Michael Murray

[Contratrombone64]

Hi,

I'm a huge fan of Michael Murray's organ playing, especially the one CD I've got of him in the cockpit of the monster at the Cathedral of St. John the Devine, in New York. One day I hope to hear this incredible instrument.

[Corno Dolce]

Hello CT64,

Aha, you have his recording where, in the first track, he uses the State Trumpet to grand effect in the music attributed to John Dunstable - the Agincourt Hymn, otherwise known as "Deo Gratias".

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[Contratrombone64]

yes - the very rank and the one, amusingly, that blew off its brackets when they first played it, sailed across the Nave and crashed onto the stone floor ... that bites !!

[Corno Dolce]

Hi CT64

WOW! I had never heard of the State Trumpet sailing across the Nave and then crash onto the stone floor - hohohoho Thats too funny . Well you know about the Ophicleide on 100" wind pressure in the Atlantic City Convention Hall? They have special latches on the boot so that the pipes don't become missiles.

Horizontal trumpets are visually spectacular and the Spanish organ buiders had a predilection for them plus they impart a very special character to the sound in the horizontal position but I find them too much of a *party horn* For me, they are a novelty which wears thin after repeated blasts or sustained chords. There are exceptions like: Those used by Cavaille-Coll - he voiced them in a special way that made them very tolerable.

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

Btw, Who am I to speak, I also play the Orchestral Contrabass Trombone. I can lay waste, obliterate, and throttle a whole String Orchestra into oblivion-talk about *blasting* - Which is probably why I don't play in an Orchestra

[Krummhorn]

Splendid organist ... I've heard Michael Murray play (live) the Mormon Tabernacle Organ in 2003 while on vacation in SLC, Utah. It was a beautiful match between artist and the instrument ... he caressed the organ so masterfully that it was a thrilling experience I'll never forget.

Horizontal reeds - we have an Episcopal church here with a Holtkamp Organ with horizontals in pure COPPER. They are voiced in such a manner as to compliment the organ and not part the hair on parishioners heads when played. I've played this instrument on several occasions an used the horizontal reed as the solo stop for Wachtet Auf against the flute chorus and a mutation stop. It was a nice match - The entire organ has since been revoiced, sans the horizontals. It used to have the nickname "Holtkamp Harmonica" for years as its original 33 rks were voiced way too mellow.

The organist pictured is not me ... it is Jeffrey Campbell, the current organist for that parish.

[Contratrombone64]

I've played viola professionally in an orchestra ... that was a long time ago. String players are often complaining of the noise from the trumpets and trombones and with very good reason ... it's a serious issue when it comes to hearing degredation. Unfortunately, most brass players lack maturity (in my experience) and find it amusinging that they can annoy the string sections. This becomes tiresome very quickly, let me tell you. 2nd violins have a much more sinister problem in an orchestral environment: the piccolo.

As to the use of horizontal trumpets and blending ... I dislike Spanish organs on the whole and find that the noisy trumpet en chamade stops are anathema. It would seem that Cavaille-Coll really made an effort to blend, which is why I guess I like his big instruments.

[methodistgirl]

That is a nice organ! It looks like it's about a size or two bigger than
the one I play. The one I play only has two manuals where this one
in the picture has three and a few more stops.
judy tooley

[Krummhorn]

. . . Btw, Who am I to speak, I also play the Orchestral Contrabass Trombone. I can lay waste, obliterate, and throttle a whole String Orchestra into oblivion-talk about *blasting* - Which is probably why I don't play in an Orchestra

Hi Corno Dolce,

Maybe so, but one as yourself would probably be better than you think in blending with an orchestra. Anyone can dynamite the orchestra, but from what I gather here, you are an experienced player who knows when to rattle the floor and when to play 'dolce'.

[Corno Dolce]

Hi Krummhorn,

Again you lay a laurel wreath on my head, of which I don't feel I deserve but thank you nonetheless Yes, I can make the audience's teeth chatter but I can also play *sotto dolce voce* - just not enough of it...

Humbly and respectfully yours,

Corno *Blasto* Dolce

[Contratrombone64]

Corno - I visited the cemetary where Kirkegaard is buried ... Copenhagen, Nielsen and Andersen are also there. It's rather enormous and very "classic" ... lots of beautifully manicured plants and the like. Did you know that no one living in Copenhagen can be buried there?? They have to be dead first ...

[Corno Dolce]

Hi CT64,

Oh, so you have been to Assistents? You know, Kierkegaard never really wanted people to parrot his works. He wanted people to read what he wrote and apply it in their daily lives, sort of as a corrective measure.

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[Contratrombone64]

Yes - Assistents is in the part of Copenhagen often associated with migrants. I stayed there when I visited that wonderful city. Nørebrogade was the name of the Street in which the cemetary is located I think (I'll be corrected by millions of Vikings from here if I'm wrong!!), regardless it was a wonderful part of the city.

I also visited Odense and paid homage to H.C. Andersen (as the Scandinavians refer to him) in 2005 during my trip. It was, actually, a big year for Andersen and his wonderful house/museum in Odense was fantastic. I loved the city, too, off the tourist track so not as frantic as Copenhagen, but vibrant and wonderful.

Next time I go back I'll have to travel further west and see Århus, which I understand has a wonderful organ in the Cathedral (I've only heard it on CD).

In general terms, I found the Danes to be a warm and funny race, not into taking life too seriously and good for a joke and a drink. The Swedes, on the other hand I found considerably more difficult to warm to ... mind you it was mid-winter and I was in Malmö.

[Krummhorn]

. . . In general terms, I found the Danes to be a warm and funny race, not into taking life too seriously and good for a joke and a drink. The Swedes, on the other hand I found considerably more difficult to warm to ... mind you it was mid-winter and I was in Malmö.

Nice compliment for the Danes, CT64 ... Thanks! I might add that in olden times the Danes and Swedes did not get along all to famously - they could never agree on surname spellings ... lol (sen vs son, etc). We both won that debate, although everyone here in the US keeps trying to convince everyone that I'm a Swede (son) and not Danish (sen).

[Corno Dolce]

Hi CT64,

Yes, it sadly is true that the Swede's are not as easy-going as are the Dane's. The Swede's are all uptight about how their country's image is in all four corners of the globe. So much so that they can't enjoy life. Their idea of a good time? Getting so drunk as to become psychopaths!

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[Contratrombone64]

Hey I'm really sorry if I painted an unwaranted and negative image of the Swedes ... that wasn't my intention. I also found them a wonderful race of people, how couldn't you: tall, blonde, blue eyed and extremely good looking.