 'Melcombe'
Elgar - Allegro Maestoso from Sonata in G


This was the first recital I'd heard outside of a church or cathedral.
A few brief comments between the Walton and the Reger, but no introduction to the rest of the program. Very competent playing (both technically and musically) on an instrument that doesn't make things easy. I particularly enjoyed the Bach.

Interestingly, both recitals were on Father Willis instruments, one enlarged in the same year that the other was built.

Indeed, but a little Germanic for my taste. Four fugues in four pieces is rather over-egging the pudding?

31st July Ian Roberts
(Chester Cathedral)

Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565) J S Bach
Dies sind die heiligen zehen Gebot (BWV 678) J S Bach
Voluntary V (from Ten Organ Voluntaries Op. 6) John Stanley
Adagio
Andante Largo
Moderato
Three pieces from Abdelazer Henry Purcell
1. Rondeau
2. Minuet
3. Air
Come sweetest death, come blessed rest J S Bach
(arr. Virgil Fox, 1912 - 1980)
Prelude and Fugue in D (BWV 532) J S Bach

The best lunch time concert in recent months in my opinion. I really enjoy Ians playing style and interpretation.

Timothy Wakerell


J.S.Bach - Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV 542
Sweelinck - Variations on 'Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr'
Brahms - Eleven Chorale Preludes, Op. 122: Herzlich tut mich erfreuen & O Welt, ich muss dich lassen
Saint-Saens - Allegro Giocoso (Sept Improvisations Op.150)
Dupre - Variations sur un Noel, Op.20


No spoken intro, but the playing was excellent and the organ (a fine 3-manual Hill) had been tuned the day before and was sounding wonderful (specially the pedal notes in the Saint-Saens).
I loved the Bach. The thing I found the most interesting was the Dupre, though I'm not sure I actually liked all of it.

T.

I believe the York Minster summer series is now going. Philip Moore is tonight. He'll be leaving the post soon!

Indeed, Philip Moore's recital at York Minster last night was very enjoyable.

He played:

Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes - Vaughan Williams
i) Bryn Calfaria
ii) Rhosymedre
iii) Hyfrydol

Variations on Mein junges Leben hat ein End - Sweelinck

Rhapsody I in D flat - Herbert Howells

Prelude and fugue in C minor - J S Bach

Variations and fugue on East Acklam - Philip Moore (his own composition in dedication to Dr Francis Jackson, who's 90th birthday celebrations saw the world debue of this piece based on Jackson's hymn tune East Acklam, last year)

Pastorale - Domenico Zipoli

Final (From Symphonie I) - Louis Vierne


Overall it was an excellent and invigorating recital, and he received a rupture of standing applause when he came down into the Quire at the end. The coda to conclude the Vierne really was of unashamed exuberance!

Cheers

I do like unashamed exuberance!

Ouch! Did he get any medical attention for it?

EEEP am just having the rather unsettling experience of watching Him Indoors playing live at the Kennedy Center...

I had no idea they broadcast all their recitals live over the internet!

Totally son spent weekend with mate speeding round the Nurbergring track (sorry it's Nurburgring with an umlaut on the first u) in Germany - OH found a webcam and was fairly sure he spotted mate's BMW waiting on the start grid. That was unsettling too!

Congrats to HI - hope it all went brilliantlyu.