Empty Cases And Fake Organs!

[DaveHarries]

The church at Abbey Dore, Herefordshire contains an electronic organ which is a pity for such a nice building. One or two of the speakers are housed in the organ case on the other side of the choir from the toaster's console but if you look round the back you can see that some pipes of what would, I assume, have been the Bourdon on the pedal have been left in place.

 

There are also case pipes (not working, of course) and the console of the pipe instrument is also there. Nice church but a pipe organ would look better in it. The church is, nonetheless, worth a visit: the village of Abbey Dore (the church is called Dore Abbey) is on the B4347 which can be followed from the A465. On joining the B4347 at Pontrillas you should head North / NorthWest.

 

Dave

[OmegaConsort]

The church at Abbey Dore, Herefordshire contains an electronic organ which is a pity for such a nice building. One or two of the speakers are housed in the organ case on the other side of the choir from the toaster's console but if you look round the back you can see that some pipes of what would, I assume, have been the Bourdon on the pedal have been left in place.

Dave

 

A good example Dave! Here is a link to the digital organ that is there: http://www.phoenixorgans.co.uk/installations/dore-abbey.html

Yes - a lovely building indeed; I know it well.

In some ways it reminds me of St Cross in Winchester - tho that old Abbey contains a fabulous old Walker organ that sounds just amazing in there - I wish someone would record it!

Best wishes

Richard

[Guest Patrick Coleman]

The church at Abbey Dore, Herefordshire contains an electronic organ which is a pity for such a nice building. One or two of the speakers are housed in the organ case on the other side of the choir from the toaster's console but if you look round the back you can see that some pipes of what would, I assume, have been the Bourdon on the pedal have been left in place.

 

There are also case pipes (not working, of course) and the console of the pipe instrument is also there. Nice church but a pipe organ would look better in it. The church is, nonetheless, worth a visit: the village of Abbey Dore (the church is called Dore Abbey) is on the B4347 which can be followed from the A465. On joining the B4347 at Pontrillas you should head North / NorthWest.

 

Dave

 

It would very possibly have been a Bourdon, but not on the pedal. I played the pipe organ at Dore Abbey in 2002, and the Bourdon was a couple-down from the manual.

[DaveHarries]

It would very possibly have been a Bourdon, but not on the pedal. I played the pipe organ at Dore Abbey in 2002, and the Bourdon was a couple-down from the manual.

Interesting. I was supprised that the church had an organ as small as that anyway

 

Why and when did they get rid of the pipes though? It is a pity they couldn't have come up with some sort of casing in the style of the Dallam organ at Tewkesbury Abbey.

 

Dave

[John Sayer]

I took my kids to see Wicked at The Apollo in Victoria last week. Above the auditorium there is a very impressive facade of organ pipes, but on closer inspection, I noticed they had no mouths. I assume this is just a fake organ facade (NPOR doesn't bring anything up)?

This got me thinking; I wonder how many fake facades there are (including empty cases) dotted around. The only two that come to mind are:

1. Durham Cathedral - old case at the West End

2. St Mary's Warwick - one of the chancel cases is completely empty - I think..

 

Best wishes

 

Richard

 

St Mary the Virgin, Witney - electronic replacing 1874 Walker, with speakers behind dummy spotted front.

 

JS

[bombarde32]

Thanks for those details. It'll be interesting to hear the new upgrade.

 

Further to the Central Church Torquay; the new organ will be installed and voiced towards the end of this week.

[gazman]

Further to the Central Church Torquay; the new organ will be installed and voiced towards the end of this week.

 

Thanks for those details. PM sent.

 

G

[msw]

St-Sauveur Cathedral, Aix-en-Provence: north and south side cases, only one side contains pipes.

 

Indeed, on entering the Cathedral one gets the impression of a large double-cased instrument, with console built into the North side, there's nothing at all behind the South case and no apparent way of getting up there either. It's a three-manual instrument, originally by Isnard (Dominican priest and celebrated organ builder at the time) by heavily rebuilt by Ducroquet in 1849, getting rid of most of the original pipework - but using Isnard's facade pipes as the facade for the mute South case!!!

 

It's a fine instrument and fun to play - the flutes on the Swell are gargantuan (sounding more like English Open Diapasons at ground floor level) and there's a little Roussignol playable from three or four keys beside the manuals.