Another redundant instrument

[NonPlayingAnorak]

http://www.ibo.co.uk/IBO2005/services/redundant/manResult.asp?manuals=two&Submit=View&index=10
http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=E00408

Overhauled in 1928 by Willis, rebuilt 1970/71 by John Cowin. Provenance unknown. However, looking at the photograph on the NPOR, I would suggest that it was previously rebuilt by Father Willis - the front-pipes (Great OD No.1?) look to be in the Willis house style. On the other hand, the use of the 'Stopped Diapason' name suggests something earlier, as does the division of that rank...

Either way, looks like a [edited]-decent instrument, good for pipework if nothing else.

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

If you click on the link to the earlier survey you will see that it was indeed rebuilt by Willis - although who the original builder was is not known.  It's possible that anyone buying this instrument could ask Willis@ if there's anything in their records to show who built it originally.

Every Blessing

Tony

[NonPlayingAnorak]

I was suggesting a possible Father Willis influence - did Willis III continue to make OD pipes look like that?

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

I don't know - but don't forget the original organ, or an earlier rebuild could be by Willis - or the pipes might have come from elsewhere.  One thing you soon learn when researching organ histories is never to assume anything.  Primary sources are the only reliable information.  Most organ builders can have a pretty good guess at the builder of a particular organ - but they don't always get it right - and sometimes (as with the organ here) there just aren't any clues!

every Blessing

Tony

[NonPlayingAnorak]

Hmm, I think the style of the front-pipes could be a clue. However, the "Stopped Diapason" and the fact that it's divided... just not FHW practice at all. He'd not have divided it and he'd have called it "Lieblich Gedact".

[ Edited for reason of relevance - mention of - http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=P00140 - ]

[Jonathan Lane]

Hmm, I think the style of the front-pipes could be a clue. However, the "Stopped Diapason" and the fact that it's divided... just not FHW practice at all. He'd not have divided it and he'd have called it "Lieblich Gedact".

The organ which originally inspired my mother to become an organist - http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=P00140 - is a tiny instrument of about twelve stops, but it sings with such sweet and pure tone, it's on low low wind pressures, there's a load of spotted metal in it too... we have no evidence, but we think it could be a Lewis.

Not wishing to be too pedantic, but he may have called it a Lieblich Gedackt, but certainly not Gedact, and there is more than one Stopped Diapason in this Willis: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N09756

[David Pinnegar]

Dear E

Thank you so much for joining the forum - and being willing to convey further contributions from Richard's wide knowledge, but hopefully tempered by your own moderation!

Best wishes

David P

[revtonynewnham]

Hi - Richard's brother here, reporting Richard's comments. The Father Willis at Ewell uses the 'Gedact' spelling, no K. It has two of them.

Hi

Welcome to the forum.

There's little consistency in spelling of stop names - especially Gedact in its various permutations.  I suspect that, at least in earlier days, the engravers were semi-literate and put what they thought it should be.  Then there's always that possibility that engraving was sourced from an outside supplier.  It's something that crops up regularly on NPOR edits.  Sesquialtra is also often misspelled.

Every Blessing

Tony

[Jonathan Lane]

Hi - Richard's brother here, reporting Richard's comments. The Father Willis at Ewell uses the 'Gedact' spelling, no K. It has two of them. Hereford's Stopped Diapasons are probably from the Gray and Davison (the Willis is more of a comprehensive rebuild than a new organ).

Well what's in a name?  The Hereford Stopped Diapasons are believed to be Willis, but may well be earlier, they are unlikely to be Gray and Davison in that case, but more likely the earlier Bishop organ of 1832 or even a further litany of builders dating back to Harris in 1686 and including work by Schmidt (Bernard Smith?), Dallam, Byfield, Green, Avery, Lincoln and Elliot, so who knows.  However, the Hereford Cathedral website states a fact that I have always understood from people far more conversant with the organ than me (I've only played it a couple of dozen times), and that is the 1892 organ was not a rebuild but a completely new organ.  Short of going inside to look I cannot confirm this, however, I will check with colleagues at another firm who have more knowledge of the organ.