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description to download the clip.
- - - - THE PHOENIX ORGAN IN SAINT PETER'S
Antrim Road Belfast - - - -
Flutes 8 and 8&4 |
Starts by contrasting just the 8' flutes of
Choir & Great. At 0:35 the 4' on the Ch are added and the Gt 4' Spitzflute
@ 0:49. The Great 8' flute is real. |
Flutes 8 & 2 |
Choir alternates with Great, and Solo provides
echos. The Great is real pipes, and the 2' is the Fifteenth. The Pedal is
coupled to the Choir throughout. |
Praestants 8&4 |
Starts on the Choir 8' with the 4' added at
1:02. These two stops are extremely useful owing to their gentle singing
tone. |
Nazard, Oboe ... |
Starts using the Great Open III & Pedal
Dulciana 16. At 0:33 the solo is taken by the Choir Bourdon, Koppel and Nazard
(& Trem). At 1:34 it moves to Swell Oboe, then back to Nazard and a short
coda on the Solo Kopfregal from 2:33 to finish with. |
Just 3 Cornettos |
The Transept Cornet speaks commandingly into
the Nave, with "echos" on the Choir Bourdon, Koppel, Nazard, Block &
Tierce, and quieter echos on Solo Gross Cornet, Rohrflute & Wald (box
shut). Note also that it is used as a true 16' bass Cornet from 0:17 for a few
bars of "duo". The accompaniment is done on the Swell Diapason & Stopped 8'
with Principal 4' (coupled to Pedals as well). |
Coupernot |
Plein Jeu - Gt Chancel Fluework, both 16's up
to Fourniture IV (no 17th, Gamba or Fl Harm) Cantus played on Pedal - both 8'
reeds and 4' Clairon. It ain't Couperin, but it's close! |
Cromorne en taille |
The difference between a K and a C! Starts on
the German Choir Krummhorn (with Bourdon in best French tradition) and shifts
at 1:08 to Solo Cromhorne, which has the proper French accent. The Gt Open III
accompanies and the Pedal is Bass Flute 8' & Octave Wood 8' (both
real). |
Tierce en taille |
Accompaniment as the one above, LH on Choir
Claribel, Bourdon, Praestant, Koppel, Nazard, Block, Tierce, Larigot &
Tremulant. |
Trompettes & ... |
Starting on Choir Trompette 8' with Solo
Shalmey 4' coupled. LH on transept Great Trompette & Clairon at 0:22. The
Swell trompette (real!) and Clairon make the three stage echos from 1:00
onwards. At 1:22 the Grands Jeux comes into play - all the reeds as previously
mentioned together with all the Cornets and all coupled to the Great. Manual
"tirasses" also with Pedal Trompette & Clairon for added gravitas. At 2;00
the Pedal Bombarde 16' sneaks in. Manual 16' reeds follow at 2:20 and we
descend into the "Ravalement" for the last AAAA.... the only "real" stop
sounding here is the Swell Trompette. |
3 Trompettes |
This just contrasts the Transept Trompette with
the Choir and Swell ones. Easy to tell which one is which? The Swell Trompette
is the one made from real pipes. |
Voxes |
This contrasts the Vox Humana on the Swell
(used with the "real" 8' Stopped Flute) with the much rounder vox on the Solo,
actually a Kopfregal (a big hollow ball with a hole in it atop a reed boot).
With the two boxes either one can be the solo voice, accompanied by the other.
Finishes with an arabesque on the Flute traversiere of the Solo accompanied by
the Sw Vox. |
Quintadenas |
Two here - the Solo one is full blooded, no
compromise; the Swell Gedektpommer is more refined. Both blend exceptionally
well. This extract starts on the Swell Pommer with the Stopped Flute 8', and
the overall effect of the combination is that the Pommer turns the SF into more
of a Lieblich Gedekt. The Solo line at 0:49 is taken by both the Quintadena and
Rohrflute of the Solo, both big stops. Pedal is Bourdon 16' & Bass Flute
8'(both real). At 1:43 a chance to hear both stops without the added flutes.
And just Stoped Flute, no Pommer, on Swell at end. |
Choruses |
First we hear the Great 8' to Fourniture (no
17th), all real pipes. Pedal from Principal 16, Octave, Fifteenth, Mixture,
Fagotto 16', all digital. From 0:15 contrasts with West 8, 4, 2, Ripieno III.
From 0:50 the Great chorus is replaced by the Transept 8, 4, 2, V (no Cymbale
IV) and both are reduced to 8, 4 & 2, then 8 &4, then 8 only. Then back
up by stages again - mixtures @ 3:25, coupling West to Great, adding Tr Cymb IV
& West 16' Gemshorn at 3:54, Pedals couple Swell 32' Fagotto at 4:00, at
4:21 W Acuta III, and finally 4:39 West chorus Trumpet 8'. No pipes playing at
end. |
Celestes, Violes |
Starting on Sw all 4 strings & Ped Dulciana
16', @ 0:48 to Solo (with Sw coupled) and back again. Add Sw flutes & Pedal
Bourdon at 1:18. Solo Clarinet at 1:49. Cor Anglais 16' at 2:17 (actually a
Dulzian, not a proper Cor). 2:32 back to Clarinet. 2:53 add 32' Contra Bourdon.
By 3:11 Swell has reduced to Echo Gamba & Vox Angelica only (real
pipes). |
Swell reeds |
Starts on Trompette 8' (real). Add Cornopean.
Add Bombarde 16' . Close box. Add Clairon 4'. Bombarde 16 by itself. Then in
turn add 8', 8', 51/3' & 4' reeds for a few chords. The following famous
extract uses only 16', 8', 8' & 4' reeds coupled to Ped 32' Bour, 16' SOW,
16 Bour, 16' Dulc. |
Air on the - err ... |
... Bombarde 16'. Accompanied by the Choir
Bourdon & Koppel, Pedal Bourdon 16' (& 32' at end) |
Strings masking - |
- Full Swell ! Starting on the Solo Strings
build up to the full string chorus from 16' to III rank Cornet , including the
Octave coupler, with the box open, and then add Full Swell box closed at 1:01
(including the 32' reed) and open the box. Then it's simply a reversal, back to
the Swell strings, ending on the EG & VA at 2:32. Then the Flute Celestes
follows for two bars, leading to an extended passage on the Erzahlers with
Octave coupler & 32' from 3:00. |
HP chorus reeds |
starting with the Great Tromba, then
contrasting the Swell Cornopean, then the Corn accompanying the Tromba. Ends
with a bar or two of the 16', 8' & 4' Trombas for quacking good
medicine. |
For those folk who |
like to hear bottom notes of 32' reeds.
Organists are indeed strange. The only way to really experience them is to be
in the building. The same goes for our Double Open Wood. |
Flute romanza |
Starts with the Solo Rohrflute 8' with echos on
varios stops including Ch Bourdon, Ch Clarabella, Sw Pommer, ends up at 1:04 on
Gt Fl Harm, accompanied by the four Swell Strings & Ped Bourdon 16'. Later
at 1:50 the Solo line is taken by all 6 flutes of the Gt, Ch & Solo.
Whipped Cream. |
Big Solo reeds |
Tuba first, echoed on Gt Tromba. Then at 0:26
we move to the Posthorn, echoed as before on the Tromba. then at 0:47 there is
some aimless 4th rate meandering (Sorry!) on the Gt reeds before at 0:59 the
Festival Trompette is heard. At 1:13 I eventually get the Sw & Gt & Ped
sorted out and continue with Festal Flourishes to the end. |
Western Emperor |
This piece only uses three stops - the 16', 8'
& 4' reeds of the West. In the middle section the 16' & 4' are put in,
but they return for the reprise. |
Pre-service |
Some live music and real pieces for the next
few tracks. This is what I refer to as "Ecclesiastical Wallpaper", just before
Choral Evensong, from which the next few pieces were taken. This uses the
quieter registers, although it's hard to resist a little "Full Swell
bulge"... |
Psalm 119 |
Not all of it - verses 17 to 32 - Sung by
the Priory Singers, directed by Nigel McClintock. The lovely chant is
by C S Lang (of Tuba Tune fame) |
Magnificat |
from Herbert Howells St Paul's Service.
Again sung by the Priory Singers. Ascending LH passage at Amens uses
Posthorn. Last chord Full Sw (no 32'); Gt to Fourniture, no Trombas; Ped all
fluework with 32 & 16 Ophicleides. |
Nunc Dimittis |
from Herbert Howells St Paul's Service.
Again sung by the Priory Singers. Ascending LH passage at Amens uses
West Militaire & Clairon against full Sw with 32', (on to get a dirty low
FFFF on the pedals!) coupled to Gt to Fifteenth. Last chord as Mag but added 16
& 8 Trombas; Choir Trompette & Sharf; Ped all reeds 32, 32, 16, 16, 16,
8, 8 |
Hymn |
"Through the night of doubt and sorrow",
to the wonderful tune "Rustington" by Parry. Last verse descant is
by yours truly, paying humble homage to Parry's greatest anthem. |
Psalm Prelude |
You can't really finish a service like this any
other way. Psalm Prelude Set 2 Opus 32 No 1 Psalm 130 "de profundis clamavi
ad te, Domine" by Herbert Howells. Out of the deep have I cried unto thee,
O Lord. This uses the full range & all choruses. No big Solo or West reeds.
Erzahlers and Double Open Wood 32 only for last few bars. |
- - - - ARCHIVE - - - THE MONEYGLASS PHOENIX
COMPLETE - - - -
When we pressed this CD, the
track numbers advanced at significant noted registration changes. Mpegs
will not seque together like this, so we have "glued" the tracks back together
to maitain the musical integrity. If you also download the booklet in
whatever form, the description of each piece will refer to the track numbers,
and thus a little imagination may need to be used.
J S Bach - Prelude in C (BWV547) (5.4M, CD Track 1) |
J S Bach - Fugue in C (BWV547) (5.1M, CD Tracks 2-6) |
S G Hamill - Moneyglass
Suite I (1.5M, CD Track 7) |
S G Hamill - Moneyglass
Suite II (2.0M, CD Track 8) |
S G Hamill - Moneyglass
Suite III (3.7M, CD Track 9) |
S G Hamill - Moneyglass
Suite IV (3.4M, CD Track 10) |
J S Bach - Prelude & Fugue in C (BWV545) (6.6M, CD Tracks 11-14) |
S G Hamill - Praeludium
(4.2M, CD Track 15) |
S G Hamill - Silbermann
temperament (2.6M, CD Track 16) |
John Stanley- Cornet Voluntary in E min
(3.6M, CD Track 17) |
Wesley - Air & Gavotte
(3.9M, CD Track 18) |
Hollins - Trumpet Minuet (4.0M, CD Track 19) |
R Vaughan Williams -
Rhosymedre (4.6M, CD Track 20) |
G Thalben-Ball - Elegy (5.0M, CD Track 21) |
Flor Peeters - O Gott du
frommer Gott (2.6M, CD Track 22) |
Flor Peeters - Aria (4.4M, CD Track 23) |
Cocker - Tuba Tune (5.2M, CD Track 24) |
S G Hamill -
Improvisation (18.5M, CD Tracks 25-64) |
|
Moneyglass CD booklet in A4 format. |
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Moneyglass CD booklet in A5 format. |
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Moneyglass CD booklet for DVD case insert. |
Because of the wonderful, careful manner in which post is
treated these days, the CD was never shipped in a jewel case. As a result,
we never laid an insert out in that format (121x121mm), so we haven't one for
you to download. Hovever, if you are really determined, then
here is a zip of the text in .doc
format for you to design your own!
- - - - THE PHOENIX ORGAN IN St. MARK'S DUNDELA
- - - -
This is normally a Compton 12 rank pipe organ
which uses a Phoenix coupling, capture and transmission system. However, the
soundboards were removed for renovation and during this period the organ
was fitted out with soundcards so that the music programme could continue
without interruption using a digital substitute.
We took the
opportunity to record it at the beginning of June 2005, just before final
recommissioning of the Compton.
The first group of files were
recorded by a real person (me) in real time, mistakes and
all!
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in Dm (BWV554) (3.6M) |
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in F (BWV556) (3.1M) |
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in G (BWV557) (3.6M) |
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in Gm (BWV558) (4.2M) |
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in Am (BWV559) (2.9M) |
J S Bach - Prelude &
Fugue in Bb (BWV560) (4.1M) |
J S Bach - Liebster
Jesu (BWV731) (4.1M) |
S G Hamill - Dundela
Suite I (3.8M) |
S G Hamill - Dundela
Suite II (2.8M) |
S G Hamill - Dundela
Suite III (7.9M) |
S G Hamill - Dundela
Suite IV (2.7M) |
S G Hamill -
Amerixmaschimes (6.5M) |
The next pieces I played in real
time, and the organ's MIDI out was fed to a PC (running Cubase sequencer
software). We then corrected the wrong notes (of which there were many!) and
then recorded the organ being played by this new MIDI file.
Messiaen - Transports de
joie (5.2M) |
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These pieces are from MIDI files
which I created from scratch, using just the score, an electric piano and a
mouse.
Duruflé -
Prélude & Fugue sur le nom de ALAIN
(13.2M) |
Duruflé -Toccata
from Suite Op. 5 (8.9M) |
Dupré- Variations sur un vieux
Noel (12.4M) |
Messiaen - Le Banquet
Céleste (7.4M) |
And these pieces are from MIDI
files which I found on the internet. Some work better than others, but it
demonstrates what can be done in two minutes - set the right channels, delete
all program changes, set stops manually and press GO!
J S Bach - "Dorian" Toccata in Dm (BWV540) (5.4M) |
J S Bach - Trio in Eb
(BWV525a) (3.4M) |
Gigout - Toccata in
Bm (3.9M) |
Widor** - Symphony
IV/m3 (5.4M) |
**The Widor is possibly the most bizarre - we
scanned in the score and a friend used a piece of software called Vivaldi,
which turned the printed music, including the four stave section, straight
into a midi file. Now it wasn't perfect, and was highly confused by some of
the clef changes, but once these notes were transposed, all was correct. I
wouldn't say it was the most musical interpretation I have ever heard, but then
again, it only took about fifteen minutes! Compare that to the
Duruflé files above, which took over a fortnight each (still a hundred
times quicker than actually learning them!)
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