Bbc Broadcasting House Organ

[passion_chorale]

Hi there. Just a quick request for information. The BBC are undergoing a fairly major rationalisation of their London sites at the moment (including withdrawal of the World Service from Bush House, and of music services from the BBC Hippodrome in Shepherd's Bush), and I was wondering if anyone had any information on:

 

i) How this affects the Compton Organ in the Radio Theatre in Broadcasting house

(Historical information about this organ in Laurence Elvins' `Pipes and Actions' book, if I remember correctly).

 

(current photographs of work on the radio theatre, [which look pretty far-reaching] accessible via this link and browsing the photographs:)

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/broadcastinghouse/timeline/index.shtml

 

ii) How the move of the BBC music operation to the proposed new 'music box' development near White City will affect the Compton at Maida Vale.

 

Many Thanks,

David Lucas.

[JohnR]

The Broadcasting House organ is currently being recommissioned following the other work that has being carried out in the Radio Theatre. While the building work was being carried out the console was put into storage by an outside firm. This is now back and a serial link system is being installed to replace the original multi-way cable. The console is to have a new rolling plinth to replace the original one that was removed in the 60s. Sadly, the console will not be resident in the studio but will be stored in another area in the floor below. This will make it difficult for the organ to be played at regular intervals which is sad as the pnuematics always benefitted from regular playing by members of the BBC organ society.

 

The future of the Maida Vale organ is somewhat uncertain at present due to the likely move of the BBC form Maida Vale. It has always been used more than the BH instrument because of it's use in rehearsals with BBC orchestras. Like other the instrument it is however very rarely broadcast.

 

Both these instruments suffer as they do not confirm to many broadcast musicians as ideal instruments. I feel they justify some 'air time' however.

 

John R