mrbouffant Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 NPOR seems a bit tempermental this evening, so I ask a question here in hope of an informed answer! I was out having dinner with a friend this evening and we got to talking about the organ at St Michael and All Angels, Lambourn.. As far as he was aware, this is a Willis of some standing (?1858) and wanted to know if there was any point in looking to raise the funds required to restore the instrument to a reasonable condition. I was reminded that Sir George C. Martin, sometime organist at St. Pauls Cathedral was a Lambournian and probably played this instrument.. Could you enlightened souls please provide any information you have on this instrument and your opinions regarding it's quality/importance/state (original? much altered?) Many Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Powell Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Just in case you couldn't access NPOR, here it is: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N09975 Hope that helps! Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I am sorry that I am unable to help. However, it looks to be a nice - but slightly unusual instrument. I have never seen an Orchestral Oboe on a GO before! I, too, would be interested to learn more about this instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Just in case you couldn't access NPOR, here it is:http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N09975 Hope that helps! Graham <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Beware - the NPOR survey is not recent - and if you look at the notes it appears that the Orchestral Oboe may have gone. If anyone knows the current posiiton, please let NPOR know. Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Beware - the NPOR survey is not recent - and if you look at the notes it appears that the Orchestral Oboe may have gone. If anyone knows the current posiiton, please let NPOR know. Every Blessing Tony <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, yes - but I was thinking of the fact that it was actually built with one. I wonder if this was unique amongst FHW organs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well, yes - but I was thinking of the fact that it was actually built with one. I wonder if this was unique amongst FHW organs? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My good friend Anthony Scott restored this instrument in the (I think) 1960's in collaboration with Nicholson's. The Orchestral Oboe gave way to a sharp Mixture, I believe of 2 ranks; the tuning of the old stop was very temperamental, legend had it. I am told Denis Thurlow voiced the new stop and Tony Scott installed it. I played it about 10 years ago; fairly sure it had the original pedalboard etc. Definitely worth restoring. Tony was organist there for many years too. Legend has it there was a temporary contrivance called "Great to Pedal No 2" which operated a tap under the manuals, the other end leading to a beer barrel on top of the Swell. Ramsbury was done about the same time (also by Tony Scott in collaboration with Nicholson's). There is a write up of both instruments somewhere in back issues of The Organ. I think Ramsbury had slightly more extensive alterations. Tony Scott was not, it must be admitted, a great organ builder (apprenticed to Rushworth's just after the war - some of his work is just magnificently dreadful) but he was a well seasoned composer, studied with Howells and Finzi (Finzi's only private pupil). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 "Legend has it there was a temporary contrivance called "Great to Pedal No 2" which operated a tap under the manuals, the other end leading to a beer barrel on top of the Swell." (Quote) May something so often mentionned like this one (the disposition may vary, not the aim) be a legend? This very day a french organist mentionned a "Duvelpfeife" stop on my forum, asking about the appropriate bellows system. (This is of course a "barrel" system I immediately offered my help for fine-tuning). Best wishes, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 "Legend has it there was a temporary contrivance called "Great to Pedal No 2" which operated a tap under the manuals, the other end leading to a beer barrel on top of the Swell." (Quote) May something so often mentionned like this one (the disposition may vary, not the aim) be a legend? This very day a french organist mentionned a "Duvelpfeife" stop on my forum, asking about the appropriate bellows system. (This is of course a "barrel" system I immediately offered my help for fine-tuning). Best wishes, Pierre <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nope, it happened - I saw the remainder of the mechanism attached to a spare stop control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Tony Scott was not, it must be admitted, a great organ builder (apprenticed to Rushworth's just after the war - some of his work is just magnificently dreadful) but he was a well seasoned composer, studied with Howells and Finzi (Finzi's only private pupil).Sorry to veer off topic, but do you happen to know what happened to his piano after he died? A very nice instrument from the Chopin period. I really coveted that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Sorry to veer off topic, but do you happen to know what happened to his piano after he died? A very nice instrument from the Chopin period. I really coveted that. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's in my living room, I'm afraid - you're welcome to visit it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis O'Connor Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 My good friend Anthony Scott restored this instrument in the (I think) 1960's in collaboration with Nicholson's. The Orchestral Oboe gave way to a sharp Mixture, I believe of 2 ranks; the tuning of the old stop was very temperamental, legend had it. I am told Denis Thurlow voiced the new stop and Tony Scott installed it. I played it about 10 years ago; fairly sure it had the original pedalboard etc. Definitely worth restoring. Tony was organist there for many years too. Legend has it there was a temporary contrivance called "Great to Pedal No 2" which operated a tap under the manuals, the other end leading to a beer barrel on top of the Swell. Ramsbury was done about the same time (also by Tony Scott in collaboration with Nicholson's). There is a write up of both instruments somewhere in back issues of The Organ. I think Ramsbury had slightly more extensive alterations. Tony Scott was not, it must be admitted, a great organ builder (apprenticed to Rushworth's just after the war - some of his work is just magnificently dreadful) but he was a well seasoned composer, studied with Howells and Finzi (Finzi's only private pupil). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis O'Connor Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The article referred to in The Organ may be found in Vol46 Number 184 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 It's in my living room, I'm afraid - you're welcome to visit it...You lucky so-and-so! Thanks for the offer. I might well take you up on that when I have some free time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paul@trinitymusic.karoo.co.uk Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Anyone looking for a Chopin-period grand, then? We have one looking for a home and going very cheap. Considering HTH is the largest parish church in the UK (by volume), we are singularly bady off for available floor space, therefore this currently little-used instrument has to go where it will be more loved. [...and there are other pianos.] Interested? Please e-mail me. Paul Derrett Holy Trinity Hull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Alas, I don't have the floor space either these days. Or, to be more precise, I do, but she who must be obeyed doesn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenh Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Greetings, I stumbled across this thread (and this site) when Googling for background on Anthony Scott. (A copy of his Toccata & Fugue in A minor recently came my way and I have since played it at a recital in St. Nicholas Newbury). I have been the organist of St. Michael & All Angels Lambourn since 1993. I am happy to report that the organ is in reasonably good condition, if you ignore the rattles from the pedal couplers. For many years it has been in the care of John Budgen. The Scott rebuild in 1962 was the last major overhaul. As others have mentioned, the original Great Orchestral Oboe was removed then in favour of a (quint) Mixture. The only other change was the replacement of a Swell string and voix celeste (dating from the 1920's? when they replaced the original Willis Sesquialtera) with a new (non-Willis) Sesquialtera. So in 1962 the specification was only one stop different from 1858. Since 1962 there have been 3 changes (in the time of my predecessor, Norman Wilson): 1) Addition of a reversible Great to Pedal foot pedal, aesthetically in keeping with the original 4 Great/Pedal composition pedals 2) The pipes of the Swell Sesquialtera have been "shuffled" (reversibly I am assured) to create a quint mixture 3) The Choir Dulciana has been "detuned" to create a Vox Angelica effect Sir George Martin did indeed play the organ - he was 14 when it was installed, and every week rode to Oxford for an organ lesson from John Stainer. I like to think that Stainer must have visited Lambourn at least once to try out his pupil's new instrument. Martin succeeded Stainer as organist at St. Paul's. I have searched in vain for any evidence of the beer supply system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Greetings, I stumbled across this thread (and this site) when Googling for background on Anthony Scott. (A copy of his Toccata & Fugue in A minor recently came my way and I have since played it at a recital in St. Nicholas Newbury). I have been the organist of St. Michael & All Angels Lambourn since 1993. I am happy to report that the organ is in reasonably good condition, if you ignore the rattles from the pedal couplers. For many years it has been in the care of John Budgen. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Glad to hear it's holding together. Isn't the fugue subject lovely - I have most of Tony's other organ works if you are interested. There were 3 lovely chorale preludes written for a church near Devizes - they are really special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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