CE Tewkesbury Abbey Wed, 7th May 2014

[Wolsey]

As The Choir board is sometimes used for organ ramblings, I wonder if anyone with recent knowledge of Tewkesbury organs would like to chip in? I played there quite a lot in the early 70s and my impression was of ambitious schemes (bits of organ everywhere) not quite brought to fruition and nothing working very reliably! There was a monstrous 4-manual console with everything coupled to it and a smaller two-manual console which played (I think) just the Milton organ. The Milton was all you needed really to accompany voices...a lovely English sound, enhanced by a kindly acoustic. I believe the Abbey was once considered for the seat of the Gloucester bishopric but that the other place won out.

The Milton organ was completely reconstructed way back in 1997 by Kenneth Jones, and the Walker stop-key console which was in use until then had five manuals. I'm not sure of the current state of the Grove organ.

[Contre Bombarde]

The Milton organ was completely reconstructed way back in 1997 by Kenneth Jones, and the Walker stop-key console which was in use until then had five manuals. I'm not sure of the current state of the Grove organ.

I seem to recall that Paul Derrett bought the Walker console for his home organ project.

The Grove Organ is playable and was, a couple of years ago in fine voice when Carleton Etherington played it as part of an evening recital. The Léonce-de Saint-Martin Toccata de la Liberation sounded magnificent. Carleton also recorded a CD (including the Toccata) featuring both large organs although not the Elliott chamber organ. The story, whether true or not I cannot say, is that the Grove is not used for the summer weekday lunchtime recital series because it is rather too close to the Abbey's retail outlet.

Ardcarp, there is a book by Nicholas Plumley written in about 2008/9 which gives the full history of the 3 organs in the Abbey. It's well worth a read for anyone interested in the plans for the organs and the actual outcome. An online search will find a copy I'm sure.

[Vox Humana]

The Léonce-de Saint-Martin Toccata de la Liberation sounded magnificent.

On this evidence it really is a rather fine organ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFdBQzTHzxA

The acoustic at Tewkesbury Abbey is a gem for choirs.

[ardcarp]

Ardcarp, there is a book by Nicholas Plumley written in about 2008/9 which gives the full history of the 3 organs in the Abbey. It's well worth a read for anyone interested in the plans for the organs and the actual outcome.

Thanks, C-B.

I just remember thinking, at the time, that there was a sort of organ-mania going on, fired by megalomania but damped by total lack of funds. All the Abbey needed was the lovely Milton organ playable from a decent 3-manual console. I'd forgotten there were 5 manuals. (Who needs 5 manuals???) All too complicated anyway, and much not working. There is a name (Huskisson? Stubbington?) floating around in my head. Was he something to do with it years ago?

On one occasion I played for a rather posh wedding there. The St Anne P and F had bee requested before the service. All went well with the Prelude, but in the split second before beginning the Fugue, the vital B flat on the Great had stopped working, so the subject went:

Nothing - G - C - Nothing - E flat ----- D - E flat.

I had to switch hastily to playing the rest on the Swell and Choir which rather ruined the effect and made the final pedal entry FAR too loud. It is an episode which I look back on with embarrassment and annoyance...hence my continuing grouchiness about the unrealistic organ project in days of yore. I trust the whole thing has been satisfactorily rebuilt now and is a reliable instrument. It certainly sounded good on the recent broadcasts.

I've now managed to listen to Wednesday's CE and very much enjoyed it. The 'distant' sound engineering (with the organ possibly slightly too much to the fore) was very much as a listener would hear things from the nave. Not good enough for a CD, maybe, but a pleasant effect; and the choir sounded in great form.

[Contre Bombarde]

Yes, Huskisson Stubbington [not a name to easily slip from the mind...) was organist from 1944 - 1966 and was the author of the plans to join and expand the Grove and Milton organs. The book isn't to hand but if I recall correctly a mucked-about-with Grove was to go in front of the west end window to boost congregational singing. This was, quite rightly, jumped upon because that window is one of the crowning glories of the Abbey (although in my opinion the yellow and gold modern stained glass in the south-east end is its equal). Happily, the Grove was left unaltered apart from the bottom few pipes of the Open Wood 32' being added after being bought from Oxford Cathedral. The full story of the various schemes which seemed to be, as you say, somewhat megalomaniacal, is in the book I mentioned. The final outcome was the right one.

The current Milton organ is a lovely instrument well suited both to repertoire and choral accompaniment. It's well worth a trip to the Abbey for one of the recitals; something that I try to do at least once during the summer break.

[mercia]

that name had me racing off to google to find out more

http://stephenbicknell.org/3.5.3.php

[ardcarp]

Thanks for digging that out, mercia. It explains the shaky state of Tewkesbury's organ as I found it in the 60s and 70s. Stephen Bicknell makes a powerful case for the organ reform movement, and I agree entirely that a modest sized organ of integrity is preferable to a juggernaut. Maybe he overstates the case slightly. I've played some eclectic (and electric) organs that are just lovely instruments and also some mechanical werk-prinzip ones that aren't (including one by a respected German maker in a certain Oxbridge college that shall be nameless). I wonder what (apart from sheer craftsmanship) is the magic that makes the occasional gem such as the Knox Grammar School organ much recorded by Peter Hurford?

[Chris Watson]

Isn't Rieger Austrian.....?

[Vox Humana]

I wonder what (apart from sheer craftsmanship) is the magic that makes the occasional gem such as the Knox Grammar School organ much recorded by Peter Hurford?

Artistry?

(Just to start another argument...)

[Contre Bombarde]

Thanks, C-B.

I'd forgotten there were 5 manuals. (Who needs 5 manuals???)

Not to start another argument but how about Simon Johnson, Daniel Cook, Daniel Roth, Olivier Latry, Jean Guillou and countless North American players?

[ardcarp]

Isn't Rieger Austrian.....?

Ah ha ha ha. Well yes there's that one too, but I've not had the opportunity to play it. I was thinking of a slightly smaller college a bit more 'bridge' than 'Ox'.

[Chris Watson]

Ah ha ha ha. Well yes there's that one too, but I've not had the opportunity to play it. I was thinking of a slightly smaller college a bit more 'bridge' than 'Ox'.

I should have thought more clarefully before I replied.

[Wolsey]

Have a drink while you recollect your thoughts. Mine's a G & C...

[ardcarp]

I couldn't possibly comment......

[Chris Watson]

I should have known!