DaveHarries Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Hi all, The NPOR, record no. N11769, mentions an organ built by John Burward, London in 1631. Old organs are rare in the country, old ones by a British builder are even rarer. Does anyone know if this organ is still in existance? The survey date is the 1950s but there is no mention of it having been dismantled or transferred. Would like to see and, if it was possible, play / hear it if it still exists. http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N11769 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 This organ was provided as part of the restoration of Chirk Castle (which had fallen into some disrepair) started by Sir Thomas Myddelton the younger in 1630. Sir Thomas decided to instigate choral services there and appointed William Deane, the organist of Wrexham parish church, to run the music. The part-books he provided for the castle still survive. I am pretty certain the instrument no longer exists. If it did I am sure we would know all about it - an organ of this date would be of some importance! If I may wander ever so slightly off topic, Hyperion recently released a CD of music from the Chirk Castle part-books sung by The Brabant Ensemble under Stephen Rice. It is altogether superb - one of the best discs of this repertoire by an ensemble of this type that I have heard in recent years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innate Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 This organ was provided as part of the restoration of Chirk Castle (which had fallen into some disrepair) started by Sir Thomas Myddelton the younger in 1630. Sir Thomas decided to instigate choral services there and appointed William Deane, the organist of Wrexham parish church, to run the music. The part-books he provided for the castle still survive. I am pretty certain the instrument no longer exists. If it did I am sure we would know all about it - an organ of this date would be of some importance! If I may wander ever so slightly off topic, Hyperion recently released a CD of music from the Chirk Castle part-books sung by The Brabant Ensemble under Stephen Rice. It is altogether superb - one of the best discs of this repertoire by an ensemble of this type that I have heard in recent years. Thank you for the link, Vox. I'd never heard of the Castle or the part books; fascinating stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 The NPOR, record no. N11769, mentions an organ built by John Burward, London in 1631. Old organs are rare in the country, old ones by a British builder are even rarer. Does anyone know if this organ is still in existance? The survey date is the 1950s but there is no mention of it having been dismantled or transferred. Would like to see and, if it was possible, play / hear it if it still exists. I think this entry simply reproduces the specification from the 1631 contract, which is in itself rare and important information from that date. An article on the organ and organ book of Chirk Castle in the BIOS Journal for 1997 remarks in passing that it is presumed that the organ was destroyed during the commonwealth a few years later. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Treloar Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 innate - Chirk Castle is run by the National Trust - well worth a visit if you're in the area, lots to see and very good gardens. Jim T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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