Organs I have known

[musicus]

Tell us about the wonderful and not-so-wonderful instruments you have encountered over the years.

[Reginald]

Best: 3 manual, 14 unit Wurlitzer just south of Fleetwood. The most responsive organ with detached console that I've ever played - not to mention the unforgettable feeling of sailing up through the stage. Superb quality of pipework, an outstanding acoustic and a fantastic specification. Straightens brilliantly, so long as the Pedal part isn't quick enough to 'wobble' the regulators.

Worst: single manual tracker action with an impressive spec of Diapason 8', 4', 2' Flute 8' and 4', Dulciana 8' - Pedal 16', 8' and coupler. Why so bad? They wanted material from Mission Praise better suited to the first venue - not easy to get the Dixon feel without so much as a single reed or string! Sour tuning didn't help either.

[Mithras]

Best: 3 manual, 14 unit Wurlitzer just south of Fleetwood. The most responsive organ with detached console that I've ever played - not to mention the unforgettable feeling of sailing up through the stage. Superb quality of pipework, an outstanding acoustic and a fantastic specification. Straightens brilliantly, so long as the Pedal part isn't quick enough to 'wobble' the regulators.

Worst: single manual tracker action with an impressive spec of Diapason 8', 4', 2' Flute 8' and 4', Dulciana 8' - Pedal 16', 8' and coupler. Why so bad? They wanted material from Mission Praise better suited to the first venue - not easy to get the Dixon feel without so much as a single reed or string! Sour tuning didn't help either.

Does the choice of music render the organ objectively "bad"? And what was the Wurlitzer? I've spent a few weeks in Blackpool as my sister lives there and recall a decent 2-manual Walker (here I go again!) at St Wulstan's Fleetwood where a friend was ordained. Not sure I know anything of a Wurlitzer just south of Fleetwood though unless you mean...

My list to follow.

M

[presbyter]

Well, a couple of days ago I managed an afternoon off and spent some pleasant moments on this wonder of Victorian organ-building:

http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch. ... dex=N13298

I wonder if any digital instruments will last 150 years and be in as good a condition as this Nicholson.

[presbyter]

I knew this once ..... http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch. ... dex=N07539

But when the p.p. (NOT the current p.p., I hasten to add) decides to sell the console (rather than have the bearings in the blower attended to) - all that is left is the pipework.

I knew this too........ http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch. ... dex=D01287

It's been scrapped and replaced by a digital Makin

[Mithras]

St Peter's, Roath Cardiff; The Finnish Church, London; St Mary's, Rotherhith; Soutwark (Anglican) Cathedral; Canterbury Cathedral; St David's Hall, Cardiff; Holy Trinity, Dockhead; Malmo Cathedral (Sweden); there may be more to come...

[musicus]

I think I was responsible for killing an organ once. Years ago I was visiting an organist friend in London*. At that time, his CofE church had two pipe organs: a new one, recently installed, and its predecessor, still working (just) but awaiting removal. We decided that the opportunity to duet during Evensong was to good to resist. If I recall correctly, all was well until the last hymn, when the instrument that I was playing - the old one, fortunately - emitted an awful sound, like the grinding of mighty gears, and expired. It turned out that the blower motor had seized-up. It could have happened at any time to anybody, but I felt terribly guilty. It was just as well they had a spare one!

*I can't remember exactly where.

[Mithras]

As this thread progresses it will be interesting to see how many (if any) organs contributers " share".

M

[musicus]

Indeed, MIthras. That is what I was hoping for.

[Nick Baty]

it will be interesting to see how many (if any) organs contributers " share"

But we have to keep warning our students of the dangers of sharing organs!

Reminds me of a poster at music college – 25 years ago!
Can't remember the performer but the poster read "Bach's organ works".
Some wit has scrawled underneath: "So does mine!"

[musicus]

Enough with the tacky organ jokes already!

(Yes - I know.)

[Nick Baty]

You just made me laugh out loud!
My two cats – George-Mungo and Joseph-Dominic – are wondering what on earth I'm reading!

[Reginald]

Does the choice of music render the organ objectively "bad"?

No, but for a one-trick-pony like me it made for a thoroughly unenjoyable hour. I'd been "talked up" by someone who'd heard me elsewhere. The customary 5 hymns had duly been chosen from Mission Praise. I practised on home turf, accepting at face value that I shouldn't worry about the instrument as "It's lovely, you'll get some great sounds from it I know!" Turned up an hour early to get the measure of the thing and my heart fell - it would have been fine for standard "Hymns and Psalms" fare, not so good for a Graham Kendrick power ballad, a couple of early C20 'marching' hymns (you know the ones - they all have the rum-tee, tum-tee accompaniment) - and a little Latin American something or other.

As for the Wurlitzer, I do mean...

[presbyter]

OK - for the Wurlitzer fans who might be tempted to convert to Compton - I confess to having visited this magnificent cinema instrument a year or five ago. Amazing and great fun!
http://www.pipesinthepeaks.co.uk/

[presbyter]

As for the Wurlitzer, I do mean...

L'organo della torre "piscina nera" Mr "Dixon"? That's got 14 ranks.