BIOS Reporter

We seem to be surrounded by reminders that Church Music is under siege. Or is it not in fact a battle? Are the disputes and difficulties that arise from time to time rather the kind of fractious squabbles that inevitably arise at a time of conspicuous decline? I do not think that one could argue […] read more

I apologise for the rather lurid nature of the article that follows this Editorial. Though it contains several words of more than two syllables, it has the air of having been written by someone more at home describing the cost of strawberries in Wimbledon fortnight or the activities of dodgy double-glazing salesmen. It seems quite […] read more

A recent leader in The Times was intruigingly headed ‘Organ Trade Must Cease’. Startled, I reflected briefly on the security – or otherwise – of my livelihood: but of course the editorial referred to the trade in human organs destined for transplant.. read more

Yes, it is exasperating for all BIOS members that publications appear rather erratically. In the last Reporter I wrote a very brief note apologising for what, at the time of writing, seemed likely to be a delay of two or three weeks. In the event, all the parties involved in the production and mailing of […] read more

Fortuitously this issue contains references to the preservation and restoration of historic English organs, some of them in Australia. This is a happy chance, for it already seemed that it would be a good idea to devote the Editorial to the same subject… read more

Our understanding of organ building and culture in Britain in the nineteenth century still largely rests on a view, cultivated in the early twentieth century, that Willis was the most important pioneer and the true precursor of the style adopted by following generations. This is by no means false, but it is an approach to […] read more

At the time this issue of the Reporter was going to press, BIOS was about to hold a day conference at Reading University in collaboration with the Incorporated Society of Organ Builders and the Federation of Master Organ Builders. This will have been the first occasion of any kind at which BIOS has met these […] read more

The Diocese of Leicester has drawn up a policy document covering ‘the restoration of organs of historic significance’. It was put together by the Organ Advisers and this final version was edited by the Bishop of Leicester: “The instrument should be returned completely to one of its historical states, though not necessarily its original state. […] read more

In the April Reporter I suggested that a wide-ranging appreciation of different styles of organ building would limit the amount of ill-considered meddling with old organs that still passes as ‘improvement’. Only if we can understand the thinking that went into the design of an instrument will it release its full musical potential; once this […] read more

This month will find the International Congress of Organists in residence in Cambridge; it is a rare pleasure to see such a concentration of organ-playing talent in this country, and an honour for BIOS to be one of the organisations jointly hosting this ten-yearly event. The programme for the congress looks fascinating, and there can […] read more