Acomb Methodist Church Organ

When mum and dad relocated back to York, Acomb Methodist Church became their church family. I popped in to play there when we visited in the summer.

It would be hard to find an instrument more different from the majority of organs here in Norway, in every sense! Apparently when the church building was first built, they had lined-up a reconditioned instrument, but before they could transport it, it’s original home burned down, destroying the organ. So, the present instrument is it’s replacement. Divided into two chambers to the left and right of the communion table, it’s rather large and overpowering for the space. But despite showing signs of age, it was pleasant to play.

The specification and more pictures are here.

There is also a 360 degree interactive view of the sanctuary here.

English Traditions

Still catching up with last month’s trip to England . . .

Whilst in London, we also enjoyed a couple of English traditions: pie and mash, and meeting the royal family (well at least their Lego stand-ins):

Back, ‘up north’ we had another trip over to York, on the way taking in the latest eco-freindly military hardware: the wind-powered early warning radar near Harrogate (we’ll be OK as long as IS don’t figure out how to stop the wind blowing . . . .):

We also saw some other things we are ‘ikke vant til’ (not used to). For example tall trees, and a windmill built on a roundabout,

cricket,

dry stone walls, fields as far as the eye can see, and wide roads,

houses with clocks, and old people with a giant umbrella,

and all the Blamire women together in one place (first time in 6 years). The bearded one is not a lady:

Much of the holiday  was spent planning and executing Ruth and Jordan’s wedding blessing (a ‘not’ wedding, for all the Europeans who couldn’t make it to the  US last year for the ‘real deal’), and gearing up for Hannah and Kris’s wedding next year. Sadly I don’t have a single picture of the wedding blessing, but I’ll obtain some from others soon I hope. Meanwhile, here are some pictures of Hannah’s ‘wedding team’ and the venue:

London – Art & Flowers

It’s taking rather a long time to get round to updates – partial business and partial holiday (trying not to be screen-addicted)!

Here is another bit our summer trip, including London.

We packed the ‘younguns’ onto a hop-on hop-off bus tour, whilst we took in Buckingham Palace (outside only as Liz was unavailable), a park and the natural history museum (unbelievably hot and noise with school parties), and the National Gallery:

 

 

 

London – Art & Architecture 1

I’m hopping around a bit with date order now.

As part of our holiday in the UK, we enjoyed a few days in London with Ruth and Jordan. It was an opportunity to do some of the tourist things which we never did when we lived there.

We had a visit to the Tate Modern, housed in the an old power station. They are in the middle of doing some renovation work to the main turbine hall, but there was still lots to see. There’s a 360 view of the huge entrance hall here. And here are a few of the exhibits – I just don’t understand why I wasn’t famous, aged 4!?):

Later on we wandered the south bank (360 degree panorama here) and then to Tower Bridge to watch the sunset:

 

 

 

Være i Stillheten – tomorrow

We’re just back from our holidays, so a bit behind with news and pictures. We hit the ground running, starting with a wedding and Være i Stillheten tomorrow! If youære in the area, you’re invited:

Være i Stillheten is more than just a concertt, it’s an evening experience with music and pictures. During an hour, the musicians will perfomr peaceful music and invite the audience to relax and find stillness. The pictures and video from north Norway are linked to the  music, together with fine texts form the Bible. There are also two hymns to sing together, and we will read a responsive psalm.

Ernst Norbakken is a well known local tenor soloist, and is always popular. Sarah Blamire (piano og mezzosoprano) and Jon Blamire (piano og organ) are employed as  kantor / church musicians in Lenvik pparish.

Music will include

• Bach – Air on a G string
• Beethoven – Pathetique sonata 2nd movt. (Op 13)
• Grieg – Morning
• Elgar – Enigma variations (extracts)
• Gade – Im Blumengarten
• Melchor Rodríguez de Alcántara – Hoja de Álbum
• Schubert – Impromptu no. 3 (D899)
• Brahms – Intermezzo No. 1 (Op. 117)

Friday 31st July, 2015. 8pm. Finnsnes kirke.
Free.
Coffee and cake served afterwards
Part of ‘Finnsnes i Fest 2015’.

York Minster

In York at the moment.  Several visits to hear choral evensong: wonderful.

For anyone who’s never been (or wants a reminder), I’ve uploaded a 360 degree view of nave here, and the chapter house here.

Here are some ordinary pictures:

A ceiling boss showing Mary bottle-feeding the infant Jesus (a ‘Victorianism’!):

 

The headless ladies with a semaphore message on the west wall (click to enlarge and decode):

 

The nave, a clock which chimes every 15 minutes when the two ‘soldiers belt the metal bars with their weapons, the view up the tower, the organ, and a sneak peek at the choir in rehearsal:

The roof of the octagonal chapter house – the largest of it’s type – unsupported:

Low Cloud At Husøy

Last week we had a funeral on Husøy (not a very common event). The whole area spent the day under low cloud, but after the service the sun came out over Husøy. We had a cup of coffee and a waffle in the local cafe (a relatively new summer innovation, and prices based on a virtual monopoly), then drove home. As soon as we were through the ‘tin can’ tunnels, the cloud was back.

Anyway below are some pictures, and you can click here for a 360 degree panorama.