The PipeLine The YDOA Newsletter:

November

Patron: Dr Francis Jackson CBE (Organist Emeritus, York Minster)

President: Nigel Holdsworth, 01904 640520

Secretary: Philip Paul, 01904 638423

Treasurer: Cynthia Wood, 01904 795204

Webmaster: John Jones, 07989 841505 or ydoaweb@btinternet.com

PipeLine Editor and YDOA Archivist: Maximillian Elliott

www.ydoa.co.uk The York & District Organists’ Association is affiliated to the Incorporated Association of Organists (I!O) and

serves all who are interested in the organ and its music.

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Contents

1. Words of Wisdom ....................................................................... 3

A message from the Editor: ......................................................... 3

2. Looking Back ............................................................................... 4

Annual Review 2012-13 ............................................................... 5

3. Next Event ................................................................................... 7

4. Upcoming Recitals and Concerts ................................................ 8

5. Articles ........................................................................................ 9

6. Organ of the Month .................................................................. 13

7. The Trivia Section ...................................................................... 15

The Caption Competition .......................................................... 16

8. The People Section ................................................................... 16

9. Next Edition .............................................................................. 17

Note .......................................................................................... 17

10. List of YDOA Presidents…………………………………………………………..18

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1. Words of Wisdom

A message from the Editor:

Welcome to the November Edition of ‘The PipeLine’. May I just take this opportunity to welcome Nigel Holdsworth as our new

President. Members of the YDOA will already be familiar with Nigel’s remarkable musicianship and now we have the

opportunity to benefit from his ennobled leadership. Nigel is an extremely friendly member of the YDOA and has proven to be

a great source of support and encouragement for members of all ages. He will, without doubt, prove to be a remarkable

President and the YDOA is fortunate to count him amongst our number!

To mark Nigel’s election as President, the YDOA has now produced a list of its former Presidents which can be found on Page

13 of this Edition. The original membership rolls, from which this list has been taken, have now been added to the YDOA

archive. If any member has any information that they would like to share about these musicians, please feel free to get in

touch with the Editor of ‘The PipeLine’ and YDOA Archivist...me! At the end of this year, every Edition of the PipeLine (from

January 2012) will be hard-bound and donated to the YDOA Archive. It is my ambition that the this archive will be expanded

over the coming months and will prove to be a valuable source for musicians and scholars, alike.

In many ways, he YDOA is entering a new chapter in its history and it is the task of every member to support this esteemed

institution. Members are, therefore, warmly invited to contribute articles to The PipeLine and share any information that they

can for the benefit of the YDOA archive.

** DIARY DATES** Upcoming Association Events 2013

November Saturday 23rd (14:30) Harpsichord Concert and Talk by Alan Cuckston

December Tuesday 3rd (17:00)

Monday 9th (17:00)

Two Social Evenings will be held in the churches of St

Helen’s and St Martin’s, York.

** DIARY DATES** Upcoming Association Events 2014

Saturday 25th (12:00) Residents’ First Weekend - Composite Recital (Central Methodist) January

Residents’ First Weekend - Composite Recital (St Helen’s) Sunday 26th (13:00)

February Saturday 22nd (14:00) Two House Organs

March Friday 21st (18:30) Annual Dinner (Guest Speaker - John Scott Whiteley)

April Saturday 26th (14:00) Organ Plus - Composite Recital for Organ + ??

May Saturday 31st (TBC) Spring Outing - Ripon Area

June Saturday 28th (11:00) Across the Pennines to Ashton-Under-Lyne

July Monday 28th - Friday 1st IAO Congress - Durham

August Saturday 30th (11:00) Summer Outing - Howden Area

September Saturday 27th (14:00) Lecture Recital on the Wesleys (Dr Simon Lindley)

October Saturday 25th (14:00) Annual Recital and AGM

Please keep an eye on our website at www.ydoa.co.uk and your future newsletters for any changes

or additional information about these events.

More detail on the next event can be found on page 7 of this edition.

Note: Some of these events are to be confirmed. Whilst the association and its officers will do their best to keep to these sometimes the best laid

plans can be frustrated by factors outside their control! Any changes will be notified in the Pipeline, on the association website and by email.

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2. Looking Back

Our October meeting was the Annual Recital and AGM. Philip Paul, Secretary, writes:

Many thanks to The Revd Quentin Wilson for giving us an splendid recital and introducing

us to a number of interesting musical discoveries. (The full programme appeared in last

month's edition of the Pipeline). Adrian informed us that Quentin used to parish priest to

the Krays and that quite a number of funerals took place at the church.... !

After the recital, members congregated round the corner (under gentle coercion!) at the

impressive Jacob's Well in Trinity Lane for the AGM. There was a good attendance for this,

perhaps, in part due to the excellent tea scheduled after the meeting - for which our

thanks are extended to Kath and Adrian Crawford and Helen Roberts. The site of a verita-

ble feast helped the formal business progress fairly swiftly. After the usual reports from

officers and the approval of the YDOA accounts, the election proceeded as follows:

Officers:

Nigel Holdsworth (President)

Joan Johnson (Vice President)

Cynthia Wood (Treasurer and Membership Secretary)

Philip Paul (Secretary)

Committee members:

Maximillian Elliott

Keith Dale

Helen Roberts

Bob Firth

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Annual Review 2012-2013

By Philip Paul

1. Even though the organ at St Martin's has only three stops it has been known for up to three people to play it at once, in this shot from last December the other two have been kicked off and are now back-seat drivers advising on registration (how long does this take with a three stop organ ??!!)

2. Discussions on registration continued in the Upper Room at St Martin's, un-inhibited by large quanti-ties of food (mainly consumed by this point) washed down with plenty of vino-collapso from Ikea (note the empty bottle in the foreground).

3. The annual dinner at the Monk Bar hotel, our patron Dr Francis Jackson, President Nigel Holdsworth and speaker The Revd Allan Hughes (the only vicar I know who has an Equity Card and appeared in the Black and White Minstrel Show!). Allan also told us what it was like working with Ken Dodd !

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4. Nigel and Francis compare notes on the evening's entertainment and food. "It was quite different in Reginald Rose's day".

5. In May Nigel Perry generously welcomed us to his home and not only let us loose on a fabulous instru-ment but also showed us his well appointed organ-building workshop. Here he and FJ are consulting a tome by Dom Bedos De Celles before finalising the scheme for a new mass production instrument (they wouldn't say where we it was going, but we think we heard Sweden mentioned).

6. Nigel and Francis in front of the impressive instrument that Nigel built himself. FJ asks if it is true that

he has recently designed a flat-pack organ for Ikea (we saw the evidence!). We understand these are due

to be in stock again early in April 2014.

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3. Next Event

OUR NEXT EVENT: SAT 23rd November 2013 – Harpsichord Concert and Talk by Alan

Cuckston

- We shall arrive at St Oswald’s Church, Fulford at 14:30 for a harpsichord concert and lec-

ture by Alan Cuckston.

- Alan Cuckston was born near Leeds and studied music with Fanny Waterman and Lamar Crowson at King’s College, Cambridge (1959–63). He successfully auditioned for the BBC, and has given frequent broadcasts as a keyboard and harpsichord soloist. Cuckston also joined the staff of the Music Department at the University of Birmingham. In 1968, he was invited to play at a prestigious concert during the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall.

Programme - ‘The Modern Harpsichord’

- The programme consists of music specially written for the harpsichord since its revival in the early twentieth-century.

- Featuring music by: Francis Poulenc, Percy Whitlock, Herbert Murrill and Gordon Jacob.

- Alan Cuckston will be using his own harpsichord, which is a copy of a 1638 Ruckers.

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4. Upcoming Recitals & Concerts

Locally

Planned events in York & North Yorkshire include:

York City Centre

Here is a selection of winter recitals taking place in York City Centre:

Saturday 9th November: York Minster (19:30) - YMS Concert, including the Poulenc Organ Concerto.

Wednesday 13th November: St Mary’s, Gate Helmsley (19:00) - A Lecture and Recital by Geoffrey Coffin about

the restoration of the organ. Tickets cost £7.50 on the door and includes wine, soft drinks and canapés.

Saturday 16th November: St Edward’s, Dringhouses (19:30) - An Autumn Evening Organ Recital by David

Simpson. Tickets cost £7 on the door and includes wine and cheese. The programme includes a variety of short

pieces by Rawsthorne, Vincent, Oldroyd, Guilmant, Whitlock, Smetana and others.

Proceeds go to the Community Hall Refurbishment Fund.

Saturdays: St Columba's URC, Priory Street (12:00) - 11th January (John Scott Whiteley), 18th January

(Maximillian Elliott), 25th January (Nigel Holdsworth), 1st February (Jonathan Bielby), 8th February (Alan

Spedding).

Further Afield

Saturday 14th December: St Mary’s, Boston Spa (10:30) - The annual Victorian Christmas Coffee Morning

(Maximillian Elliott). An all-Victorian organ music programme, in period attire, is accompanied by coffee, bis-

cuits and cake. This year, the noted local Baritone, Mark Wharfedale, will join the Editor for two songs.

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5. Articles

YDOA Member, Michael Harran, discusses the organ in St Mary’s, Church, Gate Helmsley:

Organ Centenary

Gate Helmsley, on the A166 between York and Stamford Bridge, is odd in that the village lies entirely on

the North side of the main road. Although there are remnants of the original 13th Century church still visi-

ble, most of the present building dates from a major restoration in 1885/6 and the stained glass from

around that same time.

In May 1913, Abbott and Smith of Leeds successfully tendered to install an organ in the church at a cost of

£225 – “not including cartage from Holtby station”. A dedication service for the new organ was held on

20th November 1913. Mr. H. Seymour Wilkinson (York) gave a recital after the service.

Specification

The organ is a 2 manual + pedals with exhaust tubular

pneumatic action to the manuals and charge pneu-

matic to the pedal chest. An electric blower was add-

ed in 1947 though the bellows can still be manually

pumped. Apart from this, the organ remains unmodi-

fied since installation.

The lower 12 notes of the Dulciana are borrowed from

the Wald Flute and those of the Viola from the Lieblich

Gedackt.

Although the pipework for the pneumatic action is sound, several of the valve leathers have had to be re-

placed and others are clearly worn. The soundboards are warped and many of the pipes have suffered

over the years. The whole instrument is in need of cleaning.

The absence of a 2’ or any mutation stops means that the sound produced by the organ lacks brightness.

Partly buried in the vestry (which was extended for the purpose and houses some pedal bourdon pipes

horizontally) the volume of sound in the nave is barely adequate on those few occasions when the church

is full.

Great Open Diapason 8”

Wald Flute 8”

Dulciana 8”

Harmonic Flute 4”

Swell Lieblich Gedackt 8”

Viola 8”

Gemshorn 4”

Oboe 8”

Pedal Bourdon 16”

Couplers - Swell to Great, Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal

Two composition pedals per manual.

Balanced swell pedal.

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It became clear that the organ was in need of a major restoration if it was to be retained – and a fundrais-

ing effort began in 2011.

PPO will undertake the work in due course and plans include retaining and revoicing most of the original

pipes, replacing the Great 4’ flute with a Principal and adding a Fifteenth. Cost probably precludes any-

thing more ambitious but at least we intend to retain the pipe organ rather than substitute an electronic

instrument.

The organ is available during the day and members are welcome to play. Parking opposite the Village Hall

– about 60 meters beyond the church towards Stamford Bridge.

Top Left and Right: St Mary’s Church, Gate Helmsley.

Top Middle: Façade and organ console.

Bottom Middle: Abbott & Smith builders’ plate.

Left: Swell stop jamb.

Right: Great stop jamb.

Thanks to Michael Harran for these photographs.

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Wednesday 13th November at 7pm in the church

Tickets £7.50 from Michael Harran (01759 372215)

Includes wine / soft drinks and canapés

Parking opposite the Village Hall

Proceeds in aid of

Centenary Pipes

A talk and recital on the organ in St Mary’s Church Gate

Helmsley by Geoffrey Coffin of Principal Pipe Organs on

the occasion of the Centenary of the organ.

Enjoy refreshments, hear the organ played and learn about

plans for the restoration of this 100 year-old instrument.

1913 2013

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6. Organ of the Month 'The Organ of the Month' comprises of a series of articles looking at different local instruments, alphabetically. The Editor has, thus far, been

using the NPOR listing for York as his database of instruments. However, the next instrument on the list is the Bryceson organ in the Castle

Museum and due to current archival re-organisation we have not been given access to the instrument at this moment in time. Instead, the

Editor will take this opportunity to highlight an organ from a building not included on the NPOR listing for York. Therefore, this month’s

‘Organ of the Month’ is:

Lendal Congregational Chapel, York

FACT FILE AT A GLANCE!

Builder: Denman

Year: 1875

2 manuals and pedals

Maximillian Elliott (The PipeLine Editor)

writes:

On Thursday the 26th of August 1875 at 3pm, an organ

recital was given by Dr Spark (Leeds Town Hall) to

mark the opening of a new instrument in Lendal

Congregational Chapel (now Zizzi Restaurant).

Specification

Great Open Diapason 8”

Horn Diapason 8”

Stopt Diapason 8”

Flute harmonic 4”

Principal 4”

Fifteenth 2”

Clarionet 8”

Lieblich Bourdon 16” Swell

Open Diapason 8”

Stopt Diapason 8”

Dulciana 8”

Principal 4”

Piccolo 2”

Oboe 8”

Pedal Grand open diapason 16”

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The following description of the organ was given :

“The usual couplers are on the organ; and, of course, have draw knobs on the stop registers. As far as the

number of stops in the specification of the Lendal Chapel instrument extends, it is very judiciously chosen

for an organ for the purpose of accompanying voices in simple choral music. The liberal quantity of eight

feet stops, stops all in unison with the voices, gives the instrument a fine, full, and dignified body of tone –

an essential most commendable in such an instrument. The builder, too, has given his instrument a good

large scale, which causes a tonal breadth over the whole of the stops too frequently lost sight of in modern

organs. And as to tone, the diapasons very much resemble the tone quality of the old English diapasons

which none have ever surpassed. The Dulciana, which we are glad to find in the swell organ, is a very good

specimen of the builders flute-work manipulation. The harmonic flute imparts great breadth to the great

organ tone, and is a most creditable-specimen of the builder’s versatility in the important art of voicing

the carried stops. The two feet tone stops are beautifully clear and resonant. Mixtures, we are glad to find

are left out of the scheme of this instrument. The reed-stops are from the builder’s manufactory, and are

very favourable specimens of reed making. The clarionet is a true mezzo-soprano voiced stop, while the

oboe is many degrees thinner and of the soprano quality. These reeds give a sufficiently penetrative

character of tone to the flue-work when drawn, and used as solo stops they are exceedingly nice. The

builder, Mr Denman, of this city, generally follows the good old style of giving preference to good

diapason work on the pedal organ of his instruments, instead of fizzy bourdons, consequently on the

Lendal Chapel organ we find a fine booming, bold, round voiced chorus stop speaking on the pedals

whenever touched. Altogether, the instrument

under notice is one most creditable to Mr.

Denman’s organ manufactory – for not only is the

tone good throughout, but the materials of which

the pipes are made, metal and wood, seem to be

of the best kind, and will, therefore, be lasting.”

Dr Spark’s programme consisted of:

The performance was described as being:

“In Dr. Spark’s best style, and elicited much applause after

each [piece].”

All of the information (exc. photographs) in this article comes from the York Herald:

Saturday, August 28, 1875; pg. 7; Issue 5789.

Introduction and Allegro con brio Beethoven

Extemporaueons on a Theme, by Haydn

Festal March, in E flat Wm. Spark

Duet – Quis est homo Rossini

Jerusalem the Golden, varied Wm. Spark

Prelude and fugue Bach

Angels ever Bright and Fair, and

Hallelujah Chorus

Handel

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7. The Trivia Section

The Caption Competition

Remember this?

The captions received were from:

"Big Ears and Mr Plod join Noddy for a trip to

Knaresborough" - (Maximillian Elliott)

The new Caption Competition image is:

What is going on here?

Our new President.

Captions to

tubamagna@hotmail.co.uk

by the 20th November, please!

Some Jokes:

‘The organist's motto: practice while he preaches!’

‘Unaccompanied: When a choir sings without the organ playing. For some reason, this often makes the

organ suddenly go sharp.’

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8. The People Section

Shown below are any organist vacancies, requests or offers for deputies and appointments

in the locality.

Organist Required

All Saints’ Church, Thorp Arch, Wetherby

Please contact: Kathleen Sanderson – 01937 844 818

or

D. Spurr – 01937 842 772

Accompanist Required

Terrington Community Choir

Modest honorarium and travel expenses. The repertoire is varied and at a good standard.

Please contact: Bob Rogers 01653 699469

Loft Clearance

After twelve years in North Yorkshire and a determined loft clearance, I have a number of cassette tapes

and LPs, mainly organ and choral music, for free to anyone with facilities to play them and ears to enjoy!

I've also got a number of books on related subjects that may interest members. All free to a good home.

Please contact: Quentin Wilson 01944 728060 or qhwilson@btinternet.com

If you know of any other vacancies in the area, please contact Maximillian Elliott on tu-

bamagna@hotmail.co.uk for inclusion in the next edition.

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9. The Next Edition

The next edition of your PipeLine newsletter will be the December Edition (published on

the 1st of December).

Any articles you would like to contribute to the next edition, in addition to any photo-

graphs for the ‘Gallery’ section (perhaps of events past and present), or any candidates for

the ‘Organ of the Month’, would be most warmly welcomed for publication. Please pass on

to Maximillian Elliott at tubamagna@hotmail.co.uk by the 20th of November and NO LAT-

ER.

Note

This publication was produced by Maximillian Elliott on behalf of the York & District Organ-

ists’ Association. (All third party information is printed in good faith and the editor cannot

be held responsible for any inaccuracies).

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10. List of YDOA Presidents

Founded in 1945

1945-6 Sir Edward Bairstow (York Minster)

1946-7 Reginald Rose (St Olave's)

1947-8 Archie Sargent (Monkgate Methodist)

1948-9 Dr Francis Jackson CBE (York Minster)

1949-50 H. Reginald Mason (Centenary Methodist)

1950s

1950-1 Frederick Waine (St Peter's School)

1951-2 Reginald Rose (St Olave's)

1952-3 E Stanley Walton (Heworth)

1953-4 Sir Benjamin Dawson JP

1954-5 Benjamin Summerton (Tadcaster)

1955-6 W A Bean (Thorne Methodist)

1956-7 G J Stacey (St George’s, Garrison Church)

1957-8 J S McEllesan (St Michael-le-Belfrey)

1958-9 Walter Hartley (Selby Abbey)

1959-60 Sir Benjamin Dawson JP

1960s

1960-1 Bernard J Porter (Holy Trinity, Micklegate)

1961-2 Ronald Perrin (Assistant, York Minster)

1962-3 W Addamson (All Saints’, Pavement)

1963-4 Alec S Cooper (Escrick)

1964-5 Mrs Bowmer (Appleton Roebuck)

1965-6 George L Baggley (St John's College)

1966-7 Tom Ward (St Olave's)

1967-8 Alec Brodie (Haxby)

1968-9 Michael Minns (Driffield Parish Church)

1969-70 Jim A Norfar (Carlton Husthwaite)

1970s

1970-1 Lloyd D Smith (All Saints’, Pavement)

1971-2 Colin McGarritty (Harrogate)

1972-3 Michael Phipps (Castleford)

1973-4 Jack Judson (Harrogate)

1974-5 Alfred Alcock (Acomb Methodist)

1975-6 A Austin Winterbottom

1976-7 Peter Whitehead

1977-8 Mrs Ruth Smith (Southlands Methodist)

1978-9 Mrs Maureen Murfit (Pateley Bridge)

1979-80 The Revd Geoffrey Hunter (Heslington)

1980s

1980-1 Robert Hall (All Saints’, Pavement)

1981-2 Michael Latham (Organ-builder)

1982-3 Richard Crosby (Acomb Methodist)

1983-4 Peter Maw (Driffield)

1984-5 Eric Grewer (Central Methodist)

1985-7 David Templeman (Acomb Methodist)

1987-8 Lloyd D Smith (All Saints’, Pavement)

1988-9 Geoffrey Coffin (Organ-builder)

1989-91 George Pilling (Thirsk)

1990s

1991-3 Douglas Heath (Tadcaster Parish Church)

1993-4 Nicholas Page (Central Methodist)

1994-5 David Simpson (St Columba's, URC)

1995-6 Alan Aspinal (Wetherby)

1996-7 Peter Whitehead

1997-8 Maureen Swindells

1998 Jean Pilling

1999 Edmund Cooke (Ripon)

2000s

2000-1 Alfred Boddison (Easingwold)

2001-2 Cynthia Wood

2002-3 Edmund Cooke (Ripon)

2003-4 David Simpson

2004-5 Philip Paul (Central Methodist)

2005-7 Phillip Sangwine (All Saints’, Pavement)

2007-9 Andrew Roberts (Ripon)

2009-11 Adrian Crawford (Holy Trinity, Micklegate)

2010s

2011-13 Dr Raymond Sturdy (Old Malton Priory)

2013-present Nigel Holdsworth (St Columba’s, URC)