Best organ in the country?

[Vile Consort]

I detect a sore loser.

[Simon]

I detect a sore loser.

Well that's GongGong for you, isn't it! Was the same on the old boards.

What worries me is that he says he's a teacher - so if that's true heaven knows what sort of stuff he feeds his students.

[Cellini]

Organists only have one way to go for promotion, and that's to become conductors. 'Nuff said ...

Now if we could talk about musical instruments ...

[Contre Bombarde]

Organists only have one way to go for promotion, and that's to become conductors. 'Nuff said ...

Now if we could talk about musical instruments ...

Ah, the wisdom of the armchair expert shining out like a black hole; something so dense that light bends around it...

[Lizzie]

Best organ in the country

I must admit that I never tire of hearing the magnificent Willis in Liverpool Anglican. Whilst I enjoy the thrill of hearing it at full-throttle, I also know Ian Tracey can make it sound like one of the tenderest, most delicate of instruments. One of my most abiding memories is of a Monday Boys' Voices Evensong in July '94. It was a sunny afternoon, the sun streaming through the upper windows. As I waited before the service, I listened to Ian playing the Arioso by Fiocco, using the Tibia stop I believe. The sound seemed so delicate and distant, as if it were echoing back and forth between mountain tops. I admit that it evoked a tiny quiet tear from me and I've never forgotten it. So much so, that I adopted one of those pipes to support the on-going Organ Appeal. Ian is looking after my 'adopted offspring' and I'm sure is keeping it well-dusted and cared for in my absence! I'm sure he'd be delighted to do likewise for any others of us who might like to supprt the Appeal ... Best. Liz

[ahinton]

I must admit that I never tire of hearing the magnificent Willis in Liverpool Anglican. Whilst I enjoy the thrill of hearing it at full-throttle, I also know Ian Tracey can make it sound like one of the tenderest, most delicate of instruments. One of my most abiding memories is of a Monday Boys' Voices Evensong in July '94. It was a sunny afternoon, the sun streaming through the upper windows. As I waited before the service, I listened to Ian playing the Arioso by Fiocco, using the Tibia stop I believe. The sound seemed so delicate and distant, as if it were echoing back and forth between mountain tops. I admit that it evoked a tiny quiet tear from me and I've never forgotten it. So much so, that I adopted one of those pipes to support the on-going Organ Appeal. Ian is looking after my 'adopted offspring' and I'm sure is keeping it well-dusted and cared for in my absence! I'm sure he'd be delighted to do likewise for any others of us who might like to supprt the Appeal ... Best. Liz

It is indeed a wonderful instrument, but the acoustical properties of the place are such that performing certain elaborately textured repertoire on it becomes something of a self-defeating exercise, to my mind; compare it to, say, St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol and the shortcomings in what can be achieved in Liverpool Anglican become all too apparent.

[Lizzie]

Horses for courses though? I wouldn't expect to hear Widor VI on a chamber organ for example. Surely it's partly about the player having the experience to know what will work with all colours of the palette available, including the acoustic. For me that's part of the joy and excitement of organ concerts. Best. Liz

[Op. XXXIX]

For me, Westminster Cathedral, the Church of St. Mary Redcilffe, Bristol and Westminster Abbey, in no particular order - and yes, Hereford Cathedral...

Hard to argue with those. I was born not far from Hereford, so was able to hear the organ fairly frequently. (During the Massey years.)

Honourable mention to Ely Cathedral, some consider the Harrison & Harrison one of the finest in the UK.

Cheers,
Jason

[Mary Chambers]

Like Lizzie, I've heard some enthralling recitals on the Liverpool Cathedral organ.

[MrGongGong]

Well that's GongGong for you, isn't it! Was the same on the old boards.

What worries me is that he says he's a teacher - so if that's true heaven knows what sort of stuff he feeds his students.

if only you knew
you sad man
the only thing that is sore is you and your fellow travellers arse from riding the high horse of Nutwood

and for your information i'm NOT a teacher , i'm a musician / composer

[Lizzie]

if only you knew
you sad man
the only thing that is sore is you and your fellow travellers arse from riding the high horse of Nutwood

and for your information i'm NOT a teacher , i'm a musician / composer

Gentlemen, PLEASE don't let these discussions descend to some of the aggression and name-calling that was sometimes prevalent on the old mb. Thus far it has been so much more a pleasant place to be, with everyone seemingly more ready to accept other views and being generous with it. PLEASE...! All best. Liz

[MrGongGong]

indeed but it would be nice to be able to express an opinion without some bigoted idiot always interrupting
so i'm off
bye

[Lizzie]

indeed but it would be nice to be able to express an opinion without some bigoted idiot always interrupting
so i'm off
bye

That seems a shame. I like hearing and learning from EVERYONE. Why can't we ALL simply be polite...? Ah well... Best. Liz

[ahinton]

That seems a shame. I like hearing and learning from EVERYONE. Why can't we ALL simply be polite...? Ah well... Best. Liz

We can - or at least some of us can. I have grave reservations about Liverpool Anglican because even the wonderful instrument there just won't allow certain music to speak because of the acoustical properties of the building. I recently heard the world première of Sorabji's Second Organ Symphony (1929-32) given in the relatively modest building that is Glasgow University Memorial Chapel; the instrument there served it quite well (albeit not ideally) and the performance given by Kevin Bowyer (who's edited the piece and lived with it for more than two decades before committing it in its entirety to public performance) made the instrument sound as though it was capable of far more than is really the case, but any acoustic much more resonant than the one in that place would have given rise to major problems - and there are enough of those already in that score, given that it is a three-movement piece of hair-raisingly elaborate complexity relieved only by transcendental virtuosity, the durations of the outer movements of which are respectively 80 and 190 minutes and whose middle movement runs to an improbable 270 minutes. It would be good to hear it performed in Hereford, although the compasses of both manuals and pedals are short there (C-A and C-F respectively).

[Lizzie]

We can - or at least some of us can. I have grave reservations about Liverpool Anglican because even the wonderful instrument there just won't allow certain music to speak because of the acoustical properties of the building. I recently heard the world première of Sorabji's Second Organ Symphony (1929-32) given in the relatively modest building that is Glasgow University Memorial Chapel; the instrument there served it quite well (albeit not ideally) and the performance given by Kevin Bowyer (who's edited the piece and lived with it for more than two decades before committing it in its entirety to public performance) made the instrument sound as though it was capable of far more than is really the case, but any acoustic much more resonant than the one in that place would have given rise to major problems - and there are enough of those already in that score, given that it is a three-movement piece of hair-raisingly elaborate complexity relieved only by transcendental virtuosity, the durations of the outer movements of which are respectively 80 and 190 minutes and whose middle movement runs to an improbable 270 minutes. It would be good to hear it performed in Hereford, although the compasses of both manuals and pedals are short there (C-A and C-F respectively).

I don't disagree with you about it simply say that certain pieces work better in some places than in others. For me it's about recognising what repertoire works best in each place for player and listener. Liverpool presents a whole new set of considerations for those of us lucky enough to have sung there but,I learned different techniques as a result. I sang Crucifixion there one weekend in a choir of 100 and the following one in Winchester in a choir of 30. Both hugely different but just as moving. Liz