CE Chapel of The Queen's College, Oxford May, 6th 2015

[DracoM]

CE Chapel of The Queen's College, Oxford



Order of Service:



Introit: View me, Lord (Lloyd)
Responses: Sumsion
Psalms 32, 33, 34 (Turle, Marsh, Davy, Buck)
First Lesson: Numbers 12
Office Hymn: Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old (St Matthew)
Canticles: Stanford in A
Second Lesson: Luke 5: 12-26
Anthem: I know that my redeemer liveth (Cecilia McDowall)
Final Hymn: Jesu, lover of my soul (Aberystwyth)



Organ Voluntary: Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne (Buxtehude)



Organ Scholar: Harry Meehan
Director of Music: Owen Rees

[ardcarp]

I think they were in the first wave of Oxbridge colleges to 'go continental' with their Frobenius organ.

http://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/the-organ/

[subcontrabass]

I think they were in the first wave of Oxbridge colleges to 'go continental' with their Frobenius organ.

http://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/the-organ/

I presume that this broadcast is linked to the "Frobenius at 50" festival. The organ was installed in 1965 (the year I started as organ scholar at another college with a grossly inferior organ [now replaced]). The specifications publicly available seem to miss some crucial bits of information. Amongst other things, the organ is built for stereo performance, with most (if not all) the stops having all their pipes on one side only, with the stop position indicating which side (i.e. stops on the right have all their pipes on the right, and those on the left have pipes on the left).

Does anyone know whether the pedal board is still as Dalton insisted in positioning it, i.e. about 15 inches back from a "normal" position, so that it can only be played with toes (in conformity with his theory that that was the only way to play Bach)?

[Lento]

Does anyone know whether the pedal board is still as Dalton insisted in positioning it, i.e. about 15 inches back from a "normal" position, so that it can only be played with toes (in conformity with his theory that that was the only way to play Bach)?

Does the description "concave radiating" in NPOR have any bearing on this? (I would have thought Bach only knew straight).

[subcontrabass]

Does the description "concave radiating" in NPOR have any bearing on this? (I would have thought Bach only knew straight).

No. When I played it (1965/6) the pedal board was a standard "concave radiating" board, just set back under the stool, so that it could only be played with toes.

[ardcarp]

That's weird. If you're going to do the toes-only thing (which is great BTW once you've got the hang) a straight 'German' pedal board seems obvious. I expect many of the older generation (like me) were first taught the organ at a time when achieving an uber-legato bass line was considered essential. Moving on to a teacher who thought otherwise was a revelation. I can remember the first piece I learned like this...the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue; and I still play it that way. We Brits have to remain bilingual tho' (or should I say bi-pedal?).

[light_calibre_baritone]

You've got your own forum for this beardy chat!

[ardcarp]

Sorry! But I'd just say that Stanford in A (probably the least easy to accompany of his canticles) is not an obvious candidate for toes only...not for a Frobenius for that matter.

[DracoM]

Today @ 3.30 p.m.

[Lento]

That's weird. If you're going to do the toes-only thing (which is great BTW once you've got the hang) a straight 'German' pedal board seems obvious. I expect many of the older generation (like me) were first taught the organ at a time when achieving an uber-legato bass line was considered essential. Moving on to a teacher who thought otherwise was a revelation. I can remember the first piece I learned like this...the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue; and I still play it that way. We Brits have to remain bilingual tho' (or should I say bi-pedal?).

A relative of mine used to tell the story of a friend failing his FRCO for using toes only in Bach; no idea when this was!

[DracoM]

Was anyone singing this afternoon?

[Vox Humana]

Sorry! But I'd just say that Stanford in A (probably the least easy to accompany of his canticles) is not an obvious candidate for toes only...not for a Frobenius for that matter.

Not that I play it nowadays, but I have to confess that I've never understood what the problem is with Stanford in A. Stanford in G, though... I always loathed those arpeggios!

A relative of mine used to tell the story of a friend failing his FRCO for using toes only in Bach; no idea when this was!

I have heard a rumour that, these days, you'd fail for not doing so. I can't really believe that though.

[Triforium]

Was anyone singing this afternoon?

I was, but not in Oxford....

[DracoM]

Choir disciplined, decently balanced. Not a terribly adventurous programme. What's not to like?

[Lento]

I believe it was only in comparatively recent years that the choir from this college started to do broadcasts, recordings and tours.