SinaL Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I once played this organ many years ago, but hardly remember it, except that it had 2 manuals. I know that it replaced a 3 manual Bryceson which was destroyed during WW2. Does anyone know anything more about this mysterious instrument, which doesn't turn up on the NPOR? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I once played this organ many years ago, but hardly remember it, except that it had 2 manuals. I know that it replaced a 3 manual Bryceson which was destroyed during WW2. Does anyone know anything more about this mysterious instrument, which doesn't turn up on the NPOR? Thanks Hi I don't know what search terms you used - one search came up with http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17491 Destroyed in WW2. Any info on the post war organ would be welcome - the church website appears to make no mention of music (http://www.ourladyofvictories.org.uk/default.htm) Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 This page seems to refer to the rebuilding of an 1870s Willis organ there. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 This page seems to refer to the rebuilding of an 1870s Willis organ there. Paul So Maybe someone from Willis' must be able to give some info on this organ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar_rook Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 This might be the Ralph Downes designed 2 manual JW Walker organ of 1965 in the Carmelite Church, Kensington (aka Church of Our Lady of Victories and St Simon Stock). The previous church, called Our Lady of Victories at 235a High St - with a 3 manual Bryceson organ, was destroyed in WW2. I recall Walker's advertisement, published when the instrument was new, had a headline like "Widor and Guilmant were there..." Details of the Walker organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17532 Details of the Bryceson organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17491 Oscar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 This might be the Ralph Downes designed 2 manual JW Walker organ of 1965 in the Carmelite Church, Kensington (aka Church of Our Lady of Victories and St Simon Stock). The previous church, called Our Lady of Victories at 235a High St - with a 3 manual Bryceson organ, was destroyed in WW2. I recall Walker's advertisement, published when the instrument was new, had a headline like "Widor and Guilmant were there..." Details of the Walker organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17532 Details of the Bryceson organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17491 Oscar Hi Unless someone has mi-identified one or other of the churches (not impossible), I think it's unlikely - NPOR shows an earlier organ for St. Simon Stock - see http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=D08174 A Cavaille-Coll no less - although much altered before its destruction. Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 This might be the Ralph Downes designed 2 manual JW Walker organ of 1965 in the Carmelite Church, Kensington (aka Church of Our Lady of Victories and St Simon Stock). The previous church, called Our Lady of Victories at 235a High St - with a 3 manual Bryceson organ, was destroyed in WW2. I recall Walker's advertisement, published when the instrument was new, had a headline like "Widor and Guilmant were there..." Details of the Walker organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17532 Details of the Bryceson organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17491 Oscar Hi Oscar, No this is definately not the case since i played the organ of St Simon Stock last year , and it is a different church. Our Lady of Victories stands down the high Street. And actually the NPOR survey for St Simon Stock is not up to date as the organ has a few extra stops now incl. a reedy Great Trompette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Apparently Charles Cole from The London Oratory is also DOM here. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarmonicsV Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 This might be the Ralph Downes designed 2 manual JW Walker organ of 1965 in the Carmelite Church, Kensington (aka Church of Our Lady of Victories and St Simon Stock). The previous church, called Our Lady of Victories at 235a High St - with a 3 manual Bryceson organ, was destroyed in WW2. I recall Walker's advertisement, published when the instrument was new, had a headline like "Widor and Guilmant were there..." Details of the Walker organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17532 Details of the Bryceson organ: http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N17491 Oscar No, 'fraid not. The Carmelite Church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel & St Simon Stock, is in Kensington Church Street. John McCarthy directed the music here for forty years, with singers from his various 'Ambrosian' groups. Our Lady of Victories is in the High Street, and a separate parish church. Both churches were built in the 1950s to replace 19th century buildings destroyed in the blitz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan taylor Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 In the early 1970s this church had a 3 manuel Willis which was in bad health. This organ was replaced by a 2 manuel tracker organ built by Bishops of Ipswich. The Bishop organ was far to small for the building and the action was very heavy. I have no idea of what is now in place. Maybe David Wyld will be kind enough to loof up the details of the Willis organ? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 In the early 1970s this church had a 3 manuel Willis which was in bad health. This organ was replaced by a 2 manuel tracker organ built by Bishops of Ipswich. The Bishop organ was far to small for the building and the action was very heavy. I have no idea of what is now in place. Maybe David Wyld will be kind enough to loof up the details of the Willis organ? Alan Thanks for that, so it seems the church may have payed a lot for completely different organs! How could this not be in the NPOR! I THINK that the current organ has 19 stops from what I remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 In the early 1970s this church had a 3 manuel Willis which was in bad health. This organ was replaced by a 2 manuel tracker organ built by Bishops of Ipswich. The Bishop organ was far to small for the building and the action was very heavy. I have no idea of what is now in place. Maybe David Wyld will be kind enough to loof up the details of the Willis organ? Alan Hi I just phoned up Willis, and they said that their organ was replaced in the 1950s by an H&H organ. H&H are going to phone me back with details (I hope Willis didnt make a mistake!). No Bishop organ was mentioned when I spoke with them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I just phoned up Willis, and they said that their organ was replaced in the 1950s by an H&H organ. Er, the replacement for the church destroyed by bombing was only completed in 1958, so this doesn't seem to tie up at all. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Er, the replacement for the church destroyed by bombing was only completed in 1958, so this doesn't seem to tie up at all. Paul Sorry, there's been a bit of confusion here - Organist12345 called earlier and spoke to our Office Manager who shouted a question across the office to me as I passed through - I thought that the job in question was the other thing talked about this week - where is it, oh yes, the 'TUNKS' job! Right, the file is out, here we go: A new church begun in 1954 designed by Adrian Gilbert Scott, temporary Church in Allen Street and we put in a second-hand organ by Vowles of Bristol, 1874, lately of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh - we have photographs of the job, presumably in its Edinburgh home. The church authorities were somewhat confused in what they wanted for the new church, they were quoted for a new organ (by us and several others) but they finally settled on simply moving the Vowles into the new church. Three Manuals and Pedals (58 / 30), Pneumatic throughout. Great: Open diapason 8 (Spotted Metal) Gamba 8 (Spotted Metal) Clarabella 8 (Wood) Principal 4 (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Twelfth (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Fifteenth 2 (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Trumpet (Sp. M., Hooded) Swell: Double Diapason 16 (Wood & spotted Metal) Open Diapason 8 (Spotted Metal) Vox Angelica (Ten c) (Spotted Metal) Dulciana 8 (Common Bass to St. D.) (Spotted Metal) Stopped Diapason (Wood) Principal (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Piccolo 2 (Spotted Metal) Cornopean 8 (Spotted Metal) Hautboy 8 (Spotted Metal) Choir: Dulciana 8 (Spotted Metal) Lieblich Gedact 8 (Wooden Bass, rest Spotted Metal) Harmonic Flute 4 (Spotted Metal) Clarinet (Spotted Metal) Pedal: Bourdon 16 Violincello 8 (Wood) Dulciana 8 (Spotted Metal) Couplers: Gt-Ped; Sw-Ped; Ch-Ped; Sw-Gt; Ch-Gt; Sw-Ch; Sw-Gt Oct. We had the care of it until 1972 but know nothing of what happened after that time. Sorry about the confusion earlier, DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Sorry, there's been a bit of confusion here - Organist12345 called earlier and spoke to our Office Manager who shouted a question across the office to me as I passed through - I thought that the job in question was the other thing talked about this week - where is it, oh yes, the 'TUNKS' job! Right, the file is out, here we go: A new church begun in 1954 designed by Adrian Gilbert Scott, temporary Church in Allen Street and we put in a second-hand organ by Vowles of Bristol, 1874, lately of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh - we have photographs of the job, presumably in its Edinburgh home. The church authorities were somewhat confused in what they wanted for the new church, they were quoted for a new organ (by us and several others) but they finally settled on simply moving the Vowles into the new church. Three Manuals and Pedals (58 / 30), Pneumatic throughout. Great: Open diapason 8 (Spotted Metal) Gamba 8 (Spotted Metal) Clarabella 8 (Wood) Principal 4 (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Twelfth (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Fifteenth 2 (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Trumpet (Sp. M., Hooded) Swell: Double Diapason 16 (Wood & spotted Metal) Open Diapason 8 (Spotted Metal) Vox Angelica (Ten c) (Spotted Metal) Dulciana 8 (Common Bass to St. D.) (Spotted Metal) Stopped Diapason (Wood) Principal (Spotted Metal, cone tuned) Piccolo 2 (Spotted Metal) Cornopean 8 (Spotted Metal) Hautboy 8 (Spotted Metal) Choir: Dulciana 8 (Spotted Metal) Lieblich Gedact 8 (Wooden Bass, rest Spotted Metal) Harmonic Flute 4 (Spotted Metal) Clarinet (Spotted Metal) Pedal: Bourdon 16 Violincello 8 (Wood) Dulciana 8 (Spotted Metal) Couplers: Gt-Ped; Sw-Ped; Ch-Ped; Sw-Gt; Ch-Gt; Sw-Ch; Sw-Gt Oct. We had the care of it until 1972 but know nothing of what happened after that time. Sorry about the confusion earlier, DW Thanks so much for the information, I was also a bit confused when I heard the office manager say "Tunks" as to wether he was referring to another organ! Thanks again. I think i'll try and call Bishop next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinaL Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 In the early 1970s this church had a 3 manuel Willis which was in bad health. This organ was replaced by a 2 manuel tracker organ built by Bishops of Ipswich. The Bishop organ was far to small for the building and the action was very heavy. I have no idea of what is now in place. Maybe David Wyld will be kind enough to loof up the details of the Willis organ? Alan Hi actually the small Bishop organ is still in place, i phoned them up and they said it's still tuned and maintained. They'll give me specs soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now