Tour of organ stops of redundant organ to be scrapped in Jan 2009

[TarisIntamina008XX]

Beautiful organsound!!! Very well!!! :) I can only speak a little English.... :( which organ stop sounds in this video at 3:37 ? I don't understand it... :(

[Bblandford]

Yes, the organ was saved.

Brian

[ccoraxfan]

I can't believe anybody would consider scrapping such a magnificent instrument! I hope this organ was successfully rescued.

[stormkingfan]

After copying the stoplist, I noticed "FDa" appear several times. This is something new to me.

For example:

8' Open Diapason FDa Vox Humana

What does this mean?

[latribe]

I think it's pure computer gibberish!

[revtonynewnham]

@latribe

Hi

Not computer gibberish! It simply means that different surveyors have recorded different stop names! The "FDa" is the NPOR surveyor code of the person who recorded the alternate stops. It's the simplest way of presenting variant information.

NPOR Editor.

[4candles]

Perhaps is means 'Foundation a' or 'Full Diapason a'?

[sykes0123456789]

Thanks for your prompt reply. Is there a spec available? Regards.

[sykes0123456789]

Hello! Has the unspeakable crime been committed yet? I might be able to help.

[latribe]

Hi! It's being rescued for a church in Wales and any help in dismantling and moving at the London end during this coming week would be really appreciated. So please PM me!

Is there somewhere interesting looking for an organ?

[stormkingfan]

Its rescue is definite, then. Praise God!

Even if I were 3 hrs from London, I would still jump at the chance to help, but I'm on the other side of the puddle (Philadelphia, PA).

Great to see this classic Walker continue to breathe. David, you made a big difference. Good job!!

[Ntalikeris666]

i cant understand...You actually sell the organ, or you give it away?

[stormkingfan]

Whether or not it's too big for a Welsh chapel, if you can do it, go for it. This is, after all, an emergency situation and part of your chapel could always be used as a temporary storage space.

[uwdcpiggy]

On it boss! I'll be making some phonecalls in the morning.

Those who know me know how much I disdain the 'thin' or 'squeaky' sounds that so many people rave about. This organ, devoid of all but the most modest use of mixture/mutation is an absolute dream in my book. An out of fashion 'octopod' it may be, but it is absolutely my kind of beast.

[latribe]

An Octopod? Certainly in concert it doesn't sound like it! The real secret of these instruments is the use of octave and sub-octave couplers with unison off and I think that the organists who despise this golden vintage simply don't know how to register such instruments. Hear how bright, and grand, this is at 2:20 for instance!

During Mark Cyphus' concert, the effects he achieved were really sublime. So this instrument is worth moving the earth for!

[uwdcpiggy]

I totally agree. At last, I have found someone who understands. Certain of my acquaintances sneeringly refer to instruments of this ilk as 'octopods'. I am not a learned man, nor a lettered organist, but I know what sounds good- cf Truro Cathedral or Westminster Chapel. You simply don't need mixtures and mutations to add so called colour. Thank goodness this organ survived the 50's and 60's unscathed. Lets hope it survives the 0ties.

Neil

ps - David - did u get my emails following your reply?

[uwdcpiggy]

I have just the place for this mighty beast. I telephoned the church, but apparently there have been some expressions of interest already, so probably they will have first refusal

[latribe]

I'd go full steam ahead. On an urgency such as this it has to be rescued. And that means first come first served. So PLEASE!

If logistics are a problem I have identified a possible redundandant church where it might be stored temporarily.

It's worth talking to the organ builder who has cared for it and also another organ builder who knows the instrument well. He enforces the current urgency - "it's got to be out in a couple of weeks". Moving this instrument will take that. So Move ASAP!!

[uwdcpiggy]

If we can get the organ out of there, we can store it in the gallery of our chapel in Cardiff. I wonder how much that will cost?

OK, so its way too big for a typical welsh chapel, but we have a very large organ chamber, a redundant choir stall (pews removed) in front of it, so plenty of room for the console and any overspill of pipes.

What we don't have is money, but a few people in our Organist Association removed and rebuilt a big 3 manual recently, so maybe I would be able to get some help.

[BeFrSc]

Is the Choir Enclosed? it sounds like it might be.

[latribe]

An organ builder friend who apprenticed with Walkers worked on this instrument in his youth and says that it's one of the best instruments Walker ever built.

PLEASE CAN YOU SPREAD THE WORD? FAST?!

Personally I think that the dance school could retain it and build a new stage and proscenium in front . . . but it would be a miracle for that to happen.

With crass English lack of sympathy and commercial greed for space, it's unlikely to happen. Does anyone know anyone at the school?

[carteru93]

...what I would not give to live in the UK! If I lived in the UK, I would GLADLY take this organ off your hands, save an organ!, but unfortunately, I'm not :( :( :( :(

[latribe]

Ideally it would be wonderful to get this instrument rescued WHOLE rather than skipped or split.

We have identified an unused redundant church where it could be stored temporarily. Is there no church or college in America, Scotland, Wales, Australia or Germany where organ appreciation is healthier than England which would want this instrument?

From the other videos from the concert you'll hear that it gives an impressive performance from Bach to Vierne and Messiaen.

[carteru93]

I know of a local university here in Canada....I'll message you privately.

[latribe]

Hi!

Is there any news on this?

One problem is that the instrument is 1925 rebiult well in 1959 and 1920s instruments, however good they are as here, are simply out of fashion.

Organists in England still want neo-Baroque unenclosed instruments with shiny front pipes on which to play nothing but Boring Bach. Barking mad.

So if this instrument is saved in England it will be a miracle.

[carteru93]

No news yet, sorry, It's Christmas break in the school system here in Canada where I am situated, so I may not hear back till Jan 6, when it's over.

[BeFrSc]

David, try contacting Michael Farley here in the Southwest, he's my boss and he might be interested in buying a few stops from that organ to be used in other Organs or something like that, i'd give him the offer anyway.

[compton357]

Try Organ Clearing house. they could help out. Just google search, organ clearing house and get in touch, it would be such a shame to lose this wonderful organ!

[CindyBradyTooh]

FASCINATING! :D

~Cindy! :)

..

[stormkingfan]

This organ is about to be thrown in the dumpster, if it isn't saved and all you can say is "fascinating!" ???? Did you not read about it?

[CindyBradyTooh]

I meant the report was FASCINATING! :D There is not too much I can do about an organ on the other side of the earth. I am very poor, but if I had a place to put it, you could bring it here! :O

~Cindy! :)

[stormkingfan]

Sorry about getting my knickers in a twist. I just get a little antsy over fact that people relentlessly throw away treasures like that.

[latribe]

Yes. The annoying thing is that the Messiaen on this organ really achieves the eternal and is worth hearing. Such a terrible contradiction that such an instrument capable of expressing the immortal should be so close to its own mortality.

A cruxifiction of in its own realm

[latribe]

At the sort of school the British Government don't like and have been persecuting for years, in this case on the fabulous nearly unaltered original Harrison and Harrison organ Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey.

The British Public Schools are seen to be only for the elite, but in fact provide facilities in depth for the people who come out of such schools to use their talents better in the service of their communities.

The most important thing is that playing the organ expands the mind.

[christhehitman]

where exactly do you learn to play something as complex as that?

Mighty impressive man!