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NZ organ Newsletter September, 2024

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Organ month springs into action

September is organ month here in New Zealand, where we are celebrating the diversity of organs and organ music. I'll pique your interest with some little giveaways; and this time you get to choose your prize. Be sure to get your fill of organ-ic delights in between planting cabbages and applying fertiliser to appropriate plants (or sweeping up leaves if you live in the top half of the world). Read on, Macduffs all!

You can have a calendar OR . . .

Two copies of the Butz organ calendar for 2025 are up for grabs. Enter the draw by replying to this newsletter noting your preference for this calendar, your name and address - that's all you have to do. Winners will be announced at the end of September. Have a look at the lovely production here on the Butz website, where the featured organs are listed. (PSST: Did you know that Butz Musikverlag has turned 100 this year? And still thriving. Congratulations to the wonderful team there in Bonn.)

. . . a CD giveaway

Or for aural delights, you could opt to receive one of two CDs by Martin Setchell playing a delightful smorgasbord of music on the Rodgers Infinity organ in the Transitional Cathedral (unofficially known as the Cardboard Cathedral). Enter the draw now by replying to this newsletter, noting if you would like the CD, and don't forget your name and address, by the end of this month. Done and dusted.

Organs, organs, everywhere

Since it is the great organ month of September, it seems a good time to remind you of a few of the many and varied databases and resources for music listening and researching out there. The Dutch Organ Database on Orgbase, Martin Derring's massive database of references and photos on Die Orgelseite, Michael Barone's Pipedreams, Nico Declerck's

Organroxx, Organlive radio, JAV pipe organ recordings. And so on and etc. If you want to lose yourself in all things organ, go to our links page here. (My personal mission this organ month is to correct the broken links on our link page and I have begun trying to trace the whereabouts of some of the more vagrant sites. These are inevitable when a website is around for long enough, but extremely irritating. This should keep me off the streets for a few years. . . )

Organist Martin Setchell at the console of the Wiesbaden marktkirche

Local organ concerts

Sunday 15 September, 2:30pm (Yes, this Sunday!) - Waikanae Memorial Hall, Martin Setchell (a Waikanae Music Society concert). Martin introduces and plays a varied programme, including works by JS Bach, Handel, Guilmant, Fauré and others on the Johannus Vivaldi 3-manual organ. Door sales will be available, but tickets can be bought from Waikanae New World or Moby Dickens Books in Paraparaumu Beach. Enquiries welcome at 022 345 5316 or www.waikanaemusic.org.nz

In Wellington, the weekly TGIF lunchtime concerts continue in September with organists Michael Stewart, Dianne Halliday, and young Whanganui organist Gabriel Stephens in the lineup this month. (With thanks to Dianne for her regular updates and summary of organ music in the region.) Others are welcome to submit notice of their organ events to me in case I can fit them into one of our occasional newsletters.

Maurice and I

This film, now screening in New Zealand cinemas, reflects on the remarkable legacy of the partnership of Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney, which was all but destroyed in Christchurch’s 2011 earthquake. Of chief interest to organ lovers was the fate of the Christchurch Town Hall, which houses the 1997 Rieger organ. A good portion of the film focuses on the fight to save this ward-winning building - and the iconic organ - from demolition. The website has screening times, along with the trailer. It is a fascinating full-length documentary about two exceptional architects working in a momentous and challenging era, which you shouldn't miss.

More than just wine & pretty villages

There is more to Alsace in France than wine - discover the little glories such as this organ in Ribeauvillé. Another easy little puzzle at only 108 pieces big. Far better for you than a glass of wine (Really? Did I just say that?) Even better, If jigsaw puzzles and organs are your thing, womble on over to my newly curated collection of Jigidy pipe organs. I will be adding to this collection which is a random selection of the hundreds of puzzles of organs (plus a few of cats, naturally) that I have made over the years.

From the Swellbox

Composer John Rutter's blog is always worth reading, but one he wrote recently as part of a series on questions he is most often asked, caught my attention: Do you have any regrets? .
Another blog well worthwhile rummaging through is by Martin White, called Manuals and pedals - an organist's odyssey. Among his recent reviews is one of the book by Olivier Latry "At the Organ of Notre-Dame" which was translated into English by Martin Setchell.
Taking over from me after eight years of supplying Butz with photos of German organs for their calendars, photographer Gabriel Dessauer (formerly organist and cantor at St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden from 1981 to 2021) has done a sterling job with his images for 2025. You can hear him in action as organist at the St Bonitfatius Mayer organ in this video clip of the Louis Vierne, Pièces en style libre op. 31/21, Carillon de Longpont. Plenty more to choose from on his YouTube channel.
In a mere 10 minutes, a pipe organ is explained and demonstrated by legends Michael Barone (host of Organ Pipedreams), and international organist Olivier Latry (Paris, Notre Dame). Ready, steady, go!
How's this for a specific niche hobby?: Pipe organs of the world on postage stamps
Ted Gioia is a stimulating guide to art, music, books and culture, and yes, I've featured his philosophies before. His essay on the worth of music, the economy of culture, and its necessity for our lives, is a timely warning as live music is shunted aside in so many of our institutions.

Next newsletter I will bring you some exciting new projects, and you can look forward to visiting an organist or two in their kitchen . . (Yes, I know. The mind boggles) But that's it for now - take it easy and learn from the master of chilling out, Dudley.
Cheerful noises,
Jenny
PS If you need to get in touch apart from using the contact form on the website, you can always email me directly at setchells[at]gmail[dot]com

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BELOW: Read the December Christmas greetings from our sister website, www.pipelinepress.com

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Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year

Dear, faithful, music-loving readers,

Thank you for sticking around during 2022 when strange things have kept happening. But we are getting there; concerts are gradually resuming worldwide, and we are dusting off our own suitcases in readiness for concert tours in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and the UK in 2023. Look out for dates and places of these on Martin's website.
On a personal front, Martin and I are are now recovering steadily from Covid which was bearable thanks to excellent medical care and anti-viral medicines which we happily lay back and succumbed to. Bessie also learned a few nursing skills, so life is looking brighter now, especially as the Kapiti Coast presently sports these vibrant pohutukawa flowers, known as New Zealand's Christmas Trees. Life is looking good again.

And now for some time-wasting simple fun: a couple of online jigsaws for you in this holiday season. They're hard too!

Jigsaw no. 1: The organ console in Stephen's Cathedral, Passau, Germany. A mere 187 pieces....

Jigsaw no. 2: One entirely in the Chocolate box category (although Bamberg has more than its fair share of admirable pipe organs). The Bamberg Bridge is slightly easier to do because of the colours, even with more pieces at 217. Go for it!

Well, we now head into 2023 and Bessie is waiting patiently for her calendar from Ernesto's Cat Sanctuary that she gets every year.
We wish you every happiness and health in this season and the months to come. Many of you we hope to meet along the way - that will be a special bonus.
So Buon Natale! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël! Meri Kirihimete! Merry Christmas and cheerful noises,

Jenny and Martin, and yes, Bessie
www.pipelinepress.com

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