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This is a deeply researched technical vade mecum for the organist, logically set out and commencing with a detailed review of the history of organs in Scotland. One tends to imagine that there were no organs in use following the 1560 reformation but the other religious denominations continued with usage until the Scottish Presbyterian Church came to its senses around the mid 19th century. This is a compendium of not just church organs but organs in public halls and private ownership. The detailed layout of the index of instruments means that make, date of installation, builder, composition of instrument and any work done on the instrument are all to hand at a glance. Alan Buchan is to be congratulated on this work along with those who helped him. Certainly one to have on the shelves to take down when touring about on 'organ crawls,' and to browse through of an evening.Read full review
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ORGANS IN SCOTLAND Revised edition Alan Buchan At 362 pages this is a formidable paperback, particularly as it is printed on good quality art paper. First impressions are therefore good and a cursory flip through the pages suggests a work of commendable research and collation. It is when one gets down to the business of reading and making use of this huge data resource that the unfortunate shortcomings are revealed. The sheer weight of information contained here is actually its downfall for it soon becomes obvious that had the work been presented in extensor, then the number of published pages would surely have more than doubled. The author has addressed this problem by the extensive use of abbreviations. This is a normal and quite acceptable method of shortening a text save for the fact that here the author has developed the art of comprehendable abbreviation into a fetish. He demonstrates the ability to compress four lines of data into one line of assorted letters. This slows down reading and interpretation for one is continually having to remember what a contraction stands for. Many are actually not logical. For example, a lower-case ‘o’ stands for ‘cleaned’, and a solitary letter ‘r’ refers to ‘works involving rebuilding or alteration’. Similarly, all makers are reduced to three-letter acronyms, ‘Dec’ for ‘Gebroeder Decap’, ‘A&S’ for ‘Abbott & Smith’ and so on. This slows down reading enormously. Some of the descriptions of instruments are incorrect. For example, a dance organ is referred to as an ‘automaton’. The illustrations, otherwise well chosen and well reproduced, enliven what one fears are turgid textual pages. While presumably presented as a complete gazetteer, the information provided, when time has been taken to decode it, is not always accurate. The Aeolian Company, for example, is claimed to be based in ‘Farwood’ New Jersey. Aeolian was both the first and the principal industry of Garwood. There are other shortcomings involving proof-reading while the bibliography makes no mention of Langwill’s seminal work ‘Church & Chamber Barrel-Organs’ produced in Edinburgh in 1967 (2nd edition, 1970) ‘Organs in Scotland’ is clearly a well-produced and important study which brings the story of the instrument up to date. However, there is no index and it can hardly be described as an easy read. For the erudition alluded to within these covers one would assuredly pay two, perhaps three times the price for a work that was both easy and a joy to read. Somebody once said that a book should be like a condom in that you should not be aware of its presence, but you’re jolly glad it’s there. In other words, a book should offer painless availability of knowledge. It should not be hard work. One recalls an old adage about ‘spoiling the ship for a ha’p’orth of tar’… Woul I recommend it, you ask. Yes, but with reservations. Arthur W J G Ord-HumeRead full review
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First appearing as a duplicated booklet in 1985 this 2018 totally revised, detailed, and full colour, edition is completely unmissable for the Scottish organ enthusiast. The information contained here is worth 100 times the purchase price. The Edinburgh Society of Organists is to be highly congratulated in funding the publication of this amazing source of information.
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A thorough specialist publication, representing the best list we have to date of pipe organs in Scotland. Many are not yet on the NPOR. Very reasonably priced, considering there are many colour photographs within - not glossy plates, but perfectly adequate.
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If you are interested in church organs, this is an excellent book to add to your collection. Nice print and reasonably priced.
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