St Martins in the Bullring Birmingham

[Barrie Davis]

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

[AnOrganCornucopia]

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.

[Barrie Davis]

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.

[AnOrganCornucopia]

If that's the case it ought to be restored elsewhere! Pierre, get Gerhard Walcker onto it...

[chrislawtonorganist]

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?

[Barrie Davis]

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

[contrabordun]

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.

[Melotone]

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