News:

If you have difficulty registering for an account on the forum please email antespam@gmail.com. In the question regarding the composer use just the surname, not including forenames Charles-Marie.

Main Menu

"Father" Willis Organ

Started by swalmsley, May 29, 2013, 12:04:20 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

swalmsley

Hi everyone!

Within our Parish we have two brilliant instruments one of them being an 1865 "Father" Willis. The instrument is listed on the National Pipe Organ register as last being surveyed in 2006 and 'playable'. Since then the organ has deteriorated and although still slightly playable is in a state of disrepair. I have recently been made Organ Scholar and we have decided to make it a project to have this instrument restored. From the information I have read online and in a report by Ian Bell, it appears that this organ is one of only a few remaining of its kind, bearing in mind its age. I therefore feel it is important that this organ is restored so that it can be enjoyed by many generations to come and does not simply become 'unusable'. With all this in mind and obviously being in the very early stages of getting our appeal up and running, I have a few questions which I would like to be answered.
Firstly, is this organ likely to qualify for the Historic Organ Scheme and if so is it advisable to have it put on this register? Secondly, can anyone advise of companies who are seen as leaders in the present day as organ builders suitable to restore such an instrument?

If anyone can answer my questions or have any advice, please either send me an email or post a reply. Your input would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!



The link to the details of the instrument on the National Pipe Organ Register is:
http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N10719

matt h

Hi

Could you post a link to the NPOR listing, it might help to know where you are and the spec of the organ.

Regards,
Matt.

NEorganist

#2
Hi,

It looks a mighty fine instrument, certainly worthy of restoration. I would say that the organ would be a prime candidate for a Historic Organ Certificate, and an application should be made as soon as possible. Once obtained this may well help in applications for grant money towards restoration of the instrument.
Regarding companies for restoration; Harrison & Harrison have very recently completed the restoration of the Father Willis organ in the Union Chapel, Islington London. This was a restoration completed on strict historic principals, which is just what you are looking at with your Willis organ at Preston St George. Interestingly, Ian Bell was also the advisor for that project. As far as I'm aware H&H are the only company to have completed this kind of restoration on such an original Willis organ, and certainly the only one in the last 12 months! They also rebuilt the Father Willis in what is now the 'Cottier Theatre Glasgow', which included the construction of a totally new Barker Lever machine which had been thrown out when the organ was electrified. H&H are the only organ builders to have recently had such extensive experience in these kinds of mechanisms.
You might like to go and see the Union Chapel Willis, it would provide a very useful incite into what the results of a Historic restoration, which is what you're looking at, will be.

Good luck with it all!

Andrew

revtonynewnham

Hi

Willis' themselves have recently built/rebuilt Barker Lever (and Willis floating lever) actions.

Every Blessing

Tony

David Wyld

#4
Quoted by NEorganist:  "H&H are the only organ builders to have recently had such extensive experience in these kinds of mechanisms. ".

Really?

How strange then that we're currently restoring (another) 1891 Willis-Lever instrument for Leiden.  It must just be a rumour. ::)


DW
(Henry Willis & Sons Ltd.)

P.S. You might like to take a look at the pages on our website regarding the new organ for Florence, which has Floating Lever - an infinitely more difficult and complicated mechanism than Barker Lever.   http://www.willis-organs.com/florence_general.html  (click on the link which says "show/hide construction photographs (updated)"   There are also pictures of the new round-section trackers made on what we understand to be the only machine surviving.

John Gilbert

#5
To the original poster of this topic I would say, " You should most certainly include Henry Willis & Sons Ltd. in the list of firms to consider."  They have recently cleaned and overhauled the organ in my parish in Cornwall, a fine 1895 Hele of Plymouth instrument.  Admittedly we had high expectations, but it is no exaggeration to say that those expectations have been exceeded in every respect.  The quality of work is superb and the attention to detail impressive.  The Willis men working on site were not only excellent craftsmen, but endeared themselves to everyone with whom they had dealings in the parish.  Despite having its console, pipework and action moved several hundred miles to Liverpool and back, the organ has behaved impeccably since its re-installation, even though it has not had its final settling in adjustments yet.  Not a single cipher and even the tuning has remained reasonably stable.  The mechanical action is now beautifully balanced, the keys and pedalboard superbly refurbished and no plastic or bone in sight! Only authentic materials were used.  To anyone who has responsibility for a Willis organ, I should say the original firm would seem to be an obvious choice, not least because of the high quality of work they are offering, allied to the impressive resources and unique knowledge the company possesses.

revtonynewnham

Hi

I'd second John's comments above.  Willis' restored the organ here back in 2006 - they did a fine job, going beyond what could have been expected, and we've had very little trouble since - and none once the organ had fully settled down.  Definitely recommended!