« Sunday thoughts | Main | Dangers of the job »
June 14, 2004
A musical feast
Saturday evening saw (and heard!) a Gala Organ Concert in Tewkesbury Abbey. I have previously written about two of the Abbey's three organs, the "Mighty" Milton, the "Gorgeous" Grove, but there is a third - a delightful little Chamber Organ which could be dubbed the "Eloquent" Elliot. Our three extremely talented organists, Carleton Etherington, Benjamin Nicholas and Roy Massey, former Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral, played a wonderful game of tag to demonstrate the versatilty and eloquence of all three.
The little "Elliot" Chamber Organ - built in 1813 for a Country House - under restoration in April this year.
The programme contained a glorious mix of periods, styles, and sounds as all three organs strutted their stuff and filled the Abbey with thunderous sounds, quiet sounds, and rich and sonorous tones. What a mix! It left the audience of over 200 breathless and by turns awestruck, stunned, and overwhelmed as the three performers played their way through a challenging repertoire.
The Milton's amazing range of sounds and its ability to be "mighty" and "reticent" by turns or by demand - at one stage it was paired with the Elliot and amazed us all by the range of delicate flute sounds it produced to accompany its little sister, which left us all amazed. For a truly "Mighty" sound, try Ben Nicholas and Carleton Etherington in duet on its four manuals and pedal playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa! From the sound of a "hurdy-gurdy" through the full range and finally into the full set of reed pipes - Clarina, trombone, and tuba to name just some.
The Elliot, newly refurbished and rebuilt, gave its all as it, too, filled these old stone walls with its pure tones and delicate voice. Yet even though it was built for a country house, it manages to make a rich and lovely sound as it performed under the hands of Ben Nicholas and then a duet with Roy Massey and Carleton Etherington performing together on its single key board and push-up pedals.
And then the Grove. Well, what can one say about the Bach D Minor Toccata and Fugue on such an instrument. Believe me, when the FFFF 32 foot Diapason sounds, you don't so much hear it as feel it. What a sound! Roy Massey enjoyed himself thoroughly as he attacked the 120 year old action (and the Grove has a mixture of "Tracker", "Pneumatic", and "Electro-pneumatic" action). You can't "tickle" it - you have to (in Fire Service paralance) "give it some Wellie".
The full programme included:
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor; J S Bach - The Grove, Roy Massey
Concerto III in G; Fr Antonio Soler - The Elliot, Ben Nicholas and The Milton, Carleton Etherington
Introduction and passacaglia in D Minor; Max Reger and
Spring Song; Alfred Hollins - both on The Milton, Roy Massey
Festival Toccata; Percy Fletcher - The Grove, Carleton Etherington
Sinfonia (Cantata No 29) J S Bach - The Milton, Ben Nicholas
Duet for Organ; Samuel Wesley - The Elliot, Carleton Etherington and Roy Massey
Andante Sostenuto (Symphonie Gothique); C M Widor - The Grove, Benjamin Nicholas
Variations on "America"; Charles Ives - The Milton, Carleton Etherington
Stars and stripes forever; John Philip Sousa - The Milton, Benjamin Nicholas and Carleton Etherington
Offertoire in C; L J A Lefebure-Wely - The Milton, Roy Massey
Why has it taken me until now to write this up? Well, it took me until last night to stop replaying the sounds in my head!
If you are in the UK and want to hear something really good, Benjamin Nicholas will have the Grove and the Milton in concert on the 3rd July, Carleton Etherington will be playing the Elliot and the Milton in recital on the 28th July and on the 25th September he will be giving all three another workout.
There is a series of Lunchtime Concerts, as well, from July to October on Tuesdays from 1300 to 1340. Check out the Abbey Website for more information.
Now I had better get my feet back on the ground - I have to get back to the mundane - but, oh boy, does it ever do one good to hear such magnificent music live!
Posted by The Gray Monk at June 14, 2004 08:11 PM
Comments
MB is beyond mere jealousy !!
Posted by: MommaBear at June 15, 2004 08:03 PM
Ben Nicholas has sent me Carleton Etheringtons splendid CD "Variation," and a friend would like to order his own copy. Could you please send me either CE's e-mail address (I would also like to congratulate him on such a fine recording), or information about where we might buy another copy?
Thank you,
Brian Jones
Posted by: Brian Jones at August 22, 2004 09:45 PM
Ben Nicholas has sent me Carleton Etheringtons splendid CD "Variation," and a friend would like to order his own copy. Could you please send me either CE's e-mail address (I would also like to congratulate him on such a fine recording), or information about where we might buy another copy?
Thank you,
Brian Jones
Posted by: Brian Jones at August 22, 2004 09:46 PM