RFH organ

[teamsaint]

Lets hope the concert is a good one.

The refurbed /rebuilt instrument is officially (I heard it on R3 so it must be true) being " Put through its paces " tonight !

[ardcarp]

If I hear Rafferty (In Tune) use the expressions 'Mighty Organ' or 'putting it through its paces' once more I shall lock myself in the toilet until the RFH business is over. Would you put a violin through its paces or play a mighty piano? Gadzooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[teamsaint]

If I hear Rafferty (In Tune) use the expressions 'Mighty Organ' or 'putting it through its paces' once more I shall lock myself in the toilet until the RFH business is over. Would you put a violin through its paces or play a mighty piano? Gadzooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could be a modern day Hieroglyph for the wondrous and dazzling " raffers".

Caught the first 45 seconds of In tune today, and he was well on the way to beating his own " talking B*****x" British Isles all comers record.

[Sir Velo]

If I hear Rafferty (In Tune) use the expressions 'Mighty Organ' or 'putting it through its paces' once more I shall lock myself in the toilet until the RFH business is over.

Presumably you'd be happy with "pulling out all the stops" however?

[mangerton]

If I hear Rafferty (In Tune) use the expressions 'Mighty Organ' or 'putting it through its paces' once more I shall lock myself in the toilet until the RFH business is over. Would you put a violin through its paces or play a mighty piano? Gadzooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have waxed eloquent about these deplorable expressions here and elsewhere passim. [assorted emoticons après ardcarp]

I did however enjoy Tuesday's concert, and am looking forward to tonight's and Monday's.

[Vox Humana]

Would you put a violin through its paces or play a mighty piano?

No, but then, neither of these instruments is anywhere near as complex or as mighty as an organ!

[ardcarp]

Agreed, but I'm sure Messrs Harrison would like their piece of complexity to be seen as a musical instrument of integrity and artistic merit, not as a temperamental racehorse. or worse still a Heath Robinson contraption that somehow has to be tamed or brought to heel. (Mind you, I have known a few organs like that......)

Anyway, any thoughts about John Scott's recital...and maybe the interval chat?

[BBMmk2]

Having had another listen, it wasn't too bad the concert as a whole, apart from the Mendelssohn which didn't work,imo.

[BBMmk2]

Live from Royal Festival Hall, London FRIDAY 21st at 7.30

Presented by Louise Fryer

Continuing Radio 3's residency at Southbank Centre, celebrating the re-opening of the restored Royal Festival Hall organ, John Scott plays a selection of music from the Baroque to our own era.

Marchand: Dialogue in C
Buxtehude: Chorale prelude Komm, heiliger Geist (BuxWV199)
J S Bach: Prelude and Fugue in flat major (BWV 552)
Mozart: Adagio and Allegro in F minor (K 594)
Dupré: Esquisse in E minor( Op.41 no 2)
Dupré: Esquisse in B flat minor (Op.41 no 3)

8.25 Interval

8.45
Liszt: Fantasia and Fugue on 'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam'

John Scott (organ)

When first installed in 1953, the Royal Festival Hall's great 8000-pipe organ attracted admiration and opprobrium in equal measure. Controversially, it aimed - for the first time in a major British instrument - to be able convincingly to recreate the sounds and timbres required for every period and school of organ composition, and drew inspiration from many famous European instruments of the past. John Scott, formerly Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, and now Director of Music at St Thomas', Fifth Avenue in New York, demonstrates the RFH organ's versatility in music from 17th-century France to our own day.

heard the coincert! Very good indeed!! The Deputy DoM, at the school where I work, JS played at his wedding!! :)

[ardcarp]

I enjoyed the recital, and the interval talk (aimed, as it had to be, primarily at non-organists). It was well conducted by Louise Fryer. She's a cut above the average R3 airhead IMO !

It must be quite terrifying to do what John Scott did if you take into account:

-the live-on-air factor
-the clinical acoustic
-the nowhere-to-hide console position

JS did brilliantly. But talking of the instrument, for me the Dupre pieces showed it off at its best, and it made a convincing attempt at Ad Nos, having a lavish palette of colours for both the French and the German repertoires.

It is not my preferred option to hear Bach played on a row of switches though. JS made the sensible decision to play the so-called St Anne like 'cathedral Bach', i.e. with variety of tone colour along the way, and of course it was very effective. The problem is, that to fall in with notions of how Baroque music should be played (a crisp touch, and plenty of ornamentation) one has to over-articulate on the switches (sorry, keys) to make the effect.

Anyone who has learned to play Bach on an parish church or school organ, and has then had the privilege of trying it out on, say a Klais or a Rieger with a lovely case, an en fenetre console situated in a North German basilica-style church will know what I mean. The organ tells you how to play it, and everything just falls into place.

Anyway, returning to the RFH, Bach is I suppose a must for a popular organ recital, and let's face it, JSB's genius shines out whatever the medium.

[BBMmk2]

Indeed, Ardcarp, it shone through brilliantly, with JS's imaginative use of the organ's facilities! And the Dupre, was the highlight for me! Pity no Messiaen!

[Bryn]

Having had another listen, it wasn't too bad the concert as a whole, apart from the Mendelssohn which didn't work,imo.

That's the point at which I tuned in, leading to my "Reginald Dixon" comment.

[ardcarp]

Bryn, I can't find your 'Reginald Dixon' comment. What was it and where was it?

[BBMmk2]

I was just thinking the same, ardcarp.

[Finzi4ever]

Indeed, Ardcarp, it shone through brilliantly, with JS's imaginative use of the organ's facilities! And the Dupre, was the highlight for me! Pity no Messiaen!

for Messiaen to truly work, you do need the generous acoustic of a cathedral or vast Parisian church, so probably best avoided in the only marginally less shoebox acoustic of the revamped RFH.