CE Lichfield Cathedral 6th July 2011

[richardshakeshaft]

Thanks for your very helpful reply. I must have been under a misapprehension re RG. If I am correct in my memory of Lichfield's rendition of Ps 131, it must have been around 1956/1957. Who was RG's predecessor at Lichfield?

Richard Greening's predecessor was Ambrose Porter.

[richardshakeshaft]

I seem to remember that lichfield have glass panels behind the choir which do nothing for recording in the place which is evident in the broadcast, a very difficult place to record but not to sing.

There used to be glass panels behind the choir, but they were removed sometime around 1996.

[gainasbass]

Ah yes. I should have remembered. Thanks again. BTW I listened to Lichfield again this afternoon, Even better the second time around!

[Wolsey]

The organ is was built, and is still tuned to, Philharmonic pitch (where middle C=540 hertz); the same is also true of Peterborough;

Pitch was a shifting standard well into the twentieth century, and remains so among orchestras even today. As far as organs are concerned, 19th-century instruments particularly those of Hill and Willis, reflected contemporary trends. Lichfield and Peterborough are supreme examples of Old Philharmonic Pitch, as is the Grove organ at Tewkesbury Abbey. Other organs of varying degress of sharpness are the Willis instruments at Durham, Salisbury and Reading Town Hall.

[cantenor2]

I hear that David Lowe is leaving Norwich - any one else heard the same?

[ardcarp]

Pitch is a shifting thing even within one organ. Because the note is generated as a standing wave within a pipeful of air, the pitch varies with density of air which in turn is very dependant upon air-temperature. Hence organ pitch can vary by as much as 30 cents (approx one-third of a semitone) according to whether the church is hot or cold. So orchestras tuning to organs never quite know what to expect. A concert-hall with an organ needs ideally to keep the ambient temperature at a level which coincides with the organ being at A440.

[DracoM]

Thank you, but it was brought to The Choir's attention about a fortnight ago.

[GambleD]

Does anyone know who composed the tune All Saints for Take me life and where I can find it please? Thanks.

[ardcarp]

The only 'All Saints' I know is the 8.7.8.7.7.7 usually sung to Who are these like stars appearing . Did you mean Take ME life...i.e. not Take my life and let it be

'All Saints' (as in A&M New Standard) is from Geistliche Gesangbuch...Darmstadt 1698...but was adapted for Anglican use by W.H. Monk

[ardcarp]

Sorry GambleD, I should have realised you were referring to the hymn sung at the end of CE from Lichfield No I hadn't heard that tune either...it was a sort of cross between the stirring unison tunes found in Hymns for Church and School (the public school hymn book) and what I call 'modern' hymnody. I've just jotted the tune down from LA for future reference. But I will consult a friend of mine who is a great expert on hymnody and see if he knows where to find this one.

[ardcarp]

Oh dear I seem to be dominating this topic, but having jotted down the harmony too, it strikes me as being very close in structure to Maurice Bevan's tune to There's a wideness in God's mercy. I wonder if it could be another tune fron his pen?

[GambleD]

Thanks Ardcarp. There are certainly similarities with the style and harmony with Corvedale, I think you could well be right. Would love to know for sure and be able to play, I really like it!!

[ardcarp]

Well if all else fails you can have my jottings...but I'm not sure how to post up or send m/s without blowing our cover!!
William Llewellyn is the person I'm going to ask...he knows everything....but he's not too well at the moment, so I shall have to choose a good time to pop in.

[GambleD]

Well if all else fails you can have my jottings...but I'm not sure how to post up or send m/s without blowing our cover!!
William Llewellyn is the person I'm going to ask...he knows everything....but he's not too well at the moment, so I shall have to choose a good time to pop in.

Thanks, that's kind of you, but difficult as you say. I'll check on here from time to time to see if anybody else knows. An uncle of mine also believes it's Maurice Bevan.

[ardcarp]

Maybe write to Ben Lamb at Lichfield?