These videos are intriguing on several levels. First, they show how resources were found in ancient rural communities to build and fit out splendid buildings which would stand for hundreds of years. Second, in their lifetime, they would be the centre of every meaningful event in the life of the village and its inhabitants. Third, as a bridge between the here and the supernatural. Fourth, today, in a scientific and materialistic age, we have abandoned virtually every previous value except nostalgia and an emotional bridge to times past.
Maybe a religious revival is on its way? People are so fed up with the materialistic world. They crave for the transcendental. Ben Maton senses that and fills in the gap.
@@horatiohornblower868 Unfortunately in the UK the religion will be Islam. And there will be no music and no beauty. The C of E is so "woke" it's unbearable. If people are seeking spiritual solace they are not going to attend a CofE church where you get the feeling that none of the clergy actually believe anything unless it's a part of the "progressive" message. And if the "progressive" message is to change everything to be seen as "inclusive", they will. And the people know that, they are not stupid. It's so clear what's happening and it makes you want to scream at the church and establishment, "wake up before you lose it all".
Dear Ben, I've written you several comments in other videos. In my last one, I asked you to pray for me because I was confronted unexpectedly with gallbladder surgery and what I now know is hospital-acquired pneumonia. Your music is an uplifting solace no matter my circumstances, especially in joy but in illness it is warmly welcome. I want to thank you and to let you know I am home where your music carries me back more than 30 years when in my youth I enjoyed the privilege of knowing your beautiful Europe first hand. Your music is an oasis of peace. It will accompany me as I recover while the ancient churches, landscapes and timeless poetry will replace pain with beauty. Thank you.
Receive a virtual hug from a distance, I will pray for you madam, do not hesitate, I carry it in my Christian spirit, it is my wish that you recover and enjoy this beautiful music, that our dear Ben shows us along with these beautiful churches in remote English towns. 🙏 🙏
Thank you Ben for playing our Organ. We have been lucky for having people from the village, our present organist, Tony who has been a flue teacher, but leads Worship well. A previous Organist played for over 60 years, by trade he was a Wheelright and local builder but he was awarded an MBE for his service to the Village, his name was Lester Eves.
Mind those cheese and pickle sandwiches, you must remain a slender youth to fit in such a cramped organ nook! Our organist could not fit in there!!! Thanks for your marvelous presentation and the poetry, and you lovely beard.😍
I have and always will treat any Pipe Organ builder as a brother and I find it deeply moving to get a peak at any instrument. So for me part of the Joy of watching Ben's channel is his ability to convey in honest simple direct terms, the nuts and bolts of what an Organ is. It's beauty and quirks. A church Organ is not like any other instrument. It belongs to everyone, not just one musician. All are unique historical documents and the accompaniment to Joy and grief. They are emotionally powerful and as Bach rightly said, the King of instrument's. Organists may be shy to admit it but they get off playing these marvellous beast's. I for one certainly don't blame them. No other instrument can shake the very foundations of a building and sustain such a massive tonal extravaganza. I remember one of the lads telling me about the time he watched Carlo Curley playing a piece at St Paul's Cathedral just using the pedal board coupled to the Great and Swell. He couldn't believe a man's feet could move that dexterously and fast. Not many people get to see the Organist doing their stuff at the consul. It's pretty bloody amazing when you watch them work it. They always try to hide it but you can see they are loving it. It's enough to make a cheese and pickle sandwich curl up and dance on top of the stop jamb.
An electronic score beyond even imagination of any previous organist. What a precious poem Ben. Perfectly describing the joy you bring so beautifully through your playing and reverance for the village churches you share. O enjoy the bacon buttie.😊 my lament O to be in England. Always in my heart.
This channel is well done. Each week I look forward to your post. As a retired videographer (USA), I enjoy each advance in your video graphic techniques; looks better with each post. On this post you should have had a darker shirt, as the camera shooting from your left "blooms" due to the closeness of the light. the closeness of the light is needed due to the cramped space. A darker shirt would have fixed that. I like the mixture of geographic and church history, achitecture, poetry, and music in each post. You take me back a step in time with each post; slows down the fast pace of my life. Thank You..
Great music, great poetry, beautiful church ⛪️. On this day of Pentecost let the Holy Spirit continue working through you by sharing beautiful content with the world! God Bless! 🙏🏾❤️
Here is Christ's question, Mathew 15: 3: "But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" Malachi 2: 1-4: "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts." A women say "the Husband has no name". Another ones say "the Husband has many names". Some of women "love the Husband in all his manifestations" like: neighbour, taxi driver, boss... But, all of those prostitutes say "the Husband is the only". Then they even talk about "trinity of the Husband" and they are not against "the Son taking the Husband's place". In the same way religious prostitutes try to hide their disgusting fornication with different gods. Furthermore, a correct pronunciation of the Name is unknown now. This is the “loyalty” of traitors! Here is the God's word spoken through Moses, Deuteronomy 11: 16-17: "Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you." So, the God says there are other gods, but blind leaders of blind lead people into trap. "Jesus" means "Jehovah is salvation". This is the name of Christ real christians are hated for. "HalleluJah" means "Praze Jah" (Jehovah). Psalm 83: 18: "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." The problem is Devil runs the world. He is lier and murderer. This is the reason why liers feel so good while righteous people are persecuted. That's why we've got the Gospel about the God's kingdom. Jehovah would put everything in order. He has anointed the king, Jesus Christ. The dead will be resurected and we'll meet our beloved ones again! :-)
i think american bacon is “side pork” that has been cured and smoked and sliced into strips with a lot of salty fat, the best part when rendered to a tasty crisp.
Christ dancing the twist at Urchfont would have been helped by Ben playing the organ. And He would love to have heard Handel’s Larghetto from his organ concerto and the divine aria Lascia ch’io pianga from Rinaldo, famously sung in the 18th century by the castrato Farinelli. Play on, dear Ben, play on!
I got my husband to watch this with me and we both loved it. One of my favorite parts is the video of the drive and the walk to the church. I don't know if I will ever be able to visit. I hope so. Your videos are like little visits for me. They're just great. Thanks so much!
I think superlatives become redundant Ben. Truly our few moments of peace, beauty and sanity in a mad world. Talent, humour, quirky and timeless; this is Ben. All I can say is thank you. You’ve hit on a perfect combination of music, poetry summing up my love of the countryside I am truly privileged to call home. ❤️
Dear Ben, you have given us another wonderful adventure in sight and sound!!! Thank you for taking us away from the unresolved dissonance that comes to us in force, to a place of harmony and rest!!!!
@@SalisburyOrganistYes - thanks once again. The inclusion of the poetry reading in the open air is totally great, too… it added so much, in my opinion. All the best and God Bless!
Electric action but with mechanical coupling. Makes perfect sense, yet I can’t recall seeing that combination before. I must agree, it’s a lovely organ!
Thank you, Ben, for reading the poem about you and your channel. It sums up precisely why I look forward to your videos each weekend. Keep up the good work.
I went to the site of the man who wrote the poem, and he's a wonderful guy -- or certainly seems to be. A musician and a Christian. It certainly shows in his generous and encouraging heart! Not to mention his fine wit. 🙂
It is so timely and fortunate that you are sharing your talents and enthusiasm with us right now. We must take refuge in beauty, art and good character. In appreciation ❤️🙏🏻
The poem your listener sent last week was perfection, so clever and so heartfelt. Ben, I truly believe your music brings out the best in people. I know personally I have you to thank for opening my eyes, ears and heart to the “majesty” of organ music. Thank you for your wonderful weekly broadcast!
Greetings Ben, and Guinea! Your videos are among the very best on RU-vid. 👍👍 I agree this is probably the best sounding organ you have found. A master musician like you shouldn't be hidden in a tiny cubicle like that. 🤷🏼♂️
Your organ videos are greatly enjoyed, thank you so much. The organ under my feet and fingers [54 years] is a modest two manual instrument, typical of 95% of the world's church organs, not much larger than the parish organs you select. Your commentary is superb and obviously well prepared. By including landscape to begin the program the viewer is given a reference point to the church's setting, a good concept for sure. I look forward to each new offering. I like your selection of hymns [my favorite is St Clement]. Thank you Ben. from the Bluegrass state [Kentucky].
Just great to hear Handel, from Rinaldo. He was young like you when he staged it as his first opera in London. And a great organist too! I think you deserve the same success!
These video's are the highlight of my week. The tracker backers tend to sniff at electro pneumatic pipe organs but I can understand why organists like them. The Keyboards have a lighter touch. Nice and quiet. This is a lovely piece of work. Nice oak case. Or as my foreman Harry used to say every time he gave me another job, " When you do it, make sure you do it all nice". Always Harry. Always.
A classy umbrella, a very classy beard (so like my late husband's! And that's a compliment!) a great sarnie and some wonderful music and architecture. How to make a day very, very, special. Thank you Ben, for both the mood music and the music music.
@@baxtercol A sandwich. Sorry, English slang Ben's sarnies are as famous as his new beard. And the question is - what is it today cheese?Cheese and pickle? Or bacon with mayonnaise? These details are important when church crawling (that means visiting churches.)
@@Belaugh thank you for educating me. I thought I was fairly good at British speak but maybe I need to hang around more great people like you. Beats any textbook I know. I'm a pretty adventurous eater but I can't picture cheese and pickles together, especially on bread. Are there any specifics to the recipe such as a particular type of cheese or pickle?
@@baxtercol Cheese and pickle is the standard go to sandwich- and also comfort food. Cheese and pickle to personal taste, though any of the cheddar or Red Leicester are favourite. There is a huge range of pickles, and at one time every home cook had a favourite recipe (one of mine is my great great grandmother's runner bean chutney, which is also fab with curry!) A popular pub lunch is a Ploughman's Lunch: hunk of good bread, cheese, pickle, onion and trimmings on a plate. Hope this helps!
@@Belaugh that sounds absolutely fabulous. I love pickles but most of them here are in jars and the taste for them seems to be Regional, as in New York City. I miss European bread, crusty and thick and homemade, not out of a package. I wish I had some now with some really good Dundee marmalade. I think we're making each other hungry. I consider it a privilege to converse with you across the miles. Be blessed and have a wonderful day and all your days following. Thank you.
Child prodigy Origen Adamantius ("man of steel") was born near Alexandria about A.D. 185. The oldest of seven children in a Christian home, he grew up learning the Bible and the meaning of commitment.
Hermosa combinación de bella arquitectura y musica tan bellamente ejecutada en este magnífico instrumento. Gracias maestro Ben por compartir con nosotros tu sensible inquietud tan hermosa en un mundo convulso nos haces soñar con un mundo mejor. Un abrazo desde el este del Reino de España.😊❤
I love your intros... the drive along country roads in often inclement weather. It's identical to where I live in Norfolk, including our wealth of ancient churches.
I seem to be always late to your performances, sorry! Again, you have brought back many happy memories of my late father taking me & my siblings around different churches to play the organ. Thank you! Perhaps I should write about those days, growing up in the 1950s & only now (I'm in my 70s) truly appreciating his devotion to organ, choir & to God.
Your hands bring out the best of this wonderful organ. A Sunday evening could not be more soothing than to listen to this heavenly sound. Thank you, Ben!
Nice of you to play a Handel piece. More of Handel would be appreciated. thanks for the vid, it lovely. And the poem, a wonderful contribution from a gifted patron. You seem to attract some lovely patrons.
What a service you are providing to so many of us who long for a world 9f beauty and grace where peace prevails and souls can find rest and food for our inner being. You create such moments that cannot be found in other places. No raucous discord are to be found in any of your channel offerings Plase keep feeding us with your visits to the 0:10 beautiful English village churches and their organs preserved by wise people who value glorious music. Thankyou for being here for thousands who appreciate your work in finding these wonderful hidden and sometimes forgotten places of peace and beauty. The world is a better place because of you and your music videos from here in Columbus, Ohio. Where nothing really old exists today. Our church has two wonderful pipe organs and we are fortunate to have a young and very talented organist Who delights me with his gentle touch on the organs. I now recognize when he takes to the organ bench because of his ability to coax great sound that others seem unable to produce with the same quality. I would like to hear you play our organs in the future. Our church is gothic in style and was built in the 1930’s during the Great Depression by people who cared about beauty, peace and the equality of all people The congregation began in the 1850’s asan abolitionist church before the AnericanCuvil War and is still committed to the values of those50 or so people who believed in the equality of all people and put their livekeepourcwork and financial resources to work founding a church that is their legacy today as we asekeep up their work. I pray you a continue your work there in England to give the world a sanctuary for soulsseeking beauty and peace above all the world thinks of as valuable. You are a blessing to thousands upon thousands. I share your videos to people who might appreciate a break from the too loud and fractured world.
It gives my Catholic heart great feeling to attend your tours of these old Catholic churches. Thank you again for all your dedicated work and artistry. You are a virtuous man. (I love that you mentioned Pevsner! I remember studying him in art history.) The poem written for you really strikes my soul; more great artistry from those who follow your journey.
Kedves Ben! A hatodik videó amelyet láttam, és ismét egy szép utazásra hív meg bennünket, a felfedezés izgalmával, angol természeti környezetben esős napon. Köszönöm az "Átirat megjelenítését" így az előadását is követni tudom. Dicséret a videó szerkesztésért, kíválóan építkezik, és élvezhetjük a természeti környezetet, az ősi gyönyörű templomot, a különböző művészeteket. Az éneklés művészete még hiányzik..remélem egyszer hallhatunk egy szép egyházi éneket, vagy angol dallamokat Ben előadásában.. Milyen öröm, a nap felragyogott egy esős napon.. !! Thank you so much! További áldásokban gazdag munkát kívánok. Údvözlettel Szegedről! God bless you! 🌦🌤💥🕊🌿😇
As you asked for people to guess who was the composer of the music being played at 10:38, I'm going to hazard one now -- Ben Maton. A wonderful organ, but definitely not for the claustrophobic. You have to wonder how many applicants for the position of organist had second thoughts when they got a look at the coffin-sized quarters that would be their work space for the next few years. Talk about Memento Mori! Was that a bite of cookie that took a nose dive into your coffee at the end? Condolences. Especially if it was a homemade cookie.
@@catherinewhite2943 I admire the way Ben kept his composure while deciding. How hot is the coffee? Fingers (needed for playing the organ, obviously) in or out? Wait until the last drop? Tough choices.
You almost tempted me there Ben with Vaughn Williams and poems on Patreon. Some of my very favourite songs are those written by the mighty RVW who set so much wonderful poetry to music. Top of the list for me are the House of Life and Songs Of Travel song cycles with poetry by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Robert Louis Stevenson respectively. Poetry plus music is a beguiling combination.
I just stumbled upon your channel a while ago and I'm blown away by the wonderful content. I'm looking forward to watching your past and future uploads.
The space for the organist to sit is almost claustrophobic. Good on ya, Ben! Not sure I could work in such a small space, but you are thinner than I am. ;)
I loved the poem!! It warmed my heart and made me giggle too 😊 Oh, to own a poet’s mastery of the language. Alas, I must read and listen to other’s creations. JB
Another great episode! Really fantastic to have poetry and Handel's music to enrich our experience of this beautiful church and the countryside. Wish i was there in person!
Your poetry selections are so apt, and you read them beautifully. I'm delighted to learn that you've now got a Patreon channel, will certainly subscribe to it. Thank you for this lovely video!
Thank you Ben for another wonderful video this week what a wonderful organ and such a beautiful church and I love your poem reading s you always find the right ones so hears to yo until we hear from you again 😅 soon bless you 👍🥓
I just re-watched this tour for the third time. Thank you again, Ben. All of your videos just keep getting better and better. Sad about the unused churches and un-maintained organs. 🎹
If I have to name two songs that can bring tears out of my eyes, those certainly are "Abide With Me (fast falls the eventide)" [which you've played last week] and "Lascia Ch'io Pianga" (Reginaldo's Aria from G. F. Händel's opera: Rinaldo). The one in Italian says: «Let me weap over my tough [cruel] doom and (let me) sigh for liberty. May sorrows break these twists of my martyrdoom just out of pity.»
You are truly talented and amazing. It is probably my greatest lack of fulfillment that I was never really able to train as an organist, having ever received formal training on the organ or even the pianoforte, but love both just the same. We were poor growing up but I’ve never lost my love of the organ, and even grief to teach myself during Covid a few years ago but with really bad results. I live in America but my soul has always been British, and I can feel myself melting into my ancient homeland where my ancestors lived until the early 17th Century, when they came just before the Pilgrim Fathers to this new country. I really do envy you, Ben, in your wonderful abilities and your talent!
After listening to your many other videos with out of tune organs, this one really stands out. I was beginning to remember what an in tune organ sounds like. I can see and feel how this church is loved. Looks like it is still used. Thanks again for taking us along. The journey continues. Happy to see the busy Victorians left some things alone in this place. I hope you will be back here someday. Today I also learned you make homemade bread. Such a well rounded person you are.
Thanks for another inspirational program. I am very thankful for the opportunity to take in ,your professional quality productions. The videography in a closet came out just fine. I am reminded of listening to a half hour radio program called Moon River which was broadcast live for about 35 years, ending about 1969, organ music and poetry. That was quite good. Yours is much better.
