The Organ Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 10 - Anna Lapwood - Abandoned Monastery Organ - Crisis in Scotland Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Mark O'Brien is joined by organ builder David Wood as they engage in some organ archaeology whilst exploring an abandoned organ in an old monastery chapel in Staffordshire.
https://www.woodofhuddersfield.com/
https://npor.org.uk/survey/D02316
A crisis is facing the pipe organ in Scotland as hundreds of churches are earmarked for closure. We talk to Chris Bragg, from Sowne of Organe, who is leading a team campaigning to save many of Scotland's most historic organs by highlighting the value of their cultural and social heritage.
https://sowneoforgane.com/
Anna Lapwood reflects on her rise to fame and the role social media plays in introducing the organ to new audiences. She explains why playing film music has made her fall in love with the organ all over again, and how she deals with criticism and prejudice.
https://annalapwood.co.uk/
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and do get in touch at: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 9 - The Wurlitzer at Blackpool Tower - Liverpool's St George's Hall Willis Organ - Discovering 17th Century Composer, John Lugge May 28, 2024

Show notes

In this episode Phil Kelsall, organist at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, showcases the world famous Wurlitzer organ - and his own world famous playing technique!
https://www.philkelsall.co.uk/
Ian Tracey talks about the history of the Henry Willis organ at Liverpool's St George's Hall. As a new appeal has been launched to help raise fund for its restoration, Ian demonstrates some of the distinctive Willis sounds, and some of the areas in desperate need of repair.
https://www.stgeorgeshallliverpool.co.uk/events/st-georges-hall-organ-recitals/
William Whitehead shares his passion for the music of John Lugge (1580 -1655), a little known composer from the West Country, who navigated the often dangerous world of religious tension to develop one of the earliest forms of the English voluntary.
https://www.william-whitehead.com/
Get in touch with The Organ Podcast: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 8 - Richard McVeigh reflects on his YouTube success - William McVicker on the difficulties of organ advising - Anne Marsden Thomas looks back on her teaching career and challenges for women organists May 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Hauptwerk genius and YouTube star, Richard McVeigh talks about the rise of his channel 'Beauty in Sound' as a platform to live-stream hymns to a global audience, as well as recording some of the UK's finest pipe organs and organists.
https://www.youtube.com/@beautyinsound/videos
William McVicker gives a glimpse into his role as one of the country's leading pipe organ consultants. Whilst working on an historic organ in Southeast London he explains how organ advisors need to carefully balance the historical integrity of an organ with the musical demands of the organist and church.
https://www.aioa.org.uk/advisers/mcVicker.php
Anne Marsden Thomas MBE reveals how her poor introduction to the organ inspired her to become one of the UK's most successful and influential teachers of the instrument. With a career spanning more than 40 years, she continues to inspire students, young and old, as well as being a pioneering figure to promote the roles of women in the organ world.
Get in touch at: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 7 - David Briggs on his role at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York, improvising and his transcriptions - Daniel Moult talks about the new organs for the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Daniel Moult, Head of Organ at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, demonstrates how a series of new, historically inspired organs that he's commissioned, will transform the musicianship of his students, not just from an authentic approach to early music but across the board in organ playing technique. He also talks about the career and musical aspirations of young organ students today.
https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/music/departments/keyboard/organ

http://www.danielmoult.com/

One of the world's leading organists and improvisors, David Briggs, talks about his role as Artist in Residence at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York and the 'American sound'. He gives an insight into the art of improvising and how his own style has been informed by transcribing the improvisations of legendary organist, Pierre Cochereau, from hundreds of archive recordings. David also reflects on his work in transcribing large-scale orchestral works for the organ and the resulting ethical dilemmas he has to consider.

https://www.david-briggs.org/

https://www.stjohndivine.org/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and do get in touch at: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 6 - Liverpool Cathedral's new echo organ - Organic Metal and the pipe organ - Sir Andrew Parmley talks about his role as Chief Executive of the RCO Apr 10, 2024

Show notes

In this episode we visit the largest cathedral organ in the UK to follow the organ builders from David Wells as they begin installing a new echo division to the main organ at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. As one of the largest cathedrals in the world, the building has its own micro climate which impacts the tuning of the organ.
https://liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/cathedral-music/organ/

www.dwob.org/

David Pipe, organist at Huddersfield Town Hall, talks about the collaborations he gets involved with to bring the organ to new audiences. He explains why the organ is proving to be a success in a growing sub-genre of he heavy metal music, called Organic Doom Metal.

www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/06/uk-churches-keen-to-host-heavy-metal-bands-after-duet-with-organist-is-a-hit

And RCO Chief Executive Sir Andrew Parmley talks about his musical background, his remarkable journey from accidental childhood organist to Lord Mayor of London, and the College's outreach work and vision for the organ in modern cultural as well as spiritual life.

www.rco.org.uk/internationalorganday2024.php

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and do get in touch at: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 5 - Voicing the Guards' Chapel with Harrison & Harrison - Exploring the National Pipe Organ Register - Thomas Trotter talks repertoire and 40 years at Birmingham Town Hall Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

In this episode we get a first look at the new Harrison & Harrison organ at the Guards' Chapel in London. Harrison's Head Voicer, Andy Scott, talks about the Harrison & Harrison sound while he demonstrates voicing the organ.
https://www.harrisonorgans.com/
https://www.harrisonorgans.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/London-Guards-Chapel-2023.pdf
Andrew Macintosh, Director of RCO Scotland and Northern Ireland, talks about his work as manager of the NPOR - the National Pipe Organ Register. He showcases some of the features and links this database offers.
https://npor.org.uk
Thomas Trotter talks about how becoming organist of Birmingham Town Hall, 40 years ago, gave him his 'lucky break' to become one of the leading concert organists in the world.
https://bmusic.co.uk/what-we-do/who-we-are/history-1/organ
Get in touch: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 4 - Improvising at the movies with Darius Battiwalla - The challenge of rebuilding Sheffield Cathedral's Choir - Blind organist David Liddle Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

In this episode we hear Darius Battiwalla improvising to a 1920 silent horror film called 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. Sitting at the console of the 1972 Hradetzky organ at the Royal northern College of Music, Darius demonstrates some of the musical techniques he uses when improvising to silent films.
http://www.dariusbattiwalla.com/

Tom Daggett, Director of Music at Sheffield Cathedral, talks about the work he's doing to rebuild the cathedral's choir.

https://www.sheffieldcathedral.org/cathedral-choir

Blind organist and composer, David Aprahamian Liddle, explains the process of learning music through braille, and shares some amusing anecdotes of his encounters with Jean Langlais, Olivier Messiaen, André Marchal and Madame Duruflé.

http://davidliddle.org/biography.htm

Get in touch: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 3 - Bristol Cathedral says 'Goodbye' to its Walker organ - Some extraordinary attitudes faced by women composers for the organ - Richard Gowers talks about his career Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

In this episode we join Mark Lee, Director of Music at Bristol Cathedral, as he gives a quick demonstration of some of the distinctive 'Romantic' sounds of the 1907 Walker organ - just before it gets taken away for a major restoration by Harrison and Harrison.
https://bristol-cathedral.co.uk/news/work-begins-on-our-organ-restoration-project/

Anne Marsden Thomas and Ghislaine Reece-Trapp talk about their recently published Oxford Book of Organ Music by Women Composers, and discuss some of the difficulties and extraordinary attitudes faced by women organists throughout the centuries.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-book-of-organ-music-by-women-composers-9780193562721?cc=gb&lang=en&#:~:text=University%20Press%20Music-,Description,from%20a%20range%20of%20periods.

Richard Gowers talks about his experience as a King's College organ scholar, working with Sir Stephen Cleobury, and how he's diversified his keyboard skills to expand his career.
https://www.rgowers.com/
Get in touch: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 2 - 1688 Smith Organ at Auckland Castle - Lost Bairstow score - Martin Baker talks about life after Westminster Cathedral Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Professor Magnus Williamson explores the sounds and history of the 1688 Smith organ in the private chapel at Aukland Castle, near Durham. Reflecting on the political and religious landscape of England during the 16th and 17th centuries, he reveals how close England came to abolishing church organs altogether.
https://aucklandproject.org/venues/auckland-castle/
We meet the man who discovered two unpublished original manuscripts by Sir Edward Bairstow, that had been left in a cardboard box for over 90 years.
https://blackburncathedral.com/event/uncovered-treasures-bairstow-in-blackburn/
Martin Baker talks about his life since leaving Westminster Cathedral, his musical upbringing and passion for improvising.
Get in touch: theorganpodcast@rco.org.uk

https://www.rco.org.uk/

Episode 1 - Manchester Town Hall's Cavaillé-Coll - Tom Bell records Messiaen - Margaret Phillips talks about her life and collections of historic pipe organs Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we get a behind the scenes look at the start of the historic reconstruction of the 1877 Cavaille-Coll organ at Manchester's Town Hall with Andrew Caskie, Managing Director of Nicholson Organs.
https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500354/our_town_hall/7676/heritage_and_art/7
Tom Bell talks about his latest project of recording Oliver Messiaen's 18 movement 'Livre du Saint Sacrement' at Blackburn Cathedral.
https://www.tombell-organist.net/about
Margaret Phillips talks about her life and career, and demonstrates some of the instruments in her extraordinary collection of historic pipe organs.
http://www.margaretphillips.org.uk/index.htm

https://www.rco.org.uk/

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