A Personal Tribute

The organ designer and builder, Larry Phelps, died in America a few days ago. He was the husband of Dame Gillian Weir, whose recent article 'Aspects of Vision' has brought much appreciation from readers.

It has taken the last century to establish in the minds of general music lovers that the emancipation of the organ has already taken place. Yet many people stubbornly regard the organ as a second-class form of music-making to this day. Larry Phelps, working in North America, was amongst those men of distinctive skill and artistry who helped guide the development of the modern organ to the standards achieved today.

I knew Larry only slightly, which brings to my mind the wet and windy night on the South Bank in the 60s when Gillian Weir recorded Charles Camilleri's Missa Mundi on the Festival Hall organ (for Argo), and Larry was with her as a perfect companion at the console in what proved to be a tiresome session with delays for technical hitches, and even obtrusive noise from the pouring rain. There's nothing worse for a performer than a good 'take' ruined by noise. I was with the composer seated in the Hall, who also needed a companion!

Later, Larry accepted my invitation to write a regular column for the magazine I was then editing - Organists' Review - which proved stimulating as well as provocative on organ design. His one instrument in the UK is at Hexham Abbey, and one of the best recent organ recordings was made by the current organist.