Kingsway Hall Organ

[Guest Roffensis]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know what became of the organ at Kingsway Hall. This brassy litttle monster was used a very great deal for recordings, as was the hall, which was famed for it's acoustic, albeit enhanced by the rumble of the London underground. I know the hall was severly got at in the late 80s, with the whole being stripped out. last time I ventured down Wild Lane I met a very nice man who proceeded to tell me "It's all gone, and I demolished it". That made my day. I often wonder if the organ was actually salvaged, but rather supsect it just fell into the wrong hands and was either melted down or scattered about in various other instruments as sometimes happens. I have a very interesting record of it played by Eric Rogers, the "Mighty Colossus of sound" which features such nailbiting gems as Tico Tico and the Girl from Ipanema. Hmm!!! a far cry from Cunningham and others who used it such a lot in past years. Ah well. Any info gratefully received.

[Brian Childs]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know what became of the organ at Kingsway Hall. This brassy litttle monster was used a very great deal for recordings, as was the hall, which was famed for it's acoustic, albeit enhanced by the rumble of the London underground. I know the hall was severly got at in the late 80s, with the whole being stripped out. last time I ventured down Wild Lane I met a very nice man who proceeded to tell me "It's all gone, and I demolished it". That made my day. I often wonder if the organ was actually salvaged, but rather supsect it just fell into the wrong hands and was either melted down or scattered about in various other instruments as sometimes happens. I have a very interesting record of it played by Eric Rogers, the "Mighty Colossus of sound" which features such nailbiting gems as Tico Tico and the Girl from Ipanema. Hmm!!! a far cry from Cunningham and others who used it such a lot in past years. Ah well. Any info gratefully received.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Fraid not Richard. The NPOR lists it simply as "destroyed or broken up" which I consider a wicked waste. Only 55 stops,one reed on the great and one on the pedal but all those percussion stops ! I would suspect PCND (only joking). I have the Rogers LP . I must get it out and have another listen to it: its been a good few years, but I do recall the carillon at the start of the big western theme. Cannot remember now whether it was "The Big Country" or "The Magnificent Seven". I think the former but am not sure.

 

Brian Childs

[Guest Roffensis]

Fraid not Richard. The NPOR lists it simply as "destroyed or broken up" which I consider a wicked waste. Only 55 stops,one reed on the great and one on the pedal but all those percussion stops ! I would suspect PCND (only joking). I have the Rogers LP . I must get it out and have another listen to it: its been a good few years, but I do recall the carillon at the start of the big western theme. Cannot remember now whether it was "The Big Country" or  "The Magnificent Seven". I think the former but am not sure.

 

Brian Childs

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It's the Magnificat a 7, by Gul Brinner OSB. I had that on last night, it was cracking me up. I had quite forgotten about the Can Can, not to mention the stars and Stripes. Here we go! Well there it went apparently, it could have been the fine Phase 4 sound that finsihed its otherwise fine reputation, where the flutes are phased in and out with a loud reed phased out or in. I think the recording engineer was on a gyrating platform. Then there's the carillon a la Big Ben, all faithfully recorded in the best possible taste . There are some cathedral organists who would be jealous Lefebure Wely had a lot to learn!!! Personally, I'm just phased out, but do consider it a loss, as well as the hall, which could well have become a museum of recorded sound, not least for the many Orchestras and Conductors, and organists who were there. That is then compounded by the engineers, it all gets so sad, and ends with a Decca Phase 4 record!!!! In the back it refers to "Kinsway" Hall!!!! That record dserves a museum in its own right.

R