St Cecilia is the patron saint of music, and what better way to celebrate it than with Herbert Howells’ beautiful anthem, “A Hymn for St Cecilia”? Cecilia’s traditional feast day is 22nd November. We recorded this piece in the time we had remaining at the end of the session in January, during which we had already recorded all the tutorials for this year’s series, so everyone was rather tired. Unlike the rest of the series, therefore, this is simply a performance with no preceding rehearsal, but it’s so wonderful that we’d like to share it. The musicians of the Old Royal Naval College, led by R ..read more

Written around 1888, Faure’s Requiem is among the most well loved and widely sung of the requiem masses. It’s relatively straightforward to sing compared with, say, Duruflé’s alternative. In this episode of our Choir and Organ Tutorials from the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich we’re presenting a rehearsal and performance of the last movement, In Paradisum, led by Ralph Allwood. It’s particularly appropriate for this time of year, when we remember the dead on Remembrance Sunday and at the feast of All Souls. Serene piece of music that has an ethereal quality In his introduction to the pie ..read more

We always love it when we get asked to provide an instrument for younger students who are just starting out on their musical journey. It’s great to see children taking up the organ and we love to do what we can to help and encourage. It was in July when we received an email from Michal who had been recommended to contact us. Michal was looking for a home instrument for his 11 year old son who had been learning organ for a year and a half. After a visit to our showroom in Bicester and much deliberation between models, Michal and his family decided upon a new instrument rather than used, and the ..read more

Ian Higginson, a composer, conductor, organist and teacher living and working in Gloucestershire UK, has released a new book of organ music. Christmas Organ Sound Colours Vol 1 is an organ publication from Parish Publications and now available to purchase as a physical copy or digital download. Ian Higginson has previously published other books in the sound colour series, which we wrote about on our blog a couple of years ago. So far, Organ Sound Colours Vol. 1 and Piano Sound Colours Vol 1, have been published. Both available from Banks Music Publishing as physical copies or as downloads. Chr ..read more

In his introduction to this tutorial on Haydn’s famous chorus “The heavens are telling” from his oratorio “The Creation”, Ralph Allwood explains the piece’s origins. Haydn visited London and was very impressed with the tradition of choirs singing oratorios, in particular Handel’s works. He decided that he’d like to write such a work too. Someone took him to see the Herschel telescope, which he looked through and saw the stars and planets for the first time. It was a completely overwhelming experience and Haydn, being a devout believer in God, decided that his first oratorio had to be about the ..read more

(*Note! Picture of Sonus 60 Organ above is a NOT the actual used instrument described below but shown for reference.)    Back in spring 2017 a customer based in Guernsey purchased a Viscount Sonus 60 Organ for home practice. It required a personal delivery service as the instrument was to go into an upstairs room. So the ‘A’ team was flown out from the UK to meet the instrument that had been export packed and sent by haulier to the home on Guernsey. A few hours later after some major surgery to the customers banisters the instrument arrived in its new resting place. Sadly as is all t ..read more

Its that time of year again and the Battle of the Organs is back on Selby Abbey. The event takes place on Friday 1st September 2023 at 7pm.  We’ll see the return of internationally renowned organists Martin Baker and John Scott Whiteley, who will be taking turns on the Abbey’s magnificent Hill pipe organ, and the impressive Regent Classic 3-Manual instrument, with traditional console, which will play through the speaker system permanently installed in the Selby triforium. As you know, Martin retired from Westminster Cathedral, and has also played at the BBC proms, and John Scott Whiteley ..read more

I have completely forgotten how I first came to be involved with the various Oundle initiatives to provide organ teaching to youngsters. I do know it was at least 30 years ago when the programme was under the direction of my old friend James Parsons. James was Director of Music at Oundle School and the arrival there of the magnificent Frobenius organ under James efforts, was the catalyst to getting the Oundle initiative underway. I was invited to support the event by way of underwriting guest recitalists performance fees. I even went to a number of these performances and started monthly l ..read more

Yesterday I returned to Peterhouse Cambridge to move our Envoy 35-F instrument from the college chapel to its new home in the old Brewhouse where it becomes a permanent addition to practice resources for the college. For the short trip the organ had to be taken across busy Trumpington Street as the new home is just behind the Masters Lodgings also on the opposite side of the street to the main College Campus. We were given special permission to park outside the Lodgings for this work. James next to Viscount van by Masters LodgingsEnvoy 35-F in place as historic pipe organ is restored Our instr ..read more

St Mary’s Church in Banbury was the host for this event organised by Director of Music Dylan McCaig, who also teaches at the local Warriner School. Dylan is clearly a great ambassador for the organ and hopefully this will be the first of many such organ days in years to come acting to engage local musicians with the instrument. Bell tower at St Marys (left) and Organ question time panel and Dylan (right) I live close by and so often find myself in Banbury, but have not stepped inside St Marys Church for many years. My last visit was perhaps 30 years ago when the pipe organ was undergoing some ..read more