News

2023

The year began with the AGM on February 4th which was followed by a talk by Frances Howard entitled ‘Music of the English Parish Church’. After tea members attended Choral Evensong in the Cathedral.

The next event was a visit to Wimborne Minster, on April 29th, to see, hear and play the recently rebuilt three manual instrument. After a very interesting audio visual presentation Mr Colin Davey played a few pieces to demonstrate the organ and then members were able to have a go.

At the Summer Social, by kind invitation of David and Nicola Halls, on a glorious longest day evening members enjoyed the now traditional cold buffet and a fiendish quiz set by Malcolm Sturgess.

On October 28th a Masterclass was held at Fordingbridge Parish Church. We were fortunate to have Sam Bristow, a former Salisbury Cathedral organ scholar, having just been appointed assistant organist at Chelmsford Cathedral and covering following the Director of Music’s departure. It was good to welcome members of other local Associations to the event. A number of members took part each playing a piece of their choice.

We welcomed members of other Associations again on November 23rd this time to Salisbury Cathedral for a lecture/recital by Malcolm Riley on the works of Percy Whitlock and Ernest Farrar.

The year concluded with the annual President’s Dinner on December 11th. This was held again this year at Sarum College in The Close and was enjoyed by all present After the Dinner the speaker was the Venerable Stephen Dunwoody, Archdeacon for the Army and a member of the Royal Army Chaplains Department since 2005. He spoke about the power of music especially in stressful situations. Music is very much a universal language.

Lecture Recital by Andrew Millington

The lecture recital in November by Andrew Millington on the organ music of Edward Elgar was well supported with a few guests from neighbouring associations. He made particularly reference to the second sonata.

Our speaker at the President's Dinner was the Rev Robert Prance who spoke about his experiences as both an organist and a parish priest.

Following the AGM on February 5th 2023 Frances Howard gave a talk on music of the Parish Church.

Dr Richard Seal

We were saddened to learn of the death of Richard Seal on July 19th a former President of the Association until he resigned his post as DOM at the Cathedral. He then became a Vice President of the Association and maintained a keen interest in what was going on. Sadly increasing deafness marred his enjoyment of organ music and latterly he avoided social occasions so we did not actually see very much of him.

Following his retirement from the Cathedral he continued to play the organ in various parishes in the Chalke Valley. The Priest conducting his funeral service remarked that he took as much care with parish services as he had done in the Cathedral. The two anthems sung at the service both had Salisbury connections but it was particularly poignant to hear “View me Lord” by Richard Lloyd a former assistant organist at the Cathedral who died earlier this year and who as an Honorary Member and had maintained an interest in our affairs.

There is to be a Thanks giving Service for Richard Seal in the Cathedral later in the year.

Master Class at St Mary’s Fordingbridge - May 28th 2022

This was conducted by Claudia Grinnell an assistant organist as Winchester Cathedral and attended by about twenty people several of whom had volunteered to play something. We had an enjoyable selection of pieces and Claudia was skilled in bringing out points of interest and suggestions for improving the performance. Our thanks to Fordingbridge Church for providing us with an excellent venue for the purpose and facilities for refreshments.

The Summer Social - Monday June 20th 2022

This was held at 5, The Close by kind invitation of David and Nicola Halls and was well attended. Thanks to Mary White for coordinating the refreshments which as always were delicious. We were able to eat our meal in the garden and Malcolm Sturgess had prepared an excellent quiz which kept us quiet as we attempted to engage our brains.

Organ Recital - Monday 14th March 2022

On Monday March 14th we we delighted to have a big audience for the Organ Recital given by David Halls, Director of Music and John Challenger, Assistant Organist to demonstrate the recently refurbished Willis Organ in the Cathedral. This recital had been postponed from 2020. It was a pleasure to welcome members form the Bristol, Bournemouth, Bath and Mid Wilts, Dorset and Winchester Associations. We hope to extend an invitation to them again at a future event.

Annual President's Dinner - November 29th 2021

On Monday November 29th we were pleased to be able to go ahead with our annual President's Dinner which was held in the Refectory of Sarum College. Following a delicious meal which was well received the Rev Mark Wood Rector of Wilton Parish Church gave a talk on both his experiences as both an organist and a priest.Thirty five people attended which was a good number considering some people were still shielding on account of the pandemic.

Talk by Daniel Wilkinson - September 11th 2021

On Saturday September 11th 2021 as Covid restrictions began to be eased twenty five members met in All Saints' Church Winterslow to hear a talk give n by Daniel Wilkinson on the life and work of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Daniel is Secretary of the Stanford Association.

Masterclass led by Tim Ravalde the Organist of Chichester Cathedral - October 19th 2019

Seventeen members of the Association gathered for a Masterclass led by Tim Ravalde the Organist of Chichester Cathedral. As suitable local churches were unavailable on the required date we were fortunate to have the use of a two manual Willis house organ.
This proved to be ideal as it is the size of instrument most members play in their parish churches.

Eight members volunteered to play and we heard music by composers ranging from Stanley to Peter Hurford.
Tim Ravalde made thought provoking and helpful comments. Delicious refreshments provided by our hostess contributed to a successful afternoon.

Westbourne and Hayling Visit - May 11th 2019

On Saturday, May 11th members of SDOA visited 2 churches in West Sussex and Hampshire which had acquired new organs in the last 20 years: one a completely new organ and the other a transplant from the Midlands.

We were met at St John the Baptist, Westbourne by the organist, Stewart Taylor who demonstrated the 2 manual organ built by Kenneth Tickell in 2002. Westbourne is a medieval church situated in a lovely village just on the West Sussex/Hampshire border in the Diocese of Chichester. The organ is situated in the south choir aisle with the console (detached) at the east end of the nave. Mechanical action has been used throughout, although the stop and combination action is electric. The swell box has two sets of shutters, operated by separate pedals to allow the sound to be directed into the choir or the nave. The organist at the time of the building of the organ, insisted that there should be an 8’ Open Diapason on the Swell. The Great organ stands above the Swell division which speaks through a grill and this created a problem with the height of the swell box. It was found possible, however, to provide an Open Diapason stop with a stopped bass, with the provision of additional “helper” pipes to give additional definition in the bottom octave. There are 23 speaking stops. (Most of the pipes of the previous organ, a Victorian Walker, were reused in various instruments.) Members were able to try the organ for themselves.

After lunch at the Ship Inn, Langstone, members crossed the bridge onto Hayling Island where we reassembled at St Peter’s Church, North Hayling. This ancient church now contains a Father Willis organ which was originally built for St John’s, Barlaston in Staffordshire and paid for by the Wedgwood family (of pottery fame) in 1890. It was removed from Barlaston when the church suffered subsidence damage and rebuilt in St Peter’s by the Willis firm (then at based in Petersfield) in 1999. It was reopened by Dr Martin Neary. It has 15 speaking stops and is a fine example of Father Willis’ work. We were met by one of the organists, Michael Slaney, who demonstrated the instrument before members tried it for themselves. The previous organ, a one manual Bevington, was re-housed in St Mary’s, Wanstrow, Somerset.

Hugh Morris March 2019

In March SDOA members enjoyed a talk by Hugh Morris who is now head of the RSCM. He outlined his career from Assistant Organist at Christchurch Priory to Director of Music at Hexham Abbey where the organ was built by Phelps, the husband of Dame Gillian Weir.

He moved to Derby Cathedral where he is (?) and where he still lives for part of the week. The rest of the week is now spent at Sarum College.

He spoke of his vision for the future of the RSCM. The work of the RSCM has much to do with choral music and his thoughts on that aspect can be read in the CMQ December 2018.

He was keen to explore ways in which the RSCM can also encourage and support organists. Questions and discussion followed and it was felt that organists can only do so much. More depends on the initiative of the clergy and the policies of the Church with regard to music. Hugh pointed out that in Clergy training courses very little attention is given to music.

Colin Walsh February 2019

In February members of SDOA enjoyed an evening with Colin Walsh who discussed the DVD of Lincoln Cathedral which he had made. As a former Assistant Organist of Salisbury it was good for the long standing members of the Association to to meet up with him again.

A specialist in modern French music who has in the past studied in Paris with (?) we heard excerpts from pieces by Messiaen, Tournemire and transcriptions of Pierre Cochereau.

Colin also discussed the differences between the Father Henry Willis Organ in Salisbury (1876) and that in Lincoln Cathedral (1898).

Web editor: Kirstie Pugh

Last updated: February 2024

Salisbury and District Organists' Association