The UK's leading Digital Church Organ specialist
John Riley’s “Two Pieces for Manuals” are from An Oxfordshire Organ Book, published by the Oxford and District Organists Association. The two pieces in question are entitled “Lullaby in Dorian Mode” and “Mediaeval Rondeau”. < John Riley, one-time resident of Oxford, is now a freelance musician based in Edinburgh. In his notes he mentions that…
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The first performance of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto took place in 1938 and has been one of my favourite pieces since I first heard a recording in the 1960’s. The B side had Poulenc’s Concert Champetre for Harpsicord, which is also a very appealing composition. I recommend you watch the video below, where International Recitalist Joseph Nolan…
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In a previous article, Robin Harrison did an Introduction to Organ Improvisation where he explained how a few organ improvisation techniques can help when you suddenly need to fill a gap in a middle of a service. In this article Robin discusses Organ Improvisation using One Chord. No Music Shop or Books for Beginners, What…
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The hymn tune Cranham is best known to us for the Christmas carol “In the bleak midwinter”. Relf Clark’s chorale prelude on the tune is from An Oxfordshire Organ Book, published in 2019 by the Oxford and District Organists’ Association. (You can find out more about this collection of pieces in the general introduction to…
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Keen readers of Viscount’s tales will know that the company jumped to attention on a Bank Holiday when the call came for an emergency hire organ at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich. A few months later, in September 2021, I was asked to voice a Regent 356 at the chapel. This new…
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Earlier I wrote about my first visit to Viscount HQ in almost 18 months. I left Mondaino and Viscount behind early in the morning after a brief farewell with the staff. After a few miles I left Emilia Romana behind and was back in Tuscany on the winding hill route toward the town of Sansepolcro….
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It is fair to say that there was a little anxiety, the evening before the event, that our ‘Battle Concert’ audience might be small as early ticket sales were rather slow. In the end the fears were misplaced and an audience approaching 150 slowly filled the Abbey on Friday evening. One attendee had even driven…
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You suddenly find you have to fill a gap with some organ improvisation in a middle of a service. In all of the organ lessons you have had so far, you have been looking at a book, marking fingerings, pedalling, registration and notes with a pencil and suddenly there’s nothing in front of you. PANIC!…
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The organ “battle” is a classic format for an exciting concert, often involving a substantial digital instrument pitted against the venue’s venerable pipe organ. If you can get yourself to Selby in Yorkshire on Friday 3rd September at 7.30 pm, there’ll be a chance to hear internationally renowned organists Martin Baker and John Scott Whiteley…
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Ian Higginson’s Sortie in B flat from his recent collection Organ Sound Colours, Vol. 1, could be a useful ‘going out’ voluntary for a church service. (You can find out more about this collection of pieces in the general introduction to this year’s tutorials.) < Sortie in B flat by Ian Higginson The piece is…
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The plans are coming together for a repeat organ battle performance with a twist in Selby Abbey on September 3 2021 . Internationally renowned organists Martin Baker and John Scott Whiteley will be taking turns on the Abbeys magnificent Hill organ, recently restored by Principal Pipe Organs, and the digital Regent Classic Skinner style instrument…
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It was on almost the eve of the first lockdown in March 2020 that Richard Goodall and I visited Lambeth Palace Chapel to explore the options for a digital organ there. Here 15 months later is the story of the installation in this most important historic London building, which is also the residence of the…
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