CE Merton College, Oxford Wed, 20th Nov 2013

[mopsus]

Changing the subject again - any thoughts on the Dobson organ, here getting its first broadcast performance? Its official inauguration is over the Advent Sunday weekend coming up. The broadcast (at which I was present) didn't attempt to show it off with any fireworks. I'm not a an organ specialist but I'd be interested to hear how it sounds in French repertoire, for example.

http://www.dobsonorgan.com/html/instruments/op91_merton.html

[ardcarp]

I thought it managed to sound suitably 'Anglican' when accompanying the psalms and Jackson in G. It did this quite naturally, I thought. So many Oxbridge chapel organs just can't, and organ scholars have to resort to coupling up unlikely 8' stops to get a 'faux diapason' sound. Even then the reeds are a giveawy.

In fact when the Merton CE began I wondered if the new organ was ready, and pondered (this was on the car radio) whether a beefy electronic instrument was standing in. But two minutes later, in the house and with the hi-fi fired up, I realised we had the real thing.

I'm hugely in favour of continental organs, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, whatever. But I've always been sceptical about using them to accompany the Anglican repertory, most of which cries out for the Willis/Harrison treatment. The stop-list (which mopsus kindly directed us to) by its very nomenclature, e.g. Harmonic Flute, Geigen Diapason, suggests the English Romantic tradition.

I've no idea what the Dobson is capable of; maybe it's a rare example of the 'eclectic' organ that really works!

(Sorry to get organ-nerdy, folks. I didn't start it...did I?)

[Vox Humana]

But if one does particularly want to hear a "pure, boyish voice" (and I have problems with the idea of such a voice not belonging to a boy - why is sounding like a boy something to which girls or women should aspire?!), that can only be a matter of taste

Speaking personally I never said it wasn't and I never voiced an opinion on what Britten himself may or may not have had in mind (which at any given point may have been the text rather than the choir; who is really to know?) It's simply the sound I prefer. Also, to my mind, it fits the image of "white children casual as birds" better than a fruity soprano. I hope you will concede that I'm perfectly entitled to my view, however misguided you might consider it.

[Morwenna]

For organ buffs, there's a few pics of the American Dobson organ; scroll to the bottom for not quite the finished product.
http://www.theladyorganist.com/a-dob...ollege-oxford/

Thank you, Ardcarp, for the mention and link to my blog. John Panning, Tonal Director of Dobson Pipe Organs, recently sent me a picture of the FINISHED product: organ buffs can see it here:

http://www.theladyorganist.com/first-performances-on-dobson-op91-at-merton-college-oxford/

I'm going to get to play the instrument myself next April, on a Royal College of Organists study course. Can't wait.

And hello all - I'm a newbie to for3.org and this is my first post. Looking forward to meeting you.

Morwenna

[ardcarp]

A big hello! And I hope you'll not be backward in coming forward with lots of contributions about all matters organic. Quite a few adherents of The Choir are secretly interested in organs, so welcome, welcome, welcome.

[Morwenna]

A big hello! And I hope you'll not be backward in coming forward with lots of contributions about all matters organic. Quite a few adherents of The Choir are secretly interested in organs, so welcome, welcome, welcome.

Thank you Ardcarp, just try and stop me