Music from the British Isles

[rob]

A little rarity from Nottinghamshire......the music of the organist Arthur Howard Bonser [born 1855....unable to locate date of death]...

Perhaps he's still alive - these organists often go on and on and on - when they're really ancient it's hard to tell which is doing the wheezing, the organ or the organist!

[HullandHellandHalifax]

I know he became organist in Mansfield but thats all, I think I have some of his organ music too, will check up, maybe we will learn more about him.
Rob is as usual quite accurate about the description of old organs and organists, but I wonder if he would like to elevate himself to the organ loft each week and have to freeze, repair the leaking bellows, attend to the ciphering notes, do a bit of tuning and then have to change the anthem, voluntary etc. at the last moment not to mention the opponents of modern music (i.e. written after 1800) and the ever present "east wind" in the congregation who always sings half a beat after everyone else. Oh and of course do it for virtually nothing. I think we are entitled to wheeze a bit, we have to put up with enough in the way of problems.
The only good thing is that during the sermon you can get away with murder up in the loft, cards, magazines of non-religious content, gin, whisky, other means of spiritual and bodily sustenance and of course the chance to really wake the vicar up (purely accidental of course) by pulling out the Contra-Bombarde at an inappropriate moment.
regards
Brian

[fredbucket]

Been there, done that, HHH

My favorite was a 16ft trombone stop ... very loud, very rumbly and enough to drive anyone out of the church, myself included.

Regards
Fred

[mballan]

A little something by Harry Farjeon (1878-1948) - his Miniature Sonata Op 12.

Farjeon H - Op 12 Miniature Sonata.pdf

Malcolm

[player]

Thank-you for the Farjeon items. I'm working with a singer at the moment and hopefully we are going to work at the Farjeon songs but I'm interested in any of his music. Does anyone have any idea where I can get his Tarantelle??? I have come up completely blank on this one. Eileen Joyce recorded it in 1934 (I think off the top of my head) - the recording can be downloaded here:

http://callawaymedia.arts.uwa.edu.au/un ... J0047B.mp3

I have written to several people about this without success. I saw it mentioned in an article by Steve Race, and he called a very effective encore piece (or something like that - I can't find the webpage where I read it now). Of course Race studied under Farjeon so it doesn't mean the piece was actually published but I would love to get it if it was.

Also if anyone has any of these of Farjeon's songs I would be exceedingly grateful.

3 Vocal duets for Baritone and soprano (the world has gone a-maying, the secret, the star and the rosebud)
Vagrant songs op26
The Truants op46
Child's songs (Augener)
The Enigma
A faded flower
Mandarin's
Mermaid's song
Thou art the flower
three Toy songs

Many thanks for any help,
Rob

[liveforpiano]

A friend of mine has told me that there is a Farjeon Archive in the Theatre Collection at the University of Bristol.

You may have some luck there.

Peter (liveforpiano)

[fredbucket]

A friend of mine has told me that there is a Farjeon Archive in the Theatre Collection at the University of Bristol.

A quick Google search indictates that that archive is for Harry's brother, the librettist Herbert Farjeon - http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/farjeon.html

Regards
Fred

[liveforpiano]

Sorry Fred,

I took my friend at his word. Glad you checked.

Peter.

[lutoslawski]

Looking for Alwyn's Movements if anybody has it around.

Tony

[Duirton]

Anybody know if Buxton Orr has wrote something for piano...?

Thanks.