Bryceson

[Janner]

Having long had an interest in an organ by Brycesons, it seems to me that their instruments don’t often get mentioned in general discussion, although NPOR lists some 272 organs scattered widely from Shetland to Penzance where they either built the instrument or had some involvement.

According to a thesis here, http://orca.cf.ac.uk/55395/1/U201507.pdf, Henry Bryceson Junior played a part in the development of electric actions, but there seems to be little comment on the musical qualities of their instruments.

Does anyone have any knowledge, subjective comment, opinion or other snippets of interest regarding the firm’s work which they can share please?

[Bryan Moseley]

The 3 manual in Rugby School's Temple Speech Room survives pretty well unaltered.  I knew it slightly in the seventies when it was not much liked as it was tonally dull and mechanically rickety.  It was considered pretty undistinguished with no upperwork above 2ft - the stop knob for the "prepared for" 2 rank mixture on the Great was firmly fixed in!  It was said the Pedal Bombardon came from the Chapel organ when that was rebuilt by JWW in 1960.  The Harmonic Diapason on the Great wasn't sure whether it was a flute or a principal.  It has since been restored by PPO who inserted the mixture, but I haven't heard it since.  Perhaps a clean has transformed it!