Pipe Organ in Crawley on ebay

[dragonser]

Hi,
just saw this on ebay.
Item number: 190589388986
seems to be in the former United Reformed Church in Crawley ?

regards Peter B

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

This is exactly why this forum exists:

"The church is to be refurbished and the organ and pipes are to be removed "
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190589388986

Just what ignorance causes people to want to do away with a healthy pipe organ in refurbishing a church?

Best wishes

David P

[Holditch]

Just what ignorance causes people to want to do away with a healthy pipe organ in refurbishing a church?

I suppose if there is no-one to play the organ to a reasonable standard then like many they become no more than ornaments.

I'm sure we have discussed before that the supply of new organists must be increased to help with the publicity of the instrument, but how, what is the best plan of action?


Best Regards

Marc

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

But how much worth are they throwing out?  The amount they might make on the pipe organ won't buy much - and what about the cost when (if?) things change and they want to put another pipe organ in?  In my opinion, this sort of thing is poor stewardship.

Every Blessing

Tony

[KB7DQH]

I'm sure we have discussed before that the supply of new organists must be increased to help with the publicity of the instrument, but how, what is the best plan of action?

I am not certain of a "best plan" however "any plan"  is certainly better than "no plan" ;)

The following event made its presence known to me within the last hour or so... and is an example of
"one plan" :)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20111019/news/310199985/-8216-peter-and-the-wolf-8217-to-introduce-baroque-pipe-organ-to

'Peter and the Wolf' to introduce Baroque pipe organ to young musicians in Port Townsend

PORT TOWNSEND — Terry Reitz, organist at Trinity United Methodist Church, will present the classic musical tale "Peter and the Wolf" to introduce young musicians to the magnitude of the church's Baroque pipe organ Sunday.

The free half-hour performance will be at 4 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 609 Taylor St. at Clay Street, in uptown Port Townsend.

Donations will be accepted.

The composition was born in 1936, when Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev was commissioned to produce a short piece for the Central Children's Theater in Moscow.

It took Prokofiev three days to complete the music and narration for the 25-minute work, whose purpose was to introduce young children to the instruments of the orchestra.

Designed for children, the folk tale will be acted out Sunday by masked players — Peter, the duck, the bird, the cat and the wolf — with two narrators telling the story.

Reitz said it took her three months to transcribe the orchestral score for the organ, which provides the music and the "dialogue" for the characters, from the flute-like pipings of the bird to the deep rumblings of the wolf.

Artist Ray Grier made the players' masks and also portrays the cat.

Harvey Crow is Peter, Alice Fox is the bird, Mary Jo Nichols plays the duck, Fred Johnson is the grandfather, Dan Purnell is the wolf, and Stan Goddard is the hunter.

Goddard, a retired engineer, built Trinity a tracker pipe organ, designed to play 19th-century church music.

Reed pipes

He decided to build a second pipe organ with reed pipes, the biggest of which are referred to as grumblers, to produce the sound that Bach and other Baroque composers prized.

"It certainly makes a good wolf," Goddard said.

"Peter and the Wolf" starts with Peter's theme, capturing the carefree spirit of a boy released from chores and venturing out beyond his usual boundaries — the gate into the meadow.

There, he meets a bird, a duck and a cat but is brought back by Grandfather, who warns Peter about the wolf.

When Peter disobeys and returns to the meadow, he encounters the wolf.

Perhaps most familiar to baby boomers is the animated version that Disney produced in 1946.

Narrated by Sterling Holloway, it added names for the bird (Sasha), the duck (Sonia) and the cat (Ivan) and a happier ending for the duck.

The church's version also gives the duck a second lease on life.

Scholarship fund

Donations accepted at the concert will establish a scholarship fund for young musicians interested in playing keyboard instruments.

"Hopefully, we can grow some new keyboardists," Reitz said.

"After this concert, anyone can come up and step on some pedals or pull out some stops."

Reitz said "Peter and the Wolf" was a natural for the first of a series of concerts for children featuring music based on folk tales — "Cinderella," "Hansel and Gretel" — or that have themes that appeal to children, like "Carnival of the Animals."

And the wolf, which is paraded off to the zoo at the end of Prokofiev's tale, may return.

"I really think we should do 'The Three Little Pigs,'" Reitz said.

Music lovers of all ages are welcome at Sunday's presentation of "Peter and the Wolf."

For more information, phone Trinity UMC at 360-385-0484.

________

Jennifer Jackson is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend. To contact her, email jjackson@olypen.com.

Last modified: October 18. 2011 11:22PM

Eric
KB7DQH

[KB7DQH]

 Unfortunately, the information available in the listing leaves way too much to the imagination...

The most optimistic picture one could possibly paint is the existing instrument is occupying space needed for a redundant or even new pipe instrument better suited to the changing needs of the congregation...

But all too often (especially in the U. K.  :'(  ) this isn't the case.

But by listing the instrument on Ebay there is hope it can find a new home.   This is made all the more likely in this case as there is no insane reserve requirement and the bidding is starting at almost nothing... Someone with real need of an instrument of this type and limited resources could find themselves blessed if they are prepared to perform the relocation.  And some in this situation have used this forum to express their desire for a serviceable, affordable, instrument ;D

Success occurs when opportunity and preparedness meet...
Eric
KB7DQH

[David Pinnegar]

On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUFWWOgSbbU about an organ disappearing from an English church the following comment is a relevant observation . . .

At least it's going where it will be loved and appreciated- as too many churches really don't have any musical knowledge of church music except the piano, guitar and drums. The pipe organ encourages singing in every form. Frankly- the guitar discourages singing and enhances the Sunday morning rock concert.