The money they've spent on the RFH restoring it to "its original glory" would have been far better spent bulldozing hall and organ into the ground! Both were a huge, ghastly mistake. The organ is a horrid screechbox and the acoustic is simply disastrous. The building is truly monstrously ugly inside and out - that it still stands is nothing short of a national disgrace. A new Victorian-style shoebox Town Hall with a nice new Romantic Mander would have been a much better use of the funds!
@TheMysticalOrgan That's a bit harsh but I do partly agree about the look of the place, compared to the Royal Albert Hall for example, it is rather a square functional box.
I personally rate H & H organs up with Willis and Cavaille Coll.
The sound of an organ is of course very affected by the accoustics of the building.
Considering all the pipes exis t and are carefully sored away I find it amazing that £2.3 million is still needed to restore the rest of the instrument (close on one third is already in situ). I know action, bellows etc are expensvie but quite frankly the end result had better be good otherwise people will be asking some serious questions - including Ralph Downes, who no doubt is hovering about and grinding his ghostly teeth at all this incredible expense.
@ds1868 Yes and I hope the best security measures and fire precautions are in place to protect it when it finally is completed. Similarly to the Willis in Alexandra Palace, one false move and the whole lot is lost, probably forever.
I've had the pleasure of playing this organ before the restoration project in a Messian concert. All I can say is she is a real pleasure to play!
When asked by friends what she was like to play all I could compare the instrument to was as if you are used to driving a reasonably powered car then get handed the keys to a Ferrari and are told to put the hammer down and go hell for leather!
I remember the first chord I struck in the rehearsal I actually stopped playing with shock at the power!
Well done! & good luck to get this wonderful organ back in working condition again!
cornwall59 3 weeks ago
The money they've spent on the RFH restoring it to "its original glory" would have been far better spent bulldozing hall and organ into the ground! Both were a huge, ghastly mistake. The organ is a horrid screechbox and the acoustic is simply disastrous. The building is truly monstrously ugly inside and out - that it still stands is nothing short of a national disgrace. A new Victorian-style shoebox Town Hall with a nice new Romantic Mander would have been a much better use of the funds!
TheMysticalOrgan 1 month ago
@TheMysticalOrgan That's a bit harsh but I do partly agree about the look of the place, compared to the Royal Albert Hall for example, it is rather a square functional box.
I personally rate H & H organs up with Willis and Cavaille Coll.
The sound of an organ is of course very affected by the accoustics of the building.
goodchappy 1 month ago
2.3 million pounds to RESTORE? the organ? Sounds like you could buy a new organ for that price.
Rheinlander95 2 months ago
Imagine the Berlioz Te Deum on this
Huddiethegreat 3 months ago
I'm playing the organ there in May :)
DaviJm31 4 months ago
who built this organ?
jvdurante84 8 months ago
@jvdurante84 Harrison & Harrison of Durham UK. Same as St. Albans Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral, Kings College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey....
goodchappy 4 months ago
can someone please tell me what the song playing in the background is?
crustylion123 1 year ago
@crustylion123 Hi there the song that is being played during this video is the C.M.Widor 5th toccata. Hope this helps you.
ThePipeorganman 1 year ago
Considering all the pipes exis t and are carefully sored away I find it amazing that £2.3 million is still needed to restore the rest of the instrument (close on one third is already in situ). I know action, bellows etc are expensvie but quite frankly the end result had better be good otherwise people will be asking some serious questions - including Ralph Downes, who no doubt is hovering about and grinding his ghostly teeth at all this incredible expense.
ds1868 1 year ago
@ds1868 Yes and I hope the best security measures and fire precautions are in place to protect it when it finally is completed. Similarly to the Willis in Alexandra Palace, one false move and the whole lot is lost, probably forever.
goodchappy 4 months ago
£30 for a small pipe? Why not £10? more chance of people paying it.
3dwurli 1 year ago
I've had the pleasure of playing this organ before the restoration project in a Messian concert. All I can say is she is a real pleasure to play!
When asked by friends what she was like to play all I could compare the instrument to was as if you are used to driving a reasonably powered car then get handed the keys to a Ferrari and are told to put the hammer down and go hell for leather!
I remember the first chord I struck in the rehearsal I actually stopped playing with shock at the power!
StreetSoundsDJ 1 year ago