St. Paul's Cathedral London, Peter Holder Concert

St. Paul's Cathedral Sub-Organist Peter Holder plays the Sunday afternoon concert: "The Spirit of England".
The cramped quarters in the organ loft necessitated the use of only one camera: my GoPro. The audio recorder, a Zoom H4, was placed just behind the altar (not the altar that's visible, but a subsidiary altar under the dome, behind the camera).
Mr. Holder's able assistant is Joseph Beech.
Note that the side & rear panels have been removed from the console for some repairs & maintenance.

[@davidcraggs3770]

Superb performance of such well known pieces from the Last Night of the Proms from RAH. The registration used for each movement including many of the beautiful solo stops on this organ was to perfection. It was hard to believe that these pieces were transcriptions and not written as organ pieces. Peter, you are phenomenal and to pull off the tempo of the “Hornpipe” without dropping one note was a great achievement on your part. I think that the audience level at organ recitals in general if this sort of program was performed, would increase. So well done Peter, you proved yourself as an entertainer as well as a serious organist. Well done also to the lovely Joseph Beech for his contribution in the very important role of page turner. He also is a very accomplished organist.

[@MusicMan-dv7jg]

Ralph Vaughan Williams: "English Folk Song Suite”
 1. March: Seventeen Come Sunday. 00:54 2. Intermezzo: My Bonny Boy. 04:40 3. March: Folk Songs from Somerset. 09:06 Henry Wood: "Fantasia on British Sea Songs”
 Bugle Call. 13:42 The Anchor’s Weighed. 14:06 The Saucy Arethusa. 16:36 Tom Bowling. 17:52 Jack’s the Lad (Hornpipe). 20:32 Farewell and Adieu, Ye Spanish Ladies. 22:29 Home, Sweet Home. 23:30 See, the Conqu’ring Hero Comes. 25:12 Rule, Britannia! 26:49

[@a55b47]

Thanks. I should have annotated this a long time ago.

[@willemvantwillertorganist]

Is there an arr for organ solo for sale ?

[@duanerook5166]

Now THIS is how to play an organ! The notes are not just pushed down in the right order, they are lifted off and allowed to breathe. What Francis Jackson called "Letting in a little daylight." It's what separates a technician from a musician, and this has to be one of the best bits of organ playing I've heard for quite some time. Bravo!

[@Marthaviews]

Simply magnificent Mr Holder. A Cathedral Organ is the most magnificent instrument and I thoroughly enjoyed this recording.

[@robertmartin8626]

This is my all time ☺️ favorite pipe organ program on the internet. Everything blends together. Paul Holder is a Great Organist. Thank You Sir.

[@a55b47]

It's an extremely impressive instrument -- particularly when you combine it with the marvelous acoustics of that huge room.

[@willknocker6828]

Totally concur: Brilliant Peter !

[@georgeparry9043]

Thank you very much indeed for this fine recital. Please may we hear another one, Mr. Holder?

[@colinminton9190]

Bravo Peter, great to hear these familiar pieces so beautifully realised on this superb organ. A real joy, thanks A55b47

[@GZ9090]

Farewell & Adieu, Ye Spanish Ladies is perhaps the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard on an organ. Absolutely beautiful instrument and an amazing performer!

[@michaeldoster4847]

What a tremendous organ, and a tremendous 'room' ! Great stuff!

[@ChannelRalph]

Wow, thanks for sharing!!! I first watched this two days ago, and was so inspired by the Fantasia on British Sea Songs that I bought the score. As Charles Ives said of playing his Variations on 'America', "Playing this is more fun than Baseball!" I've been playing for several decades, and I have never had so much fun. I'll certainly be taking several performance and registration points from Peter's stunning performance as I prepare to perform this on a KZbin video, playing the Hauptwerk Salisbury Cathedral organ....not as good as St Paul's, in my opinion, but it will have to do. Thank you, again.

[@mrstevebournias]

superb technicality but even more stellar MUSICALITY!!

[@aleksykowalski2485]

I've been looking for a recording of the English Folk Song Suite on the organ for ages now, and doesn't it sound fantastic! Thank you so much for posting.

[@quickfoxxes]

Thank you for this splendid display of talent and the thoughtfulness put into the program material. The capabilities of this organ have been matched by Peter to bring the acoustic of the cathedral alive, lifting the spirit. Again, THANK YOU! DJ in Knoxville TN

[@richardturpin8981]

Much better than that it does not get. Thank you, Maestro.

[@waynevaughan1999]

Wonderful historical rendition.

[@adgodbee3272]

Delightful you mentioned the brand of camera and recorder.

[@DonMortele]

Absolutely wonderful!

[@michaeldoster4847]

Rule Britania at the end is just nothing short of breath taking!

[@michaelparkinsonnotsir]

Brilliant, loved listening and watching.

[@bc4614]

I am an audio engineer (hobby - EE background). I have recorded many instruments - organs. This is is an excellent recording. Where were the microphone(s)? Near the audio recorder? I have had some recordings turn out super, like this one. Most enjoyable. A few more cameras would have been great, but this is fine.

[@a55b47]

The mics (2) are in the audio recorder itself -- a Zoom H4 about the size of a paperback book. The recorder was on a tripod on the floor behind the altar (the altar under the dome) This was actually my first experience with the H4, and I, unfortunately had the recording levels set a little too high (and didn't have access to the recorder during the performance). Camera placement in the organ loft was problematic, and was also limited by the fact that I had to carry the equipment across the Atlantic in my luggage.

[@bc4614]

Regardless, the recording came out very good. I know about recording in "tight spots." At least there wasn't someone hacking in the front row. I don't mean that badly, but it seems every time I want to record a live concert, there is always someone near the mics that keeps coughing. One thing I've found to be very helpful is to carry several pencils when I'm playing and recording. I find a relatively full chord, insert the pencils to hold down the keys in the chord. That way I get some idea of what the levels should be. Mind you, this is when I'm playing the organ and recording and I am the only one around. Another way is to record (MIDI) a fairly full section, hit the play button, and haul it to where the recorder is located, set the levels. Just some thoughts that you might find useful somewhere along the way.

[@mattbod]

My speakers are struggling to cope lol and they are pretty good ones :)

[@mattbod]

Great concert have they not got a mobile console now though? Can't understand why he was in the loft. It is a nightmare to balance that organ from there. Must have been just before the mobile was inaugurated.

[@a55b47]

See previous comments.

[@nallison121]

Really enjoyed the RVW Folk-Song Suite. Is there a written arrangement of this?

[@cameronluke9950]

Was there any follow-up to this? I'd really like to study the arrangement.

[@livzdave]

Great performance, but the louder sections are marred by terrible distortion/clipping. Was the H4's level too hot?

[@a55b47]

Yep.

[@a55b47]

I was using the remote control for the H4. It allows you to control the recording level; unfortunately, there's no meter on the remote to show you what you're accomplishing when you change the level.

[@mrstevebournias]

Richard Harold: You posted on these comments that Willis III eliminated FAR MORE Willis I pipes than Mander. You later followed up that some soft stuff in the choir. Where can one go to read this info independently?

[@richardharrold9736]

Steve - check out NPOR, Willis III made a fair few changes, Mander have put in some Fr Willis ranks either from elsewhere or replica - the Choir Claribel Flute is a replacement for the original (which I think Willis III removed or cut-down into another Gedeckt or somesuch), and the Vox Humana is a 'new' (1970s) addition in Willis style, copied from the Willis example at Truro Cathedral, which Manders have looked after since that time.

[@rowanlidbury]

Very unusual to see the console sides removed, you can see the action Ethernet hub flashing away. I think this must have been recorded during or just after the construction of the mobile console 06/07. This would have required modifications to both consoles and transition systems, and the most modern is to send data via Ethernet so spot the hub in the back of the console :) #rhknowsnothing

[@a55b47]

Recorded September 2016. You're correct; some kind of repair work was being done on the mobile console, which entailed fiddling around with this console, also.

[@mainaccount131]

Excellent