GDSF 2008 'Grand Organ' concert
I can confirm that there will be an evening recital on Anderton & Rowland's 'Grand' Marenghi Organ again this year on the Saturday night at GDSF, starting at 8 o' clock. In honour of the 150th anniversary of Charles Marenghi's birth, founder of the renowned firm of Marenghi & Cie we have planned an almost 100% programme of Marenghi factory books. Most of them are original cardboards, we have only had to re-cut one for the concert and that was because it was 89VB. A souvenir programme will be on sale on the night that will include details of the pieces played and background articles about Marenghi's life and the early beginnings of fair organ preservation in Britain as its also the FOPS 50th this year. This will be the 7th successive year we have put on one of these concerts. The weather has so far never stopped play but our back-up plan in the event of torrential rain would be to run it the following day at 2 o'clock weather permitting! All are invited.

What a brilliant idea Jory! Lets hope the Clerk of The Weather beams down kindly and helps make this extra-special concert the great success it deserves to be. Perhaps you and Kevin could put your creative heads together and come up with a Charles Marenghi March! Looking forward to it already... :D

Looking through acounts of concerts on scenic railway organs in the 1920s and 30s I have come up with a list of "Sunday concert music" I would very much like to include in the GDSF concert but have no idea whether copies survive of the books. If anyone can help track down 89VB/98 copies of any of the following, it would be appreciated - or even just scrap bits of these books as Kevin and myself could may be reconstruct some of them. I expect a lot of these titles went up in smoke when Orton, Sons and Spooner recalled several scenic rides in the 1930s and burnt the organs and music. They are supposed to have had a pile of music as big as a house to dispose of around about 1937. Butlins broke up many of the big organs and even early preservationists did there bit. The late Jack Wharton (great man of steam but not of organs) burnt his way through the library of one of Jacob Studt's scenic organs in Oxfordshire because he wanted the flat bed trailer it stood on (Studts had so much music they travelled it in a seperate truck to the organ). The missing! Wm Tell (the Marenghi version not the Chiappa) Theiving Magpie (the Marenghi version not the Chiappa) Indian Love Lyrics (Amy Woodford Finden, "Pale Hands I loved", etc) Handel's Largo Melody in F Narccisus Ora Pro Nobis (is there a nice version the 2 I have are terrible)! Chanson Russe (Tchaikovsky) Wagneritis Intermezzo from "Cavalleria Rusticana" Chorus from "The Creation" Oberon (was this ever made for 89VB/98 or just 110?) Mignon (ditto) La Traviata Les Cloches de Corneville 1812 (pre-1945 version) Spring Song Pique Dame Barcorolle from The Tales of Hoffman Sanctuary of the Heart In a Monestary Garden Come to the Fair (Easthorpe Martin) Ave Maria - not sure which one - the Schubert or the Bach/Gounod? Turkish Patrol March Death of Nelson Lead Kindly Light (Hymn) Onward Christian Soldiers Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep Village Blacksmith Tannhauser Selection The Diver (Victorian ballad similar to Asleep in the Deep) Merry Wives of Windsor Overture This list was longer a few years ago but we have tracked a few titles down such as "Pageant March" which was in last year's GDSF concert. You're welcome to contact me off line to continue this discussion if you prefer.

Jory, I am sure "In a Monastery Garden" was on an old Decca LP of White's Gavioli many moons ago - so perhaps try there! If you ever need printed music scores for any of these just ask as I am quite sure I have each an every one. regards Adam

Hello Jory, 'Les Cloches De Corneville' is on both the Grote Gavioli & Pierre Eich 89k organs. Rob.

Rob, Thanks yes, Les Cloches de Corneville - Bells of Corneville (Planquette) I'm familiar with the book you mention. It is very fine arrangement and a great rarity as it was marked in the Gavioli Waldkirch branch (Richard or Alfred Bruder period). It is 89 no 4 scale not VB. Preston's Gavioli has a fantastic old 110-key book of it Les Cloches de Corneville Fantasie as Gavioli sometimes described a "selection". I wonder if Marenghi produced a similar book for the 98s? Given the popularity of the stage show I should think he almost certainly did. Jory

Hi there Jory There used to be an 1898 Gavioli book of the full William Tell overture on The Lakelander organ. I gather that this organ is now being rebuilt by Kevin Meayers. Possibly the music is still around. This was an 87 key book, though Zeke Myers had added registers to play on the 89vb scale. Peter Griffiths

What a wonderful concert you have planned for the GDSF 2008. You whould steel the crowd by the Willaim Tell Overture. What is the differance from the Chippa Version and the Gavioli version? -Justin