BROMLEY & CROYDON DISTRICT
ORGANISTS’ & CHOIRMASTERS’ ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT: MR. PETER SANDERS, D.O., M.R.O.
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From the Hon. Secretary
MR. CHRISTOPHER TOWN, B.Ed(HonsLond)., LRAM., LGSM., ATCL., ACP., FRSA., FISM., HonLCM
96 RIDGEWAY DRIVE, BROMLEY, KENT, BR1 5DD
Tel: 020 8851 9116 (Home) 07960 369356 (Mobile)
e-mail:
25th July 2016
Dear Members,
Our Summer Country Organ Tour to Thaxted and Saffron Walden is just a few days away on Saturday 30th July. You will find all the details a little further down the page.
First I must express our thanks to everyone responsible for making our Annual Dinner such a success. 25th June now seems quite a long time ago but I'm sure all those who attended will agree that it was a really memorable and enjoyable occasion. Many thanks are due to our caterer, Ann Hughes of "Manna" for an excellent meal and to Ian Verran for all he did to arrange the venue for us. Many thanks also to our two special guests, Dr. William McVicker and the Revd. Bill Bowman, for their entertaining speeches.
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SATURDAY 30TH JULY FROM 10 a.m. - SUMMER COUNTRY ORGAN TOUR TO THAXTED AND SAFFRON WALDEN ARRANGED BY MR. NORMAN HARPER.
Specifications of the organs can be found at the end of the notes.
Our member, Edward Rook, has links with the area and will provide additional material on the day for those attending.
Please invite guests to join us and contact me with names and numbers as quickly as possible so that I can let the Thaxted team know numbers for refreshments. Members of other local associations will be most welcome - just let me know that you are coming.
Norman's notes for the visit are given below in italics.
Timetable for the day:
10 a.m. Thaxted Parish Church, Thaxted, Essex, CM6 2PJ - for welcome refreshments kindly arranged by Ann Pickhaver and Sybil King followed by a demonstration of the Lincoln Organ by the Organist, Christopher Bayston, and opportunity to play.
Members are free to explore Thaxted including
11 a.m. Thaxted United Reformed Church - by invitation of our member, Mr. Edward Rook, to see and play the early Conacher Organ from 11 a.m. onwards.
Lunch can be obtained at the Swan, across the road from the Parish Church, or at Parrishes licensed café down the hill. When we know roughly how many are joining this visit, I’ll endeavour to give both establishments confirmation of our advent, so they are forewarned.
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2.30 p.m. St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1JPwhere we shall be welcomed by the former organist, Andrew Malcolm and the organ-builder Peter De Vile. Following a demonstration of the organ members will be invited to play.
THIS YEAR'S COUNTRY TOUR - some notes from Norman Harper
For this year’s country tour we visit the wonderful and much maligned county of Essex. Fair enough, the bit I come from (Grays in “Sarf” Essex) is something of an armpit, but Thaxted and Saffron Walden (in the posh north) are delightful towns, with many well-preserved old houses and two magnificent parish churches.
Thaxted Parish Church has three organs: a small G. P. England organ on a screen at the west end, which most probably is now beyond use, an electronic, which still is used for most services, and in the north transept the recently restored Lincoln organ, which is the instrument Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams would have played when they served jointly as organists.
Saffron Walden Church has a large 4 manual, plus a Bevington chamber organ, which support a very strong choral tradition. Details of the organs are given separately.
The United Reform Church, Thaxted, has a small Conacher organ, whose stop-list appears below.
Travel to Thaxted
Thaxted is best approached from the M11, exiting at Junction 8 (Bishop’s Stortford).
Take the A120 eastwards* towards Chelmsford, exiting at Great Dunmow West, and following signs to Thaxted (B184).
(*It is also possible to approach Thaxted by taking the A120 westwards towards Bishop’s Stortford, following the B1383 (via Stansted Mountfitchet) and B1050, turning left into the B184 when you reach Thaxted. Up to you.)
Either way, as you approach Thaxted you will see the church spire and windmill clearly unless there is a very thick fog or you arrive very late. Continue up the hill, past the medieval Moot Hall, and you will find the church at the summit. There is some parking at the west end of the church – turn left immediately you pass the church. Alternatively, follow the road round to the right at the top of the hill, and immediately turn right (into Margaret Street, though it doesn’t say so). You will find a free car-park on the left, together with public toilets. Walk to the church via Bell Lane – c1 minute. Take care crossing the main road – it’s more dangerous than it looks.
Marilyn Harper has sent the following link to Gillian Ward Russell's introduction to the newly restored 1821 Lincoln Organ at Thaxted. This is provided by the Cambridge Organ Academy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM9JzZnz-1M
The United Reform Church, by invitation of Mr Edward Rook. The church is two minutes’ walk along Bolford Street, and we are welcome from 11.00 to play the early Conacher organ. Mr Rook writes: "The cost of the instrument raised by a great great uncle was (wait for it) £300 which included erection and delivery. Subscriptions were from £20 to 9d and 6d.
At the opening recital the cost for the three recitalists from Liverpool Street to Elsenham was £1.1.0 Mr Will Rogers charged 7 shillings for the wagonette from Elsenham and back again."
The Old Organ Works (quite so, Vicar) is found in Orange Street: down the hill, past the Moot Hall and bearing left in front of Town Street. Now converted into houses, the grey building used to house Cedric Arnold’s organ factory.
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Sadly the Moot Hall opens only on Sundays and Bank Holidays, otherwise this would be recommended. But by way of consolation, a few yards down the hill you will see a blue plaque marking the house where Gustav Holst lived.
Back up the hill, John Webb’s Windmill is some five minutes’ walk from the church car-park, through two rows of very pretty almshouses. The windmill opens at 1.30 which will just allow c30 minutes’ climbing up and down the steep stairs inside the mill, leaving time for the drive and arrival by 2.30 in Saffron Walden. It may be possible to call at the windmill on the way back from Saffron Walden if you prefer: closing time 5.30.
Travel to Saffron Walden
From Thaxted Church, continue from the top of the hill along the B184 all the way to Saffron Walden. Follow signs to the Town Centre and to Swan Meadow car-park in New Pond Lane (left turning, about half a mile after passing the parish church on the right). Having parked at Swan Meadow (£1.20 for 2 hours; £2 for 4 hours), follow the pedestrian signs to the town centre, via Park Lane, turning left into the High Street. The Parish Church is a few hundred yards along on the right.
St Mary’s Parish Church, Saffron Walden
Here we shall be welcomed by the former organist, Andrew Malcolm and the organ-builder Peter De Vile, who also sings in the church choir. The Director of Music, Oliver King, sends his apologies, as he is attending an improvisation course at St Bavo’s, Haarlem, poor chap. Following a demonstration of the organ, members may play. Bear in mind that the 4-manual console is perched on top of the rather narrow-looking wooden screen, so if you have vertigo pills, hard hats or bungee ropes you are welcome to bring them.
Saffron Walden is a rather larger town than Thaxted, so if you need further refreshment, you will find plenty of nearby pubs and cafés.
You may like to note that the Organist at Thaxted, Christopher Bayston, will be playing the Goldberg Variations on the Lincoln Organ in an informal fund-raising concert at 4 p.m. Members will be welcome to attend this event after the visit to Saffron Walden if they wish. They are happy for people to arrive part-way through the performance.
Images of St Mary’s Saffron Walden
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=St+Mary's+Church+Saffron+Walden&qpvt=St+Mary%27s+Church+Saffron+Walden&qpvt=St+Mary%27s+Church+Saffron+Walden&qpvt=St+Mary%27s+Church+Saffron+Walden&FORM=IGRE
Images of Thaxted Parish
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=thaxted+parish+church&qpvt=thaxted+parish+church&qpvt=thaxted+parish+church&qpvt=thaxted+parish+church&FORM=IGRE
SPECIFICATIONS
In addition to the specifications of the "main" organs at Thaxted Parish Church, Thaxted United Reformed Church and Saffron Walden Parish Church I have included the specifications of the two smaller instruments in Thaxted and Saffron Walden Parish Churches although we may not have the opportunity to hear or play them.
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Thaxted Parish Church, Thaxted, Essex, CM6 2PJ
North transept organ Historic Organ Certificate awarded 2008 Grade=Grade I
Builders 1821 Henry LincolnLondon
Organ of 1821 by Henry Lincoln for St. John, Bedford Row, Holborn, London; mentioned in Sperling Notebooks and Lincoln's 1824 circular.
1858 Holdich London - Organ of 1821 by Henry Lincoln from St.John, Bedford Row, Holborn,
London installed here by Holdich
1907 Alfred KirklandLondon - Repaired; scope of work unknown, but possibly included new Great roller board, re-leathering bellows and adding tuning slides to Gt ODs & Pr; part of the stop action re-made at some time
2014 Goetze & GwynnWorksop - Fully and carefully restored with heritage funding: consultant Nicholas Thistlethwaite; for an account of this restoration see "A description of the organ's restoration 2013-14" by Dominic Gwynn in the booklet noted below;
Cases: 1821 Lincoln London - PositionNorth Transept, facing South - Architectural - Rich dark mahogany classical style casework, with carved detail; gold leafed display pipes (restored, but not re-gilded: 2014); three towers of five pipes, interspersed with flats of five pipes each on two levels;
Department and Stop list
Pedal Key action: Tracker;Stop action:Mechanical; Compass: lowFF - highc;Keys:19
1 Pedals 8 open wood
Choir Key actionTrStop actionMeCompass-lowFFCompass-highf3Keys60
2 Stop'd Diapason 8
3 Dulciana 8 lowest 12 grooved
4 Principal 4
5 Flute 4
6 Fifteenth 2
7 Bassoon 8 [new replacement 2014]
Great Key actionTrStop actionMeCompass-lowFFCompass-highf3Keys60
8 Open Diapason Front 8
9 Open Diapason 8
10 Stop'd Diapason 8
11 Principal 4
12 Twelfth 2 2/3
13 Fifteenth 2
14 Sesquialtera III-IV to b - 15.17.19.22 (1 break)
15 Cornet IV from mid.c - 8.12.15.17
16 Mixture II 26:29 - reinstated 2014, pt. new pipes
17 Trumpet 8 new replacement 2014
Swell Key actionTrStop actionMeCompass-loweCompass-highf3Keys38 Enclosed
18 Open Diapason 8
19 Stopt Diapason 8
20 Principal 4
21 Trumpet 8
22 Hautboy 8
23 Cremona 8
Console En fenêtre; Drawstop; Ivory. Pedalboard: Straight Flat
No FF# on manuals or pedals; keys below tenor e on the Swell are dummies;
Couplers Pedals Great; Pedals Choir
Coupler Swell [Sw/Gt]
Details BlowingElectric and hand; TuningSlightly modified 1/6th comma meantonePitchA428 hz @ 15'C.
Accessories Lever Swell pedal
Further information Country Life: 19th August 1993, p.33 (incl. photographs) - notes link with Gustav Holst, who lived in Thaxted;
for an exploration of the origins and history of this organ see: Thistlethwaite & Gwynn "The H.C.Lincoln organ in Thaxted Parish Church, Essex" [Positive Press, 2014];
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Thaxted Parish Church, Thaxted, Essex, CM6 2PJ
West End Organ
Builders 1795 G.P. England
1952 Cedric ArnoldThaxted - installed; most of the pipework is by George Pike England;
the origin of this organ is not known - PWo can find only one organ by England in 1795, at St. John's, Margate;
UndatedPeter WoodGreat Yeldham - fitted new and longer action cable to console, now movable;
Cases Positionelevated below W tower - Architectural - the two supporting posts, bottom panels and lower plinth are by Arnold, 1952; the case from impost level up is by George Pike England and dates from 1795; Cedric Arnold removed about nine coats of paint from it and discovered England's name and date; the case is very similar to the England cases at Warminster (1792) and Blandford Forum (1794); the lower section of the England case was lost in 1952; modern light oak case of towers and flats with gilded pipes;
Department and Stop list
Pedal Key action:Electro Pneumatic;Stop action: Electro Pneumatic
1 Bourdon 16
2 Bass Flute 8
Manual Key action: Electro Pneumatic; Stop action: Electro Pneumatic
3 Open Diapason 8
4 Stopped Diapason 8
5 Dulciana 8 1952 pipework
6 Principal 4
7 Chimney Flute 4
8 Fifteenth 2
Console detached, mobile, stopkey; reversed console, below organ case;
Couplers Manual to Pedal; Manual Octave
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Thaxted United Reformed Church, Thaxted, Essex
Builders 1883(c.) Peter ConacherHuddersfield
Undated, Arnold
Department and Stop list
Pedal
1 Grand Bourdon 16
Great
2 Open Diapason 8
3 Stopped Diapason 8
4 Dulciana 8
5 Principal 4
6 Wald Flute 4
7 Piccolo 2
Swell
8 Double Diapason 16 COA Lieblich Bourdon
9 Violin Diapason 8
10 Rohr Flute 8
11 Salicional 8
12 Gemshorn 4
13 Fifteenth 2
14 Oboe 8
Couplers: Swell to Pedal; Swell to Great; Great to Pedal
Accessories: 2 combination pedals to each manual; lever swell pedal
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St. Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1JP
Main Organ
Builders: 1911/12 Norman & Beard; 1930Hill, Norman & Beard; 1951 Hill, Norman & Beard; 1971 Hill, Norman & Beard - Rebuilt; tonal changes/additions;
1997 David WellsLiverpool - overhauled and 4th manual added using keys from solo manual
of former HNB console in St. John's College, Cambridge. departments renamed; some stop changes; digital stops added;
2007 Peter De VileSaffron Walden - organ and pipework cleaned; work was made possible as a result of a bequest by Cyril Coe - Asst Organist of the church for 59 years - who died on Easter Day 2006;
Cases: PositionSouth choirTypeArchitectural - front case faces North with gold painted display pipes 3+7+5+7+3; back case faces South with plain metal pipe display 2+4+13+4+2 (was front case until 1911); Trompeta Real faces down South aisle; choir organ on rood screen behind console (not visible from church);
Department and Stop list
Pedal Key and Stop action:Electro Pneumatic. Compass: lowC - highg1; Keys:32
1 Harmonic Bass 32
2 Open Diapason 16
3 Open Wood 16 digital
4 Violone 16
5 Bourdon 16
6 Echo Bourdon 16
7 Principal 8 1971, New
8 Octave 8
9 Bass Flute 8