Chichester Cathedral Organ, restored by Mander
This site is packed with information about the activities of the Association, as well as lots of colour photographs of many splendid instruments both from this county and others.
The WSOA is one of the most active of the county Organists' Associations making trips both within England and to the Continent.
Look at the photos in the site. We hope that you will join the Association. You can read excerpts from our quarterly newsletter online, but why not join and get the newsletter delivered to your home, days before the web publication.
We have recently completed the Millennium Survey of Pipe Organs in West Sussex, a volume which has been greatly admired, and has sold very well. We have made a modest profit on the book and it is already into its third printing! Please go the Millennium Book Page on this site to view the introductory pages of the book. If you want to purchase a copy, please write to The Organist, Chichester Cathedral, Chichester, West Sussex.
We are affiliated to the Incorporated Association of Organists (IAO) which publishes the excellent "Organists' Review". Keep in touch with the world of the pipe organ by joining us and also taking the OR.
It has just been learnt that Sarah Baldock, Assistant Organist at Winchester Cathedral, will be succeeding Dr Alan Thurlow as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral in 2008.
As such, according to tradition, Sarah will be the next President of the West Sussex Organists' Association, and we wish her the very best in these two new posts.
Editor, 5.12.07
On the 24th October Petr Eben died at his home in Prague. A notable composer for the organ, and Members will remember that the Cathedral commissioned A Festive Voluntary from Eben for the re-opening of the Cathedral pipe-organ in 1986, and John Birch gave the first performance.
Mark Burgess has recorded a trumpet tune by William Boyce on the new Kenneth Tickell organ at Westbourne church. If you have Windows Media Player, click here to hear it [WMA file, 2Mb. Total time: 2:32].
To find out more details, please e-mail the secretary Malcolm Hawke, at ikb13@tiscali.co.uk
Membership of the Association is open to anyone having an interest in the pipe organ and organ music. We try to cater for all tastes, and have recently visited theatre organs as well as classical pipe organs, although it is fair to say that the emphasis is on the more traditional instruments.
To advance the education of, and appreciation in, the art and science of the organ and its music by the presentation of recitals, lectures, demonstrations and visits, and by such other means as the Society shall from time to time determine.
Please print out the membership application form which is in Word format - 21Kb -and send it to the secretary with your remittance. We are encouraging members to use standing orders as well as gift aid, so if you wish to help the association in this way please indicate on the application form.
Please return your completed application form to The Hon. Sec., Mr W M Hawke, 'Pengegon', 13 St Flora's Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 6BD enclosing a cheque for £10.00 single or £15.00 joint for the current year's membership. Please make this payable to The West Sussex Organists' Association.
There is a reduced subscription for students.
Anyone who has attended the WSOA summer outings in recent years could be forgiven for booking their holidays around the visit dates, as we are always blessed with stunning weather!
This year's pipes & steam outing was no exception. The sun blazed down and the sky was blue. An excellent sized party assembled on time at St John the Baptist Church New Alresford to meet the organist, Sean Smith, for an 0945 start. Sean told us how the church had be raised to the ground, save the tower, in the late 19th century and how the organ had developed since that period. The organ was substantially rebuilt in 1998/9 by F H Browne. Earlier unsatisfactory extension work was removed, the Great posaune was extended to provide a 16' pedal reed and a new detached console complete with modern playing aids provided. Sean then demonstrated the instrument before allowing members to have a play for themselves. A short walk up the road brought us to the finely restored railway station of Alresford.
Here we basked in the sun, drank coffee and awaited the arrival of the 11.44 train to Alton. As the train pulls into the station, our President spots a St Paul‘s lay vicar on duty as guard of the train. It's a small world. The train leaves on time and we make our leisurely way to Alton. A short walk brought us to the parish church of St Lawrence where the organist Tony Wilman was already in situ. Tony gave a thorough account of the history of this remarkably substantial 3 manual organ. Tony then gave a whirlwind tour of some of the many voices available before letting members loose to investigate the resources of the instrument for themselves. The cool of the church was a welcome contrast to the heat of the Saturday being experienced outside. Our return journey to Alresford ran a few minutes late due to a signalling problem at one of the intermediate stations. Upon arrival at Alresford the ice cream stall was the first port of call for many before making the homeward jaunt. For some the day combined the two most important types of pipe known to mankind:- organ and steam!! Others marvelled at their newfound vocabulary and where no doubt baffling others in the following week with such terms as DMU, blast pipe and block working system!! A good time was had by all and we must look for another destination where organs can be linked with a steam railway trip.
Although not strictly a WSOA event, Arundel Cathedral is located deep in the heart of our region, and Nick Plumley, a long standing member of the Association, was on the organ advisory panel which directed the recent restoration of this magnificent instrument. Picture: Daniel Roth with Elizabeth Stratford and the author.
The series of 8 recitals commenced with an inaugural recital by James O'Donnell and continued with several other excellent performers including Mark Wardell, a WSOA member.
The highlight of the series was the recital given by Daniel Roth of St Sulpice, Paris, on the 1st September as part of the Arundel Festival. The programme was unusual, consisting of works relatively unknown on the recital circuit, but each was delivered with masterly musicianship, a quite astounding technique and with full use of the multiplicity of colours available on the instrument.
This all French programme included theree works by Alexander Boëly, Daniel Roth's transcription of César Franck's Interlude Symphonique de Redemption, arguably the most beautiful piece heard that night, together with an arrangement of a Saint-Saëns Scherzo for piano and harmonium, Vierne's Clair de Lune, a Toccata by Tournemire, and Messiaen's Joie et clarté des Corps Glorieux, played with great panache, and invoking that subtle yet joyful atmosphere that I always associate with the composer's own recording .
The recital was concluded with Daniel Roth's own Final Te Deum, surely a masterpiece of late 20C French organ composition, followed by an improvisation on a Gregorian chant. It is difficult to describe the sense of awe and wonderment experienced when hearing a maestro improvising in the classic French style. I am sure that I was not the only person present who didn't want him to stop, even at full organ, the momentum and variation in the improvisation seemed boundless, and when the piece finally ended, the congregation seemed overwhelmed by the experience. This was the art of improvisation at its highest.
Truly a never to be forgotten occasion, which filled the cathedral almost to capacity, and just goes to show what a crowd pulling attraction an international artist can be.
My thanks to Elizabeth Stratford, Director of Music at Arundel Cathedral, and her team for organising such a splendid series. Long may they prosper.
Gavin Argent
The long awaited restoration of the Hill organ has been undertaken by David Wells Organ Builders Ltd of Liverpool. The work focussed on overcoming the unreliable playing action, curing the unsteadiness and inadequacy of the winding system and rectifying some of the tonal excesses incorporated over recent years. A new electro-pneumatic action has been installed throughout the instrument whilst two new wind reservoirs give a better supply of wind. Tonally the organ has been restored to a scheme very close to the one that existed between 1873 & 1931. Stops have either been restored or replaced to meet this objective.
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A magnificent new oak console has been provided which loosely reflects the Hill fashion of the late nineteenth century. The original stop knobs have been skilfully incorporated.
When looking up at the case, the viewer will not fail to notice the re-instated horizontal trumpet with eleven pipes projecting high over the centre of the case. This stop is a fascinating and remarkable historical element and provides a most useful additional tone colour to the organ. This is no 'fanfare' trumpet as one would find, say at Lancing College, but a louder and somewhat freer option to the other chorus reeds. When added to the other full choruses, the 'solo trumpet' blends in suitably well to give that little extra theatrical 'bite'.
The organ case has been repolished with the front pipes superbly restored by Jenny Duffy of Northants. The whole effect is of a glittering musical jewel placed under the dramatic west end rose window.
Following my recent 5 week stay in Germany I feel obliged to share a few thoughts with you all. I managed to drag my long suffering wife along to a few recitals that happened to be on in the area and we were both in for a surprise. Seeing a series of recitals on Tuesdays in Köln Cathedral we decided to arrive 15 minutes before the start time in order to secure a reasonable seat. To our amazement 15minutes before the start time 2000 hrs meant there was NO seat. Like many others arriving at this time we had to stand, lean on a pillar or sit on the floor. The cathedral was packed, some folk had even brought their own folding chairs. Needless to say the recital was exciting with both the 4 manual chancel organ and 3 manual nave division being used to great effect. (No trifling affair the nave organ but a substantial 3 manual organ gracefully hanging just below the roof some 80 feet above the nave floor. Seeing is believing in this case). On another occasion we turned up for a concert of organ, violin and two sopranos in a substantial church in a suburb of Solingen only to find we had to stand along with about 20 others!
We decided to arrive very early for all future recitals and this paid off. We always got a good seat. The concerts were mostly full to capacity. Concerts were almost always FREE with a collection taken at the end. We only had to buy an entrance ticket once, and that was for an organ and trumpet recital which was part of the Stuttgart festival. (A lunchtime event in a huge church˜absolutely packed out.) We turned up 30 minutes before the event and got a pair of the last tickets available. So why are the concerts so well attended? Or did we just attend those that happened to have a full house? All the playing was of a high standard and there were interesting programmes too although I must confess that the two Guillou pieces I heard left me baffled. They seem impenetrable to me. Most of the audience were in the same boat as no one could discern when the music had finished and therefore applause came after a substantial pregnant pause. Perhaps someone can direct my listening to this modern composer. The music seems to be a series of fast fragments (scraps) with no discernable theme or melody available.
The famous Klais organ at the Altenberg Dom was just 15 miles away from our first base in Germany. There are 3 concerts a week plus special events. This truly remarkable organ of 1980 is about to be dismantled and cleaned. The sound on a CD is very compelling but in the flesh it is quite something else. Altenberg is in the middle of nowhere but has a very lively musical and artistic life. Who know... it could be a base for a future overseas visit by WSOA!!
| Wednesday 7th March 2007 | An evening visit starting at Tangmere Church 1900 hrs to view the resorted interior. The church was dramatically struck by a thunderbolt in 2004, windows were blown out and yet the altar flowers untouched. We will also hear the 1 manual organ on its moveable platform. 20.00 Lavant Parish Church to hear the restored 2 manual Hill with its Somerfield case. Coffee will be available. | |
| Monday 14th May 2007 at 19.30 | The President‘s Evening at Chichester Cathedral with a short recital on the Cathedral organ. Always a high standard, and not to be missed! | |
| Saturday 16th June 2007 | A morning visit to Crawley to hear and play the Father Willis at St Mary‘s Southgate, with lunch in the nearby Tilgate Park, Pub food available and then onto Christ's Hospital in the afternoon where we hope to join the CHADOA for a masterclass on improvisation with Martin Baker (Westminster Cathedral) on the 5 manual chapel organ. It is hoped there will be an opportunity for members to play the organ later in the day. | |
| Saturday 29th September 2007 at 7 pm | At Westbourne Parish Church. Margaret Phillips will give a lecture recital entitled 'Rediscovering Mendelssohn' on the new Kenneth Tickell instrument. Admission is free to members of the WSOA and there will be a small admission charge to non-members. This promises to be a fascinating evening of scholarship, musicianship and splendid company. | |
| Thursday 18th October 2007 at 7.30. | AGM at St Margaret‘s Church, Angmering to hear in the organ in the newly reordered building. | |
| 22nd - 26th October 2007 | Visit to Majorca. All places are now booked, but it might be worth writing to the Secretary just in case he knows something I don‘t! |
(Come when you can - go when you must. Sandwiches may be eaten.)
For current events, please visit www.chichestercathedral.org.uk and click "Skip Intro" and then "What's On".
| TUESDAYS 1.10 - 2.00 p.m. |
In 2006 the West Sussex Organists Association celebrates its 60th anniversary. The membership of the WSOA includes many organ enthusiasts as well as players, and many friendships are made as we all meet together socially during the course of the year to visit organs within the County and beyond, to play the instruments or to hear them played, and to learn more about the organ as an instrument and the repertoire of organ music. If you play the organ or enjoy listening to organ music, why not join us? We would be very pleased to hear from you.
Dr Alan Thurlow FRCO
Congratulations to our President, Dr Alan Thurlow, who has recently received a Doctorate from Lambeth Palace.
John Collins contributes a new article on organ music composers' anniversaries in 2008. His article on anniversaries for 2007 and his short article with accompanying table about modern editions of 18th Century English Voluntaries follow on the same page, together with a new article on more 18th century English organ music.
Perusing the shelves of a large bookseller recently, I came across a book entitled "Ancient Churches of Sussex" by Ken and Joyce Whiteman. It is a complete gazetteer of all parish churches in East and West Sussex built before 1800. The authors claim to have visited every one, and although the information on each is not extensive, it is a useful companion. I keep my copy in the car, and it has given me much pleasure. Published by S.B.Publications at £6.99, it could be a useful companion to the WSOA Millennium Survey of the Pipe Organs of West Sussex, of which there are still copies available for sale from the President.
Gavin Argent