June 2002
Letters to the Editor (Soundboard June 2002)	Show Menu

Sir,

I must thank you sincerely for your crossword. Whatever about solving those things I have always wondered what sort of genius is involved in compiling them. But ‘The Organists Crossword’ for me is a serendipitous voyage through my favourite reference book, the Oxford Companion to Music.

What a wealth of interesting things one discovers en route! The Flagolet on the organ had me rightly flummoxed though, and I set the puzzle aside in despair, only to take it up again on the day of the party. Eureka!! But almost three months too late! Who would have thought it! — Larigot. Well well. Now I know something that is very little known, and can bring it into flagging conversations. ‘Do you know that a Flagolet used to be called a Larigot?’ Good for ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire” too. Thanks for hours of absorbing interest, Randal, and for essential source material, Oxford Companion.

Yours, etc.,
John Godden,
Glendalough.

Sir,

You are probably fed up hearing from me your Issue 2 was as good as Issue 1 — may it continue.

I was struck by a reader’s request for Simple Organ Music. You will have heard of Lefébure-Wély, whose Sorties and Offertoires, it is said, are banal and vulgar (though it is not my opinion). But what is perhaps less well known is that his ‘softer’ pieces are excellent. However what is probably even less well known is that he composed two books called “Les Grandes Orgues -Vade Mecum des Eglises” and ‘Vadernecurn de lOrganiste”, each containing at least 100 assorted versets, comniunions, sorties, preludes, marches and elevations on two staves, in both major and minor keys up to four sharps/flats. Their lengths range from one line to four pages, but they are extendible by repetition. Each is easily sight- readable and all are attractive minor masterpieces. I use them every time I play to fill ‘gaps’, or to back the Communion.
If anyone would like sight of them please contact me. I am not sure if they can be readily obtained from the same source as mine, since they are not currently in print nor have they been for many years. I have tried to convince a couple of publishers to publish them but to no avail. If after viewing them anyone would like a copy I’ll see what I can do.

Yours, etc.,
Mervyn Cooper,
Killiney.

Sir,

Having read Soundboard 2, I am encouraged to put pen to paper and make a contribution. Since reading John Godden’s article, it has inspired me to write this note. “Choosing the Music” was of great interest. I am senior organist at Dundrum’s Methodist Church. We have a playing rota and this gives others the opportunity of take part. We use organ + piano combination a good deal. Our organ is a two-manual Johannes electronic instrument, and is quite suited to our multi-purpose building. Coming back to Choosing the Music — our minister, Rev. Tom Kingston, calls the day before with the choice of hymns based on the theme of the service. This gives the opportunity to check out tunes. etc. Two hymn books are in use, the Methodist book “Hymns and Psalms”, and the more-modern book, “Songs qf Fellowship”. On a family Sunday we have a Praise Group, which leads the singing, and which comprises a variety of instruments — guitars, piano accordion, flute, electric piano, and I enjoy chipping in with a bass guitar. We are a comparatively new congregation, and being an out-of-town church, have an intake of young families, and so we try to make the music interesting for all ages.

Referring to the article about Voluntaries being listened to and appreciated, I have always been aware of this, and try to play music that the congregation will enjoy and will relate to. So often we are tempted to play our party pieces or something beyond our skills to execute properly.
Finally I was privileged to take part in the recent organ marathon in Christ Church. This is an awesome experience for an amateur like me, with my age being into borrowed time. May I express my thanks to the professional players, and in particular to Mark Duley for his sympathetic help, registration and making adjustments according to my wishes as we proceeded through the piece. I hope he did not have to bite his lip too much when the mistakes occurred.

Let’s hope that we will hear from many other organists through the pages of Soundboard in future.

Yours etc.,
Gilbert Livingston,
Dublin 14

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