Cover: Contemporary drawing of the Cavaillé-Coll organ of La Madeleine, Paris.
.…the next Console….
The closing date for contributions for publication in the next issue, December 2024, is 8 November.
Contributions are always welcome from members, and should be presented, ideally in MS Word, and in the ‘house’ format for Console: i.e. A5 format; Arial font, size 11; single spaced between sentences and single spaced between lines. Together with prior checks for all aspects of punctuation etc., this will greatly speed the production of Console. Contributors are asked to note the length of articles, event write-ups etc. in previous issues and use appropriate judgements as to length of their contributions. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse contributions; items may be reserved for future issues or, due to issues of space, appear only in the online version. Please send the completed material to:john.riley58@blueyonder.co.uk www.edinburghorganists.org ~ Registered Charity SC013728 All contributions published in Console represent the views of individuals and do not necessarily reflect the collective opinion of the ESO.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
The ESO appreciates the opportunity to keep members as informed as possible on ESO-related events and news.
If you wish to be included in email communications, and are not so already, please let the Secretary know on:secretaryESO@outlook.com
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Contents
The online version of Console provides easier access than the paper version to websites and other online content through direct hyperlinks. On occasions too, extra content is included, denoted *. Articles that are only in the online version are denoted **.
5. Syllabus
7. President’s Letter
9. Membership notes
10. Tributes
13. Events reviews
21. The Revised English Hymnal
24. The S.H.O.T. outing to Saltcoats and Ardrossan **
31. Saint Columba’s Church, Largs
34. Three Dumfries organs
37. Organists’ political dictionary (supplement)
40. The organ works of Théodore Dubois *
64. Edinburgh Evening Courant
66. Which organ?
SYLLABUS 2024-25
Saturday 7 September 2024 at 2.30pm. Southside organ tour.
2.30 - 3.30: Central Hall, Tollcross, (rear entrance in Dunbar Street).
3.45 - 4.45: St Michael and All Saints, Brougham Road.
Please note: if Central Hall receive a major booking for that date, we have agreed to give way to this. If so, the timings will change and our final visit will be to Reid Memorial Church on West Savile Terrace. Members will be informed of any changes by email prior to the event date. The website will also be updated accordingly.
October. Event TBC
Friday 29 November 7.30pm and 30 November 10.30, Reid Memorial Church. Lecture/recital on the life and work of C V Stanford. Professor Jeremy Dibble of Durham University.
Saturday 18 January 2025 at 2.30pm, Reid Memorial Church. President’s Evening. Song recital with Ivor Klayman (baritone) and Martyn Strachan (organ).
Friday, February 14, 2025 at 6.30pm. Annual Dinner and Recital St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. This year, our recitalist will be Daniel Moult - renowned concert organist and head of organ studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. The recital will once again be held in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, followed by dinner at the Scottish Arts Club.
Saturday March 15 2025 at 6pm. March 15th - 'The Chapel Royal and the music of Scotland's Reformation’ Venue TBC (hopefully St Cecilia's Hall). A talk by David Coney on the music of the Scottish Reformation and new findings on the Chapel Royal at Stirling and Holyrood Palace.
Saturday April 5 2025, Palmerston Place Church, 2pm: Composition Masterclass with William Whitehead. William Whitehead is the curator of The Orgelbüchlein Project, which aims to 'complete' Bach's unfinished manuscript collection (https://orgelbuechlein.co.uk/). Composers will be encouraged to submit their own chorale preludes which will then be workshopped in Palmerston Place Church. A call for scores and information regarding sign ups and deadlines for composers will be circulated in due course.
Tuesday 13 May 2025, Greyfriars Kirk. AGM. Access from 6.30; AGM 7.00; recital around 7.30 for approximately one hour. Recitalist TBC.
Thursday 15th August 1.15 - 2.15pm, Canongate Kirk
A performance of the winning submissions by young composers
Following last year’s superb packed-out event at Canongate Kirk, ESO members are welcome to attend free of charge. Just mention that you are an ESO member to the staff on the door.
Further information on this link:
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Martyn Strachan
At our last Council Meeting we had the stimulating task of arranging the programme of events for 2024/25. We have striven for a judicious balance between the various areas of our activities with a visit to some local organs which may be little known, a celebration of Charles Stanford’s centenary, the possibility of a composing workshop as well as the Annual Dinner and Recital. We are always open to suggestions for the subject of meetings and we would encourage members to let us know if there were particular areas of interest which you would like to see included the programme of events.
I am very aware that I write at a time when much of what was foreshadowed in the Presbytery Plan, first published in March 2022, has begun to be implemented and the implications for all concerned have started to be felt. Many have been somewhat dismayed by the fact that the subject of music in worship and the welfare of those who provide it, as well as the instruments they used, appear to have been omitted entirely from consideration. Only at this year’s General Assembly was some recognition belatedly afforded to what for many is a vital part of their experience of worship. Reports have been written on individual churches that have been entirely silent on the subject. Yet, of all the people who comprise a church community, apart from the Minister, it is the Organist who often stands to lose most.
The Minister may seek another charge, office-bearers and members of the congregation can find a place in another church community. Where is there for the organist to go? With the reduction in the number of churches, appointments are far less numerous. He or she has had to part from colleagues with whom they have perhaps worked for decades. He or she no longer has access to an instrument for personal practice or if a teacher, then there is the loss of a teaching facility. While most of the discussion has been about buildings and their future, the pastoral consequences of what is a series of radical changes have been largely overlooked.
The Edinburgh Society of Organists was founded by William Baird Ross in 1913 as an Organists’ Fellowship. While our activities in arranging meetings which have an educational content or a social dimension or are
designed to improve our professional skills are important, it is to being a Fellowship that we owe our origin. As such, we should combine to support each other and in these decidedly uncertain times, this may be very necessary. I would encourage any of our members who feel that they would benefit from the assistance of their colleagues in the Society to contact us so that we can help individual members explore the alternative possibilities where they may have been adversely affected by recent events or at least discuss their situation with others who have an understanding of it.
As I write, preparations are advanced for the Edinburgh International Festival as well as the Festival Fringe. I would encourage us all to support this great variety of musical and dramatic activity and to enjoy what is available, perhaps particularly at a local level. I look forward to seeing you at the beginning of our next session in September.
ESO SUBSCRIPTION INCREASE
At the Annual General Meeting on 14th May 2024 it was resolved to increase the annual subscription from £12.00 to £25.00.
This is the first increase for many years despite significant inflation levels in that period. It will enable us to continue to provide the high levels of provision to our members, not least in the programme of events and Console magazine, and without depleting our reserves.
We would earnestly request members to make the appropriate arrangements to ensure that they pay their subscription at the new rate. Those who have instructed their bank to pay it automatically should make sure that the instruction is updated as necessary. As always, we would also ask that subscriptions be paid as promptly as possible.
As I write, preparations are advanced for the Edinburgh I
ESO MEMBERSHIP NOTES – Summer 2024
New members (whom we welcome)
Changes of address, position, email etc and errata:
Resignations
Deaths
Total number of members (at 25 June 2024): 212
(Details redacted. For members only)
TRIBUTES
Colin Tipple, 24 June 1942 – 16 May 2024
Colin John Tipple was born on 24th June 1942, St John’s Day, hence his middle name. He was born in Ilford, Essex and educated locally. In 1960 he entered the Royal Academy of Music as a student, at this stage primarily as a pianist. He later studied the organ when he was taught by Douglas Hopkins. While still a student, Colin was organist of St Edmund the King, Lombard Street in the City of London. In due course, he became Assistant Professor of Organ at the Royal Academy.
In 1964 Colin accepted a post as a teacher of music at Fettes College, Edinburgh. He was to remain there for 27 years and during most of that time he assisted Michael Lester-Cribb who was Director of Music. Initially Colin lived in a School House, but in 1980 he purchased a top floor flat in Great King Street. He also expanded his musical activities, conducting the Scottish Chamber Choir and in January 1979, becoming organist of St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, in succession to Philip Sawyer. It was at St Cuthbert’s that I worked with Colin as his assistant. I learned a great deal from him; he had extremely high standards and he emphasised the need for careful preparation. I was, in fact, one of three Society members who assisted Colin; the others were David Glyn-Jones and Alan Ireland. His involvement with the Society was a constant thread throughout his time in Edinburgh. He was President twice and where possible, he attended as many of the Society’s events as he could.
Towards the conclusion of his 17 years at St Cuthbert’s, Colin was closely involved in devising the scheme to rebuild the St Cuthbert’s organ. David Sanger was the consultant to the project, but the idea of making the chancel section almost a separate instrument was largely Colin’s. For the first time the choir could be adequately accompanied and as a whole, the organ became much more versatile. The consensus of opinion has been that it is a remarkable success.
As an organist, while as a liturgical player Colin brought much thought and skill to the task, it was as a recitalist that his playing could take fire. I particularly remember turning pages for him at the McEwan Hall as he played Liszt’s monumental Fantasia and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam.’ Colin was one of the first players to perform this work in Scotland (Herrick Bunney did so as well) and some of us are lucky enough to have a
copy of a private recording of the work played by Colin on the organ of Gordonstoun School. In his choice of music, he could occasionally surprise one, as on one Sunday morning he played one of Calvin Hampton’s Five Dances, ‘At the Ballet.’
In 1991 Colin left Fettes and embarked on one of the most enjoyable periods of his professional life, as an examiner for the Associated Board. He travelled to the Far East and America and revelled in the opportunities he was afforded to see other countries and meet new people. He left St Cuthbert’s in 1996 and thereafter continued to teach and examine, teaching at the St Mary’s Music School and was a popular deputy in the city of Edinburgh. For many years Colin also had a flat in London, near London Bridge station and when there, he much enjoyed attending services at the church of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London.
His later years were somewhat overshadowed by health concerns and living in a top floor flat meant that he was somewhat isolated, although his friends were always able to go to see him at home where they were always made very welcome. He continued to practise the organ at home and although after the pandemic he rarely went out, he derived much consolation from his collection of recordings. When able to be more active, he had enjoyed entertaining his friends for lunch at the New Club. During the last year, his health deteriorated and he died at the Western General Hospital on 16th May 2024. Characteristically, Colin had planned his funeral to the last detail, including the readings and the music to be played, on this occasion by his much esteemed colleague, John Kitchen. Unusually, no tribute was included, Colin taking the view that the music chosen should say all that was necessary.
He will be remembered for his consummate musicianship as an executant and as a teacher for his passionate commitment to communicate his own enjoyment of music to others. Although he may have seemed somewhat shy and reticent, in the right circumstances and with the right people, he could be very good company. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Alan Ireland, John Kitchen, John Riley and Morley Whitehead in composing this tribute.
Martyn
Strachan
Eileen Marchant, 3 March 1934 – 9 May 2024
Eileen originally hailed from rural Nottinghamshire but she and her husband Eric moved to Penicuik in 1962. They had met as members of the Nottinghamshire Symphony Orchestra and music was very much part of the household and they were greatly involved in musical life of the area. Although she ultimately trained as a pharmacist (and in later life studied for a Maths degree), Eileen was an accomplished pianist and had contemplated a career in music. When St Mungo’s Church in Penicuik needed a new organist, the Minister prevailed upon Eileen to give the organ a try. Although not being very tall, and initially finding the pedals quite difficult to reach, she took to the challenge and went on to contribute nearly 40 years playing the church organ and developing the church choir.
Eileen remained committed to playing at St Mungo’s for two Sundays a month until last year when she incurred a fall. Latterly, this was as pianist when the organ incurred some damage andwas temporarily put out of action.
Church music also led to membership of the ESO and the Borders Guild of Organists, though in more recent years Eileen focussed on the latter organisation, which from Penicuik proved to be the more accessible. Nevertheless, Eileen was for a number of years in the 1990s editor of Console and ESO Council member and remained as an ESO member until her passing.
EVENTS REVIEWS
Visit to the Kendal area, Saturday 20 April 2024
Around a dozen members and friends set off for the Lake District by various means of transport to visit three churches (and four organs!) in the Kendal area. This was meticulously arranged by John Riley, with clear instructions and including lifts locally for those arriving by train. Architectural and historical notes were kindly supplied by Colin Menzies.
First stop was St Peter’s Church, Heversham. We were given a very friendly welcome, including tea/coffee and excellent home-baking. This was courtesy of the parents of one of our members. They happen to live next door to the church! Geoff Field introduced the organ to us. He used to be the regular organist, as well as being Imogen Morgan’s first organ teacher. There is currently no regular organist, and the organ is not often used. This was our first Wilkinson of Kendal organ of the day (and my first awareness of this builder). The firm was founded in the 1820s
and traded as a family-run affair until merging with Rushworth and Dreaper in 1957. Their largest instrument was in the longdemolished Town Hall in Preston, and some of the pipework from there is now in St Mary’s RC Cathedral in Edinburgh.
This was a modest three-manual 24-stop mechanical action organ from 1854 prior to enlargement in 1887. There were some lovely colours on this organ, especially the softer sounds. One would be concerned however by the lack of use of this instrument, which will deteriorate with time and may not be a congregational priority for maintenance.
1910, including re-positioning of the organ and a couple of extra stops. Once again this was clearly a quality instrument and is Grade 1 listed. Like the previous organ however, this also needs a bit of TLC. When I started playing it one of the keys on the choir stuck down and refused to budge, thus requiring a change of repertoire instantly.
Our second stop was St George’s Church in Kendal. This was one of two new parish churches built as the town expanded in the late 1830s. This was a larger instrument, also by Wilkinson, installed in 1883. Three manuals, 37 stops. Some changes were made in
Nevertheless, it did produce some fine sounds and many enjoyed playing it. It was very instructive to have made the acquaintance of these two organs by the local builder. Once again, we were treated to excellent refreshments by members of the church, to whom much thanks was given.
Our final stop was Kendal Parish Church where we had the luxury of two organs (as well as more tea, cake and sandwiches). This is one of the widest churches in the country. The present main organ started as a Willis in 1877. There was a major rebuild in 1968 by JW Walker, the
Photo: Ben Abel
organ being moved to the west end with a detached console also at the rear of the church. It is now threemanual and 48 stops. This was an impressive eclectic organ, albeit with a rather unattractive facade, and members showed the wide range of repertoire that could easily be played on it.
The real joy for me of the day however was at the other end of the church, where the chancel contains a two-manual and pedal 11-stop Bevington organ built c.1885 for Greasbrough Congregational church and installed here after being used for a time in 1996 as a temporary organ in St Asaph Cathedral during their main organ rebuild. I have a soft spot for Bevington organs, and know well a very fine example in Brighton. The Kendal instrument, though small, filled the building with a glorious sound, helped by its very open position in the chancel. Many were agreed that this was the highlight of the trip.
A great time was had by all, with opportunities to catch up with old friends, including Professors Graham Barber and Philip Wilby, and Roland Dee from the Leeds association, and to make new ones. Everybody who wished to play was able to do so.
Alan Ireland
(Photos: John Riley, unless otherwise credited)
ESO AGM, St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Tuesday 14 May 2024
Twenty-four members of the ESO (out of a total of 212) attended the meeting, which meant that we were quorate. But it would be very encouraging if more members attended this important meeting each year! The date is announced roughly one year before the event, when it should be entered in everyone’s diary (along with all the other ESO meetings). With outgoing President Michael Harris in the chair, the meeting ran smoothly and efficiently, and there were no contentious or problematic issues.
This meant that we had time to enjoy our (complimentary) wine before going into the Cathedral—although some of us got lost in the labyrinthine passages and stairs of the Cathedral House, and found ourselves running fruitlessly up and down flights of stairs. Tom Wilkinson, Organist of the Cathedral, eventually found us and led us through into the Cathedral itself, where he presented a very fine organ recital.
As members will know, the organ was installed in 2007 by Matthew Copley Organ Design, and the core of it is the 1882 Wilkinson instrument which used to be in the long-demolished Preston Town Hall. It is large organ of 63 stops, and speaks well into the building—although it sounds better when the building is empty, or containing only a small number of people. The 25 or so people present for Tom’s recital did little to dampen the acoustic, and the organ was heard at its best, not least because Tom knows it well.
His first piece was Simon Preston’s Alleluyas, which you will have in your library if you own OUP’s Modern Organ Music volume 1, published in 1965. (From that anthology, most people only ever played the Mathias Processional.) The astringent harmonic language of Alleluyas is refreshing, and although it is to some extent reminiscent of Messiaen, in my view it owes as much to the English tradition. Tom’s performance was exciting and colourful. He followed this with movements from François Couperin’s Messe pour les Couvents, an area of the repertoire in which Tom is well-versed, and he played the pieces stylishly and elegantly. As well as demanding a thorough knowledge of the style, this music specifies particular tone-colours which the St Mary’s organ provides, including the rare double tierce 31/5, essential for a proper basse de tierce. (Esoteric fact: we have two double tierces in Edinburgh, the other being the grosse tierce in Greyfriars.)
As Ascension Day was recent, Tom appropriately ended his recital with all four movements of Messiaen’s wonderful cycle L’Ascension (1933–34), an extraordinarily inventive and original set of pieces, full of colour, vitality and requiring much virtuosity, particularly in the stunning third movement, Transports de joie. Here Tom gave the music time to breathe; it is tempting in this piece to go hell for leather. This paid off, meaning that the last two pages—where Tom did go hell for leather—really sounded ecstatic, as they are supposed to do. The movement is in Messiaen’s ‘key of ecstasy’, F sharp major. The final, serene Prière du Christ montant vers son Père completed a stylish and wonderfully engaging recital, for which we are most grateful to the Cathedral’s organist and ESO member, Tom Wilkinson.
John Kitchen
SFO Conference, Banchory 10/11 May 2024
This year’s Annual SFO Conference, the 62nd, was hosted by the Aberdeen and District Organists’ Association, and took place in the picturesque and tranquil town of Banchory. We were lucky to enjoy two days of beautiful weather, which showed off the town at its best. The Conference was quite well-supported by the other Scottish societies, with a number of ESO members present— although unsurprisingly the majority of delegates were from the Aberdeen area.
On the Friday evening, we began with a service of Choral Evensong in St Ternan’s Episcopal Church, with a sizeable choir comprising singers from the area. They were efficiently directed by SFO President Lord Simon Glenarthur, with Geoffrey Atkinson at the organ, a Wadsworth of 1904 which is A-listed in the SFO listings. It sounded well, if a little recessed; we enjoyed music by Batten, Stanford (Mag and Nunc in C), Charles Wood’s St Ternan’s Episcopal Church
Ternan East Church (Church of Scotland)
and hymns for Ascension, as Ascension Day was the previous day. It was a fitting way to begin the Conference, and gratifying to see a substantial congregation which included locals as well as delegates. A number of us enjoyed a lovely restaurant meal afterwards (and ate too much).
We got down to business on the Saturday morning, where we were based at Banchory Ternan East Church of Scotland. Sir Andrew Parmley (who had played the voluntary after Evensong) and Andrew Macintosh talked about the work of the RCO, which is doing so much these days to further the cause. There was a time when the RCO was criticised for being too London-centric, but that criticism is inconceivable nowadays, as events take place throughout the UK, not to mention all the online resources that are on offer. Lord Glenarthur then chaired the AGM which was straightforward and uncontroversial.
Some of us perhaps wondered what to expect from the concert of Scottish traditional music which followed, given by pupils from the Aberdeen City
Music School, located in Dyce Academy. Well, it was superb! The young people—two pipers, an accordionist, violins, cello, harp and keyboard—were introduced by their teacher who then sat back confidently and let them get on with it, introducing the items and directing themselves. Their sense of ensemble and rhythm was excellent, and frequent tempo changes were collectively made with no apparent effort. What’s more, they looked as though they were really enjoying themselves.
Before lunch Alan Buchan gave an illustrated talk—which was inevitably going to be a bit depressing—about all the redundant organs in Scotland, as the Kirk presses ahead with its planned closures.
To be fair, Alan listed a number of instruments which have been relocated, and others which might be, so it was not all doom and gloom. Since then, of course we received the encouraging news (in late May) that two motions about the importance of organs, put to the General Assembly, had been accepted both by the General Trustees and the General Assembly itself. Given the evident apathy towards organs previously shown, this is certainly a step forward. The motions were presented to the Assembly by the Rev Colin Renwick, minister of Dunblane Cathedral (and a Glasgow BMus!). We hope that the Kirk is now going to address this issue urgently—although what they are going to do with all those empty buildings and spare organs is difficult to imagine. Grateful thanks are due to those SFO members who have badgered the CoS about their heritage of organs, not least Alan Buchan; and special thanks are due to Robin Bell who has worked so tirelessly and
persistently. Regularly updated lists of redundant organs can be found on https://www.scotsorgan.org.uk/redundant-organs
After a pleasant, sociable lunch in the church hall (we had tablet with our coffee!), we heard more traditional Scottish music—songs and fiddle music given by the professionals Paul Anderson and Shona Donaldson— which was engagingly presented and performed, and well-received. We concluded Conference proceedings with a first-class organ recital, given by Andrew Macintosh. Most readers will know that his multifarious activities are mostly RCO-related; but he is also Director of Music at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in St Andrews and Deputy University Organist there. The organ in Banchory Ternan East Church, like the smaller instrument we heard on Friday evening, is also by Wadsworth and dates originally from 1887, but has undergone various changes. It was last worked on by the late Sandy Edmonstone in 2008 and is a fine, versatile two-manual tracker. It also looks very attractive, with beautifully painted pipes.
Andrew’s programme was imaginatively devised, comprising works— many of them recent—by Thomas Hewitt-Jones, James Mitchell, Harold Darke, George McPhee, John Rutter, Cecilia McDowall (her evocative Church bells beyond the stars, commissioned by the ESO for our centenary in 2013) and others. Andrew showed off the organ to great advantage, demonstrating a fine technique and great musicality. His recital made a splendid finale to the proceedings, after which we drove off into the sunset. Thanks are due to members of the ADOA for the superb organisation of the Conference, and especially to the indefatigable Allan Bicket (SFO Secretary) who did so much to ensure its smooth running.
John Kitchen (Photos: Alan Buchan)
THE REVISED ENGLISH HYMNAL
John Kitchen
We’ve waited a long time for this, but at last it has appeared: the latest version of the English Hymnal. Its publication has been beset by endless delays, but the full music edition was officially published at the end of November 2023, although we still await the melody edition. I think the hard-working editors—there was a large editorial board—have done a fine job.
The English Hymnal first appeared in 1906, and its story is well known. The great Percy Dearmer—priest, liturgist and vicar of St Mary’s, Primrose Hill in London—was words editor, and the musical editor was an initially rather reluctant Vaughan Williams, then in his early thirties. Among several new tunes VW composed specially for this book were the immortal masterpieces Sine nomine (‘For all the saints’) and Down Ampney for ‘Come down, O Love divine’; his father was vicar of the parish church in that Gloucestershire village. (Fun fact: the proper pronunciation is Down Amney with a silent P. Penelope Keith once pronounced it thus on TV, and she’s bound to be right! Look it up online where it confirms this pronunciation, although sounding the P is now also accepted.)
Anyway, after some initial controversy, the English Hymnal soon proved its worth in the early years of the 20th century, and gave the then ubiquitous Hymns Ancient and Modern a run for its money. There were
reprints with minor changes over the years—Vaughan Williams actually changed part of the bass line in Sine nomine in the 1933 printing!—and in 1950 a special Hymnal for Scotland ‘authorized for use in the Episcopal Church in Scotland’ appeared, which was substantially the EH with some extra saints’ days hymns (not very good ones!) for Scotland. My impression is that this book never gained much currency. The original book existed substantially in its 1906 state until 1986 when the New English Hymnal appeared; it has been very widely used in the Church of England and in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
So how does the new Revised English Hymnal compare with the previous editions? Like its predecessors, it is a ‘liturgical’ book, providing appropriate office hymns for every season of the church year, for saints’ days and for special feast days. There are also responsorial psalms, a number of settings of the mass in different styles (intended for congregations), Taizé chants and an increased number of plainchant settings. REH still has the familiar green cover, and continues in the best traditions of EH; much of it is the same. As far as hymns are concerned, few are missing that I would expect to be there, and there is a generous proportion of new material. Many of these additions are recent classics which many of us use currently: ‘Christ triumphant ever reigning’, ‘The kingdom of God is justice and joy’ and ‘Lift high the cross’ to name but three; and the inspirational tune Coe Fen for ‘How shall I sing that majesty’. One hymn which I might have expected to find, and which we use frequently, is ‘Brother, sister, let me serve you’ (CH4 694) but it’s absent.
The original English Hymnal went to some pains to eschew hymns—and especially tunes—that in 1906 were considered ‘too Victorian’. VW was however pressurised into retaining a few of the tunes he hated, and so he put them in an appendix which he named his ‘Chamber of Horrors’. This didn’t work, people kept singing them anyway, and so at least some were reinstated in the NEH; surprisingly they include Victorian classics such as Dykes’s tune Nicaea to ‘Holy, holy, holy’ and St Clement for ‘The day thou gavest’. One hymn which caused quite a stir, I remember, when included in the 1986 NEH was the very Catholic ‘Sweet sacrament divine’, a communion hymn we use regularly in Old Saint Paul’s, originally written for the Roman Catholic service of Benediction. In 1906 it was obviously considered by Dearmer and VW too Victorian, too bad—and too Roman —to appear at all. But perceptions change; we don’t demolish Victorian
buildings now, do we? ‘Sweet sacrament’ may not be to everyone’s taste, but I’m glad to say it finds its place in the new book.
There is nothing ‘happy-clappy’, and nothing that could be described as a worship song; that’s just not the style of the book. One hymn which did find its way into NEH, and is still in REH, is Patrick Appleford’s ‘Lord Jesus Christ’, to the tune ‘Living Lord’. The well-meaning Appleford wrote this 50 years ago, but its tune was already dated then. It is a well-crafted tune which builds effectively as it progresses, and which would sound well as a 1940s soft-shoe shuffle round the dance floor. But is it a hymn tune? (And as for that falling 7th at the end...)
One major concern in the last few decades or so has been that of inclusive language, and the REH editors have had to address this. In general, their approach has been conservative. As they state in the preface, ‘We have not amended classic or well-known texts [e.g. ‘He who would valiant be’] but in the case of...hymns written in the last hundred years or so, small changes have sometimes been made.’ (‘We have a gospel to proclaim, good news for all throughout the earth.’) Significantly, they say ‘We have not systematically substituted ‘men’ with ‘we’ or ‘us’, as that can suggest non-inclusive language of a different kind.’ Worth thinking about. ‘Thee’, ‘thou’ and ‘ye’ all appear where you would expect. No doubt some will think they haven’t changed nearly enough, and others will object to any changes at all. But the editors have done their best in a thorny area where you just can’t please everybody.
Its comprehensiveness makes it rather a thick book (I refer to the full music edition); this is true of other recent hymn books such as CH4 and the latest Ancient and Modern. However, I believe that REH is an excellent publication in the best English Hymnal tradition. (I gave copies to various friends for Christmas!) It also includes a thoughtful and perceptive foreword by Rowan Williams. You can find out more about it on the Revised English Hymnal website, and indeed you can order it there. We are planning to introduce it to Old Saint Paul’s as soon as we can—but that will not be until the melody edition eventually appears. I want every member of our congregation to have a melody edition! Did you know that the UK is one of few countries to produce words-only hymn books? People from other nations, in particular USA, think this very odd. “You have hymnals with no music?!”
THE S.H.O.T. OUTING TO SALTCOATS AND ARDROSSAN 29 June 2024
The Scottish Historic Organs Trust (SHOT) was founded in 1994 by Hugh Ross (1950-95), previously organist at Christ Church, Trinity and latterly at Stockbridge. Hugh bought the large house of Leithen north east of Peebles, with a view to establishing an organ museum and store there. Crazy plans, reckless financial management and his early death brought this promising plan to a close, but SHOT has continued as a small organisation, producing an annual bulletin and arranging occasional visits to historic organs.
Probably most of us have passed through Ardrossan only to catch the Arran ferry and the train still runs through to Winton Pier. Thus many travellers to the island do not experience the town itself. Steamers for the Isle of Man used to leave from here too, from the Montgomerie Pier, which had its own station and separate railway to Glasgow, traces of which still remain.
Like most towns in Scotland, Ardrossan and the adjoining town of Saltcoats have experienced the ruthless purge of church buildings which the Church of Scotland continues to pursue with devastating speed and some questionable and indeed irrational decision-making. The purge began in 2021 due to declining numbers of members and ministers with the aim of financial rescue for the national Kirk; in this 121 George Street has failed spectacularly, as many of the closed buildings have been a continuing drain on resources.
The closure plan soon became less of a financial exercise than a new Reformation, where buildings to be closed were the traditional ones, with pews, organs, stained glass and beautiful Victorian furnishings, often in rural areas and quite well supported both in attendance and means of maintenance, but often a distance from centres of population. Buildings to be retained were those in towns, with modern interiors, flexible spaces and (preferably) praise accompanied by pop groups (sorry, we are supposed to call them praise bands). The trouble with that assumed plan, of course, is that modern buildings in the latter category frequently have structural problems, though they would still be sellable at a decent price,
and those in the former category are often A-listed by Historic Scotland, so cannot be altered, and therefore may not sell at all, especially if surrounded by - or containing - gravestones.
To take an example, the A-listed St. Nicholas Kirk in Aberdeen has cost the C of S thousands of pounds to maintain since closure in 2020; now a charity has been bribed to take it on, but so far nothing has happened. However, some use is made of the building and the organ is to be maintained by the Seven Trades Association.
Above:The 1889 Wadsworth/ Binns organ in the former Barony Church Ardrossan. The photo as taken a few years ago, since when the windows have gone to Kirkgate church.
In Ardrossan, attempts were made to form a trust to run the former Barony Kirk near the harbour. The trust has only managed to retain the halls and the church itself has now been sold to a Muslim group, who plan to turn it into a mosque. The chances of the beautiful 1889 Wadsworth organ surviving are limited and the building is currently surrounded by protective fencing as work proceeds. It will be surprising if organ pipes and other parts do not appear in a skip in the near future
SHOT could therefore not visit the Barony Church and the tour began at St. Cuthbert's Church, Saltcoats, on the day before its final Sunday service took place. Here there are good facilities, parking, a regular Sunday congregation of 60 and a membership of 202, but there were problems with the tower, so the building had to close. Our group found the 1912 Hilsdon of Glasgow organ most impressive musically, despite tonal alterations by Rushworth & Dreaper in 1966, no doubt organistinspired. Mechanically there are no problems. The work of this Glasgow firm was often of a high technical standard, similar to that of the firm in which Harry Hilsdon had served time and subsequently managed in Scotland, Norman & Beard. At short notice a welcome cup of coffee was
Above: The 1912 Hilsdon at Saltcoats St Cuthbert's Church, now theoretically closed. (Photo by Michael Macdonald .) Right: The console. (Photo by Peter Christie)
provided here by the Session Clerk, William Parker and team. Hopefully the building will somehow be preserved as it is and the organ retained.
Next, we moved a few hundred yards to a church in Saltcoats which is to be retained, now called Saltcoats Kirkgate. It has no parking facilities, is smaller, but has flexible seating, and an unaltered Forster & Andrews organ of 1899. Here we were met by the organist Stuart McMahon, who demonstrated the instrument with technical skill combined with inherent musicality, presented with pleasant bonhomie. This too was a fine organ, with a few mechanical gremlins, smaller than the St. Cuthbert's organ but perfectly serviceable, as both a functioning musical instrument and a work of art. Kirkgate was also a union of two churches, the other - called Trinity, now demolished - had an original Conacher of 1893, for which SHOT and the SFO advisers attempted in 1995 to find a new home, alas unsuccessfully.
After taking a bite to eat in Saltcoats or on the prom at Ardrossan in a chilly breeze, we were treated to another sandwich lunch most generously and kindly provided by May Smiley, church officer at Ardrossan EU (Congregational) Church on the town's Glasgow Street. The minister, Janice Andrews, had moved here recently from Musselburgh, where we
met her on an ESO trip a year or two ago. She had returned to Musselburgh for the weekend, so unfortunately could not be present. The EU church is a huge building, with good halls at the rear, and - since it is happily not part of the C of S - remains open. The organ is a splendid Binns of 1901, moved here from Morningside High Church (the Churchhill Theatre) in 1961. A new case was erected by the SCWS (well, why not, though it may not have won any architectural awards!?). The Binns replaced a small Ingram of 1907. A previous building had housed an amateur organ installation of 1872. Anyway, the Binns is absolutely superb, powerful to a fault, well integrated, tonally pretty original, and balanced. Great fun. (Pictured left).
Half past three and we entered the large RC Church called St. Peter-in-Chains, overlooking the south beach. Constructed in 1938 and designed by Jack Coia, it is modelled in some respects on Stockholm Town Hall, and constructed in brick in sharp contrast to the red sandstone widely used in the town. Like most Coia-designed buildings, the roof leaked from the start, but that does not seem to have been an insurmountable problem. The organ was installed in 1967 and is a Walker of 2/29 extended from 7 ranks, mostly in a Swell box, and (as in many RC churches) has been given a prominent and musically effective position in the centre of the rear gallery. It speaks powerfully down the nave and belies its extension status by giving a convincing plenum helped by remarkably fine acoustics. The console is at the side of the gallery and allows the organist an essential view of what is going on liturgically downstairs. A potent Trumpet helps to give the chorus the boost it needs on occasions like Christmas Eve and large requiem masses. A recital was given here by the well known Italian organist Alessandro Bianchi from Lugano on 19th June.
Our final port of call was the former Saltcoats North Church, closed last autumn and now united with Ardrossan Park Church, another modern building. The North Church was an extension church in an inter-war housing scheme on the north side of town, the first part of which was built in 1953 but proved to be too small to meet the demand. A new larger church building was added to the original in 1964. The organ is a 2/16 installation by Hilsdon of Glasgow from the firm's final years, but still of fine quality construction. Like many 1960s pipe organ installations, the organ may be heard but not seen, as it is behind a nondescript screen. Despite trawling through the North's Session minutes a few years ago, I am still not 100% clear about the organ's history. The trouble is that the mention of an "organ" in Session minutes may refer to a reed organ, a harmonium, a pipe organ or even an electronic. However, the probable history is that a pipe organ came to the previous North Church building in Hamilton Street in the 1930s. We know that a Wadsworth organ from St. Vincent's, Dover Street, Glasgow was moved by Hilsdon to the Saltcoats area about 1935, so it is possible that the North church was its destination. When the new North Church building was opened in 1953, the organ was moved by Brook of Glasgow to the new church, which became the hall in 1964, at which point the organ was moved to the new 1964 sanctuary and given additions from a redundant organ from Bridgeton Methodist Church. Hilsdon carried out the 1964 work, as Brook had packed in by this time. Anyway, the tones of the fundamental stops here are quite sweet, more so than you might expect from a pure Hilsdon or Norman & Beard, so the pipework may include some Wadsworth material. Despite being out of use for eight months, this organ functioned well during our visit. It is now of course redundant, and the chances of a successful relocation seem slim.
There is an almost exact parallel here with Northfield Church in Aberdeen, also built for a housing scheme in 1953, extended in 1964, when it received a second hand Ingram organ. It also closed in 2023. The Aberdeen church has been so badly vandalised that it may have to be demolished. Let's hope that the Saltcoats church authorities continue to maintain the grounds, and do not draw attention to its closure by boarding up all the windows, as Northfield did. Let's also hope that if by any remote chance another Christian congregation expresses an interest in buying the building, but doesn't quite have the asking price, then 121 will not reject the bid, as it did at Northfield with unfortunate results.
At Saltcoats North out host was a kind lady, Rebecca McLay, who despite having made a long bus trip to Irvine and back that afternoon, and due to a traffic jam arrived a few minutes late, nevertheless managed to magic up a final welcome cup of tea and biscuits for our visiting SHOT group.
Four out of five of the churches we visited in Saltcoats and Ardrossan offered to provide refreshments, symptomatic of the friendly, welcoming Christian spirit that is so often evident in the churches and people of Strathclyde and elsewhere. Like many congregations throughout Scotland at the present time, these church communities have not been well treated by the radical policies set out by the General Assembly Trustees chaired in 2021 by John Chalmers. When congregations complain to 121 George Street, they are told that the cuts have been agreed by the General Assembly. When they complain at the General Assembly, they are told that the specific closures are the responsibility of the new mega-Presbyteries. When they complain to the Presbyteries, they are told that the guidelines have been set out by 121 George Street.
We all know that some buildings have to close, but an approach which is both more open, business-like and flexible would help ease the process, keep members on board and maintain adequate revenue. The present process appears to be unstoppable and cannot even be slowed down, and if you try to analyse it, the underlying methods, guidelines, rules, use of contracted employees like "Buildings Officers", assessment points system, creation of the new less personal mega-Presbyteries, and so on, cannot have been worked out by the Assembly, Presbyteries or 121 employees. Such detail can only have emanated from individuals in the C of S hierarchy who have at times sidestepped, or manipulated the democratic safeguards in which the reformed church in Scotland at one time took pride.
Whether or not these individuals are honest in saying that hoped-for revenue from the sale of buildings will go to "mission" in the remaining churches should perhaps be questioned and investigated independently. The C of S could have done better if they had simply said to all their congregations "here's how much - or rather how little - finance is available for you, go and use it as best you can, as you think fit". That might have at least been more in keeping with the earliest blossoming of Christianity than the autocratic, incompetent, overly objective, insensitive approach which continues, tragically, to be so unrelentingly implemented.
The SHOT group and the 1899 Forster & Andrews organ at Saltcoats Kirkgate Church, (Photo, Stuart McMahon).
SAINT COLUMBA’S CHURCH, LARGS
Peter Burman
Sowne of Organe’s history-making lecture-and-recital session at St Columba’s Church, Largs, on Saturday 1 June 2024
On the most beautiful day of the year so far, 216 of us gathered at 3.00 p.m. in St Columba’s Church, Largs, to listen to and celebrate the Henry Willis organ of 1892 which is rare in that it has not been tonally or structurally changed since its installation. All too often organs are ‘rebuilt’, when they surely should be conserved or repaired. It is an awesome tribute to the standards of design and craftsmanship of leading late 19th century and early 20th century organ builders that an instrument well looked after is as satisfying as musical and cultural heritage today as it was when dedicated 132 years ago.
We were also bowled over by the beauty of the building, cathedrallike in its scale, proportions and superb mason-craft, and with stained glass of a high artist order by designer-makers such as Daniel Cottier and Douglas Strachan. It is greatly to be regretted that the church has now been closed as a parish church, but it is possible to understand the pressures which face the Church of Scotland, with so few men and women offering themselves for the ministry, and with congregations dwindling in many parishes and
places. On the plus side, these closures are doing a great deal to focus attention on Scotland’s ecclesiastical heritage which has many aspects. One of those aspects is the existence of so many excellent organs, which deserve to have a continuing life one way or another. That being so it is admirable, and so much deserving of our support, that the organisation Sowne of Organe has instituted a model way of proceeding. The core team of Chris Bragg, Matthew Hynes, Andrew Forbes and Stephen McIntyre, sometimes assisted by other knowledgeable experts on organs, first makes a thorough survey – measured, drawn and photographic – of the organ in question and then present the results in a lecture-recital. There is also always thorough research into archival sources and into the historical and cultural context of the organ which is being studied. The same careful process could and should be applied to other aspects of church heritage, for example, stained glass, metalwork, furniture, Communion silver, and so on.
On 1 June, at St Columba’s, Largs, it was impressive how many organisations and civic leaders (MP, MSP, Provost, Deputy Lord Lieutenant) were present among the large and enthusiastic audience. There was a good balance between short informative and enthusiastic talks, arising out of the research and survey process, and music. I could have done with one of the ‘big’ Johann Sebastian Bach preludes and fugues but, otherwise, I found the selection of music varied and imaginative. For example, there was a piece of music by the composer Albert Lister Peace (1844-1912), who composed the well-known and beautiful tune for the hymn ‘O love that will not let me go’. More to the point was that it was he who had drawn up the organ’s specification and played its opening concert. I was struck by the delicacy and beauty of some of the quieter stops but, nevertheless, we all like to hear how an organ sounds when ‘all the stops are pulled out’, and we experienced that in Steven McIntyre’s superb rendering of Léon Boëllmann’s Deuxième Suite of 1896 which ends with a rumbustious movement called ‘FinalMarche’, in which the organ could sound out in all its glorious tones. Hearing the organ being put through its paces we could appreciate that it is an instrument at the highest level of British organ building.
The event on Saturday 1 June was advertised, and rightly, as ‘A Masterpiece in Peril’. There is peril indeed whenever a church is closed as, without proper management, the church can become prey to neglect or even in the worst cases to vandalism and arson. We need to be
vigilant in such situations. The Minister up to the recent time of closure gave a short but memorable speech at the end of the event in which he spoke of the determination of local church people to protect their former church during the vulnerable ‘waiting period’ during which a determined attempt will be made to find a suitable new use for the building. However, we should not under-estimate the challenge that that search will entail.
Sowne of Organe deserve all our thanks and all our support so that there can be many more such surveys of historic organs, many more of such lecture-recitals (we had one from Chris Bragg five years ago in our magnificent parish church in Falkland, Fife), and many strong and clear actions to cherish and save for the future our Scottish church heritage.
Professor Peter Burman has taught at both York and Cottbus universities and is an architectural historian with a deep interest in organs and organ cases. He came to Scotland to be Director of Conservation & Property Services of the National Trust for Scotland. He is a member of BIOS and of the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Provincial Buildings Committee, and on the Vestry of St James’s, Goldenacre, Edinburgh.
(The church is not to be confused with the other St Columba’s church in Largs, which is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church - Ed.)
The article was originally written for the Falkland Society, and pictured is Chris Bragg himself at the Falkland Parish Church organ.
THREE DUMFRIES ORGANS
John Riley
upon the site will prove a revelation. Indeed Crichton Memorial Church is more akin to a small cathedral or very large parish church. Completed in 1897, it houses a celebrated Lewis organ (2/21) of 1902. Despite its modest size, the superb quality of voicing and acoustics of the building create the sound of a much larger and grander instrument. The Swell
Dumfries is perhaps not particularly known for its organ heritage. However, there are definitely instruments and indeed buildings which more than repay a visit.
For the uninitiated whose only knowledge of the building is of a former chapel of a psychiatric hospital, arrival
lies above the player’s head whilst the Great is located at the side, which does need to be factored in when balancing registrations. The full specification can be found on this NPOR link:
The whole hospital site has been repurposed and used by a large
variety of bodies including several universities, and a popular venue for weddings and other functions. The church also holds a weekly service though is nondenominational. The search term ‘Crichton Hospital’ will bring up plenty of information on the history and current use of the site.
In total contrast is St Michael’s Church, built in the mid 18th century but on a site dating back 1000 years. The interior furnishings and stained glass are of particular note. The organ (2/25) was built by Father Willis in 1890 and revised and enlarged by Willis III in 1933. The instrument speaks very clearly into the church albeit in a very dry acoustic. (Specification link)
St John’s Episcopal Church located very close to the railway station contains a Harrison instrument 3/37 that has been much rebuilt over the years, originating in a Hill instrument later rebuilt by Wadsworth. Whilst being a church of reasonable size, the acoustics are fairly dry and sound does not travel well down the nave. A positive division was added in 1969 in the fashions of the time, and the division was substantially rebuilt and turned round 90 degrees to help address the lack of projection.
Full details and specification can be found on this Harrison’s link.
Many thanks to Matthew Hynes and the Glasgow Society of Organists for organising the tour in May, which provided access to these fine instruments and noteworthy buildings.
Photo: Harrison & Harrison Ltd.
ORGANISTS’ POLITICAL DICTIONARY (supplement)
John Riley
Following the recent election, organists are even more aware of the need to understand political and economic jargon. As a supplement to the large dictionary that appeared in previous issues of Console, here is a useful supplement.
Amendments What organists do to the scores when they can’t play what is written.
Cross-bencher An organist who habitually finds a place to sleep during the sermon.
Crossing the floor The process of moving from the organ console to a piano or keyboard for a hymn that would be unplayable on the organ. These may be some distance from each other and require some delicacy of footwork so as not to disturb the intervening prayer or reading.
Deflation What can happen to the car tyres of those who park in the clearly-marked organist’s parking space.
Exit poll The gathered opinions of those who leave an organ recital of avant-garde works partway through.
First past the post Or, in the case of the candidates to succeed Buxtehude in his post, it was the first of many.
Inflation concerns The blower motor is making some funny noises.
Independent The organist decides to reharmonise the last verse without telling the choir.
Losing seats People at a meeting next door have taken chairs from the choir practice room.
Low interest rate The congregation’s response to the pre-service preludes.
Marginal seat The organist’s page turner and/or registrant decides they want to sit on the organ bench too.
Minister’s Questions Usually following suspicions that the organist played a rude hidden melody as part of a voluntary in reference to something in the sermon or some aspect of the Minister’s person, or their spouse’s new outfit.
Migration Something that happens to organ pipes between different instruments, usually authorised, but occasionally illegal, especially if the receiving organ is in the organist’s home.
Number 10 The number of a sonata by Rheinberger, already an unusually high number for a sonata by a single composer, at which point he decided to write 10 more.
Outside interests Often features railways, traction engines, spending time in pubs.
Pledge Something occasionally applied to an organ bench by wellmeaning cleaners, but which can lead to some embarrassing moments, particularly during wide multi-octave leaps.
Recount The organist has misread the time signature.
Reshuffle What an organist sometimes unwittingly does to the order of the notes, each time that the piece is played.
Resignation Something through which an organist whose playing (and possibly other things), has proved unacceptable to the church, agrees to leave. A financial incentive, a grossly misleading positive testimonial, or threat of referral to the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Congregations), may form part of a process of encouragement.
Safe seat An organ bench that is not reliant on books and other objects to precariously raise it to an adequate height.
Second Jobs The practice of simultaneously holding organist posts at two churches, whose morning service times do not overlap. This can result in styles of driving that most organists would not adopt on any other day of the week.
Second Reading of the Bill What the treasurer does upon receiving the bill for some work on the organ after disbelieving what they saw on the first reading.
Service cuts Something that can involve the impromptu chopping of hymn verses, even a whole hymn, or a carefully prepared anthem if the sermon goes on too long, or prayers turn into a mini sermon.
Summit The point of a composer’s life and career deemed to represent the peak of their inspirational powers. It is generally held to be a good idea for composers to be fully aware of which side of the summit they are travelling along before producing any more compositions.
Term The length of tenure of an organist who will ‘just do for the moment’ while the authorities hope to find somebody much better, (but often don’t).
Three-way-split (1) Playing a trio sonata.
Three-way-split (2) The possible embarrassing consequences of playing pedal multi-octave leaps too vigorously.
Turnout Something that organists should do (but all too often fail to) with dusty old music, service sheets, sweet papers etc., which can turn an organ loft into an absolute tip.
Unexpected Swing What an enterprising organist might inject into a hymn.
Whistleblower A term sometimes applied to organists, usually by those who do not like organ music and organists.
THE ORGAN WORKS OF THÉODORE
DUBOIS (1837-1924)
John Riley
Théodore Dubois is known to most organists primarily through no more than a handful of works, notably the Toccata (from Douze Pièces pour Orgue ou piano-pédalier); also well-known are Fiat Lux (Douze Pièces Nouvelles pour Orgue), Marche de Rois Mages (Douze Pièces pour Orgue ou piano-pédalier), Marcietta (Sept Pièces pour Orgue).
Yet, these are but a very small part of his complete organ output, and indeed, he composed a large number of chamber, piano and orchestral works, though found less than hoped-for success as a composer of comic opera. Dubois is perhaps best known though for his religious works, some of which have remained in the repertory of French churches for decades, not least Les sept paroles du Christ (1867).
The centenary of his death in 1924 is perhaps a fitting point to evaluate the merits or otherwise of his organ output as a whole. We have the benefit of extensive material from Dubois’ own hand in the form of his Souvenirs de ma vie (1909) and which can be read in full in English translation on this link.
Dubois was born into an ordinary and non-musical family, (his father was a basket-maker). Dubois was by nature shy and self-effacing and despite his obvious talent, his humble background and lack of general knowledge made for a less than easy time upon entering Paris and the Conservatoire environment. ‘I was extremely unhappy and don’t know how I got through it all’.
While at the Conservatoire, Dubois was appointed Organiste de Choeur at Ste. Louis-des-Invalides from 1855, his instrument at his disposal being a ‘rotting’ harmonium and the meagre resources of his singers described
in equally uncomplimentary terms; the grand organ was played by ‘a blind man with no talent at all’. In 1858 he was appointed as choir organist at Ste. Clotilde, a clear step up in terms of the quality of the harmonium, overall resources and salary! Particularly valued was the experience of working under the Maître de Chapelle, César Franck, though at that time not well-known. Dubois greatly admired his choral works; ‘What contrast to the works to be heard in most of the churches in Paris! This was the beginning of resistance to banality and poor taste…’.
In 1861 Dubois was awarded the prestigious Prix de Rome for his cantata Atala. The Prix brought with it liberally-subsidised accommodation and tuition at the French Academy in Rome and residing at the Villa de Medici, and where Dubois was able to meet a number of major musical figures, not least Franz Liszt.
Dubois’ post at Ste. Clotilde had been held open for him upon his expected return. This turned out to be a several weeks earlier than expected. The new grand organ at been completed and Franck wished to change his position of Maître de Chapelle to Organist and Dubois was offered this position if he were to return forthwith. Although trained as an organist, it was choral music which occupied Dubois for some years afterwards, both as his directorship of the choir and as a composer.
Dubois was appointed Maître de Chapelle at La Madeleine where resources of personnel (and workload) were considerably larger than at Ste. Clotilde and replaced Saint-Saëns as organist in 1877, and with whom he maintained a close friendship throughout the rest of his life. It was as Organist here that led to a ‘return’ to the organ and most of his compositions for organ originate during his period there until leaving the post in 1896.
Dubois also taught at the Conservatoire, as Professor of harmony (1871–91), then succeeding Delibes as Professor of composition (1891–6), and Ambroise Thomas finally as director of the Conservatoire (1896–1905). Dubois believed in the importance of a solid grounding of traditional theory and harmony and published a number of treatises. Dubois’ reputation is as a conservative, as evidenced by the well-
documented mutual difficulties in relations with Ravel, though this was perhaps as much an issue with Ravel’s free spirit than a lack of openness to new trends in music. Indeed, Dubois was known to have held some admiration for Debussy and Wagner, albeit only sporadically displaying moves towards ‘progressive’ trends in music.
Dubois was active in many roles and compositional genres, the total published numbering over 500. Of these, the organ was not Dubois’ prime focus, nor was he a virtuoso as such, but the number of compositions still represents a significant output for the instrument.
The chronology of his organ works is not always easy to establish, most particularly with his earliest works. Our sources are not from original manuscripts but first editions and the dates of publication of these. Even Dubois’ own catalogue of his works which he compiled in 1921 does not necessarily reflect when they were actually composed. The dates of composition can in some cases only be decided from stylistic traits and level of maturity; also through the registrations which may indicate whether they were conceived at the grand organs of St Clotilde or La Madeleine. Although the titles of the collections or indications on the score sometimes indicate their suitability for harmonium, they were conceived primarily as organ pieces to be adapted where necessary for the harmonium, not vice versa. This is particularly true of the posthumously published 42 Pièces (q.v.)
For simplicity, the organ works will be nevertheless surveyed in the order of the publication date rather than when they are likely to have been composed. The fact that at the time of publication, the pieces may have been up to 50 years old only served to reinforce the impression of a composer who was not attuned to the trends of the time.
Dubois published virtually all his organ works in collections, the notable exception being the 42 pieces compiled posthumously, plus three early pieces which are not even mentioned in the catalogue of his works that he drew up in around 1921. Although competently crafted the three can safely be overlooked. Dubois also composed a number of transcriptions of works by other composers, and a number of his most popular works were transcribed for piano. These however, these will not be covered in this survey.
DIX PIÈCES POUR ORGUE OU HARMONIUM (1887)
Score link Recording link (N.B. recording links throughout the article are to the whole album, not individual pieces.)
The opening Entrée with its imposing grand theme is ultimately somewhat empty and the stabbing pedal entries can become a source of irritation rather than adding substance to the work. The following Entrée en forme de carillon displays Dubois’ seeming delight in finding as many harmonic hues on a single theme as possible, albeit with perhaps not quite the ingenuity found in his well-known Marche des Rois Mages (q.v.).
Dubois’ harmonic skill is demonstrated in a more focussed and ultimately more eloquent form in the rather delightful Offertoire, not least in the subtle harmonic shifts within the sequential phrases of the rather poignant main
One wonders though if perhaps Dubois missed a trick in not developing this theme further rather than inserting several sets of contrasting material between statements of the theme. Nevertheless, this would surely make an effective transcription for a chamber ensemble, even as film music, and deserves a place in an enlarged corpus of his better-known organ works.
The second Offertoire betrays the influence of Franck (and possibly SaintSaëns) but despite some worthy elements, lacks Franck’s ability to wed everything into a meaningful whole with elasticity of phrasing, and in effectively enlarging upon thematic material. In contrast, Dubois is often tempted to repeat his stronger material to the point of insistence or break it up with lots of contrasting sections rather than develop it further. The Offertoire therefore suffers from all of this and ultimately becomes meandering and episodic, lacking the sense of effortless flow of Franck and some of Dubois’ contemporaries.
The Élévation that follows is altogether a more mature (and perhaps even a later-composed) work with a chromaticism redolent of Franck and even Vierne and achieves a much greater sense of flow, logic, and conciseness of thought. The second Élévation is in similar vein if perhaps not quite as tight in construction. (Does the harmonic pendulum of V7 and II chords from b. 21 suggest the influence of Fauré?)
The Communion is a not unattractive but slightly curious mélange starting with near Mendelssohn but later passing through a bath of oozing Franckian chromaticism. In b. 45 we are treated to a very brief burst of ‘There’ll always be an England’, also hinted at the opening, though surely a mere coincidence!
The second Communion is a not unappealing piece but in its two pages the three sections do feel like Dubois is creating separate pieces, but not quite able to develop the themes fully. The sections move through very distant keys from each other, with only a brief recapitulation of elements of the initial theme at the very end. The following Sortie is a worthy fugal movement with a strong subject and much skilful and busy counterpoint, but ultimately rather overladen with note-spinning. The second Sortie similarly starts with some promise but in the end delivers little. The procession of grand gestures of often disparate material is just too
episodic. Much of this is reminiscent of Gigout’s work but without the flow and logic of Gigout’s finest pieces.
DOUZE PIÈCES POUR ORGUE OU PIANO-PÉDALIER (1886)
Score link. Recording link.
The Prélude is essentially based on the very engaging initial flowing theme, which develops with some unfolding logic and is largely free of the succession of disparate sections that characterise some of Dubois’ other works. He extends the material through a series of echoes and moving to distant keys - and at one point, a succession of phrases in descending thirds: A flat, E and C majors. All this though would only really work in a very reverberant building such as La Madeleine, and ultimately the piece does rather overstretch the content and the repetitions of the opening phrases are somewhat over-insistent.
The Offertoire also betrays something of the influence of Franck and in its long flowing lines achieves a homogeneity and integration of material and overall mood which suits its liturgical context well.
If Dubois is ever seen as a ‘one work composer’, then the Toccata would be it and is for many his best-known work – and understandably so. Much of the work is developed from the opening semiquaver theme and the left-hand staccato quaver rhythm, which undergo various forms of modulation and fragmentation. There are also contrasting chorale-like passages in much longer note values. Unlike in Dubois’ less successful pieces however, the contrasting materials integrate well through welljudged lengths of sections, skilful juxtaposition and overall balance that keeps everything moving towards a goal. For the player, this is a work
that is easier to learn and play than it sounds; much of the material is constantly being recycled and pedal line is simple and merely punctuates the manual texture.
The following Verset de Procession, if not particularly memorable, is nevertheless a well-crafted set of mini-variations on the initial theme. The Offertoire however is a rather curious work, starting as a rather Mendelssohnian hymn-like theme.
But then, it unexpectedly hits a diminished chord and veers off the main road into a very different world and an almost orchestral idiom.
Following a return to the hymn-like theme, Dubois then launches into a another orchestral-like passage; this time, the spirits of Liszt and Wagner are abound in the texture and movement through totally unrelated keys. The piece then concludes with, appropriately, a brief Leitmotif of the opening theme.
Whether or not this all holds together is a moot point. But the work is undeniably among the most interesting and striking of Dubois’ works.
Far more conventional is the brief Verset-Chorale. Perfectly eloquent and functional but one that we can pass over. As indeed also with the Fantaisie, which after a grand opening dissipates into series of barely memorable and disparate passages, the periodic reiteration of the Franckian pedal motif doing little to hold the piece together.
Méditation is almost a companion piece to the Verset de Procession, and basically a hymn-like theme with various elaborations. In its short length, it is an effective accompaniment to the liturgy.
With Marche des Rois Mages we come to one of Dubois’ best-known and most entertaining pieces, and is almost a gleeful exercise in harmonising a single note in as many ways as possible. The top B is held throughout
and many an unsuspecting audience member must have wondered if a cipher was sounding in the background.
The tuneful main theme, transparent textures and great conciseness of material and balance of various sections greatly add to the success of this piece. Dubois definitely has a twinkle in his eye here. (Incidentally, is the secondo player entitled bow at the end too, If not for technical prowess but perhaps for endurance?).
In contrast, the following Offertoire is a perfectly agreeable and wellconstructed piece though with no great individuality or distinctive features. However, with the rather delightful Cantilena, we are in the world of the salon and chamber music with a solo instrument weaving an elegant melody over a harp-like accompaniment, (over).
The convention of rather bombastic final sorties though does not seem to bring the best out of Dubois, and the the Grande Choeur is no exception. However, if the opening theme is somewhat trite, it is developed reasonably effectively and with a clear A B A structure and devoid of mixed tempo, the piece keeps its momentum well.
TROIS PIÈCES (1890)
Score link Recording link
These perhaps constitute the nearest that Dubois came to writing a threemovement sonata. The Praeludium Grave is among Dubois’ most substantial movements and exhibits tightness of construction and a rich variety of texture and harmony. Yet, the ghost of Franck is never far away, not least his Fantasie and Final plus some brief passing waves of other familiar passages. The following piece, Adoratio et Angelica finds Dubois at his most harmonically daring in terms of moving between distant keys and exploiting enharmonic relationships. The final piece Hosanna is by far the weakest, being mostly a noisy sequence of shortbreathed but long-winded phrases. The never-ending final climax, or rather, waves of them, reminds one slightly of Malcolm Arnold’s Grand,
Grand overture, but without the humour. The best bit is part of the opening theme, which reappears now and again throughout the piece. It would perhaps make a rather good theme for an MGM western film!
MESSE DE MARIAGE (1891)
Score link Recording link
Marriages in French churches could be very ornate occasions, particularly for those wealthy families prepared to pay the top end of the progressive fees that French parishes charged. The contemporary repertoire was full of marches nuptiales and such like. However, a collection a pieces devoted to the marriage service is unusual if not unique. Nevertheless, the titles can be ignored and the pieces would work equally well for other occasions.
The Entrée du Cortège has a rather splendid opening theme over a carillon-type bass, which sets the momentum up the whole piece (over): The piece continues with more than a smattering of opera, perhaps even the fairground organ, and something of the style of the contemporary Italian repertoire, plus interjections of what sounds like a snippet from ‘Men of Harlech’. The movement’s unbridled and unashamed vulgarity sweeps all before it, and if possibly not suitable music for the entrance of a Bishop or some other dignified occasions, definitely has a certain something to commend it.
In total contrast, the following Bénédiction Nuptiale consists of a fine cantilena above a gossamer-like accompaniment in swirling arpeggios. Offertoire on the other hand exhibits a full range of texture from single lines to almost orchestral mass including melodic double-octaves; Dubois builds almost Wagner-like wave after wave of increasing texture and intensity; a full range of often unrelated keys too in close juxtaposition, yet Dubois manages to wed it all together and maintain the flow.
The reflective Invocation is a movement that is particularly tied to the sound colours and the ambience of a church such as La Madeleine. The raw melodic and harmonic character would not though be strong enough to make as much sense if transferred to an inappropriate instrument or acoustic. (The same might be said of a lot of organ music!)
The Sortie Laus Deo is, perhaps predictably the weakest movement of the set. The opening syncopated theme in triple time has a quite memorable swagger to it but much of the material that make up the sandwich filling is little more than pomp and display, and leaves one wanting something more substantial.
DOUZE PIÈCES NOUVELLES (1893)
Score link Recording link
Whereas pieces in previous collections were often dedicated to Dubois’ close circle of Parisian organists, these pieces reflect Dubois’ increasing international standing, Dubois now receiving commissions from all the world, and with dedications to musicians in as far-flung places as Australia, USA and Mexico as well as other European countries. In Dubois’ catalogue, he marked in red pieces that were his particularly favourites and which he rated his finest. Many of these are from this collection. The collection is also characterised by an increasing variety and adventurousness in form and treatment of the organ, as reflected in the term ‘Nouvelle’.
The Prelude and Fugue sees Dubois in classical vein. The prelude though is surely far too busy with rapid semiquavers and lacks the melodic shaping, flow and distinctiveness of say, Saint-Saëns’ essays in similar vein. The fugue though is more successful with the strong, if rather long, subject permeating the piece. (The final few notes though, which are almost identical to “…So bring some right here” from ‘We wish you a merry Christmas' is a slightly distracting bump.)
The Chant Pastoral is an altogether finer and refreshingly imaginative work that goes well beyond the normal French pastorale. The opening melody has a touch of the exotic in its falling augmented fourth.
And while there are still the rustic pipes, the little twist of melody that forms the central section receives some subtle and skilful transformations. This is easily one of Dubois’ finest works, achieving melodic distinction, lightness of touch, conciseness of expression and finely judged proportions overall. It is definitely a work to hear more often.
Dubois’ harmonic skills have long being evident, but with Cortège Funèbre we see these at times quite tortured harmonies applied with greater seriousness, concentration and expressive focus. In this they are worlds beyond similar techniques found in earlier works and reminds one of some of Widor’s late works and even those of Vierne.
Dubois’ duties at La Madeleine will have inevitably involved liturgical improvisation and Le Fête Dieu is an offshoot of this as he takes two pieces of plainsong through various transformations and weaved into a wider texture. In contrasting style, the Canon is dedicated to Théodore Salomé, Choir Organist at La Trinité who composed some outstanding contributions to the genre.
Alleluia features a main theme and a middle section of variations on O Filii et Filiae. Again, one senses a dulling of judgment by Dubois in these extrovert sorties. Surely, for example, the device of a chromatic sidestep is too crude and unsettling a modulation, and the variations overall lack refinement.
In Noël we have a series of variations on a French folk tune, including some passages of near modality. This though does not have quite the sharpness and originality of Chant Pastoral.
Fiat Lux (incidentally, not the top-end version of an Italian car) is among Dubois’ finest and best-known works and incorporates many of the virtues the lend similar success to the Toccata; a few simple ideas and a central theme and figuration driving the whole thing forward, including an inexorable and well-calibrated crescendo and a clear goal of a climax.
If Dubois’ output suffers at times from a certain four-squareness, the almost ethereal In Paradisum obviates this admirably with a very slow arching melody moving below sextuplet quavers and a slow tread of a clear harmonic path.
Offertoire is characterised by much chromatic harmony as found in Chant Funèbre and even to the point of near atonality, yet lacks the same expressive focus and the effect is rather amorphous and confused.
Equally disappointing and rather inconsequential is the Thême Provençal Varié, which although agreeable and competently put together, remains distinctly earthbound; Dubois remains rather uncharacteristically centred in the same key and the lack of great variety in the treatment of the short theme merely accentuates adds to a sense of dullness.
The Marche Triomphale however is rather more successful than many of Dubois’ bombastic sorties and marches. Although consisting of Dubois usual Achilles’ Heel of various contrasting material and tempi, he achieves more distinction in the individuality of the material (even if the main theme has more than faint echoes of Mendelssohn’s War March of the Priests!); also, better discipline and tightness in its development and in ensuring that it does not outstay its welcome - just about.
SEPT PIÈCES POUR ORGUE (1898)
Score link Recording link
Following a distinctly mellifluous, if somewhat unmemorable Prélude, the rather charming Cantilène Religieuse is an altogether more distinctive work, its graceful arching melody of a theme undergoing subtle forms of development that nevertheless remain very much part of the whole. It goes beyond mere functional liturgical music and is worthy of consideration in a recital programme.
With Marcietta, we again see how Dubois seems to come out as his best in works that are not bombastic nor overly sentimental, but witty and in almost a playful mood. This is among Dubois’ finest and best-known works.
Interlude, in common with Cantilène Religieuse has a cantilena melody of distinction, but in this case, rather let down by a less than distinguished contrasting middle section. It’s definitely worth hearing though for the main theme and being patient for its eventual return towards the end.
The following Prière is of little interest beyond a liturgical function, and even within that some sections of extreme chromaticism jars somewhat. Inspiration also seems to have deserted Dubois in the Postlude-Cantique. The hymn or song-like march theme (an existing melody?) is extended by an interminable series of echoes and cadences before succumbing to some fugal treatment. Further testing of the church’s echo capabilities ensue before a resumption of the main theme and an elongated climax.
Dubois really does throw everything into the pot with the Marche-Sortie, including a bit of opera and trite main theme tout compris. Taken on its own terms, albeit somewhat vulgar – and presumably reflecting what the Parisian masses liked – it can have a definite appeal. In common with so much of Dubois’ output, the music is closely tied to the timbres of the Cavaillé-Coll organ and indeed a generous acoustic, such as that found at La Madeleine.
Offertoire pour la Fête de L’Ascension pour Grand orgue (1902)
Recording link (No online score available)
This is one of the very few of Dubois’ pieces that is not part of a collection and at around seven and a half minutes is also among his longest works. The title was the choice of the publisher Heugel, but Dubois was not entirely happy with this. The length and rather imposing character of the work made it unsuitable liturgically as an Offertoire and Dubois always preferred to precede the title with Ascendit Deus.
Built on two themes - an ascending phrase in line with the title and a secondary almost folk-like theme which he later turns into a rather fine fugue, (not forgetting a further them (leitmotif?) of angel trumpets). Much of the piece though is built on extrovert gesture and successions of pivot and
enharmonic chords and modulations as material is bounced around in echo fashion; a relatively little is indeed made to go a long way and in every direction. With managed expectations and being thoroughly attuned to the contexts of the time, this can come across as an very effective tour de force with many fine qualities; equally though, an indigestible and off-putting diet of over-ripe corn and in the very best traditions of the worst type of programmatic Hollywood film music. Take your pick! But not to be missed.
Entrée (1907). Recording link
Despite the publication date, this almost certainly dates from much earlier. Although one of Dubois longer pieces and with a number of intermediate episodes, it is among his more successful grand pieces and with an imposing main theme propelled by an ostinato pedal figure.
Postlude (1907).
(No online score or recording available)
This rather meditative movement for harmonium is again, probably an early work and notable for Dubois’ liking of repeating the same melody with a very different harmonisations.
DEUX PETIT PIÈCES POUR GRAND ORGUE OU HARMONIUM (1912)
Score link Recording link
The Petite pastorale Champenoise most likely dates from his student years or early career, as suggested by the rudimentary pedal part. Yet, the piece is among Dubois’ at his genial best. The opening theme has a finely-wrought and memorable melody followed by a contrasting theme before a return to the opening material. Everything is characterised by perfect conciseness and balance of form. The Prélude is altogether more serious and meditative in mood and fairly typical of his meditative liturgical preludes.
DIX PIÈCES POUR GRAND
Score link Recording link
ORGUE (1921)
This collection was the final one the Dubois published and 25 years after leaving La Madeleine. It was also a return to the organ following some years in which his devoted himself to writing for harmonium.
The opening Entrée begins with a rather inelegant sets of phrases in parallel octaves built around the major 7th, which are perhaps intended as a teasing ambiguity later to be clarified through harmonisation. The effect though is rather unsettling and does not set the piece up well.
Canonical form can be something of a straitjacket and whilst admirable as a technical challenge, all but the most inspired are rarely satisfying as music. The Pièce Canonique though does have the virtue of a simple memorable opening theme and can the piece can be regarded as among the finer examples of the genre.
Déploration more than hints at non-western influences and stretches tonality, not least in its use of the augmented 4th. Dubois also revels in his delight of reharmonising a single melodic phrase in as many ways as possible! (Example on page 60).
The Pastorale is replete with chromaticism, often stretching tonality to its limit. The improvisatory feel verges on the meandering but frequent appearances of the main theme rooted primary on a single bass note helps keep the piece on track. Whilst the Prélude begins with a fairly conventional crotchet melody with a semiquaver accompaniment, the theme is actually the first five notes of the theme from Bach’s Art of Fugue. This soon develops through increasing intensity of rhythm and textureand finally, the shutters are flung open to a massive Con Fuoco section, rather reminiscent of Lemmens’ The Storm. Towards the end of his life, Dubois produces a piece unlike anything that he has written before.
One wonders if Dubois had in mind the contrapuncti of the Art of Fugue when he wrote the Fugue. Following a lengthy traversing of acres of admirable but ultimately rather opaque counterpoint, we reach a brief
climax and then - and in total contrast to the Prélude - end with little more than a whimper.
Ex. Déploration
Following the highly chromatic and ever-modulating Évocation, the grandly-titled Introduction - Fantasia, Fughetta et Coda is rather reflective and a mere 100 bars. Despite the disparate episodic elements, concision and short length helps bind the piece together well.
Imploration is very much a companion piece to the earlier Déploration in its chromaticism and stretched tonality, albeit perhaps a little less characterful.
At the end of what is on the whole a somewhat reflective collection of pieces, the extrovert Sortie adopts many of the characteristics of the
famous Toccata: a consistent pattern of semiquavers driving the whole piece forward, light textures with a simple and sparingly-used pedal part; a more reflective middle section before a reprise of the opening material. Nevertheless, and whilst being among Dubois’ finer pieces, it does not quite match the tightness and cleverness of construction and sheer individuality of the Toccata; almost feeling like a very able student modelling their piece on a work by a master.
The last work published in Dubois’ lifetime, but almost certainly written in the 1870s, was a long-forgotten Fantasietta avec variations sur un thème provencal (1922). This work based on a traditional love song is the only overtly secular organ work that he wrote and quite likely aimed at the American concert organ market.
42 PIÉCES POUR ORGUES SANS PEDALE OU HARMONIUM
In 1925, very shortly after Dubois’ death, Heugel published a collection of previously unpublished pieces, all set out on two staves. They can however be played with pedals doubling the bottom note, and as often indicated in the score. (Recording links are here found on the piece’s titles).
Although the bulk of Dubois’ significant output was during this time at La Madeleine, he had a lengthy period of retirement during which he played on a variety of much smaller instruments and in a liturgical context. The brevity of many of these suggest that these were intended purely liturgically and for the composer’s own use. The collection also contains works from the early part of his career when the harmonium and the liturgy were the focus of his role as organist. They also range greatly in length from around five minutes to, in the case Petit Verset, a mere six bars! Most fall into the category of reflective interludes suitable for the liturgy, but also a few extrovert toccatas and Grand Choeurs. As previously noted, it is difficult to date when the individual pieces were composed though this is to an extent indicated by the maturity of the writing. The works therefore contain everything from rather undeveloped works to those which are miniature gems and among the finest that Dubois ever produced. Much of the collection though consists of works that are rarely less than very competently constructed and eminently
suitable for accompanying the liturgy, even if lacking the heights of distinction.
Some pieces worth highlighting: No. 39, Pièce archaïque; unique in Dubois’ organ output as a piece based entirely on the first of the church modes (Dorian) and having something of the character of Tournemire’s work. Modal or plainsong-based works, which were being developed by many of Dubois’ contemporaries was not a path that Dubois was to embrace.
No. 5 Grand Choeur, is an imposing voluntary and undoubtedly among the finest of the set, with effective melodic and rhythmic development, if perhaps just slightly overlong for the material.
No. 10 Offertoire with its use of harmonic pendulums and ostinato is slightly reminiscent of the world of Satie, and perhaps even Poulenc.
No. 41 Sortie is among Dubois’ finest in this genre featuring harmonic pendulums and a slow harmonic rhythm propelling the toccata figuration forward.
Dubois was at the absolute centre of the musical establishment in France, occupying many of the highest positions. Published towards the end of his life, Dubois’ Traite d’harmonic théorique et pratique one to be the standard work in theory of harmony classes at French conservatoires. And indeed, his facility in harmony is evident throughout his organ works. To the end of his life he believed that music should evolve, as it had done since around 1600 within the bounds of tonality and traditional forms. He was deeply concerned at many of the contemporary trends in music, and warned against the chaos and meaninglessness that he regarded as their inevitable result.
However, it has to be admitted that in terms of consistency, Dubois’ own compositional output was distinctly uneven and rather less so than his contemporaries such as Saint-Saëns and Gigout. Even works that display considerable craft sometimes lack the vital spark of character and memorability that marks out the best of any composer and establishes the works in the regular repertoire. But as we have seen, there is surely much to value beyond the small corpus of works that are currently best-known. Scores of many of his works are available free on line. Do explore!
Complete scores and recordings.
Most of Dubois’ organ works are available in free downloads from www.ismlp.org
However, for the complete works, Bärenreiter publish a critical modern edition with lots of background notes on the music, link here
Dubois’ most popular works are available on various recital discs, but there is only one CD set of most of his output. Fine performances on a very appropriate instrument, the Cavaillé-Coll organ of La Madeleine, Paris. The recording balance is rather distant however, which can be a issue given the vast acoustic of the building. The CDs can be hard to find now though most are currently available on www.jpc.de
EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT - part 24
. Alan Buchan
Early August 1832 saw Edinburgh's two finest organ builders, James Bruce (1786-1856) and David Hamilton (1800-63) battling it out with advertisements......
6viii1832 "LARGE CHURCH ORGAN.
Small, Bruce & Co., respectfully invite the amateurs of Organ Music, to hear a splendid instrument of twenty one stops which they have just finished for a church in Ireland. It will be exhibited from Wednesday till Monday next at their Manufactory, Amphion Place, Calton Hill, opposite the High School. Edinburgh, 6th August, 1832."
This organ was almost certainly the new Bruce organ opened at Long Tower RC Church in Derry in 1833. Conservatively it had a mounted Cornet, and no pedalboard, but radically had a Dulciana, an innovation at the time. Though rebuilt subsequently, much original pipework (restored by Wells-Kennedy) survives today. The unmistakable Gothic case by James Bruce can also be seen in a photograph on the church website. Bruce's workshop at Amphion Place, occupied from 1815-45, was shared with Wood & Co., and was five storeys high, which may explain why it could be described as "opposite" Thomas Hamilton's High School of 1829. In the late 1810s up to 150 square pianos were produced each year at Amphion Place. In 1821 part of the building was sold, and in 1834 there was a devastating fire which may have contributed to Small Bruce's bankruptcy in 1839. In 1845 construction of the Waverley Station resulted in the building's closure and demolition.
9viii1832
"ORGAN BUILDING.
D. Hamilton, Junior, Organ Builder, 30 St. Andrew's Square, begs leave to intimate that he has at present finished and ready for inspection, a very large ORGAN of church scale, consisting of twenty stops, with three rows of keys, German pedal keys and coupla [sic] stops for all the rows of keys. Besides many new and
important improvements, this Organ contains the much-admired FLUTESTOP, which was first introduced into this country by himself 8 years ago, on his return from Germany and has ever since remained unrivalled for quality and richness of tone. Many attempts have been made by other Organ Builders to imitate this stop, from surreptitiously inspecting his instruments, but he is still confident, from having studied the constructing and voicing of it with the first organ builders abroad, the flute stop can be obtained no where so perfect as from himself....."
An obituary in "The Scotsman" for David Hamilton on 30th December 1863 states "Had not his own modesty stood in the way, his merits as a thoroughly trained organ builder would have been far more widely known."
The "very large organ" described may be the one installed that year in St. John's Episcopal Church, Aberdeen and described in the Aberdeen Journal on 31st October 1832, where it is revealed that "The instrument contains fourteen stops; but it is constructed for more, which may be added when required.......The front presents five pipes in the centre compartment, and seven in each of the side towers.....and according to the continental system, are not gilt". All of which suggests that the church had not been able to afford the cost of the organ complete, but they were still saving up...
25ix32 This issue announced the passing of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford.
4x1832 This issue reports that cholera had struck the town of Dumfries hard, with 97 deaths in one week. The paper reported the view that the outbreak was being exacerbated by atmospheric pressure, but that the exertions of surgeons (perhaps to bleed the patients?) "seems to remedy it".
David Hamilton's business partner Martin Müller's parents both died in this cholera outbreak in Dumfries: Johan Christoph Müller had come to Scotland from Thuringia around 1800 to be bandmaster of the Dumfries Militia. He married a local lady, Mary Elizabeth Biggar, daughter of a (stone) mason, Robert Biggar (1750-98) and his wife Isabella McWhir (1750-1811). J.C. Müller was almost certainly employed by the Duke of Buccleuch, for his musical sojourns took him frequently to the Dalkeith area, where several of his family were born.
WHICH ORGAN?
This organ is to be found in a smallish historic UK city with a major river running through it. The designer of the locomotive bears the same name as this city.
The organ is the second largest that this organ builder produced. The very largest is in a school, although the title of the establishment would suggest it was something else. The school’s title also includes a name denoting a very important figure in the history of the church.
To get your honourable mention, you must name the location of the pictured organ AND its larger cousin.
ANSWER TO WHICH ORGAN?
APRIL 2024: St Andrew’s Parish Church, Penrith.
Correct answers were received, from, and in the order received:
Simon Nieminski, David Stewart, David Jones, Michael Green, Adrienne Campbell, Una Croll, Alan Ireland, Chris Nickol
