[Lesser-known Town Hall Organs]

The Town Hall in Haverhill, Suffolk once boasted a 3-manual Binns, although it was removed in the late 80's / early 90's and taken to the The Mechanical Music Museum at Cotton, nr Stowmarket. I have no idea what condition it is in now - I played it about 1980 and it was in need of some attention even then.

 

Not by coincidence, the organ was a similar specification to one literally just down the road at the Old Independent Church (before the en chamade trumpets were added in 1992!!) NPOR H00676

Both organs were gifts of the Gurteen family, local mill owners, whose factory still functions in the town centre.

 

It is quite remarkable that at the time these organs were installed, Haverhill was a small market town, population c4000, yet possessed these two fine instruments. A century later, with a population of nearly 30,000 it was decided that the Town Hall shouldn't have an organ!

 

David

[Local Organists' Associations]

I joined my local association a couple of years ago and my experience has been generally positive. To be sure the standard varies among the members - there are some fine players (including a cathedral organist) and some who are 'average' (and I would include myself in that category!). I have been able to hear and play organs that normally I wouldn't get the opportunity to visit and I've been made very welcome by the existing members.

 

I guess everyone speaks from their own experience but I have to say that I have found some of the comments posted on this topic to have been patronising and not very helpful.

 

David

[Funding]

We are planning on restoring our 3-manual Holdich organ, to commence this October, at a cost of £100,000 or more and have managed to raise the money in six months. We are fortunate in that it is an historic instrument and we have attracted grants of over £30k. We also had a modest fund established before we began our campaign. However, we are only a moderately sized church (membership of c100) in a small town and the organ shares the musical load with a small (acoustic) worship band. This fact alone meant that some in the church didn't think it was worth preserving the organ. There was also opposition to applying for lottery funding.

 

But once the church voted in favour of the scheme, the response of the congregation (and the local community) was overwhelming and it just shows how generous people can be when given the opportunity. While we do have a small choir, we do not have as strong a choral tradition as some Anglican churches enjoy (it's a United Reformed Church), and yet people were still keen to see the organ restored for future generations. It's been an exciting few months and there is a real sense of anticipation loking forward to hearing the restored organ early next year.

 

I hope you have success in raising funds for your scheme.

 

Best wishes,

 

David

[Can And Should Organ Builders Play The Organ?]

Waking up in the night with this still on my mind, I remember that the heroic G M Holdich organ of 1867 upon which I practice (sic) and which was designed by Dr Gauntlett for the Union Chapel in Islington, was played by the builder himself at the opening of the organ when it was bought in 1878 for £600 by Hinckley folk for their new chapel. Interestingly in that short space of time fashions were changing. I notice a Cornet V goes from the Swell in favour of a Twelfth and a Voix Celestes, but still leaving another mixture of 3 ranks! A Mixture leaves the Great for a 2nd Open Diapason and joining 3 other extant flue 8's. A 3 rank Sesquialtera is now the only mixture left. Father Willis built the new organ for the new Union Chapel (see The Organs of Britain p.90 - John Norman) but with the same number of stops as the Holdich. Such an interesting comparison of fads and fashions. The Holdich has a swell of 16, 8, 8, 4 reeds. So different from the Willis for Dr Gauntlett a decade later! By the by, considering the influence of him with Hill, it might be seen as being somewhat 'down hill'. The Holdich bears many similarities on paper to the huge Hill of 1841 for Great George Street Chapel which was built by William Hill in collaboration with Dr G. (See The Organs of Britain p.84 - John Norman).

 

NJA

 

The fine organ to which Nigel refers is about to be restored - see www.hinckleyurcorgan.co.uk

 

It is thought to be the largest surviving Holdich organ and according to John Norman is only one of two large organs surviving designed by Gauntlett (the other being the Hill organ - rebuilt Mander - at St Mary-at-Hill). It has fully developed choruses - from 16 ft - up to and including tierce mixtures on both swell and great divisions. Other interesting features are that the 4' flutes on both choir and great only go down as far as Tenor C, while the 16ft doubles on swell and great, along with the dulciana on the choir, each have separate bass and treble stops.

 

David