Just seen this: apparently a Church (could be a Dissenting Conventicle, of course) has literally, it seems, let a scrap merchant deal with the Organ it can't afford to repair. The pictures include some of what are plainly bellows-weights, with a plain 'W': Willis?
Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the usual Item No. to link it for you - the Seller is reubin xxxx (?), and the item had a good nine days to go when I looked about 20 minutes ago, i.e. c. 21:00 on the Eve of All Hallows.
... 'reubin2001': still can't find the Item No.!
F#
Interestingly, to start with, I couldn't find the number of another item in the main listing, (see previous topic). Then I realised no items had their numbers displayed. Item numbers used to be quite prominent, so it seems eBay may have changed their page layout.
However, when I clicked on the item to view it, and scrolled down the page past "People who viewed this item also viewed.." nearly to the bottom, in the "Description" section, top right in small font, I found the item number.
The item number for this lot is 111501390789.
I saw it this morning - absolutely shocking.
here's the ebay link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHURCH-ORGAN-PIPES-LEAD-AND-ZINC-HUNDREDS-AT-LEAST-300-WAS-TOLD-2000-BY-CHURCH-/111501390789?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item19f60033c5
Here's the 'question' I've just sent the e-Vendor:
...more of a statement than a question, but I think you might well have been encouraged to partake in an action of great cultural vandalism. The Church that has unthinkingly decided to break up an Organ, and sell its metal for 'scrap' has a terrible case to answer. What have they done with the (mahogany) soundboards on which these pipes were 'planted'? Burned them? Every piece of this once-organ will have been made by a dedicated Craftsman, using skills learned from centuries of practice. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Why could they not let a Church such as mine which longs to have a better Organ, have the chance of making far better use of it than as mere 'scrap'?
Do, please, pass on to them my furious concern.
FJRO
I completely agree. I'd be very interested to learn which church this was, but I expect their identity will remain a secret.
Well said, Fr Otto. I'm not sure what size organ your parish is looking for, but there is a small 1-manual & pedal going begging in Carhampton, Nr Minehead due to 're-ordering'.http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N05531
The DAC told me recently that they have faculty permission to remove it - I understand that time is of the essence. I could have a look if it's of any interest to you.
N
Dear Diapason,
Thank you indeed for your helpful suggestion, but the machine we have is a 1M+P, reduced on the instructions of the then Organ Adviser, from 2M+P! It has 3 ranks, extended down to make a Bourdon, and up as far as a Sifflote. In its way, it's quite reasonable, but, of course, the only way to 'solo' anything is an octave higher ('Wachet Auf' sounds pretty ridiculous thus, as may be imagined) and I, alas, have not the necessary skills to 'cook' things suitably. Then too, I'm due for the chop next May, and any successor might be a devotee of bongo drums and kazoos...
FJRO
I'm sorry to hear that, Fr Otto. There was a decent 2-manual Bishop on Ebay recently, sold for peanuts (but hopefully going to be rebuilt). I do hope that your church - which I've only seen from outside as it was locked - don't go do the 'Jimmy Shand (and his band)' route. Sorry, also that you are going.
N
Fr Otto - any good to you - not far away - on facebook:
ORGAN NEEDING A HOME (apparently) - I said I'd pass this on to those who may be able to forward info: A friend of my brother's has bought an old Methodist chapel in Appledore (north Devon) in which there is an organ which he would rather like to find a good home for. It's made by WG Vowels and is quite big. As far as I know it's a proper pipe organ, original to the chapel. He wouldn't mind some money for it but if nobody wants to pay for it he would still like someone to come and take it away. Long shot - and I'm sure you've got much else on your mind at the moment, but might you know of anyone Philip?
Contact Philip Davey at Truro Methodist Church.
N
Many thanks! Why didn't I sign up to this Forum ages ago, instead of just 'lurking'?
I'll follow this up.
FJRO
This may help - if the link works: https://www.facebook.com/pldavey?fref=ts
Good luck,
Nigel
May well be this one Fr Otto
http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=G01154 (http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=G01154)
Dear 'Janner',
I know I'm only a native, not a Cornishman, but in West Penwith at least, a 'Janner' was a Cornishman, often qualified by that splendid Cornish attribute 'proper': is it possible that you are a 'proper janner'?
And, yes, your link did work, and has had me chasing up W.G. Vowles, and sundry Organs in Bristol, including St. Mary Redcliffe - and wondering whether the Appledore Vowles might just possibly have had a spare slide or two for the odd Reed ('prepared for').
The Organ I was 'brought up on' was by Crabb of Exeter, to S.S.W.'s specification, and practically bankrupted him (Peter Crabb, that is: no doubt SSW still had his fee for the 'referral'). The Crabb Organ had Hele's plate on it, and had just been cleaned &c. by Lance Foy (himself an ex-Hele boy) when the whole lot went up in smoke (as did another Organ, with which I had an association - the Nicholson/Yates at St. Michael's, Newquay - and the lovely Comper rood-screen went too, as well as the oak linen-fold panelling round the walls...). Is it something about me, I have wondered?
FJRO
Is this one any good to you, Fr Otto? http://www.ibo.co.uk/IBO2005/services/redundant/locResult.asp?county=Somerset&Submit3=View&index=0
... if only... if only I had more time here; if only St. Helen's had the money...; if only it were possible just to transport the Organ here, and it would just fit in without obscuring windows or necessitate removal of pews and mediaeval bench-ends (perfectly allowable, if for 're-ordering', not if for 'turning the clock back')! However did H&H manage to fit all that into so small a cuboid? A 'Corno di Bassetto' too! I lamented the destruction of New College's Willis, admittedly already spoiled by R&D, and even more Wells's Willis under the unstoppable 'We must have an ersatz N.German Baroque instrument at any price movement'. Away with all Rauschquints, Racketts, and 7-fach Mixturs! Give me at least 3 Diapasons on the Great (one leathered), a Trombone or an Ophicleide on the Pedals, and a lovely whispery Salicional+V.C., a Cornopean and a delicately acid Oboe... if only!
I don't remember the old organ at New College, but the present one seems to do the job very well and is a fine piece of work in its own way. I think you're being a little unfair to Wells - it does the Romantic accompanying stuff very well in addition to being versatile in solo repertoire. Oddly enough, one doesn't seem to miss the open wood and 32' (the latter was resultant anyway). And it hadn't been a Willis since Harrisons' first rebuilt it in the 30s or thereabouts.
... the old organ was good enough for the Chaplain to have to take Dr. Lumsden aside, and suggest he prime visiting Recitalists, who were all too wont in the SCR afterwards, to tell all the Dons what a privilege it was to play such a fine instrument, &c., ...before too many Fellows started wondering why it was necessary to replace it!
And, as the old fellows used to say, "Rushworth's could really do it when they wanted to." Holy Rude, Stirling; St. James, Belfast, to name but two. Maybe New College was another.
Still, the present incumbent is a fine job - I wouldn't want to see it replaced.
Fr. Otto, PM sent.
Best,
Janner.
But it's HIDEOUS! At least Willis - like Scott who did the splendid Angel-roof (& the Case?) made everything look Gothick, and therefore and thereby fitting in with the lineaments of the building, whereas Grant/Regens/Rippins/Bradbeer (rather like the Reynolds windows) shout 'This is new, modern, in accordance with the latest canons of Taste...': the 'Hermeneutic of Rupture', rather than the 'Hermeneutic of Continuity'. Plastic Swell-shutters, forsooth!
f#
It was startling when it was new, admittedly, although there are a few other George Pace designs around that are similar in outline (I like his work, generally), but I like it. There are, after all, a number of distinguished modernist cases in great Gothic churches in Europe, to say nothing of the wealth of Baroque cases in Gothic surroundings which should, logically, be just as incongruous. I guess it's all a matter of opinion. I don't like all modern cases, and I do like gothic revival, but I like New College - both the case and the instrument inside it.
I also like the New College case. It is a shame that after all these years, recent work has included stop changes (so I am told).
I hadn't heard of any stop changes, although I did hear that some revoicing had been done.
According to text on the New College website it seems Paul Hale was consultant and he supplied the following:
The stop-list has been changed thus: Positif None 8/9ths and 1ft Octav now on the Swell in place of the Teint, which is removed to store; Sesquialtera 12.17 replaces them on the Positif. Great Messing Regal 16ft removed to store and replaced with a 'French classical' Vox Humana 8ft; 16ft Quintade revoiced as a Bourdon, with a new wooden bass. Pedal Subbass/Flute revoiced; 4ft Rohr Schalmei replaced with 4ft Trompete; 32ft Fagot receiving a full-length bass (was half-length). New coupler - much longed-for - 'Swell to Positif'. Should be good! Paul Hale
Ah - thank-you! Those changes would make the instrument more flexible and address a few weaknesses. In particular, I remember one of the organ scholars when it was new stating definitely that the odd mixture in the Swell should be called "Taint" (sic). Such things were popular in Germany and among a few enthusiasts here, Maurice Grant included, but they relied to some extent on a fuller foundation and a bigger acoustic. It was very difficult to find repertoire which used the New college Teint. Mixtures at York University were similarly straightened out many years ago.
Speaking for myself, I would miss the Messingregal and Rohrschalmei, but I don't have to play the thing every day and the new disposition will obviously be much more useful and not just a pandering to those of us who like renaissance rude noises....