This is a fine H&H rebuilt by Compton who added the 4th manual, Nicholson rebuilt and cleaned it a few years ago but did not alter its tonal scheme. I met a priest from there last Thursday and told her I had been suborganist there many years ago, she replied we have no organist now, the organ is rarely used maybe once a month in the evenings and for funerals. The late and great Geofrey Fletcher who established a good choral tradition there and oversaw the rebuilding of the organ will be turning in his grave.
Barrie
Good God! This was a church well-known for fine music-making not many years ago - and no doubt the neglect of the organ is now leading to many faults, despite its recent restoration. Now I presume they've gone all happy-clappy ::)
Something really ought to be done - it's not far from either cathedral, the Town Hall, Symphony Hall, the Conservatoire et al - a concert series would surely not be hard to start.
Meanwhile, what of the 3m Walcker in the ex-Methodist Central Hall? Building is now a nightclub (though was on the market at the time the RCO were embarking on their ill-fated Curzon Street scheme - it would have been ideal!) but organ is still present. I've heard rumours that the odd front-pipe has gone missing, but I don't know anything beyond that. Sent an email to the club a few months ago but had no reply.
As far as I am aware the organ is still in situ in the Central Hall a lot of pipework has been damaged where they have trailed speaker cables through the interior of the instrument, a friend managed to get access to the organ a few years ago and told that the console had suffered as well. It is such a shame such a good instrument should be allowed to end its life like this.
I have just seen a website saying that the Central Hall has been bought by property developers with a view to turning it into apartments.
If that's the case it ought to be restored elsewhere! Pierre, get Gerhard Walcker onto it...
How much of the pipework at St Martins in the Bullring is actually Compton?
The console is clearly Compton and certainly the 2 'Cornet' compound stops on the pedal but I was comparing 2 specifications last night - the first dating back to the 1920s and the second after the 1955 rebuild by Compton. The specifications look pretty much identical apart from splitting the choir into 2 and making a solo division and the 2 compound stops on the pedal. Is anymore of the pipework actually pure Compton or is it all Harrison reused does anyone know? Also was the 32ft a Compton polyphone and has this been reused?
Hi Chris
Its all Harrison, apart from the pedal upperwork, reeds and 8,4,2, Flute unit on the solo. Hmmmm the Major Bass is a diaphone in its bottom octave, they did make the mixture on the Great into 2 ranks. I honestly cannot remember if the 32 was a polyphone but it would not surprise me if it was, Geofrey Fletcher really bemoaned it being moved from its original position as it lost a lot of character being buried in the Transept but that was where Canon Brian Greene wanted it.
Geoff used the original drawstop heads as coathooks in his house!!!!
I am just pleased when it was rebuilt it retained its integrity, just a shame its not used often.
Best wishes
Barrie
The console's a pain to get into though.
I seem to remember that it used to have microphones above the organ to relay the sound to a couple of speakers by the console so you could follow what you were playing. They'd gone when I last played there 3 or 4 years ago.
Afternoon Everyone
Upon recently playing for a Silent Film in Coventry, I wandered around Birmingham with a friend of mine who is a change ringer in the area, and we went to have a look at the church and its organ, yes the church has become rather modernistic in it's approach to worship, however someone was playing the organ, I had a word with the guy by the name of Steve, and he let me on the instrument for a good few hours, though the only reserve was that I was to play my usual Theatre organ music, instead of Church organ literature, and it was much appreciated !
I shall be moving to the area soon, so I would love to get involved with both this organ, and the church.
I spy a Mr Lawton also posting above me on this list, DO go and play this instrument Chris, it takes to Dudley Savage style playing very well !
Regards
CH