You should be Teaching a Music & Church History Course at a University!!! Your'e playing is SPOT ON, and you enthusiasm for History, Architecture and English Countryside is inspiring!!!
I don’t know anything about instruments. Your comment on “if it sounded beautifully to you, then I rendered this whole thing pointless” made me laugh because I can’t tell. Sounded beautiful to me still. Keep up the great work.
At a church I used to go to, the Son of the man who originally built the organ (a church baroque style organ) came from Germany and totally reconditioned the organ, then about fifty years old. Pipes were cleaned out and new leather seals placed in the joints and it sounded brilliant, other than the muffled sound we had grown accustomed to. The church only has a small congregation so the technician did the job at cost of parts and food and lodgings as a Christian pilgrimage of service. Amazing what some people do for others. These old church organs are amazing if you think that the thousands of prayers, of decades or even centuries have been given melodic appeal by the organ and organist. Cheers
Great coincidence…was in Amesbury last week for a funeral…and planned to visit this church afterwards. Sadly got stuck in traffic for ages and missed my church fix… never mind… next time😀😀😀
Since I discovered your channel a couple of months ago, I look forward to your weekly videos. And today’s is another winner. That out of tune Organ that you played sounded wonderful. And I don’t even have a bad ear!
I'll echo other comments about your channel being, shall we say, educational. It's far more than just you playing an organ - history, the "science" of organs, tuning, the impact of atmospherics, I could go on, and did I say "history"? Clearly, your expenses have eaten into you razor budget (😅). I've PPd a "correction". Thank you. Prithee continue.
In 2001-2002 I played the masses every Saturday evening and Sunday morning in 2 churches in Heerlen, the Netherlands, and the organs were in a state as far apart as you could imagine: one had (and still has) a lovely, 3-manual mechanical Verschueren organ, which was completely cleaned and maintained when I started there. The other church had an electro-pneumatical Vermeulen organ, which was behind 2 windows which were broken by kids throwing stones on a stormy autumn day. Before they could install wood panels in the windows (which were still in place when I played there), a lot of leaves and other debris got into the organ, it was terrible out of tune and a lot of pipes even didn't speak anymore... I learned quickly which keys to avoid in every stop and which stops never to use (including all the reeds). When I asked about tuning, they said: "Why? We already had it tuned 2 years ago..." A couple of years after I left, they removed that organ, installed new windows and a nice, second hand Verschueren organ. I unfortunately never played that. What would be interesting for me in your videos: if you could tell some things that are unique to English organs, as a Dutch-born living in Switzerland, I have some experience with German baroque organs and French romantic organs (I played on some Cavaillé-Coll-organs in Paris, incl. St. Sulpice!), but I know almost nothing about the style and history of the English organs.
Wonderful! Every time I hear Pie Jesu I can’t stop crying. Your rendition is so moving. Thank you so much, Ben. You are 🏴 Organist. I send my love to you and to. Our beautiful England💙💙💙
This is just wonderful! You are a marvel, Ben, the whole experience of your videos is so uplifting. Anything I want to comment? Yes! I wish I could play the church organ! 🍀🍀☘☘🍀🍀☘☘Thank you, Ben!
Goodness the week has shot by! Another wonderful video. I hope someone tunes that organ soon. It will get harder the longer they leave it. I loved everything you played this time, all very relaxing and inspiring
Hi Ben. Excellent job as always. Now I know Organists weary of the musical equivalent of anorak wearing train spotters known as Organ buffs but while I don't think you need to weary us with the stop list, it would be nice to know who the maker of the Organ is. The principal sounds lovely on this one. I could see the pipes were very well made. They cherry picked the spotted metal for the facades. Cheers.
As a fact, you make so wonderful work that I do not know any other. Please keep doing this. I wish I would live in Salisbury and I would like to know you better. I would like to be there as an altar servant in the service where you serve as an organist. And my question is: In what situation would you use "mixture"?
I have now watched several of your submissions. My puzzlement is 'How does your tablet know when to turn the page?' Is it monitoring, or listening to, the sound against the score in its memory? As for the content, the history and music are just about the correct balance. RH
Thanks for introducing me to a couple of pieces that I don't believe I have heard before, Voluntary #111 in A Minor by Maurice Greene and Cornet Voluntary by John Robinson, I am quite familiar with with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu. Nice to hear pieces that are new or newish to my ears. Growing a beard eh ??????????? Thanks for your vids, growing a beard ??????
This is a very exciting piece to listen to!!!!!!!!!!!!😀😀😀 Johann Sebastian Bach: Sinfonia aus der Kantate Nr. 29 "Wir danken dir, ... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZXhgmcI43r0.htmlsi=4iRQ3Cn4Wu9rSsTb
John Robinson played this charming cornet voluntary in Westminster Abbey where he was organist for 35 years. Our Hero has now become a magician playing an out-of-tune three-manual organ in a former convent. There must be magic in his fingers to make it play in tune. Aren’t we lucky to have Ben enriching our lives as Winter turns to Spring.
Ben, your site is one of my most favorite of all! The church I go to is now using totally a praise team. It's fine, but now and then I long to hear hymns accompanied by an organ. You graciously give me my organ fix, and it's a wonderful gift!! Thank you!!
I am a member of St. Nicholas Sevenoaks and fed up with the bongobongomuzak from the worship band. We still get the occasional proper hymn on the organ but hymns are getting like gold dust. Our Bible verse for the year is 1 John 3:1, so why on earth do we not sing the hymn "Behold the amazing gift oh love" (tune St. Stephen)?
Hello, Noel-- please don't use the word 'magic,' certainly not in reference to anyone or anything good. Words have meaning. That word is a distinct reference to the occult. Overused and misused in these days, people seem to say it without thinking.
I wonder what will become of these lovely historic churches and the wonderful musical instruments in them, when congregations and support are shrinking. I guess we can appreciate and enjoy them for now thanks to a fine channel like this. I thought this organ sounded quite good.
Sadly, the organ is going out of fashion. (I'm an organist.) Three of our US seminaries that had music programs have dropped them. We even lost Westminster Choir College altogether. It's sad.
The biggest threat to them is a lack of organists. Very few young people can play nowadays. A lot of middle-class children do piano and music lessons and grade exams but very few keep it up into adulthood. I'm self-taught and a bit rubbish but I'm the only organist my local church has at the moment.
For those not from Salisbury - this organ was removed from St. Edmunds Church - now the Salisbury Arts Center... Greetings from a cold and rainy Gothenburg...
Definitely the bright spot of my week when I watch your entrancing mini recitals Ben. They transport me back to my youth, when I used to listen to the Milton organ being played in Tewkesbury Abbey, where I was a chorister and then Sumsion and Sanders in Gloucester Cathedral during my teens. I have so much appreciated getting around these beautiful Wiltshire churches too. Blessings on you .
You prove again that Diapasons Rule, Ben! Your restrained tempo for Webber's Pie Jesu was just perfect - the best that I have ever heard. Weekly thanks! Michael x
Thank you Mr Maton again. 🎩🇬🇧 I love that part of A. Lloyd Webbers Requiem mass - Pie Jesu, and you managed to perform it so gentle and warm way. 🥹As an "hobby organist" playing with old finnish reed organ, all those pipeorgans you play on your videos sounds jolly good even on out of tune. 👐May God bless you and your good art. 🙏May God our Father give you all you need in this life and huge reward in the world to come. 👑 Blessed Lent season and coming Easter. Greetings from Finland 🇫🇮 P.S. you look charming!
Mine were married here in 1954 and we lived just down the road when I was a kid. I went to Sunday school here briefly before we moved to a nearby village. I was so pleased to hear that they managed to sort out the issues with the building recently.
Well done again be for your beautiful 😊 pieces of music you played today and keep up the comments about the churches always so inspiring looking forward to hearing from you soon 👍👵🏻
Hello Ben. I was living in Salisbury when the Organ was removed from St. Edmund's Church in Bedwin Street. At the time, I was living in Salt Lane, just a few minutes walk from the church. Not being a church goer - I'm not even remotely religious; haven't been a 'believer' since I was a schoolboy - I never got to hear the organ played there. That said, I am a big fan of church organs, having discovered their joy in 1960, as a 12 year-old schoolboy, whilst visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, with my family. I was blown away by the sound and the music. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor; Widor's Toccata from Symphony No. 5; Buxtehude; Pachelbel and several other pieces. At the time, the Organist was Pierre Cochereau and I was so impressed, I bought his LP, "Organ Music From Notre Dame". I still have it and it still gets played regularly, as evident by the state of the sleeve. Whilst there, I also heard music of Perotin and other medieval composers of church music. Whilst in Salisbury, I attended several Organ Recitals, but have been to very few since I left Salisbury in 1995, to caring for my aged parents in Portsmouth. Powerful stuff, organ music. Shame I don't get out as much these days, due to age and infirmity. I'm very into Medieval and Early Music and listen to the Early Music Programme every Sunday, on BBC Radio 3. I've left you a donation, to aid your efforts. Keep them coming. Best regards, Russ. Havant, Hants.
@@missbingley6048 You're very welcome. Yes, I've been enjoying Ben's videos for a couple of weeks now. I'm slowly working my way through his back catalogue, which shouldn't take long. I've been to several of the churches he's visited, as I'm a Rambler and when I lived in Salisbury, would go exploring whenever I could. I love the History of churches and have visited many of the UK's churches and Cathedrals over the years. As a child, my father's job took us abroad on several occasions, so I got interested in all manner of things, from a young age. Old Churches were of particular fascination to me; especially when I discovered how old many of them were. For my Sins, I still haven't visited Canterbury Cathedral, nor Durham, but have visited St. David's, in Pembrokeshire, where we lived during the early 1960's. I'm hoping to re-visit Notre Dame, when it re-opens. As I'm now 76 years of age, I mustn't leave it too long, or I may not make it. To quote Dave Allen, "May your God go with you".
If you are able, make a point of getting out and visiting them, even if you are not able to get into them. Better still, find out when they hold services and attend them, even if you are not normally a church goer. You'll probably find, that a local Vicar is working a rotation, around several churches in the Diocese; a different church every week.
Didactic and entertaining, this video shows us a magnificent organ, a historic church belonging to an old convent with wonderful architecture, and Weber's Pie Jesu sounds very good, one of my favorite works that I used on my channel as part of my tune. video of the Via Crucis in 2023. Happy and Holy Lent Ben.😊❤
Greetings from Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. What type of pad or tablet are you using in place of sheet music? Also, noticed something when the time came to turn the page. How does that work? This organ may be out of tune but, it still sounds glorious to me. My Grandmother's church in Dallas had a pipe organ. Grandmother would complain about how loud it was played. As for Myself, would wrap myself in its sounds and volume. Was a wondrous organ for the size of the sanctuary. Have been on your channel about 1 month now. Like the history of the villages, the history of the churches, and amazed how the village churches have survived for hundred to thousands of years. Thank you for spending the time finding, exploring, and playing these wondrous instruments. May the organs of the world be heard.
I don't like music. It irritates me. I don't have the neurological wiring for it. But I do like this channel and all the videos strangely enough. Today's one in particular. Very nice pieces indeed. Hope he keeps it up 😊.
Quite some years ago now, i saw an article with this caption-- "Kill the Organist!" You, dear Ben Maton, are the absolute opposite of that horrible caption. Your wonderful lectures and beautiful photography and music are calling out to the world, "Save and savour the organ, its wonderful music, its rich history, its fine and integral place and purpose in our worship and praise of God Almighty Who Has made all these wondrous things!" Thank you 🏆and may He bless you abundantly now and always 👑✝️🕊️ This installment of your channel is particularly edifying. And on this Sunday and Feast of St Patrick, so beautiful a time. Please keep going! and may i ask that you visit St Patrick's in Maynooth, Ireland, and show us their great organ. Beautiful "Pie Jesu" -- thank you for playing it ✝️🙏♥️
Your productions are a good blend of history, travel, music. I learn so much from each. Unlikely I will every personally see most of these places but I can visit them vicariously with you. Thank you.
Great video. In no particular order, here's a few more preventive points on organ tuning. - Leave the swell box(es) open when you finish. This allows the enclosed pipes to maintain the same temperature and humidity as the unenclosed divisions. - The more extreme the weather, the more likely you're going to have a tuning problem, particularly with the reeds. A quick test is to draw your 4' Principal together with each reed stop in turn. Run a chromatic scale over the full rank and listen for any clangers. - A rule of thumb is that ranks that are closest to each other will be more likely to be in tune than those that are furthest apart. This applies especially between pipes in different divisions. The test here is to couple the Principal stops on your great, swell and choir (positive) divisions and, again, run a full chromatic scale. Based on what you hear, you might decide not to use your couplers that day. - In bad weather, your reeds might present problems beyond being simply out of tune. Individual notes may not speak properly, or at all, or (worst) cipher. If you were planning to use your Vox Humana for an adagio solo, maybe play it safe and use your Cornet IV instead. A few notes might sound a little ripe, but at least they won't sound like a herniated swan.
The organ has become a guilty pleasure to listen to especially on Spotyfy, I have a liked playlist full of ABBA,The Muse and have a few pieces of Bach and Widor in the mix. 😅As a suggestion... Can you do a video about what life is like as an Organist for a week? I really am interested. 🙂
While I am not talented enough to distinguish whether an organ is "in tone", I do greatly appreciate your wonderful tutorial & selection of music well presented! Simply, thank you for sharing!!! This is Peter; out!
Out-of-tune organ = multi-engined aircraft operating with its engine's/propeller's RPMs not collectively synchronized, an awkward, throbbing, non-resonant sound. Very annoying to a musician (and/or a pilot), as Ben expresses that.
@@davef.2329 A very unique & unexpected analogy made with regards to my comment as to how I would not be able to really "know" if an pipe organ is "in tune"! But, I appreciate your sincere effort to explain & guide me through it; I think! Cheers!
An organ is tuned usually but not exclusively by a tuner from an organ building company. On the day of tuning a larger parish church for example, it’s normal to ask for the heating to be left on the day before and on the day of tuning so that the reed pipes are able to become accustomed to the ‘warmer’ church building. Tuning reeds in a cold church is not great if the normal ‘playing for service temperature’ is warm. An organ tuner will have an assistant who holds the keys in order for the tuner, who is inside the organ, to tune. I’ve held keys many times, normally to a 4’ principal. Temperature, humidity control , regular tuning/maintenance will keep an instrument in tune.
@@DavidtheWriter there are various techniques for different stops. I’m not an expert but I know a few basics - open pipes are tuned by tapping a moving a slider up or down on each pipe, or by moving the ears on either side of the mouth. Stopped pipes are tuned by moving the stopper up or down Reeds have a wire attached to resonator or by the top of the pipe.
Ben..... each latest video exceeds the former in terms of mastery of communication, sheer perfected playing skill steeped in most appropriate research undertaken prior to filming..... thanks Ben as always......Chris
Dear Ben, thank you very much for this interesting video! It's fascinating to see how you can turn an instrument that sounds out of tune into something extraordinary. Your creative approach is really impressive! 👏🎶
Ben, did you think to do a sampled instruments collection? (Kontakt, Decent Sampler, Grand Orgue, whatever the format, or formats, you choose). Maybe some of sampled instruments companies would be very interested to help you to technicaly do that. I think about Spitfire Audio or Crowhill as they're Brit companies, on location, but others could be interested too. For us it's could be a way to be in your steps by playing the instruments you played and support your excellent work
He probably uses a music software package called forScore. The page turns are achieved by a ‘face gestures’ feature. You can move your mouth to the right to turn a page forwards and to the left to turn it back (or vice-versa). You can also use winking ie right eye winking moves page forward etc but that has never worked for me!
Thanks....good technique and expressive playing. Glad you played a snippet of Widor's Toccata.....I always like French music, classical and romantic, on an out of tune organ.
In my case, making any organ sound awesome involves playing a few more right notes 😳 This was one of my favourites of yours - I must confess that the brightness and power of this organ, coupled to the reverberation of this acoustic, does more for me than the small quiet instruments you get to play more often. I didn't even mind the out of tune Widor to be honest, although the fully coupled pedal did sound pretty grim on its own!
As a singer but an absolute non- organist, could you even begin to tune an instrument like this if money were no object and if so, how and by whom would it be done? Ben, would it be possible to start a fund as a base to use your expertise to determine which instruments need work most before they become unplayable, for the sole purpose salvaging and tuning these pieces of History?
Aha! Saw your "twitch" at 5:45 - So the Diapason and Principal are actually the same type of pipe only the Principal is at 4' pitch. Correct? Ron (NYC USA)
Hello Ben! Thank you for sharing your hard work and gift for music with us. The last song was so beautifully rendered. These videos remind me of Rick Steves' England videos. Informative and fun, of course set to the backdrop of the gorgeous English countryside and its village churches. What a pleasure!
You're being a little hard on the organ's tuning there. The Cavaille-Coll at St Sernin, Toulouse has a mis-tuned note in the pedal that can be heard in two different recordings of the Franck Piece Heroique (Rene Saorgin and Michael Murray). Reeds are always going out of tune --- why such drama? 😊
Thanks! An ancestor of mine worshipped in this church before coming to Newfoundland in the early 19th century. I enjoy your videos as you travel through Wiltshire. God Bless.
Generic question: I learned to read sheet music back in olden days (1970s). So how does your iPad know when to flip pages? Is it listening? Or is someone else doing the flip? Or are you doing it somehow? Please help.
Besides an instrument falling out tune, even some well-maintained pipe organs may not appear to be tuned. The perceived distance between notes may have been intentionally modified (a different temperament), or the entire tuning may be shifted up or down (compared to the standard A=440Hz). This may be done based on the historical characteristics of the instrument, or to better suit a musical time period, or because of eccentric organists.
The stopper on top of pipes is actually to make the pitch one octave lower. Because as you double the length of the instrument you double the lenght of the waves and that makes it sound one whole octave lower. Also they can be slightly adjusted for fine tuning.
I'm commenting as your video progresses (rather than an oberal comment). 1. Maurice Greene - not an obvious compuser to the assembled muititude - but methinks deserving of a wider audience?? /cont Surely a certain amount of 'out of tune' is to be encouraged, or may be accepted as part of 'what the organ is and does' - after all take a choir the singers aren't perfectly in tune and the difference between each choir member give a body, or fullness into the performance?? A L-W's pie Jesu was magic and different. Thank you!
