Saint-Martin on the Grove Organ in Tewkesbury Abbey played by Carleton Etherington

[3ghand]

This organ was intended to be as it is: without a case. I worked with Ken Jones during the re-building of the Milton organ, and had ample opportunity to be around the Grove organ. It was designed both visually and tonally to demonstrate the ability of the builder, and to do it with remarkably few stops. Both instruments sound the way they due in no small part to the truly astounding acoustics of the abbey. It is as close to a perfect acoustic as there is.

[EccentricRichard]

The Milton organ is wonderful in its own way, but there's an incredible clarity, richness and grandeur to this instrument that makes it arguably the best instrument in the country. This is, to me, what an English Cathedral organ should sound like - not like the modern competent-but-uninspiring Harrisons at St Davids and St Edmundsbury. I hope that the Grove organ will one day be properly restored, rebuilt directly opposite the Milton, with a proper case...

[dwigley1977]

@EccentricRichard NEVER EVER PUT A CASE ON THIS HISTORIC ORGAN! part of the individual nature of it is you can see inside to how it works and lets the sound out in an unrestricted way. But I guess as someone who once worked at Harrison & Harrison I also appreciate what goes on on the inside.

[EccentricRichard]

@dwigley1977 - at the same time, a proper case would not only improve the organ's appearance to the general public, it would help the instrument PROJECT its sound. Moving it forward to mirror the Milton organ's position would also help. However, if there's one lesson we've learned from the 1971 and 2001 rebuilds of the Gloucester Cathedral organ, it's that organs don't need a roof on the case to project their sound!

[lamoyoucooke]

@EccentricRichard Surely the fact this organ sounds as amazing as it does without a case negates your arguement? This wonderful instrument's only crime is to be situated in the wrong place. No end of glorifying case wise by Hill, Bicknell, Comper, et al would do anything to improve the tone of this beast - dress it up as much as you want - you will still have at the end of the day a unique instrument that needs to be appreciated and heard by a wider audience.

[lamoyoucooke]

@lamoyoucooke Oh, and by the way, the general public don't give a toss about the organ or its appearance - if they did we wouldn't be having to fund raise the way we have to!

[TheMysticalOrgan]

@lamoyoucooke - I agree that it DOES sound amazing and wonderful. I just think it might sound even better with a proper case - and that the general public would be more likely to give it a second glance if it was visually attractive. As it is, it is a very basically-arranged, functional display of dark pipes in the darkest corner of the Abbey: visually it is no rival to the Milton organ, even though it's a vastly more exciting instrument IMO.

[lamoyoucooke]

I attended the opening recital of the newly rebuilt Milton organ played by Nicholas Kynaston back in 1997 and one of the opening recitals of the restored Grove organ back in 80's played by Dame Gillian Weir - both events were STUNNING! I used to live in Cheltenham, but ever since I moved to Lancaster 8 years ago, I still hanker after the many days I spent in the Abbey both singing in a choir that deputised for the Abbey Choir, and listening to the wonderful organs there.

[m5s6c]

Wonderful performance! Congratulations!

[stormkingfan]

This Michell & Thynne is what I nickname Little Giant. 4 manuals and only 35 stops (according to a CD from 1991).

If I ever make it to the UK, the Abbey is one place I want to go for a recital.

[cesarcesarsesar]

deahuvisimo eso

[accousticdecay]

How marvelous this must sound when one is actually there!