CLOSED…hopefully not for ever(!)
In 1867, a company started in Glasgow to sell music and instruments. It was called Biggars, and grew at a time when music hall was popular, and every proud home had a piano and a stool-ful of sheet music. It closed its doors a few days ago. Glasgow’s, if not Scotland’s, most famous music retailer is gone. So where will you get your Steinway piano now?
The Directors, David and Gillian Huthison, had previously owned the electrical company Hutchison’s, which went into liquidation in 2002.
It is believed that the Internet’s increasing involvement in music supply and the decrease in individual music playing must have been responsible. But the accounts showed a healthy profit and stock value. It is to be hoped that a purchaser can be found to maintain the presence, and perhaps keep some of the staff.
I remember spending many hours in the lower floor, hunting about for organ and choral music, and would like to feel that I might be able to return to that at some stage. But with the present uneasy economic climate, I cannot be sure.
Notes Tremendous!
Have been listening again to a recording made by Frikki Walker of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow. It was his first CD (named as is the title of this post) and has a wealth of good ’solid’ music, which allows him to show off the instrument to its best. Recordings were made in May 2006.
Some are particular favourites of mine, and whilst I cannot even approach the playing-skill displayed, I always enjoyed having-a-go at playing them…
- ‘Nun Danket Alle Gott’, arranged as a chorale improvisation by Karg-Elert
- ‘Elegy’ by George Thalben Ball. I have a recording of this made in a south of England village organ, and it sounds so different….actually I prefer the more-gentle registration of the English organ (but don’t tell Frikki!)
- C.S.Lang’s ‘Tuba Tune in D Major’ looks easy on paper, but not so easy in the execution!
- He contributed his own ‘Oxford Elegy’, a gentle little piece with some marvellous original snatches of tunes….which would easily pass the Old Grey Whistle Test.
- The final piece is well-known to almost every church-goer. It is the noisy and fiery ‘Toccata from the 5th Organ Symphony’ by Widor.
I would love to put some of them as links here, but if you would really like to hear the CD, you can borrow mine, or (even better) buy one from the Cathedral!
P.S. If he brings out a CD with his own compositions, perhaps he could call it ‘Voices Tremendous’.
STAINER, JOHN
There is probably not a single Church in the UK which doesn’t have some music of John Stainer’s, and most of this would have been dog-eared copies of ‘The Crucifixion’ (I even had a choir where they all used Tonic Solfa editions!)
He was born in Southwark in 1840, his father being a school-master, with a musical interest. Actually he could play piano, organ and flute. The house was full of music including a chamber organ, and John was taught from a very young age by his father. Things moved very quickly for him:-
- He became a probationer in St Paul’s Cathedral at the age of 8
- a full member at 9. He was also learning the organ and occasionally played at St Paul’s.
- By the age of 14 he had been appointed as organist at a local church in St Paul’s Wharf.
- at 16 he became Organist at Tenbury College, in Worcs for a couple of years under Ouseley
- at 19 he was awarded Batchelor of Music
- by 20 he was appointed organist at Magdalen College, Oxford
- by 21 he became organist to the University
- by 24 he completed a Batchelor of Arts Degree
- by 25 he got his Doctorate in Music after writing ‘Gideon’
- by 26 he got his M.A. from Oxford
- by 32 he became organist at St Paul’s Cathedral
- by 42 he was appointed, additionally, as Government Inspector of Music in Elementary Schools
- by 48 he became Sir John, but he felt that his eyesight was failing (just like Bach and Handel!) and he resigned as organist at St Paul’s.
- by 49 he accepted the professorship of music at Oxford, for 10 years, but he retired at 59 due to arguments with the authorities
- at 60 he went on holiday and in Verona he died of a heart attack. His body was returned to Oxford for burial…
AND YOU THOUGHT HE JUST WROTE ‘The Crucifixion’ !!
SOMETHING FREE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
An electronic organ with two keyboards and one-octave pedal-board, is available to take away free gratis from Buchlyvie Village Hall, by contacting Sandra McNee on 01360 850220. Give her a buzz, and then take a run out there and try it!
EIGHTY YEARS YOUNG!
THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM A POST I DID EARLIER THIS YEAR (Feb 17th) ON ANOTHER BLOG BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED…..
Evensong at the Cathedral was special tonight…. the choir numbered 50, of present and past choristers who had gathered together to celebrate. The music was selected by Bernard Porter, a previous organist who was 80 years old this weekend, but certainly does not look it!
He was a pleasure to sing under, with gentle criticism and much praise, a wonderful musical knowledge, but who used and practised his skill and craft with a wonderful under-stating. The youngest and most inexperienced chorister gained from being with him, and even those of who have sung for many years still came away knowing a little more about the works we were singing.
Heavens….this seems terribly like an obituary! No, he is still alive and kicking, with an impish grin. I asked him what he will do for the next 20 years, and he said that it will all seem a bit ‘downhill from now on’. So different from those musicians who are so full of themselves, with a puffed-out ego.
So let me add my congratulations…well done Bernard!
Pitlochry Eucharist
May 18th….2008
Holy Trinity Pitlochry…..Evening Sung Eucharist
This was not our normal Evensong, but a Sung Eucharist. This had been postponed from the morning, because there was a road cycle race through that area. The main road was cut off, and the noise generated by them would have precluded any peaceful Morning Service. We therefore had a different repertoire to learn, but all went well, with a full church….and the usual ‘feed’ afterwards.
‘Sanctus and Benedictus’ by James MacMillan
‘Kyrie Eleison’ by L.J.Whyte
Anthem:- ‘O, Lord, my heart is not proud’…music by Margaret Rizza
Vesper:- ‘May the road rise to meet you’….Irish Traditional
Some of Choir at Pitlochry2008
********************************************************************
Aberfoyle..the Church on the Hill
Sept….2007
St Mary’s, Aberfoyle……………Sung Evensong
Vesper Hymn…..God that Madest
The view of the Church from the road
Jean at the marvellous Willis organ
Lochgilphead….Christ Church
Oct 7th….2007
Christ Church, Lochgilphead…….Sung Evensong
We are very lucky, in that, in two hours on Sunday we were able to travel through some of the most wonderful Argyll countryside (just as the leaves are changing to that lovely russet, the true indicator of Autumn), to spend time in Lochgilphead. We then sang Choral Evensong with the members of, not only Christ Church, but members from other churches. What a great example of ecuminism!
Just now, the Church celebrates the life and work of Francis of Assisi, probably one of the best-known Saints, because of his association with nature. This was reflected in the presence of a number of (stuffed) animals, the organ music (Carnival of the Animals) and the hymns. By the way, Jack the organist was wonderful and, at 80+, plays like a young virtuoso!
It was a wonderful day all through, and as usual, the hospitality was more than we deseved.
Special note has to be made of one of our members who flew back from Dusseldorf on Sunday morning, managed to get from Prestwick to Paisley, sat the whole way to Lochgilphead by car, practised, sang lustily, and then sat the whole way back to Glasgow (actually she did snooze a little!)…without complaining!
Now, how do we beat that?
Anthem:- ‘Through the Day’…words by T Kelly (1769-1854) and music by Thomas Morley (1557-1602)
Vesper:- ‘Go now in love, go now in peace’ (words and music by Patrick M Liebergen)
Angelus with Rector and organist on a lovely autumn evening
St Cyprian’s, Lenzie
Feb 18th…2007
St. Cyprian’s ………….Lenzie…….Sung Evensong
Our earliest Evensongs were held here, when we realised that this service was disappearing. Sometimes it was only the Choir with one acting as cantor who attended, but at least it did maintain the tradition a little while longer
****************************************
Holy Name, Cumbernauld
May 20th 2007
Holy Name, Cumbernauld……Sung Evensong
A large building in a modern style, intended to cater for the influx of English incomers to Cumbernauld when it opened in 1958. Whilst many of the large employers have gone, and the potential congregation has declined, we wish them the best for the next 50.
Vesper Hymn….God that Makest
