Suite Gothique Toccata, Boëllmann - Blackburn Cathedral Organ/the loudest organ in the UK???

Good speakers or headphones are recommended…
Today I had the great privilege of going to Blackburn Cathedral organ to play their incredible organ. The recording here is a first take of the toccata from Suite Gothique by Boëllmann with only a few minor mistakes and a very prominent opening pedal part!
This video is for entertainment purposes only.

[@organbuilder272]

I thini the end of the piece as the best. As you approached the last chords you made that organ display the power, the grandeur of the most important instrument in the history or music. It was YOU who made that incredible sound echo through the vaults of the cathedral. And you smiled. "It was all mine. I played it, Damn!! What a sound." Well done, young fellow. It was quite a display of talent. NOW - Memorize your performance pieces. Play music from your sould, not notes from paper. That's when you will really feel the Majesty of Music.

[@johannessilver8653]

Great work by a young organist.

[@BigTomE12]

Archie, just magnificent! A great organ, a great composition and a highly skilled and passionate organist at the helm! I loved it and I think you loved playing the piece by your smile at the end. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@archiedavies7538]

@@BigTomE12 thank you very much Tom!! I love this piece but unfortunately it’s the only so to speak ‘big piece’ I know so I try not to play it too much. I am working on fixing that though and I am trying to learn some more famous/significant music.

[@BigTomE12]

@@archiedavies7538 I’ll look forward to your future performances. I first discovered the pipe organ 60 years ago at 13. I was sure that it must be the voice of God. While my classmates were buying Beatles albums, I owned all the pipe organ albums available. My favorite was Virgil Fox. He opened all the stops and blasted out great works like the Widor toccata and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in Dm with great bombast. Keep up the good work!! It’s great to see young men like you continue on with the tradition of pipe organist.

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

This kid is so good, he deserves to be recorded by a nice microphone and cameras!

[@archiedavies7538]

hahaha thank you!! Hopefully when I’ve got a bit more money that could happen!

[@marcmillet906]

The smile at the end was as good as the ending. That is a beautiful piece of music. Thank you.

[@archiedavies7538]

Hehehe I hadn’t heard full organ before so all the registrations you heard were pretty much an experiment as I’d never heard what they sounded like due to the lack of time I had. I’m glad you enjoyed it and thank you!

[@neilriches8045]

Underrated venue, clearly a vastly underrated organ... and a sparkling young organist. Adept build-up, subtle use of reeds and a sense of being in control of a classic. Well done!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much!!! The organ Blackburn is very underrated I agree, you’d think one of the big cathedral would have such an amazing instrument but this proves that they don’t!

[@gregbushman319]

If that was your Father turning pages, Sir! BE VERY PROUD! Excellent!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much, it means a lot! I showed your comment to my father, and he said he was proud 🙃

[@ianwalker4628]

Nicely registered and played at a speed that allowed the organ to speak clearly. Well done 👏

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Ian! 😁

[@muscularviolist6734]

Well played Archie. You’ve earned a new subscriber with that wonderful performance. Really excellent playing. I also really like that your dad is there with you. This is what family is all about.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much! My dad likes to come along because he’s very interested in the history and obviously sound of the organs , however he himself is not an organist so how he experiences the organs is down to me playing decently! But it is lovely to be with someone there and to not be shut up in a building by yourself as you can share the enjoyment.

[@michaeltreadwell777]

WOW,WOW,WOW ! This young man is going places ! What a brilliant performance. Tears flowing down my face here - I'm a 68 year old man. That was just superb. Your skill is such a gift. Thank you. Keep up your good work. Take care 🙂

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so so much, I’m very glad you enjoyed it! The piece is amazing on its own but on an organ like that, my word it sounds incredible!!

[@freemandryden2275]

Beautifully played and registered. I expect to see this young man on the concert circuit before long.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much! Hopefully I will get asked to do concerts but due to my age it’s not as easy to get into places like this to do a concert.

[@kenvanlier4573]

Love that piece! Very difficult to play! Beautiful awesome playing! Soooo thrilled to see the younger generation carrying on with classical pipe organ!

[@markcooke729]

Brilliant performance, especially in that challenging acoustic, never mind the awkward layout of the organ!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Mark! It may be not like other organs but it is certainly a wonderful experience to play and hear it!

[@markcooke729]

Looking forward to more of your posts!@@archiedavies7538

[@aaronstokes9513]

Bravo!! Love the emotional feeling that was executed by your performance.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much, it means a lot!!

[@richardwolfgang3698]

Brilliant. I love this piece and that was a great performance. I look forward to future videos of you playing some of the rest of the organ literature I love and wish I could play!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Richard!! If it wasn’t for you showing me the organ at Middlesmoor I might have been encouraged to play great music like this!!

[@stephenfletcher1661]

Well played Archie. One of my favourite organ pieces, that's good pedalling skills you've got.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Stephen!! Yes it is an amazing piece which sounds absolutely amazing played on a powerful organ such as Blackburn!

[@stephenfletcher1661]

@@archiedavies7538, have you played other instruments? Chichester Cathedral has a fantastic instrument to play which I've been fortunate to have done.

[@archiedavies7538]

@@stephenfletcher1661 yes I have although I don’t have any good quality recordings. I’ve visited Hereford, selby abbey, Armley, Leeds cathedral and Minster, Llandaff, St David’s and Pembroke college Cambridge. I’ve always wanted to go to Chichester - it looks lovely and the organ just seems to sing!

[@Cos-hn4cj]

Excellent - well done!

[@billraty14]

Well done. Enjoyed your registration, effective use of swell expression, the contrast of timbres between Sweel and Choir, as well as judicious ritardandos.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you Bill! I tried to imitate the registration I used on the BIS masterclass as that proved to be liked.

[@DavidLJackson]

Wow, that was superb Archie 👏👏👏🎶🎶🎶

[@archiedavies7538]

Thanks so much David, that means so much! 🙏🙏

[@mawi5512]

Congratulations on this great performance. It's wonderful when young people are interested in playing the organ and can already play so well at a young age. More of this please, thank you so much.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so so much! I do agree, it’s sometimes a bit lonely being a young organist in North Yorkshire, but ur you know where to look there are actually quite a few! I am planning a total of three big organs in two weeks time, and I will be playing my local church organ this week hopefully so I will record some things there too!

[@1258-Eckhart]

Absolutely excellent, both Boellmann and the organist. A privilege to experience.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!! The piece is an amazing piece to both play and listen to, especially on such a big organ such as this!

[@RichSouthend]

Amazing - well done Archie

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Richard! 🙏

[@Railfan6675]

That was awesome. Keep up the good work!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!

[@kylianmusic5233]

Beautiful !

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!!

[@scottmarroon7734]

👏👏👏👏. That’s was very impressive. 🎉

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much, it means a lot!! 🙏🙏

[@RobCharles1981]

Goodness Me - What A Sound! - I bet this will raise Jonnie B's Eyebrows!

[@archiedavies7538]

It was almost deafening but amazing at the same time! Yes I think even Jonnie doesn’t go that loud all the time! - it was my last piece there so I wanted to go out with a bang 😂

[@RobCharles1981]

@@archiedavies7538 :-)

[@markfortuin7111]

Well done. Will be watching this space and your development. 🥂

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!!

[@Capt737AA]

WOWWWW!!!!!! BRAVO!!!!!!!!!! I could listen to you ALL DAY!!!!!! Well played young Man!!!!

[@aleksandarjovcic]

Amazing, I’m learning to play the organ, I love to see another young guy playing so well.

[@Bildungsrebell]

Wow, what a crazy good recording! I collect recordings of the suite -- but this one is really fascinating. You have a good speed, you have perfect rhythm and timing, you have a feeling how to bring this great but demanding organ in the church to its best, I love the articulation. And by the way you mastered a technically very hard piece. Thanks for sharing, all the best for your next steps! And of course I’m looking forward to new recordings :-) All the best from Southwest Germany

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so so much, reading you comment really made me happy thank you! I know this is quite obvious but regarding all of those points you have said I thank my teacher, as without him I would never be able to play this piece this well so by you saying that makes me feel in good hands! More recordings will hopefully come soon, it’s just a matter of finding organs that would be exciting!

[@lesburybear]

Very well played Archie. The smile at the end says it all, and I know that feeling all too well when you've given a good performance. Good luck with GCSEs and future playing.

[@jonathanzimmerman6880]

Great job, Archie! I always enjoy hearing you play.

[@lustful2]

Enjoyed the performance Archie ! However the heading Blackburn Cathedral is the loudest Organ in the UK is not so. It's actually Liverpool Anglican Cathedral !

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you! I was only going off what Richard McVeigh did when he went to Blackburn in one of his titles where he said ‘the loudest cathedral organ in the Uk??’ However I didn’t add the questions marks which are crucial . I’ve changed it so question marks are now there so it’s not as miss leading, I’m sorry about that. Also, although Liverpool cathedral has the largest specification in the UK, I still feel like Blackburn has more of a presence in the building as it’s very firey, even though it’s no where near as large!

[@TomPauls007]

outstanding, of course!! Good composition piece for that organ.

[@normul5984]

Fantastic!!! One of my favorites!! Thank you!

[@heinrichfuchs8641]

Archie du spielst fantastisch, großartig..👍 gratuliere

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!!

[@clivesawers8270]

Fine performance, well done!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!

[@rotunda57]

BRAVO 🦁

[@archiedavies7538]

😁 thank you very much! It was so much fun to record!

[@johnetherington782]

Fully understand; best of luck with the GCSE's!

[@admdavid]

Beautiful! Great tempo, expression, registry…I’d love to hear all the movements of one of my favorite pieces.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!! What is your favourite piece out of curiosity….?

[@admdavid]

@@archiedavies7538 oh, too many to name. Love the Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor. That’s probably the closest to my ultimate favorite. Yours?

[@archiedavies7538]

@@admdavid oooo yes that’s an amazing piece - extremely difficult though so I might not be able to learn it anytime soon! I have quite a few too, but widors 6th and veni creator variations but durufle, but I love playing widors toccata!

[@wokingdoc]

Wow! Amazing, what a sound!! 👌

You played it very well.. Great tempo :)

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much!!

[@johnetherington782]

Absolutely brilliant! I heard it the once and am listening to it again. As another commentator has said, I'd love to hear you play the other movements too. Meantime, I have now become a subscriber and look forward to watching more videos. Well fone - glad to see there are some young players coming through.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you so much John! I will record the other movements at some point, I just need to learn the second movement properly and then find another exciting organ to record it on!

[@johnetherington782]

Just wondered if you had thought about playing at Bridlington Priory or Howden Minster (whose organist pops up on You Tube from time to time). Close to Ripon is Thirsk Parish Church which I played a long time ago; only small but sounded ok to me. Then there is the organ at Sledmere House; a rather fine organ and Simon Lindley (ex Leeds City organist and Leeds Parish Church organist) recorded a CD of the organ some years ago. Just a thought! Best of luck in your endeavours. John E

[@archiedavies7538]

@@johnetherington782 I’m so sorry for the long reply John, but yes I have thoughts about all of those places and I would love to play them, partially Bridlington. However it’s just managing the time to go play them as my parents are often quite busy as am I which makes it difficult. I am planning on going to some of those places after my GCSEs in summer, but I’m not really able to visit any organs before then due to revision I’m afraid.

[@TheCaffeinatedOrganist]

Nice work young man.

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much!

[@PMS1950]

Excellent performance on this fierce instrument. Still convinced that the case(s) was influenced by Rogers and Piano Pompidou centre design or vice versa. At least it's built for its sound and not looks.

[@TimvanElderen]

Well done Archie! Glad to hear some of Francesca's comments implemented: stunning performance! Again I am tempted to finally learn this Tocatta, of which I was not very fond when first learning the organ, but which is growing on me. Is this now your favourite organ in the UK? Anyway, keep up the good work, I'm looking forward to more video's on this channel!

[@archiedavies7538]

Thank you very much Tim! Yes, Francesca’a comments were extremely useful - it was a great experience that masterclass. Have fun and good luck with the toccata - the notes themselves aren’t that hard it’s just the syncopation that catches people out (including me!). Just remember keep it bouncy and lively and sing the theme in your head, it helps. I am not sure yet wether this organ is or not, it’s certainly amazing and very close to the top but I haven’t experimented with it enough to say for certain it’s my favourite. I hope any videos you do see of mine are of good quality!

[@TimvanElderen]

@@archiedavies7538 syncopy is indeed the hard aspect indeed! I am currently polishing up the Bach first trio sonata for a competition next year: same there. If you ever get a chance to play the Truro Willis: that is currently my favourite organ: just amazing, effective and beautifull interaction between church and organ

[@archiedavies7538]

@@TimvanElderen ooo good luck with that, that sounds exciting! Truro is on my bucket list and I’ve heard lots of wonderful comments about it it’s just a matter of when my parents can drive me down….!

[@TimvanElderen]

@@archiedavies7538 it is well worth it! I might post a video of the trio sonata on youtube when it is done!

[@archiedavies7538]

@@TimvanElderen Please do, it would be lovely to hear you play!

[@prins_af_danmark]

SMUKT!

[@WinrichNaujoks]

What's with the neck flicks?

[@archiedavies7538]

My glasses were falling off!!

[@briandearden7585]

Well played young man. Better than sex on that instrument.