Hello From Sydney, Australia!

[hartleymartin]

Hello Everyone, I'm new to this forum. I thought I'd share with you all the charming little organ that I get to play at my college in Sydney, Australia:

Information about the Campion College Chapel Organ

It is an English-made Organ of 1875. It was given to my college, and is now regularly played by our Schola Director and myself. I've got several years of Piano under my belt and some previous experience on a 2-manual Italian organ at my old Parish Church. I'm hoping to get around to learning pedal technique, though with the straight-pedals instead of the fanned-out pedal board usual to most church organs, I may take time getting used to it all.

[hartleymartin]

http://sydneyorgan.com/SmithfieldCath.html

Oh, and here's a link with information about the Italian Organ I sometimes get to play (though, I have not played for any liturgical event at that church for some years now). I sometimes wish that the great had a 16' stop on it somewhere, as I want more bass, but I think that's just because of my love for a strong bass!

[cantoris]

A nice organ. There are many similar instruments in English churches. The Keraulophon was a typical walker stop of that period. We had one on an organ I played (it was later changed for a 4' stopped flute). We called it the 'Bagpipes' :-)

Nigel

[hartleymartin]

It has an interesting split stop. The bottom octave of the 4.5-octave manual has it's own stopped diapason, and the wald-flute is actually a continuation of that stop for the top 3.5 octaves. The Keraulophon is for the top 3.5 octaves as well, whilst the 4' stop is for the whole compass. The pedal board is permanently coupled to the manual. So it has 4 stops but in reality is a 3-stop organ, hence the 1/3 description even though you see 4 knobs in the photos.

I would like it to also have a 2' stop and maybe a sub-octave arrangement to imitate having a 16' stop, but then it wouldn't be such a charming little instrument, and perhaps it would overpower the tiny chapel that it is in. If you saw just how small the doorway was to our chapel, you'd see why I'm stumped as to how they ever moved it into there in the first place.

[cantoris]

It would have come in in many pieces - the biggest being the windchest and the bellows - and assembled in situ. The common bass (ie bottom octave) is a normal arrangement, even in bigger organs. It saves space. To add a 2' stop might be difficult. Unless there is room for a clamp on the soundboard (ie an extension) you would have to 'lose' another stop - and both only extend down to tenor C (sharing a bass octave). This causes a problem about where to put the bottom octave of the 2' stop. A 2' stop would need to be gently so as not to overpower the rest of the organ. A pedal 16' would obviously take up a lot of space any would involve another soundboard with it's associated mechanism. It might also require a bigger blower. It's probably better to retain this organ as a ood example of an English Victorian organ and to look elsewhere for a bigger instrument to explore more of the repertoire. This lovely little organ will suit much 18th. century music for manuals and be adequate for accompaniment of the Anglican/Episcopalian liturgy. I regularly play several similar organs, and my friend, a concert organist, has played very satisfactory recitals on an organ similar to yours. Enjoy it!

Nigel

[hartleymartin]

Nigel,

I agree, it is a good little organ as it is. I suppose I'm always going to want to be on something with 3-manuals and about 30-something stops (and a 32' stop on the pedalboard) before I am entirely satisfied. And the chapel we've got is only for about 80 people, of which about 20 make up the Schola.

Two instruments I would love an opportunity to play would be these:

F.H. Baker of 1882 - 2/20


Bevington of 1879 - 2/16


We do have some lovely organs here around Sydney!

[cantoris]

They both look like good organs. I played a one-manual Bevington in a local church for many years. It was an absolute gem. All of the pipework (except for the pedal Bourdon) was enclosed, and it even had a two-rank mixture. It was perfect for service work and I preferred it to the much bigger two-manual in the next parish which I also played.

Unfortunately, the organ scene locally is not looking bright. The churches don't have any money, so either maintenance is being neglected or, in many cases, organs are being replaced with electronics. Even worse, far too many anglican churches are going happy-clappy and the organ is being replaced with a 'dance band'. In the majority of parish churches, the standard of music is lamentable and decent choirs are rare outside the cathedrals. At least, I suppose, things can only improve.

Nigel

[Mondochuck]

Sweet little organ! Thanks for sharing

[hartleymartin]

The other day (my 25th Birthday) my mother came to pick me up from college. She couldn't find me in my dorm or in the dining hall. I was belting out the finale of Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 on the little chapel organ, and managed to make quite a sound! All stops pulled out, playing the pedalboard (still not much good yet!), and playing massive chords requiring considerable stretch from both hands. I can't wait to refine my technique and try it on a larger organ!

[hartleymartin]

And here is me, playing the little organ:





I was going to get some photos of the 2-manual Italian organ at my church, but ran out of time and daylight to go there for photos.

The black gown is an undergraduate student's gown. My college is very traditional and it is compulsory for us to wear these at formal dining on Mondays and when our Schola sings outside of the college (usually at the local Cathedral) and on other formal and academic occasions. It also makes me look real cool when playing the organ!

[cantoris]

The gown looks very professional and is comfortable. But a cassock and surplice is very welcome in freezing cold English winters - it can cover a multitude of warm jumpers too!

Nigel

[hartleymartin]

No doubt that the English winters merit a cassock and surplice! I have a summer lightweight black cassock for the Australian conditions (think summer with 40-degree celcius days, including a Christmas Midnight mass one year!) I would like to go the cassock and surplice whilst playing organ, but I am not the college organist (our schola director is) and if I did, I should get myself a proper organist's surplice. The academic gown has the advantage that it isn't off-putting to secularist eyes, and I hope to be a bridge-builder.

[cantoris]

Our last two winters have needed a warm woolen cloak over the cassosk and surplice, plus an electric fire in the loft! Outside temperatures of -3 and Victorian heating systems mean the inside struggles to reach 10. I've got a split-sleeve surplice, but have been unable to find a pure cotton one - the polycotton mix just isn't the same. More organists over here are wearing a gown, especially in churches where there isn't a choir.

Nigel

[hartleymartin]

I got to spend nearly 2 hours playing the Bevington of 1879 at Bonnyrigg Heights today:

I realy liked the sound this one produces. There is a good strength in the 8' stops, which made the 16' only necessary when doing the grand chords to finish. This is very different from the Pinchi of 1984 which I played the other day, and seems to have no guts at the bass end. I think I like English Organs a lot! The reed stop on the Bevington was a little out of tune, but as the Parish Priest said to me, "it wouldn't be a reed stop if it were perfectly in tune now, would it?"

Got to play "Thaxted" and did some improvised variations on the finale from Saint Saens Organ Symphony No. 3 Maestoso Movement (better known as the theme music from the film "Babe"). I'm looking at getting a score of the "March from Scipio" and an excerpt from "The Dambuster March", which was adapted as a hymn (not the fair-ground organ sounding cheerful part, the more stately second theme).

(Picture from Sydney Organ Society Website)


It is slightly smaller, but a much more versitile organ than the Pinchi, but I feel that the acoustics of the church are inferior, what with the carpeted floors.

[cantoris]

Sounds like a very good day. It's surprising to find how many English organs have made it out to Oz and good to hear that they are obviously cherished and cared for.

Nigel