Author: Paul

One of the privileges of giving recitals in our great buildings is being locked in on one’s own to rehearse. All churches and cathedrals take on a different character when the visitors have left and they settle down for the night. None can be be more special than Westminster Abbey, where in preparation for my recital on Sunday Anne and I spent the whole of Saturday evening in the empty building. In my breaks from rehearsing on the 5-manual Harrison we ambled around as dusk descended, visiting memorials to poets, musicians, statesmen and scientists. Truly inspiring. If only some of their skills, wisdom and intelligence had rubbed off as we passed by!

I had the great pleasure of giving recitals on two contrasting Harrison & Harrison organs over the past week. First came a welcome return visit (my fourth) to their 1912 flagship instrument at St Mary, Redcliffe, which thundered and beguiled in equal measure. Then came a concert on their newest tracker-action organ (for which, as it happens, I was the consultant) at St Andrew’s, Bedford, which impresses in quite a different way, as its tonal scheme and subtle yet characterful voicing result in a true multum in parvo instrument. Two most enjoyable concerts yet totally different in musical effect. That, of course, is one of the travelling organist’s greatest delights (and challenges): every organ is unique. My third H&H of the summer will be Westminster Abbey on August 19th: quite different from the other two, once again. I can’t wait!

A reunion of members of CHASSOC (the New College Oxford association for former choristers, lay clerks, choral scholars, organ scholars and organists) took place in sunny Oxford on 23rd June. It was a cheery gathering, the age range of attendees stretching from H K Andrews’ choristers of the 1950s right through to the final Edward Higginbottom years. A stirring Evensong was sung, old members joining in lustily, and then one of New College’s famed dinners ended the day in fine style, with tuneful entertainment by the Choral Scholars. How can it be nearly 47 years since I started there as an organ scholar? And what a privilege that was.

After a gap of 49 years it was a treat once more to play the exciting Lewis organ in St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, for a recital on June 14th. I had last played the instrument in 1969 and was completely enthralled—as most are—by my first exposure to the Lewis sound world. I first experienced the Armley Schulze, with its similarly powerful Great Mixture, in much the same year and thus began my delight in really effective and well-developed Mixture-work. Congratulations to Adrian Adams who has been organist there for fifty years and is shortly to retire. Some innings!

Just back from a busy weekend. Played a recital (Couperin—with Nivers chant—and Franck) on the wonderful Dobson at Merton College Oxford on Saturday, then zoomed over to Cambridge on Sunday morning to give an all-Couperin recital on the glorious Metzler at Trinity College before Evensong. I had prepared for Trinity the previous week as the organ is a real challenge to register and all needed to be prepared and marked up in advance. I couldn’t have been made more welcome by directors of music Benjamin Nicholas and Stephen Layton, to whom I owe many thanks for the invitations and their abundant hospitality. Here are photos of both venues.

It’s not every day that one discovers an organ hidden behind a wall for a generation, but that’s what happened to me on 9th May. The former Great Yarmouth Grammar School (now Great Yarmouth Charter Academy) has a fine 1960/1991 Williamson & Hyatt organ bricked up in its hall since the mid 1990s but now revealed and ripe for cleaning. It will come up a treat.

On 1st May Anne and I enjoyed the life-enhancing experience of Simon Rattle conducting (using no score) the LSO in Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, at Symphony Hall in Birmingham—the hall Sir Simon himself brought into being during his glorious years with the CBSO. Notwithstanding the five-star review The Times had given its Barbican performance the previous week, nothing could have prepared us adequately for the impact of this masterwork, played by the greatest of the UK’s orchestras in the finest UK hall, under the most sensitive imaginable direction of the UK’s leading conductor. It doesn’t come any better than that. The photo was taken just before Sir Simon entered.

The renowned organ-builder William Hill was born in Spilsby, East Lincs, in 1789 and built an organ for the spacious parish church in 1840. His firm enlarged it in 1866 and 1879; Cousans fitted an excellent pneumatic key action in 1926 and cleaned it in 1950, adding a long-desired Pedal Bourdon. Recently immaculately overhauled by Chris Hind, I had the great pleasure of giving a demonstration recital this evening. A wonderfully fresh, clean-toned organ with limpid flutes and fast-speaking reeds. A real delight on all fronts. And the church even boasts a memorial stained-glass window dedicated to William Hill; have any other organ-builders such a memorial?

Just back from sunny Barcelona—our first visit there. What a beautiful city—attractive, clean, and seemingly populated with helpful, smiling people. Gaudi’s buildings are truly fascinating, especially the jaw-dropping Sagrada Familia, which now contains an organ (in two cases, one either side of the High Altar). To our delight, the instrument struck up all on its own every hour, setting a serene atmosphere for the visiting 1000s by playing gentle Bach. Perfect!

Just back from a satisfyingly busy weekend—Saturday was spent at Trinity Church in Leek, teaching twelve members of the highly commendable (and really motivated) Leek Churches Organ School. Smashing old 3-manual tracker Jardine, too. Then on to spend the night at an old friend’s in Wilmslow before spending Sunday at St Philip & St James in Alderley Edge, attending their excellent Sung Eucharist (congregational singing superbly led by their choir and organist) and then climbing around the slightly ailing organ to assess what needs doing to it. The perfect Sunday!