Coventry Cathedral organ

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  • gradus
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 5607

    Coventry Cathedral organ

    We happened to visit the cathedral this week and heard a wonderful performance of a piece by Herbert Howells ending with possibly the loudest climax I've ever heard, so loud that the young organist, visiting from Newcastle, was asked by an elderly visitor to stop playing such deafening pieces.
    I found it utterly thrilling and asked the organist what it was called but have forgotten what he told me, could anyone reading this possibly help me to identify or narrow down the possibilities.
    By the way I asked him to take no notice and to continue in the same vein which he did after playing what sounded like a reedy French piece before he proceeded to another absolute thunderer.
    Is Coventry perhaps the loudest organ in the UK?
  • Pulcinella
    Host
    • Feb 2014
    • 10925

    #2
    You could take a look at the pieces played on these CDs, and see if any of the titles jog your memory, but since there are several Psalm Preludes and Rhapsodies, remembering the title of which one you heard is probably not going to be easy.
    I can't think offhand of one that ends very loud, but I'm sure someone else will!

    Comment

    • orson
      Full Member
      • Jul 2011
      • 14

      #3
      Stand by, I'll ask him...

      Comment

      • orson
        Full Member
        • Jul 2011
        • 14

        #4
        Right - he's not sure. Could either have been Master Tallis' Testament or a snippet of the accompaniment to the St Johns service. Tallis's T gets quite noisy...

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        • gradus
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 5607

          #5
          Thanks for that, it was indeed Master Tallis' Testament, some piece and some player.

          Comment

          • mw963
            Full Member
            • Feb 2012
            • 538

            #6
            My money would have been on the Rhapsody no 3 (composed it seems during a Zeppelin attack near the end of the First World War) but if you've already confirmed otherwise.......

            Comment

            • gradus
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 5607

              #7
              Originally posted by mw963 View Post
              My money would have been on the Rhapsody no 3 (composed it seems during a Zeppelin attack near the end of the First World War) but if you've already confirmed otherwise.......
              I wish you'd been there to hear it but having spoken to the organist that was what I remember him telling me. It could have drowned most noises externally possibly including a Zeppelin attack!

              Comment

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