that firm in 2008/9. Consisting of 42 speaking stops, three manuals and pedals, it is a delightful instrument to play as the youngest members were to find out. In the photo on the left is Tristan Hasson with Nikola Eckertova and on the right, Jacob Collins, both of whom are new members and students of President, Jonathan Harris. Neither of them were daunted by the size or the power of the instruments on the day and gave very competent and enjoyable performance of their chosen pieces. Opportunities were also provided to play the 2008 Chancel Organ by
Mander which also has a ‘Talking Stops’ device which speaks the names of any stop drawn or put off, and is used as a teaching aid for blind students. The third instrument at St. Giles is a lovely Practice Organ (2009),by Kenneth Tickell.
The next venue was the ancient church of St. Botolph’s, Aldgate, where we were greeted by the Organist, John Bamford. The organ here, as with so many instruments in London churches, goes back a long way, this one dating from at least 1704/5 when Renatus Harris ‘...was paid for Trumpet and Echos’. The most recent restoration was undertaken by Goetze and Gwynn in 2006. It is a short compass instrument with 52 notes on the Great and Choir but just 27 on the Echo Swell and 26 on the pedal which took some imagination on a first sitting to play well. The photo gives an indication of the need to select the ‘right’ pieces to play without running out of notes! For all that, the music of John Blow and John Stanley are excellently suited to this instrument as John Bamford demonstrated and, it was a superb chance to observe first hand, a configuration one seldom comes across. Our final destination was the mighty edifice and masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren - St. Paul’s Cathedral. This ancient Kathedra of the Bishops of London, place of Royal Weddings and Jubilees, funerals of Nelson, Wellington, Churchill and resting place of its Architect on whose simple tomb is inscribed, ‘Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you’ was awe-inspiring when one considered what we were there to do.

		With reserved seats in the Chancel, we attended Choral Evensong sung by the Gentlemen of the choir - the Vicars Choral - conducted by the Cathedral Organist and Assistant Director of Music, Simon Johnson. The service, consisting of; Introit Anthem by Tallis, Responses by Leighton, Psalms to Gregorian Chant, Canticles by Tomas Victoria and Lassus and, ‘O Lord hear my prayer’ by Locke, all reflected the simple austerity of Lent (very little organ accompaniment) and yet, wholly beautiful and uplifting. As the Cathedral emptied of its congregation, Simon welcomed us and gave us a potted history of this magnificent organ. The chronicle of the Grand Organ is long and enormous and so prevents inclusion in these pages but, sufficient to say, that pipework from the original Bernard Schmidt (Father Smith) instrument of 1637 survives. The statistics are impressive. Its divisions are spread all around the building; north and south Chancel, north-east Dome Gallery (where lives its Trompette Militaire), the Nave and west-end and consists of five
manuals and pedals with 113 speaking stops. In no time at all we were ascending the stairs to the South Chancel Organ Gallery to play (the movable Nave Console being out of use at the time). To many, this was an awe inspiring moment when faced with the console display but fortunately, Simon was on hand to guide and encourage. Our picture shows Keith Lovell playing with Simon in attendance but once again, one had to admire the youngest members in displaying confident and well presented renditions of their chosen pieces despite the enormity of the instrument and the building. The whole day was remarkable, one conceived two years ago by Mary Woodward our Honorary President who sadly was unable to be with us due to a long-term illness. Both the NDOA and the Peterborough Association contributed a well presented and varied selection of music across all the instruments visited, and demonstrated just how much enthusiasm goes into maintaining the weekly round of ‘ordinary’ parochial music by organists. We are enormously grateful to all our hosts and especially to Jonathan, who made the final arrangements for a great day out.

		The course this year was held in the Parish Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Olney, home of the celebrated Pancake Race and where, in 1764, the reformed slave-trader John Newton became curate, being inspired eight years later to write the hymn, Amazing Grace! (how sweet the sound)... Twenty-six people aged from eight to eighty-six listened to our President, Jonathan Harris, introduce proceedings before playing a demonstration piece to set the scene. The organ by Binns of Leeds, was built in 1907 (renovated in 2005 by Kenneth Tickell & Co) and comprises 25 stops across two manuals and pedals, the console boasting two beautifully engraved glass doors depicting Henry John Gauntlett - Father of English Church Music. Jonathan then introduced everyone to the tonal structure of organs
by illustrating the diapason-chorus before moving on to sample the sounds of other 8,4 and 2' stops, reeds, the 16' pitch of the pedal stops, couplers, mixtures and super/sub octaves.

The audience was made up of a wide cross-section of musicians from pianists, reluctant-organists and those who were simply curious, but from all quarters there was great interest and many questions about their various areas of concern. Some of the youngest were too small to mount the bench without climbing but once there, were eager to play their pieces - the following selection giving you an idea of the scope and variety of styles. Ode to Joy, What shall we do with the drunken sailor, Panis Angelica, Thalben-Ball’s Elegy, Hymn tunes, Jesu Joy, and wait for it - It’s been a hard day’s night by The Beatles !! The picture above, shows Jonathan advising one young player before he resumed the tutorial by demonstrating hymn accompaniment and pedal technique explaining in answer to more questions how, because all instruments are different, the technique has to be adapted to suit. It was then time for the intrepid volunteers to present a short recital and it was astonishing to hear such good standards from those so young. The day closed but not without time for those attending to play again if they wished and ask even more questions about their particular difficulties and ways of resolving them. In summary - a very helpful day for those wanting to learn more.

  




Among other related activities, The Brereton Fund supports Organ Students in their tuition and member Calumn Alger, has been awarded £210 toward his organ lessons with Ben Horden, DoM, St. Matthew’s Northampton. We look forward to hearing of his progress in due course.

  



 
As many will know, this is an arrangement with H.M.C.E whereby churches in the category, ‘Listed Buildings’, can reclaim the VAT on certain major expenditures including work on organs. The Scheme is due to expire in March 2011 and the following communiqué to B.I.O.S members from the Places of Worship Development Officer explains what might be done. Do seriously consider signing the petition.

‘I have been asked to circulate the message below regarding the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme: As many of you will know, Places of Worship at The Heritage Alliance (POWAlliance) has joined forces with the Church of England and English Heritage in the campaign to preserve the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme beyond its planned expiry date of March 2011. There is now a petition available for signing on the 10 Downing Street website at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/VAT-refundscheme  Yours, Deborah Jarman, Places of Worship Development Officer, The Heritage Alliance.

[This message is already two months old so please sign it as soon as you can. R.S.]

  

This year the event is to be held in Derby and will centre on the Compton organ in the Cathedral and the noted Fr. Willis in St. John the Evangelist. Taking part will be; Ian Bell, Organ Consultant, Peter Gould, DofM Derby Cathedral, Paul Hale, Rector Chori, Southwell Minster and Edmund Stow, organ builder. Registration starts at 10.00am and the day closes after the 5.15pm Evensong in the Cathedral. The cost for Members is £18 (make your own arrangements for lunch). Booking forms are now available via the I.A.O. website, May and August’s Organists’ Review or by contacting me, Roger Smith.

  




It is with great sadness that we record the deaths in March of our Honorary member, Dr. Stanley Vann who turned 100 in February and Dr. David Morgan aged 69.

Dr. Stanley was acclaimed for his distinguished career as a Cathedral Organist and composer but most notably for his time as Master of the Choristers at Peterborough Cathedral. David was widely known locally for his services as Deputy Organist to a number of churches.

The following is part of the tribute paid to David at his funeral by his friend,
Douglas Corr.

David Morgan was a well known deputy organist in the Northampton area. He studied piano from the age of 7 and as a schoolboy had an Exhibition to attend the Royal College of Music on Saturday mornings. He studied physics in Cambridge at St Catherine’s College and it was at this time that his interest in the organ began. He attended the Harlem Academy with Anton Heiller and Marie-Clare Alain in 1963. He also had lessons with Flor Peeters, Richard Latham and David Lang, and obtained the ARCM diploma in organ playing in 1964. He accompanied the Harant Singers of London for many years, and visited several cathedrals with them including Ely, Peterborough and many times to St David’s.

Recently he became more interested in solo playing and participated in the Alkmaar Organ Academy and had several lessons with Margaret Philips. The recent Buxtehude anniversary inspired him to add many of Buxtehude’s pieces to his repertoire. At home he practised on a two manual Johannus Opus 15 electronic organ with a straight pedal board. David also transcribed the notes he made during Anton Heiller’s master class on Bach’s Orgelbüchlein. These notes will be of value to those interested in styles of the interpretation of Bach and may be obtained through Roger Smith (Hon. Secretary of the Northampton and District Organists’ Association)..

		David was also an internationally recognised authority on surface acoustic waves which are miniature electronic components to be found in all mobile phones and television sets. The Executors of David Morgan’s Estate have donated his fine music collection to the NDOA which is available for members to purchase - all proceeds going to assist young organists in their studies. A catalogue is available on request. However, comprising approximately 300 items it isn’t possible to bring them to NDOA events but they can be viewed at the Hon. Secretary’s address between 12.00 and 3.00pm on 26th June and 17th July or by prior arrangement. More recently, we have also learned of the death of George Care, a long-serving Member until recent years when ill health
forced him to discontinue his membership and on 24th May, our Hon. President, Mary Woodward died.

This latest book by our President Elect, Canon Hilary Davidson, was very well received at its public launch in April at St. Mary’s, Wellingborough.

It covers the ‘west gallery’ period (roughly between 1720-1850) when, long before organs became the norm, ordinary parish church music was provided by small groups playing strings and wind instruments to glorify the Services and accompany congregational singing. Of particular interest of course, is, that Hilary’s book is devoted to the local composers during that time - the unsung heroes from the towns and villages between the Nene and the Welland - who composed hymn tunes and metrical psalms for their choirs before printed music was widely available. Hilary’s interview on Radio Northampton that morning may have swelled numbers because an audience of almost a hundred listened to Michael Jones introduce the evening. Michael provided an informative profile of Hilary’s involvement with the music in the County together with some amusing personal recollections before we heard the first of many items of the period sung by Consensus Vocalis - directed by Allan Leroy, with Roger Palmer, organ and, guest soloist, Sophie Farmer. This book really is a valuable document for the County as it unearths a wealth of usable music, at least when transposed from the lofty pitches prevalent at that time.

You may recall Hilary’s presentation of this theme at Long Buckby in 2006 which was obviously an early introduction to the content of the present book. Congratulations to Canon Davidson and our hope that the book generates the interest it deserves. If anyone requires a copy - price £7 plus £1.50 postage if applicable - (profits to the Pasque Charity - music therapy for children), do please contact me, Roger Smith.

  

A.G.M.

Change of Date
from 20th November to 13th November

Venue:
St. Mary’s Church Higham Ferrers at 3.00pm followed by Choral Evensong and a chance to play the organ.

  

		We commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Samuel Sebastian Wesley who, along with a John, another two Samuels and two Charles's, form that musical and religious dynasty. Samuel Sebastian (his second name chosen after his father's idol, J. S. Bach) became a towering figure in the history of English Cathedral music of the 19th Century. Born in London on 14th August 1810, he became a chorister of the Chapel Royal before eventually embarking on a career as a musician and composer which eventually led to organist appointments at Hereford Cathedral in 1832 and Exeter three years later before taking up posts at Leeds Parish Church, Winchester and then Gloucester Cathedrals. By 1839, he was awarded his Bachelor of Music and Doctorate from Oxford University. His anthems display much individualism of style, several being written for solo voice in order to utilise the best of his depleted choral resources. His organ works are equally significant in that he lived at a time of transition in English organ playing and construction. For example, the pedal-board was coming into wider use thereby allowing Bach's works to be heard more often in this country something Wesley and Mendelssohn both spearheaded. In turn, his own compositions embraced some of JSB's contrapuntal concepts, thus marking
him out but perhaps above all, his compositions invoke a refreshing stability in liturgical music and style, notwithstanding its less frequent use in today’s progressive age. His involvement with the Hill organ-builder family can’t be ignored either. On Prime Minister Gladstone’s recommendation Queen Victoria offered him a choice of a Civil List pension of £100 per annum or a Knighthood. He chose the former but only enjoyed it for three years before his death in 1876.

Keble College, Oxford is to have a new organ built by Kenneth Tickell & Co. Ltd of Northampton. It is expected to be completed during the early part of 2011 and according to the College, the organ ‘...promises to arouse considerable interest and be a significant addition to the organs of Oxford’. However, it has to be said, that for the last fifteen years, the College has been well served by one of Copeman Hart’s renowned digital instruments. The original organ at Keble was provided by William Hill. Butterfield, who designed its case and is said to have personally executed the stencilled decoration of the front pipes. The new organ aims to have a consonance with its Victorian surroundings, and an important aspect of the new instrument will be the conservation of the decorated prospect pipes which have an architectural integrity with Butterfield’s magnificent chapel. The chapel boasts perhaps the finest acoustic in Oxford, with generous reverberation and the organ will benefit from its placement in the wide, shallow and tall transept. It is to have tracker key action and four manuals, one of which will be a Bombard manual and, as well as the ubiquitous Sesquialtera, other choice stops will include Vox Humana, a pedal 10⅔ Quint and a 4' Fugara. My thanks to Kenneth Tickell for allowing me to use his Company’s descriptions as part of this article.

 


 
Paul’s recital last week at St. Mary’s Wellingborough opened with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543. Other than this piece and Boëllman’s Ronde Francaise, the programme consisted of Paul’s Benchmark recordings last year at churches in the area. Not only were the pieces interesting simply for being different from mainstream repertoires, but Paul had several stories to tell which explained much of their background and his quest to discover some of them. That, in turn, brought life to the titles and composers which hitherto had simply been names on the CD cover.

The acoustic at St. Mary’s always compliments the music but one organ cannot reflect all the tonal attractions of some of the others used for the recordings. From that point of view there’s no substitute for his CD but it is praise indeed that Paul agreed to return and tell the stories behind the label. Paul’s CD of organs in ‘East Northamptonshire’ is available via Jonathan Harris or myself.

Members’ Recital

Will members wishing to play at the Recital on Saturday 10th July at All Saints’ Church, Brixworth, please let the President have your names by 10th June. The numbers will influence the time available to play on the night and we can then inform you of the times and dates for practice. Please submit programmes by 1st July but in the first instance contact President Jonathan Harris on: 01604 881182 or email; Hjonathan83@aol.com

Visit to Crick - 19th June

Please note a slight change to our visit. It still begins at 3.00pm so members can play the restored Thomas Elliot organ circa 1819. President Jonathan is asking for volunteers to play some Stanley (Trumpet Voluntary?) or pieces by Wesley or Mendelssohn. Please let Jonathan know what you will play as soon as possible. At 4.00pm, Andrew Reid, DofM, Peterborough Cathedral arrives to take the session on, ‘English Organ Music’. Jonathan’s contact details are above.

 
  

		To satisfy the ongoing expansion of Northampton after St. Katherine’s was built in the 1839, St. Andrew’s was built three years later. A little north of the town’s centre, it was created from the parishes of Holy Sepulchre and the Priory of St. Andrew and built between Bell-barn Street and St. Andrew’s Street. Designed to seat 1,200 at a cost of £7,000 it was demolished in the 1960s. Its location is hard to imagine now but it was not in St. Andrew’s Road - that was the site of the medieval Priory - but within the block bounded by Grafton Street to the north, Broad Street to the east and St. Andrew’s Road to the west. The first organ, according to Canon Hilary Davidson’s book Choirs, Bands and Organs, was installed in 1846 by Barker of Northampton at a cost of £165. After later
being declared ‘useless’, it was replaced in 1909 by one from St. Clement’s Church, Notting Hill, London and rebuilt by Messrs Watson Lever & Co. However, there are tell-tale indications that Bishop and Starr was the original builder of this twenty stop instrument, which included a three-rank Mixture on the Swell. A fascinating sequel follows. When the church was closed in the 1960s, the organ was bought by a farmer from East Haddon for his milking parlour where, on playing it while the cows were being milked, improved milk production so he claimed. Organ Builders take note - there’s a significant market out there just waiting to be milked!

  


 
How many of us have heard what must be to the public at large, the most famous piece of Bach’s organ music described like that because so few know its title? Whatever, another large audience of around 150 listened to Lee Dunleavy’s masterly and scholarly revelations of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor in March’s recital series Back to Bach.

The word ‘toccata’ Lee informed everyone, is a derivative of the Italian verb, ‘to touch’ and despite its general definition as being a showy piece to demonstrate the performer’s virtuosity it was not always so and a demonstration of older toccata pieces illustrated how solemn the style had been. Nevertheless, the opening statement in octaves of this toccata , and then the dramatic spread-chord of the diminished seventh are unique in Bach’s organ works. Add to that, the individualism that follows both in the Toccata and the Fugue and Lee soon stretched everyone’s thoughts to the probability that it was never an original composition for organ after all but a transcription of an orchestral work. All the tell-tale signs - its broken chords and the structure of its repetitive notation - suggest the necessary playing technique of harpsichord, violin or cello with the scholarly conclusion that it is a piece transcribed by a pupil of J.S.Bach.

Despite being an early work - thin in its construction and thereby of course far from the fully developed genius of his later works - it has to this day remained his most instantly recognised piece by so many ordinary folk, and other than for the Toccata in F by Widor, is the only piece of organ music you are likely to hear ad nauseam on Classic F.M. The piece is also immortalised by the orchestral arrangement by Leopold Stokowski for the score of the 1940 cartoon film, Fantasia, which accompanies a kaleidoscope of spectacular abstract images since when, the work has been adapted for synthesised instruments, novelty performances, adverts and any amount of other attention-seeking causes.

Lee is very relaxed and natural in conveying a wealth of information at these events which no doubt explains the increasing numbers attending his series. So from now on, impress you friends when they sing, Da-da-daaaaaaaaa - da-da-da-da-deeeee-dum” by reverently asking, “Do you mean Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV565?”

  


 
We send our congratulations to one of our neighbouring Associations - the LDOA - who celebrate their Centenary this year with a concert in St. Margaret’s Parish Church, Leicester, on 25th September.

In March, the LDOA visited St. Gregory’s, Northampton to see the newly refurbished Gern and then the recently rebuilt William Hill organ at St. Mary’s in Wellingborough.

It is a very active Association with a membership of 75 among whom are a number who belong to the NDOA so we wish them all, good luck in their Centenary year and in all they do now, and in the future.

  

In the December Newsletter of 2007 I ran an article about organ stops with unusual names but the world of organs is so vast that one is always coming across more. While recently reading about the organ designed by Ralph Downes for Brompton Oratory and built by Walker in 1952, I came across its 8' Baarpyp. According to the Encyclopaedia of Organ Stops among its various spellings is, in German, Bärpfeife and apparently it is one of the oldest known organ stops, having been introduced in the mid 1500s. It’s a reed stop of the Regal family and Grove refers to it as ‘the predecessor of Regal stops with fanciful resonators’ while Williams calls it ‘a successor to the old regal or reed Schreyerpfeife’. Records refer to it in a number of pitches from 32' to 4' although the only ones known are at 8'. Another unusual stop found on a few more instruments than the ‘Baarpyp’ is the Fugara which is one of the Solo stops on the new Kenneth Tickell organ for Keble College, Oxford mentioned above. Ken describes it as ‘...a 4ft String. Sort of stringy principal, actually more string than principal’. I’m sure others will surface and attract the attention of organ enthusiasts but perhaps one of the more perplexing questions is, ‘what exactly determines the name of a pipe when often, it sounds so similar to another?’ The pipe’s construction is part of the answer of course but the whole answer will have to be given by those often un-sung heroes, the Voicing Specialists, and it’s just possible that next year we will be able to hear all about it

  


 
The church of St.Peter & St.Paul, Olney is looking to recruit a permanent Director of Music / Organist, to develop their creative, challenging and innovative musical and choral tradition. There is a growing RSCM affiliated, mixed, robed choir and the Church is committed to an ongoing organ scholarship programme which is run in conjunction with the local educational Music Service. There is a recently-restored (2005) two manual Binns organ. For full details please contact: Revd Claire Wood telephone: 01234 713308 or email: revclairewood@gmail.com

  


 
This is a new venture designed to foster the musical activity at the church which, in its Golden Age fashioned Cathedral organists for this Country and America.

The musical activity and quality here has increased in leaps and bounds in recent years and it would seem they have a clear vision for the future, hence the latest initiative. Membership is just £20 and application can be made to: Friends of St. Matthew’s Music, The Parish Office, 27a The Drive, Northampton NN1 4RY.

  


 
This is a major annual event in the organ aficionado's calendar and we are grateful to Michael Woodward for this report.

‘The 24th LOD, dedicated to The Wonders of the Victorian Organ can perhaps be summarised as a tribute to six heroes.

The first was the venue, St. Anne’s Limehouse a monumental baroque pile designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and consecrated in 1730. It seems churlish to complain that the church was too warm! Inside was the second, the organ which Gray & Davidson built for the Great Exhibition of 1851, restored by William Drake in 2006. It is in the West End Gallery and has 3 manuals and pedals, with 34 speaking stops.

The third, was G.F.Handel. We saw and heard organs associated with him at Adlington Hall and Great Packington Church in a film The Elusive English Organ. We also heard the first movement of the Organ Concerto No.4 in F in the Victorian arrangement of W.T.Best. I thought the light, bright registrations selected made the instrument sound at its best.

The fourth hero was Felix Mendelssohn, whose playing of Bach in 1837 (the year Victoria came to the throne) was a revelation for English organists. He inspired our fifth hero, Henry Gauntlett, to design organs with C compass manuals (including a full compass Swell), a ‘German’ pedalboard, and possessing adequate mutations and mixtures.?

The sixth hero was John Stainer who, at St. Paul’s between 1872-88 raised English Cathedral music to the standard we now take for granted. Stainer was also a fine organist. As Professor of Music at Oxford, 1889-99, he thoroughly improved and reformed musical education in that university, his lectures being attended not only by music students but by undergraduates from other disciplines.

It was a pity that we did not hear any music by Stainer, or come to that, Sir F.A.G.Ousley or Henry Smart. But S.S.Wesley was well represented, a fine composer but an impossible man to work with. The first movement of the Elgar Sonata featured in the Masterclass, sounding rather like a transcription which is probably why I prefer to hear it in the orchestral version by Gordon Jacob. Nothing was said about Victorian registration. The 25th LOD on March 5th 2011 is at The Temple Church when the theme will be Franz Lizt.

  


 
It’s true. Well, err, not the Great Man himself of course for as you know, he’s resting in Germany but it’s his eleventh son, Johann Christian, (1735-1782) who is buried in London in the churchyard of St. Pancras Old Church, St. Pancras Road. After the death of his father when Johann was just fifteen, he began studying with his elder brother Emmanuel (C.P.E.Bach) and following appointments at Milan Cathedral and other Italian posts he settled in London where he became generally known as ‘the English Bach’ becoming one of the Country’s most popular musicians. He was appointed Music Master to Queen Charlotte (wife of George III) and went on record as the first composer to prefer the pianoforte to older keyboard instruments.

It’s nice to know that some of J.S.Bach’s family are closer to home than one may have thought.
 
 


 
A warm welcome to Mr. and Mrs. David Lumsden from Milton Keynes who joined in February and who are adult pupils of our President. Also, Tony Bolton from Wilbarston, Market Harborough. As a result of these latest new members we have qualified for a second Grant of £50 toward our costs from the IAO Recruitment Scheme.

Even though we have sadly lost Dr. Stanley Vann, David Morgan and George Care plus others who, through long-term illness have found it necessary to discontinue their membership, the current membership of 88 is a healthy increase to the norm of 78 since 2004. When we add to that, an increased awareness of the Organ and its music plus more opportunities to experience it, we should all be encouraged with the work of the NDOA.
 
 

 

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