Village marks organ centenary

[KB7DQH]

http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/lifestyle/entertainment/village_marks_organ_centenary_1_3476575

St Hilda's Church in Hinderwell is marking 100 years of the coming of its Wordsworth and Co pipe organ with a musical celebration.

The organ was originally owned by Selby Abbey, but has taken residence in Hinderwell's Church for the past century.

Wordsworth and Co was a prestigious firm of pipe organ builders between 1866 and 1981, and their instruments can be found all over the world.

In celebration of this milestone, a concert of popular organ music will be performed by Stephen Maltby.

Organisers are inviting everyone to go and celebrate the power and majesty of this king instrument and its arrival in Hinderwell 100 years ago.

A video link will be screened at the front of the church, to give an inside peek into what is involved in operating the keyboards and pedals.

The concert will be held on Saturday at 7pm.

Tickets are priced at £5 (£2 for full-time students.)

Tickets prices includes a programme and light refreshments.

All proceeds made will go to the essential repairs needed for the church windows.

Eric
KB7DQH

[KB7DQH]

And another "hundred year" Organ "birthday" celebration:

http://www.hawick-news.co.uk/news/local-headlines/church_organ_going_strong_to_tune_of_a_hundred_years_1_1695453

Church organ going strong to tune of a hundred years


Published on Friday 24 June 2011 04:38

A SPECIAL celebration has been held at Trinity Church to mark the 100th year of its grand pipe organ.

Back in 1911 – a week after Cornet Lockie Thorburn had completed his duties and just days before the Coronation of King George – the new organ first accompanied the church's praise at two services of dedication.

Almost 100 years to the date last Sunday, the congregation marked the special milestone with organist Jamie McKenzie playing a specially chosen piece.

And boasting 1,182 pipes, the organ – which was built by James Jepson Binns of Bramley Organ Works in Leeds – has never required any major work throughout the past century, and been praised for showing little signs of its age by the church minister.

Rev Michael Scouler said: "James Jepson Binns was known as a perfectionist.

"His organs are particularly forthright in their speech and are also noted for the superb robustness of their construction, so robust indeed that he was known in the trade as Battleship Binns." He went on: "Costing just £651.10s for the organ and blower and additional display pipes for the case, the organ has given 100 years of mostly trouble-free service without any major work apart from occasional cleaning and repairs. Clearly it has proved of excellent value."

Highlighting that the organ case and pulpit are the work of Hawick joiner Alex Inglis who also takes the credit for the beautiful carved wood round the pulpit, Rev Scouler commented: "The organ's historic value is greatly enhanced by the fact that it survives unaltered, and thus is a splendid example of the work of its builder and period."

Mr Scouler says the only change made to the original organ occurred when the Eastbank Church became home to the new Trinity congregation in 1959, and the console (or keyboard) was moved, and rotated, from where the communion table now is to its present position.

He added: "The organ has been a wonderful asset to worship down the years and a very large number of organists have sat at the console and greatly enjoyed the quality of sound it produces."

Eric
KB7DQH