Bristol H&H organ restoration completed

[ASB1956]

The fire was indeed in Summerhill Road. Although I lived in Bristol for many years until 1987, I only went iin SGBH once in the early 80s, when I think it was still in use as a church.. I know QEH School used it for services..... On NPOR there is a photo of an organ case on the south gallery. What I have a memory of is TWO cases side by side - but I may be dreaming or mis-remembering. I've also forgotten the name of the organist there for many years. My late father knew the last vicar - Canon Percy Gay.

[Roger Webb]

The fire was indeed in Summerhill Road. Although I lived in Bristol for many years until 1987, I only went iin SGBH once in the early 80s, when I think it was still in use as a church.. I know QEH School used it for services..... On NPOR there is a photo of an organ case on the south gallery. What I have a memory of is TWO cases side by side - but I may be dreaming or mis-remembering. I've also forgotten the name of the organist there for many years. My late father knew the last vicar - Canon Percy Gay.

I think St. George's did overlap for a while in the early days (mid 70s to perhaps mid 80s) as a church as well as a concert hall. The person in Bristol who is all-things-organ and would know about a possible organ in St. Georges used to work for me in my CD shop, he later went on to work at the Cathedral, unfortunately I lost touch with him when I moved from Bristol, but it's possible French Frank may see him occasionally and be able to ask him. 'Afternoon Roger' as French Frank calls him (I was Morning Roger!) also assisted Andrew Keener with equipment when he was recording at St. Georges, so could have contacts there still.

Welcome to the Forum by the way!

[mopsus]

From that early period several record companies hired the hall/church for recording, as it has superb acoustics...Andrew Keener made many recordings there for Hyperion and later Decca.

I made a recording there with Bristol Choral Society and Delphian back in January 2020. I do recall a problem with noisy plumbing - at one point we had to retake because a flushing toilet could be heard in the background!

[Roger Webb]

I made a recording there with Bristol Choral Society and Delphian back in January 2020. I do recall a problem with noisy plumbing - at one point we had to retake because a flushing toilet could be heard in the background!

Add a flushing toilet to the hazards of recording, along with the meowing cat on the Solti Ring (I've never heard it), numerous recordings made in the Kingsway Hall (underground trains), traffic noise on many others, and the artists own respiratory dysfunction, grunts and that curious humming/singing by the likes of Glenn Gould, Alfred Brendel (on later recordings), et al.

[french frank]

Add a flushing toilet to the hazards of recording, along with the meowing cat on the Solti Ring (I've never heard it), numerous recordings made in the Kingsway Hall (underground trains), traffic noise on many others, and the artists own respiratory dysfunction, grunts and that curious humming/singing by the likes of Glenn Gould, Alfred Brendel (on later recordings), et al.

All very Cagean!

[smittims]

I wish they'd issued, rather than detroyed,the first take of Bliss' Rout. According to Adrian Boult Bliss shouted out 'that's fine, you fellows!' at the end and it came out on the wax.Nowadays, of course, it would have historic value.

[Roger Webb]

All very Cagean!

Actually more than you think, as Cage's 4'33" was given in the hall ( I didn't attend) by one of my customers, a local conductor of some of our amateur and semi-pro orchestras and chamber groups. Half the point (2'16.5"?) is that the work is not silent but one hears the natural ambient sounds of the hall....including toilets flushing, if that happens in the moment! Oh, and he bought a recording of it just to see how other conductors had paced it!

[french frank]

Half the point (2'16.5"?) is that the work is not silent but one hears the natural ambient sounds of the hall

What's the other half of the point?

[Roger Webb]

What's the other half of the point?

Ok it's the whole point......I only put 'half the point' so I could write 2'16.5"

[french frank]

Ok it's the whole point......I only put 'half the point' so I could write 2'16.5"

And I suppose it's always exactly 4'33" because you discount any incidental silence just before and just after the actual piece.

[vinteuil]

And I suppose it's always exactly 4'33" because you discount any incidental silence just before and just after the actual piece.

... what about the intervals between the three movements?

(I always encourage applause... )

[Roger Webb]

... what about the intervals between the three movements?

(I always encourage applause... )

Curiously, although the conductor has autonomy over where to put the breaks in the three movements, the 'accepted' length of the movements is, 30 secs, 2 mins 40 and 1 min 40, making 4 mins 50..... this must include breaks between movts. not accounted for in the 4'33".

[vinteuil]

Curiously, although the conductor has autonomy over where to put the breaks in the three movements, the 'accepted' length of the movements is, 30 secs, 2 mins 40 and 1 min 40, making 4 mins 50..... this must include breaks between movts. not accounted for in the 4'33".

... wiki, quoting the Woodstock ms has "three movements, lasting 30 seconds, two minutes and 23 seconds, and one minute and 40 seconds, respectively"

That gives us the 4' 33" - but I still want the gaps between the movements (applause ad lib )

.

[Roger Webb]

... wiki, quoting the Woodstock ms has "three movements, lasting 30 seconds, two minutes and 23 seconds, and one minute and 40 seconds, respectively"

That gives us the 4' 33" - but I still want the gaps between the movements (applause ad lib )

.

Well, my middle movt. is 2'40", which includes the intervals at either end, so subtracting your 2'23" gives 17" of intervals....how apportioned I don't know!

[vinteuil]

Well, my middle movt. is 2'40"

... your score differs from the original manuscript?