English organ and church in Chile

[jbird604]

My daughter is doing a one-year stint in Chile as a universityteacher. She and friends recentlyvisited a beautiful English (presumably Anglican) church in Valparaiso (one of themajor port cities of Chile), and she sent me these photos. The organ is exquisitely decorated. The dates on the towers (1837 - 1901) evidently refer to the reign of Queen Victoria. She tells me the church was founded by English immigrants.

The Sunday they went the organ was featured in the service, apparently some sort of commemoration.She thought the organ sounded wonderful, though she isn't an organist herself and not an expert. It does look like an interesting instrument and the acoustical environment is probably great.

(Click on the link and then choose "Open" . . . at least that works for me. Hope you all can see them.)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/...515c73_b_d.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/...d9f477_b_d.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/...8fa035_b_d.jpg

John

[Guest]

Re: English organ and church in Chile

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful stenciling. I've seen a couple of new specifications where stenciling is being used again. It's a nice change!

[Austin766]

Re: English organ and church in Chile

Very pretty. Although I'm a big fan of Holtkamp (esp. Walter Holtkamp Sr.) and the so-called Functional display of pipes, I think it's a good thing and very pretty when pipes are displayed. It would be hilarious, though to picture an instrument by Walter Holtkamp Sr. with pipes as elaborately stencilled as those.

[jbird604]

Re: English organ and church in Chile



Yes. Stenciling can make a lovely artistic statement. A few years ago I converted an old reed organ to digital for a church. (They wanted to keep the massive oak carved case, but the reeds and all the rest inside it were ruined by mice and decades of neglect.)

Anyway, there was a nice-looking set of maybe two dozenfacade pipes (non-playing), and I sub-contracted the restoration of the pipes toa local retired organ builder. He sanded them smooth as silk, overlaid them with gold leaf, and hand-painted a very pretty design on each pipe. It really sets off the console, makes it look like a work of art, which it is, of course.

There should be an art gallery on-line somewhere for decorated organ pipes. Anybody seen one?

John