40-4 Jan 2014

January / February 2014 Number 40 Derby & District Organists' Association Registered Charity No. 510567 Newsletter DDOA Events 2014 10th February (Monday) ‘Those were the Days’ Recordings of famous organists of the mid 20th Century St John’s Heritage Centre, Belper at 7.30pm . (see page 6) 12th March (Wednesday) ’Organ Tourism’ with guest speaker Anthony Burns Cox 7th April (Monday) ‘Lessons with Dad’ – J S Bach as teacher (Peter Williams and Stephen Johns) 24th May (Saturday) Visit to organs in Sheffield, including St John’s, Ranmoor 17th June (Tuesday) Annual Dinner at the Black Boy at Heage 12th July (Saturday) Educational event at the Cathedral, in Victorian Organ Cases: The Legacy of George Bodley association with RSCM - Laurence Rogers 15th July (Tuesday) Visit to local organs: Hoar Cross and The appearance of many British Bodley was a pupil of Sir George Doveridge public buildings and churches owe Gilbert Scott (1811-1878), one of a considerable debt to the Gothic the most prolific architects of the 8th September (Monday) revival of the 19th century. The Victorian era who designed two of Visit to local organs: English Martyrs and great names of the architects of London’s icons, St Pancras Station restored instrument at Egginton the revival need no introduction; and the Albert Memorial. (Locally George Gilbert Scott, John in Derbyshire, Scott designed the 8th October (Wednesday) Loughborough Pearson, Augustus workhouses in Belper and was ‘The Organ Pilgrimage’ – Peter Gould’s Pugin, and so on, not to mention responsible for restoring the final visit of his marathon project with many local provincial heroes who Romanesque features of St opportunity to play the recently restored fashioned rapidly expanding Michael, Melbourne.) As with organ at St Osmund’s, Derby Victorian cities. In the case of new several of his contemporaries, churches, architects sometimes Scott’s practice was based on November: AGM were commissioned to design an thorough scholarly research organ case as part of the achieved through extensive travel furnishings. During the Autumn I in Europe. Likewise, Bodley was Concerts & Recitals attended a fascinating seminar on much travelled and became th Victorian organ cases at the strongly influenced by Northern Saturday 15 February, 12 noon Church of St Michael and All European late-medieval designs. St. Andrew's Church, Swanwick. Angels, Croydon, a fine Pearson Christopher pointed out that this Lunchtime organ recital by Martyn Noble church with a Father Willis organ influence could be traced in many (Organ Scholar, Southwark Cathedral) housed in two splendid cases by of his organ cases. It particularly Tickets are £4 including lunch, available George Frederick Bodley (1827- fascinated me that there was an at the door or in advance by calling 1907). Much of the day focused apparent empathy between 01773 605291 or 01773 541458. on Bodley’s work which was Bodley’s cases and the Gothic introduced with an engaging organ case at the Jakobikirche in Send to a friend illustrated gazetteer by Lübeck, Northern Germany, where Christopher Moore, a former I had the pleasure of playing Do you pass on your Newsletter or organist at St Michael’s. during August. The notable forward the pdf version to a friend? features were the ‘crowns’ on the This would be a useful way of Photo: The Bodley cases of the Father Willis organ tops of the towers and the broadening interest in our activities (1882) at St Michael and All Angels, Croydon. ornamental pipe shades just below and introducing new members to Photo by courtesy of Oliver Horn. the crowns. I show here two our Association. North transept case, St Michael’s, Croydon Gothic organ (1457/1515) St Jakobi, Lübeck examples of local interest, at Hoar encompasses not only the is at Hoar Cross which the DDOA Cross, Staffordshire, and Clumber proportions and structure of the plans to visit in July. I hope this Park, Nottinghamshire, which building, but also its furnishings short introduction whets the serve to illustrate this and ornamentation. It is said that appetite of members for the visit - resemblance. Bodley could “close his eyes and one not to be missed! imagine every detail” when Laurence Rogers According to Bodley “Gothic is a designing a new building. Such complete style...which can give attention to ornamental detail was Thanks to Christopher Moore for unity to a building”. The style in evidence in even the most the photographs below. modest village organs. A favourite colour scheme used olive green, terra cotta red and gold as is illustrated here in a another local example to be found at Plumtree Parish Church, Nottinghamshire. One of the finest examples of Bodley’s complete Gothic creations Hoar Cross Clumber Park Plumtree teaching A-level music at Derby It has been a most enjoyable Members’ News High School, part time. The exercise and I am now looking forward to arranging the final nine Derby Diocesan Organ position at Derby Cathedral as rural deaneries and 148 organs in Pilgrimage Master of the Music continues, now in its 31st year. My ambition the South. I see this as a piece of Back in the summer of 2012 I was to play in every Anglican outreach work for the cathedral and had the idea of touring the diocese church with a serviceable organ diocese and have had so many and playing all of the organs that over a period of two years. In words of welcome and support from were operable. I don’t think that 2013 I would concentrate on the the parishes, my photo is probably this scheme has ever been seven rural deaneries in the on several church websites by now! attempted before, certainly not Northern Archdeaconary then I have the approval and support of within the Derby Diocese and I tackle the remaining churches in the Bishop and Dean of Derby and suspect not in any other diocese the South in 2014. I have just indeed the Bishop has given me a either. Knowing that this would be finished the churches in the north, grant towards my travelling quite a time-consuming plan I clocking up the 128th in Glossop expenses. Part of my self- imposed decided to give up teaching after on November 6th 2013. brief was to arrive at the first 38 years. I had recently been church of the day and leave for 2 DDOA - Your Association Annual General Meeting 2013 The minutes of the meeting are available as an attachment, but here are some highlights from the meeting. home from the last by public anything between 0 and 79 people! The Chairman, Denis Littleton transport. Those who know me The average head-count is about 6 thanked the officers and committee well know that the train is my – 10 but some places have for their support throughout the preferred mode of travel and produced school parties if the year. He reflected upon a varied every deanery has involved the church has been close and I have and successful programme of the rail network on several occasions. been happy to talk to the children year’s events, highlighting the The journey between churches about how the organ works as a entertaining contribution made to during the day has been by car, prelude to the short concert. I the Annual Dinner by our guest kindly driven by someone in the have had a nursery class, years 5 speaker Alan Thurlow, the trip to locality, often the rural dean, an & 6, a music A-level class and in Oxford, Peter Williams’s session at organist or a church warden. By one case, the whole school! I have Repton on Service Accompaniment, using a wayfarer ticket for each even had four dogs (separately) in and the work of the Children and day I have been able to travel my audience and one cat too! I the Organ Project (CATO) which around the county quite cheaply have played on one manual organs showcased its activities at the July and so far have only spent £249 without pedals (difficult to find concert at Belper with children and on buses and trains on this much repertoire here so tend to parents from Pottery School. pilgrimage. improvise!), organs in a sorry state The Secretary, Stephen Johns, of repair, a range of electronic Upon arrival at each church I aim reported that, sadly, the instruments including a Hammond to play a short programme of Derbyshire Organs CD Project has in a worship centre (so included ‘I three works, a short prelude and been abandoned due to many do like to be beside the seaside’ as fugue by Bach, followed by two frustrations in the recording an encore!) though I much prefer pieces from the English romantic process (unheated churches, the traditional pipe organs and repertoire, often Stanford, untuned organs, unheralded have found many gems in my Whitlock and Vaughan Williams to arrivals and interruptions from travels. In a few places I have show off the colours and sounds noisy power plant and industrious managed to fit in a longer recital that each organ can produce. The flower ladies). The need for into a lunch-time regular slot like great joy is that every organ is innumerable re-takes got quite out Swanwick and Chesterfield and unique just as the buildings are of hand. The player, Peter have also given an evening concert too, and for me it is the first time Williams, and recording team were at Glossop where attendance rose that I have visited some of these thanked for their persistent but above normal levels. I have also beautiful buildings and made them ultimately daunted efforts on the played before a service, at the end come alive.

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