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Gallery

Just as anyone else who shares my rather curious profession will bear witness, being a travelling organist isn't always glorious and sometimes it isn't too much fun. I have, in my time, been required to perform a 'silk purse from sow's ear' act on some truly awful organs! However, what makes it all worthwhile is the thrill to be had from encountering a really fine instrument. Here is a little selection from my scrapbook of some of the finest organs it has been my pleasure to encounter.

Anthony Hammond

  1. View Playing Stanford in B flat for Evensong at Truro in 2003
  2. View Improvising at St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, 2007
  3. View In concert at the Church of the Epiphany, Washington D.C.
  4. View Raising Fire at Smokey Mary's - St. Mary the Virgin, New York City
  5. View Prestidigitation at St. Peter's, Morristown, New Jersey
  6. View Salisbury Cathedral - 2005
  7. View Callow (and bearded!) youth at York 2000
  8. View AH at Southwark RC
  9. View At the Makin Organ in Cirencester - July 2008
  10. View The Skinner Organ of St. Peter's Church, Morristown, New Jersey - 2004
  11. View Coventry Cathedral - Rehearsing for Evensong in 2005
  12. View The von Beckerath organ of St. Michael's Church, Amsterdam Avenue, New York City
  13. View St Mary's Cathedral, San Francisco

Paris - Spiritual Home

Paris is a place of spiritual 'pilgrimage' for me. As well as being the place where I have learned so much (studies in interpretation and improvisation with Dr. Naji Hakim at the church of La Trinite) most of the music which I love originated in its churches. There really is nowhere else on earth quite like it. I am by no means alone in feeling this.

I was fortunate enough to accompany the choir of Cirencester Parish Church when they sang for the 'International' Mass at Notre-Dame de Paris one Sunday in 2003, and even just playing the choir organ was a uniquely thrilling experience. However, I am never happier than when I am 'upstairs' in the grand organ gallery on a Sunday. The great Pierre Cochereau often said that those who had been fortunate enough to experience the incredible power of the Notre-Dame organ up close were members of an exclusive club. Impressive as the sound from the nave floor undoubtedly is, nothing can prepare one for the first hearing of full-organ from only a few feet away.

Anthony Hammond

  1. View Notre-Dame de Paris - Grand Orgue
  2. View Watching a master - with Olivier Latry at Notre-Dame
  3. View Notre-Dame Chamades
  4. View ND Console
  5. View Chevallier Window - Notre-Dame Triforium Gallery

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