Organ matters - Organs matter!

Thank you for the site details, I did not know this existed.

Barrie

Hi Jonathan

Thank you for this post, I am sure we all look forward to seeing further details about the rebuilding of this instrument.

I am sure the opening recital will be very good as Andrew Fletcher is a excellent player.

Barrie

Paul is excellent during the last year his recitals at Wordsley have provided in excess of £900 from retiring collections which go towards the up keep of the instrument. When Pauls beloved Graingers Lane Methodist closed and the organ was moved to China he asked me if his recitals could take place at Wordsley, we welcomed him with open arms.

The list of organs he has played is getting longer and longer, he recently played Westminster Abbey, Im wondering if St Pauls is next!!!

If you do get a chance please come to one of his recitals they are all free and start at 3pm on the first Sunday of every month.

If you would like to try the organ please contact me.

Best wishes

Barrie

Excellent that brightened up a somewhat drab Monday Morning  :)

I'm sure there was an article about this organ in a recent issue of The Organ mgazine

  Perhaps we should set up a fund for non-players to improve their playing skills and gain first hand knowledge at the same time!]


I agree!!!!!

The church seems very pleased with the instrument, it may not sound like a Willis or Harrison, but isn't it good to have a diversity of instruments in this country?

In Birmingham I prefer the Town Hall Organ to that in Symphony Hall but that is a matter of personal taste!!!!

Hi

David you opened my eyes I never realised that a Johannus could be regulated with an ininote box. The few I have had dealings with were simply delivered my Makins plugged in and left, not attempt was made at regulation.

I think that if he was prepared to David Fetterman is a good person to get advice from.

We would all agree that the best solution would be to replace this instrument with a pipeorgan, it would be so good to find a money tree to supply funding for this when so many parishes these days are fighting to pay the regular bills and in the case of the C of E the dreaded quota!!!

Barrie

Hi

Wordsley is Bevington/Halmshaw/Nicholson and Lord/Conacher/Sheffield and is now looked after by Trevor Tipple. The spec is on NPOR although the Positif is now Stopped 8 Flute 4 Nazard 2.2/3 Flute 2 Tierce 1.3/5 Crummhorn 8 Tromba 8.

Barrie

Yes old Walkers are usually very good, Malvern is stunning and Nicholsons did a really good job restoring it.

The pedal Trombone and Tromba unit from Bridgnorth would have been too large for the church the organ went to. I wish they had retained the Fagotto in the Swell and maybe placed it on a seperate soundboard to have made it independent on the pedals.

Within the Bridgnorth area there are several Walkers, Broseley was moved and mutilated, Coalbrookdale was rebuilt by Arthur Harrison and is the best of the lot. (I am biased as I was brought up on that organ!!!)

There is an organ at Bromfield which has simply been restored and is stunning.

Incidentally and totally away from the subject, if any members of the board are ever in the Stourbridge area and would like to try the organ I play at Wordsley please send me a pm and I would be pleased to make you welcome. I think you will enjoy it!!!

Barrie

On Friday I had to play for a funeral service at Enville Church, I had been looking forward to playing this organ as I knew it in its previous home at St Leonards Bridgnorth. I now wish I had declined the service. The console and Choir Organ (unencl) is in the chancel, the Great and Swell is situated in a corner at the very back of the church. When the church is empty you can just about hear those 2 divisons but with a congregation it is impossible. The only thing to do is couple the Choir to the Great to hear what you are playing. I was warned before the service that at the back the organ was very loud, from my past memories it certainly filled its former home. This is one instance of an instrument being moved without much thought. Both of the specs can be found on NPOR.

Barrie

Dear Rob,

I sympathise with your problems, it is always very hard to seemingly make the right decision and have it shot down in flames by the PCC. I am afraid your local organ advisor will have little or no input into who looks after the instrument, they are only interested in replacements or alterations as those require a faculty.

Makins have some really good engineers who understand Johannus inside out, after all it is the parent company of Makin.

I know Johannus and Makin differ very much over regulation, Makins were regulated on site rank by rank but not Johannus. Apart from the voicing everything else is the same.

Barrie

PPO have got the contract to rebuild St Peters Wolverhampton (3 manual Willis rebuilt in the late 60s), they have done some good work and wait to hear the finished result.

I am also "evangelical" and I find your attitude and often crude language very unacceptable on a public forum.

I know the church is desperate to dispose of this organ as it has become very "Happy Clappy", the father of the Administrator there attends my own church. I know they are restricted on the sale due to the Historic Organ status and any buyer would not be able to make many if any tonal alterations.

Barrie

Hi

A Happy New Year to all members of this board.

I hope that all members will contribute more to the topics being discussed.

I would like to welcome all the new members and look forward to reading your posts.

Barrie

Hi

I agree with Tony over tempo this is why the Wesley system is failing in so many Crematoriums at the moment the tempo cannot be varied.

Barrie

Thanks Tony

A system is about to be put in at St Peters Netherton with 3 usb points in the church to allow the organ to be used when theres no organist. I will reserve judgement until I have seen it operation.

Barrie

Hi

MIDI is the answer, I cannot see how it can be applied to tracker and pneumatic actions, I would be interested to know if there is a way.

Barrie

Showing my ignorance what kind of stop is it? Fog Horns like the old Diaphones at Worcester?

Did Conachers take over Halmshaw?