This new sub-forum

[ardcarp]

Hi everyone. You will obviously have noticed this new sub-forum. It's a bit like Building a Library being a sub-forum of CD Review. Very often, organ matters are brought up following a Choral Evensong broadcast. This is right and proper, because organ accompaniment is an integral part of it...and what a fabulous standard of accompanying we hear week by week! However occasionally people want to discuss more technical matters about playing, style, the instrument, HIPP, nerdy things like double-rise reservoirs (!!) and so on. It seems that in these cases a dedicated sub-forum, e.g. this one, might be a good place to carry on the conversation.

Additionally, and importantly, here is a place to discuss organs, organ recitals, organ repertoire and so on which is unrelated to CE. As this is a Forum where comment is largely (but not exclusively) about BBC programmes, we can also make it a lobbying point for more decent organ music on R3...and not just Widor's Toccata on Breakfast about twice a week!

I'm very much a lapsed organist, so I hope some real organists will join in; but of course, like all other parts of The R3 Forum, this is above all a place for enthusiasts of all sorts, not just pedal-pushers.

[BBMmk2]

I think my favourite organ has to be St Pierre de Bauvais, especially when Jennifer Bate plays Messaien et al on it! That sound is just so unique and a monster!

[Don Petter]

I was bowled over by going into St Ouen in Rouen (there's a phrase to roll off the tongue, apart from anything else) when an organist happened to be playing.

As I have quite a few Oosten recordings from there, the wonderful familiarity was uncanny. Now, when listening at home, I can visualise the whole atmosphere.

[mercia]

......... so what are double-rise reservoirs ?

[ardcarp]

......... so what are double-rise reservoirs ?

Do you really want to know? Oh well....

http://www.buzardorgans.com/projects/service-dept/1891-hook-hastings-opus-1481-0

....second pic down on the right. The reservoir is what holds a load of wind (low pressure, high volume) ready for use. In the old days a single 'lid', hinged at one side of the reservoir was used. But this had the disadvantage of causing a change in wind pressure as the lid approached the shut position. The double rise affair (as shown) supplies an almost constant pressure whatever the position of the top. It's amusing to look inside old organs and see some of the things they use as weights on the top... shoe-lasts, car axles, etc. Not so from the posh builders of course.

[mercia]

thank you. I best not ask what shoe-lasts are.

[Mr Stoat]

thank you. I best not ask what shoe-lasts are.

Shoe lasts? A load of old cobblers!

[mercia]

an organ concerto on Afternoon on 3 today - Terry Riley's "At The Royal Majestic" (RFH instrument)

[cloughie]

I think the title of this thread needs re ORGAN isation!

[mercia]

nice big Eastery organ recital from King's on Sunday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pqrx4

[Alison]

How was the Terry Riley piece?

[mercia]

How was the Terry Riley piece?

good question - I don't remember - erm, not objectionable

[Cornet IV]

Well done ardcarp - just noticed the creation of a new sub-forum. This is something I hoped would happen but uptake seems a little slow.

The organ section of the old Platform 3 as operated by BBC Rail was a surprisingly large and lively bunch of organists and organ builders but sadly, this never transported itself to the new order and I feel we have been disadvantaged as a consequence. I accept that the pipe organ as a subject generally is regarded as being recondite but it doesn't have to be and perhaps a function of this new section could be to welcome organists into the wider musical community. Chilly organ lofts can be lonely places.