Demonstration of St Maximin style registration and repertoire tomorrow 3.30pm

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

In addition to the open console afternoon at 4pm I realised that we might be able to do a little more . . .

I am doing a standard house tour at 2pm (for which there is a charge) and over tea at 3.30, I will be playing French Baroque repertoire inspired by St Maximin registration and soundscape. This will include
Corette - duo for Trompette and Basse de Trompette
De Grigny - duo for Cornet dessus and Cromorne en Taille using Grand Tierce in the pedals
Couperin items from Masses des Couvents demonstrating Plein Jeu, Cornet, Cromorne, Tierce en Taille
Lasceux - Symphonie Concertante using Cromorne, Cornet, and Grand Jeu

If you've been tempted to try Hauptwerk's St Maximin sample set and perplexed at how to approach registration or trying some Couperin and thinking that it's bland, then this introduction might be useful.

It's often said that History is a Foreign Language . . . the French Baroque certainly falls into that category for us Anglo Saxons, but it's exotic and wonderful. However, rather than using the St Maximin temperament, which I beleive is akin to D'Alembert, I'll be using straightforward Meantone as I like the pungency.

Imagine 200 years ago, akin to Delhi's Olympic experience, a hot town with the smell of horse shit (possibly nice but pungent) and possibly worse (not nice) in the streets, and coming into a cool basilica smelling of insense . . . The music is a combination of heaven with the pungency experienced outside. . .

If anyone has any items on which they'd like to try the Seize Pieds Septieme on the pedals, it's available here.

By the way, I'm aware that certain French organists, composers and builders liked Septieme on the pedals - can anyone tell us more about that?

Please ring 01342 850594 if you'd like to come and all you need to do is to plug RH19 3QE into Google maps . . . or those confounded devices that people have in their cars with bossy robot women telling you what to think and what to do and which direction to do it . . .

Best wishes

David P