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Notes on church oraan&their

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NOTES
ON

CHURCH ORGANS
Wtitix position

anb

tfie

JHaterials useti in

tfjetr

Construction

By C^

KfK^ bishop

INVENTOR AND PATENTEE OF THE "SIMPLIFIED PNEUMATIC AND ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC ORGAN KEY ACTIONS "

fr/llf

ILLUSTRATIONS

RIVINGTONS
Hontron, xfotJr, antr Olamfittlrsf
1873

PREFACE
There
are

some

facts of

a technical character that have

such important bearing, not only on the development of

art principles in

English organ building, but on the pro;

bable deterioration of the art

yet concerning which so

prevail, that
I

much ignorance and misunderstanding

have
light

endeavoured by the following pages to throw such

upon them as may be drawn from

and from the
of
far

my own

knowledge,

more important long

J.

practical experience

my

grandfather, the late

C. Bishop, and of

my

father,

who

has necessarily directed

I

much

of his attention to the

in

subject,

allude

to

the position
in

which organs are

frequently,
buildings,
"

nay generally, placed

particularly
"
;

churches and other

resource
of

to

the

modern

an

organ chamber
itself

and to the materials of which the

instrument
tects

should be constructed.
to

Modern

archi-

are apt

not

consider

sufficiently,

or with

due

special knowledge,

one of the noblest and most useful

PREFACE.
features of the church interior
;

and they who are called

upon, as a pubHc duty, to become purchasers of church

organs, are most frequently quite ignorant of

what gives

value to the instruments they buy.

I

If at the

same time

kindle a desire in the organ builder to look upon his

artistic,

work more from an

point of view,
I I

and

less

from a bare pecuniary

shall gain

a point of signal value.

have not attempted to touch upon the constructing

of churches and other buildings on principles favourable

to

sound

result so

seldom attained.

They who

are
in

interested in this subject

may

find

an excellent guide
I

Roger Smith's

'

Acoustics of Public Buildings.'

portion of the

venture
treating

to direct attention to that

work

of the construction, in harmonic proportions, of buildings

intended for musical purposes

that

and, in connection with

argument,
viz.

would suggest that the three primary

2,

harmonics,

i,

3 (fundamental, octave, to the

and

twfelftli),

would be best adapted

end

in view.

NOTES

CHURCH ORGANS
" The
is

art of Organ-building
its

may
;

rightly be called

a sublime

art,

for no instrument

so ingenious in

construction
effect

and, at the same time, capable of producing such a

wonderful and sublime

on the human mind."

Seidel.

AS

a preliminary,

it

will

be well to consider what qualities

;

a church organ should possess

best be attained.
to sustain both

and next, how they may

A
soft

church organ should have sufficient power

congregational
delicate

choral and

singing;
for

it

should,

moreover,
voluntaries,

have

and

stops

interludes

and
in

which are employed to induce a devotional feeling

the listeners.

The
position

size

of a building,
is

its

acoustical

properties,

and the

which the organ

to occupy therein, should determine

it

the dimensions of the instrument and the number of stops

is

to

contain.

If

enough funds should not be at

sufficient

first

forth-

coming, only a number of stops

for the

purpose of

accompaniment should be

inserted,

and the organ should be so

"prepared," or "laid out," that subsequent addition of the stops

necessary
to

render

it

adequate

to

the

requirements of
at

the

building, can be properly

and conveniently made

any B

time.

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

In such a case, the " spare slides
"

should be placed and pierced,

size,

and the bellows made of adequate

prepared for the
insertion

so that

all

may be
available.

of pipes
is

when funds
out in the
to,

are
first

Unless this "preparation"

carried

instance,

the instrument can never be efficiently added

except at great

expense.

Should the instrument be too small

it

for the building, or if

has been badly placed, the organ builder will often try to

gain compensation for real want of power,

pressure heavier.
forced,

by making the windtone will sound

Under such

conditions the
loud,

harsh,
all,

and unpleasantly
it

to those

who

are

close

but, after

will

fail

to

"carry" to the extremities of the

building.

The
the

best

way

of meeting such a difficulty

pipes,

is

to

increase

"scale,"

or diameter, of the

and to

augment the

number of

stops.

Experience has shown that the tone of organs

by the

old builders, with large-scaled pipes and a light pressure

of wind, travels farther than that of most of the

scaled

modern smalldiameter

and heavily-winded instruments.

in

" Scale," or the

is

of a pipe

proportion to

its

length,

of great

importance

in a large building, or in one unfavourable for sound.

large-

scaled pipe

naturally produces

fuller

and rounder quality of

easily,

tone

the pipe speaks

more promptly and

and

its

tone

carries to a greater distance,

than one of small

influence

scale.

Thickness

of material

also,

has

much

on the quality of tone,

Chancel Orqan

with two Fronts.

riatel.

EDWARD

J.TA.nVER, DLE. ET LITH

TOR BISHOP * STARR,

iHCEHT anOOKS.DA'f &.i>OH_IMP

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

giving of thin
it

fullness

and roundness.
quality,

thin material yields a tone

it,

and wiry

and the pipes constructed of

It is

of

course, are not so durable.

by reducing the

scale, thick-

ness of metal, &c., and using cheap or ill-seasoned materials in

their instruments, that
trive to undersell their
details,

second or third-rate organ builders con-

more honourable competitors.

These are
:

moreover, of which the public are generally ignorant

in

ordinary estimates for organs they are never, or infrequently,

specified with
precision,

and so they are too often overlooked.

purchase of an
organ,

With regard
advice,

to

the

the following

coming from a well-known amateur (The Rev. L. G.

late

Hayne, Mus. Doc,

College),

Organist and Choir Master

:

at

Eton

may

be strongly urged

"

Apply only
:

for

an estimate

to builders of standing

and eminence
as

do not employ builders

who

advertise

their

work

cheap.

To
is

carry

on

good

business in organ-building great capital

required,

in order to

secure seasoned wood, &c., which

is

of the utmost importance.

Cheap
for
it

builders cannot afford to keep their timber long

to as

enough

be

really

seasoned

neither can they

services

pay such high

in

wages
their
is

will

secure

them the

of

good workmen

factories

The

result

of purchasing a cheap organ

in

the

expenditure of

a larger sum,

purchase-money and

subsequent repairs (which are unsatisfactory when made), than

would have secured a

maker."

really

good instrument from an eminent

(Hints

on the Purchase of an Organ.)

B 2

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

The
chief usefulness

of

church

organ
singing,

being
it

to

lead

and accompany choral or congregational

for
this

follows that,

purpose,

it

should be placed in such a position that

the sound
those
it

may

travel

most

easily

and quickly to the ears of

are,

is

required to lead.

There

however,

other conits

siderations that should

in

influence in a

great degree

position
inis

the church, which must not be

overlooked.

Being an
it

strument composed of a large number of delicate parts,

extremely sensitive to the

effects

of cold, heat, damp, sudden

dirt

changes of temperature, poisonous vapours, gases,

it

and dust
from
the
if
it

should
evils.

therefore

be screened

to

the

utmost

extent

these

These are the causes which operate upon

it

organ to make

go out of tune, or to

destroy

it,

and

can only be partially protected from them,

much expense can

be saved

for

tuning and repairs.

The
church
2nd.

three considerations that should rule the position of a

organ

may

be stated thus

ist.

Proximity to

choir.

Favourable conditions for permitting the sound to pervade

building.
3rd.

the

Freedom from
performers

cold, heat,

damp, &c.
placed

Where
far

the

choral

and the organ are

apart,

a sensible interval

of time

can be noticed between

the singers are placed
at

the organ tones and the voices.

in

When
is

the

chancel,

and the organ

situated

the

west

end,

or in

any

other position
fifty

leaving a

distance between the two

is

exceeding forty or

feet,

the result

a confusion of sounds

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

members
To
;

of

the

congregation

nearest

to

the

singers

hear

them always

in

advance of the
it

organ

tones,

and those who

distinguish
is

are nearer the organ hear

voices.

before

they can

the

the organist, however, such a position

the most

tiresome

for

he

is

obliged to train

his

ear

to

estimate the

interval that elapses

between the sound of the instrument on

which he
results

is

playing,

and the voices of

his choir.

That

interval

from the comparatively slow rate at which sound travels

1 1

(only

20

feet per

second; light travels at the rate of 192,000

capability of

miles

in

the

same period of time) and from the

the ear to distinguish minute intervals of time.

that to arrange a pleasing

It follows, then,

and appropriate

effect,

the choir and

the organ should be placed near together, and the congregation

should not be between them.

The

old organ builders,

who

placed

their

organs on the

choir-screen where they were

near the
so

choir

(as

may
sound

still

be

seen in
radiate

many
equally

of

our

cathedrals),
freely
in

that

the

might
have

and

every direction, seem

to

grasped instinctively the laws governing sound.

organ

Moreover, the
feature.

was then made

to

form a noble

architectural

The

partisans of the

" vista "

;

theory have arrayed themselves

strongly against this position

effect,

but what lover of architectural

at

who has seen

the grandly-cased organs

failed to notice

Liibeck and

Bruges so placed, has

is

how

the effect of distance

}

improved by the

line

of vision being thus partially broken

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

fine

distance

is

better
in

measured by the
"

eye

when some
and
such a

standard
feature,

intervenes

the

middle

distance,"

an organ

in this position

becomes.

In the
as
in

Roman

Catholic Churches of the Continent, as well

in

England, and

many
is

English Churches

belonging

to

Dissenting bodies, the organ

gallery,

usually placed in the west-end

whence the sound can traverse the building from end

perfect

to end with

freedom

(if

there are no side galleries

reflector.

to at

prevent
least
in

it),

and the wall behind acts as a

English
churches referred
end.
to,

But,
is

the

the

choir

also

stationed at the

same

On

the

Continent, however, where

altar,

the singing takes place mostly near the

or

a smaller organ,
is

some wind

or

stringed

instrument (sometimes several),

placed near the singers, to guide their voices, and the larger

organ at the west

only.

end

is is

used for interludes and voluntaries taken up and responded to by the

When

the service

separated instruments, a remarkably grand and imposing effect

is

gained, that contributes

much

to

the

colouring of the gor-

geous ceremonial of the

Roman

Catholic Church abroad.

the Lateran
at

The Cathedral
Giles's

of Cologne,

Rome, and

St.

Church, Camberwell, present examples of organs placed

;

in the transepts
sit

but they
singers
in

who have had

the

the

misfortune to
the
organ,
at

between

the

chancel
the

and
effect,

Cologne, will remember

the
distance

how bad was

the
two.

on account of
there
is

between

In

the

Lateran

Grand Chancel Organ. S. Mary's

Ch:

Nottinqham

p,^^j^

EDWAnO

J ntftVEfi LITH

Sir Gilbert Scott

R^^e^
& Starr

VrNCEhT

BROOKS D*Y80NJHP

Built

by

Bisho'P

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

smaller organ for accompaniment placed near the altar
;

and

at

Camberwell the distance between the

singers

and the

instru-

ment
to

is

not sufficient to

make

the bad effect very discernible

effect
finest)

any but a practised

ear,
J.

although the
C.

of the position
is

upon the organ (one of

unfavourable.

Bishop's

noticeably

The

position

of the

noble instrument at Strasfar

bourg affords another

from the
choir.

example of an organ too

removed

It projects

on the north side of the nave about

SO feet from the pavement.

It is

becoming customary to place the choir

in the chancel

of English Churches,
organ, or no chancel

and where there

iaisle,

is

no room there

for the

to

construct a

chamber or

recess for

the instrument.

It

must not be undo^stood, however, that the

site is

adopting of this chancel

a
revived one.
"

new custom,

for

it

is

merely
the

It

appears to have been

general

before

Reformation.

In the mediaeval ages the instrument was placed

choir,

on one side of the

a position which seems to have been

(Dr. Rimbault's
'

almost universal throughout Europe."

of the Organ.
Purcell
')

History

The organ

at

Westminster Abbey, on which

;

played, stood

on the north side of the choir

Worcestei",
at

so did

those at York, Lincoln,

old

St.

Paul's,
St.

Winchester,
Colleges,

and Durham Cathedrals, and

Oxford.
College,

New and

John's

The organs

at

Magdalen

College, Oxford,

and Christ
choir,

Cambridge, stood at the, south side of the

at

and

to

those

King's and

St.

John's

tradition

assigns the

same

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

position.
for
"

As

regards

parish

churches, the

common

situation

the organ, both before and after the

(Rimbault.)

Reformation, was in

the chancel."
choir screen

The

position of the

organ on the
till

does not appear to have become general

after

the Restoration.
If,

as before stated, the singers are placed in the chancel,

in

and the organ cannot be erected there or

it

the chancel

aisle,

becomes

necessary to
this

build
it

an be

organ chamber.

Now

chamber of
is

kind,

unless

extremely well
stifle,

formed,

sure to deteriorate,

if it
it.

do not almost

the sounds from

the instrument within vours to

The

inartistic

organ builder

endea-

make good

the loss of power

by heavy pressure of

wind, so forcing the quantity of tone, to the detriment or loss

of quality.

heavy pressure of wind

effects

may

be useful in gaining
it

particular solo

from a concert organ, but

destroys

the sedateness and gravity of tone that should distinguish the

church organ.
the recess
is

The organ

builder's excuse, however, will

be that

unfavourable for sound and too small to contain

for

an

organ

necessary

the

situation.
in

His grievance might

easily

have been obviated had he been

communication with

the architect before the recess was built.

construction of the

Now

the form and

organ

chamber

is

matter of so

much

importance to the public as well as the organ builder, and one

so neglected, because so
little

understood,

by the

architect, that

the subject

is

worthy of close attention and some trouble.

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

most
beneficial

change

may

be brought about by simple and

easy means.

An

easy reform consequent upon

common

sense

agreement between him who builds the chamber, and him who
constructs the

instrument for which

in

it

is

built,

would work a

surprising change

the

quality of

organ tones subjected to

the utmost importance
considering this subject,

these conditions.

Three

desiderata of

thrust themselves upon

viz.

our notice

in

I.

The chamber should have

for

the greatest possible

amount
should
of

of

opening

the egress of

the

sound-waves.
for

2.

It

be of a form the
sound,

most

favourable

the

reflection

the
for

and

should be
3.

constructed
of

of

the best
size

material

resonance.

It

should be

sufficient

to
;

contain

an

instrument of size proportionate to the building

there should

be room

for

a current of air round the organ, and sufficient

internal space to

admit of easy access to

all

parts of the

in-

strument.
1.

There

is

no

difficulty

in

comprehending

that

a badly

constructed and small recess, "boxes

up"

the

sound from the

church
their
after

enclosed instrument, so that the tones reach the

they have
intensity.

lost,

by

internal

reflection,

most of

original

Imagine the pulpit placed

in

a recess of this kind

strive
for

would not the unfortunate preacher have to

Smith's "forty-parson

Sydney

power" under conditions

so

abnormal.'

The

circumstances are analogous.

2.

The sound from

a vibrating musical instrument spreads

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

equally
circle

in

every

direction,

much

in

the

same way as the

caused by throwing a stone into a pool of water widens

circle,

but unlike the watery

which spreads

laterally only,

sound

spreads every way, or spherically.

strength as
it

Sound

also

is

impaired in

travels,

just

as

the wave

caused

by throwing
the

a stone into water grows gradually less

circle

and

less in size as
it

increases

its
is

circumference,

until

finally

disappears.
it

The more sound

and

allowed to disperse, the fainter

becomes,
is

this is the reason

a sound generated in the open air

so

quickly lost to the ear (upon which Herschel bases the following law
:

"

The

intensity of

sound decays

in

receding from
").

its

origin, as the

square of the distance increases

In a building,
facilities

being
for

confined

by

four walls,

sound has not similar

dispersing.

Now

an organ chamber allows the sound

;

to

disperse from one, or at most two, openings

therefore the sides

as
reflectors

and roof of the

recess

should be

made

to act

of

the sound in the direction of the opening or openings into the

church.
It
is

most important that the roof of the chamber

should not be higher than the top of the exit arches, for in

such case the sound would be reflected back into the chamber,
instead of out of
it,

and the

result

of two
is

series

of

sound-

waves

meeting from opposite directions

to produce confusion

of sound

and destruction of

tone.
"

In the ordinary chamber,

roof, this
is

with one opening and a " lean-to

the case, as the roof will

often especially

terminate some

distance

above the

Bracket Organ

Elston Church
Plate
111.

eOWARU

,J

TARVER

ARCH--

VmCtNT-BBOOKS DAY&SON

LflH

Built

by Bishop

&

Starr.

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

point of the arched opening to the chamber.

ii

Wherever such

a fault exists, the flat space so left should

the level of the point of arch.

be boarded over to

An
for
its

organ that must be cramped up in a recess

size
will

insufficient

give

continual

trouble both

to

organist

and

organ builder, because from the want of a

free current of air

;

round
is

its

mechanism

it

will

be always out of order

rectifying

and there

an additional material

difficulty in
feel

whatever

may

go wrong.

The

auditors

that

the

instrument does not

please their ears, but they do not so readily understand that,

by reason of the circumscribed

space, the

pipes are

crowded

together so as to render their "speech" imperfect.

vaulted organ chamber of stone

its

is

perhaps the best of

accepted forms for

into chancel

purpose when
;

it

has two arches opening

is

and transept
throw the
into

but even then, one half the roof

calculated to

sound
the

backwards

into the

chamber,
are

instead

of forwards of

church.

The accompanying
I

two

examples

organ chambers which

for sound.

believe

would be

found to be very favourable

The

first

represents

recess

with a

single

opening,

the

arch being wide and high, and leaving plenty of room above

the

organ.

The

arch

is

carried

up

into the roof,

so

as

to

gain sufficient height, and the form of roof shown in the recess
is

very favourable for

reflection.

coved or semi-vaulted form

In Wesleyan and

of roof would be equally good for sound.

12

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

churches
the

Congregational

organ

is

generally placed

in

somewhat

similar recess at the

end of the building, and elevated

above

the

pulpit.

If

the

conditions

mentioned

above

were

carried out in such a case, this

would be an excellent
recess
is

position,

but

it

is

frequently not so

the
it,

too

low and too

organ
;

small

in fact, just of sufficient size to contain the

and

it

does most effectually contain

sound and

all.

The second woodcut shows a chancel

openings into chancel and
as that figured in Plate
I.

recess,

with arched

transept,
It will

adapted

for

an organ such

be seen that the front pipes

are brought well

recess,

out in the church, beyond the arches of the

filling

instead

of

up the

openings
is

and interposing a
In this
for

barrier to

the diffusion of sound, as

also

too often done.

instance

the

roof

is

curvilinear,

and well

adapted

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

reflection.
roof,

13

The

form, moreover, gives opportunity for a double

a feature which should be adopted in an

it

organ chamber

whenever
protection

is

possible

as

it

not

only

forms

an

efficient

against the organ's

great

enemies

cold

and damp
air

but greatly
it

adds to the resonance, because of the body of

encloses.

A curvilinear form
it

of roof

is

essential to
reflection)

an organ chamber
impresses

focusses

the

sound, and (by

;

on

it

an
it

initial

direction

and

its

lateral

diffusion
force.

being prevented,

will travel farther

and with greater

a stringed

The tone
vibrations

of

instrument

is

produced by the
re-

of

the string being

communicated through the

air

sonant back and belly to the body of

vibrations of the string, unaided

they enclose

the

by

these adjuncts, give but a

as
its

very feeble

note.

In

an

organ, each pipe acts

own
;

sounding board, by reason of the column of

air it contains

the

material of the pipe serving for the back and belly.

When

pipe

is

being sounded,

its

vibrations

are

communicated to the

wind-chest, and are carried

down

thence,
I.)

by

the framework that

If a

supports
platform,

it,

to the ground.

(Appendix

hollow wooden
the

eight

or twelve

inches high, be

placed beneath

organ, these vibrations, instead of being

lost, will
;

be reciprocated,
if

and

will reinforce the

tone of the instrument

holes
it,

while,

the sides
to

of the platform be

pierced with
air

at
it

regular
will

distances,

induce a current of

through
Sec.

prove

further

protection against damp,

An

organ should never be placed


NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.
directly

on the ground, especially where the

vitrified,

floor is of tiling,

which, unless glazed or

acts

as an absorbent

of sound

and damp.

Some

of the conditions with regard to the position

of church organs were thus ably

in
his

summed up by Mr.
read

Bloomfield,
before

paper

on

"

Church Arrangements,"

the

Architectural Association in i860:

"

An
is

organ,

the
the

most

beautiful

of

instruments

when

in

tune,

one

of

most disagreeable when neglected, and

sensitive
it

everyone
draughts,
for

should
in

know how

is

to
his
is

damp and
arrangements
a choir, the

order to guard

against this

in

the reception of the instrument.

If there

organ should be placed close to them, and the proper place for
it

is

either

in

side

aisle

of
it,

the

chancel,
is

or

in

an organ
effect

chamber
this

built

expressly for

which

better.
it

The
will

of
in

instrument will be
if

much enhanced, and

are
it

be kept

better tune,

the walls

lined

with boarding or

battens

and

if

not

in

a
feet

gallery,

should
floor."

always

be placed

on

platform
I I

some

from the
if,

may be pardoned
arches, should

knowing the importance of them,

chamber.
Its

state over again these requisites of the organ

arch, or
will

be as wide and high as circumstances

for
reflection

allow;

the roof favourably formed

and no

higher than the openings of the arches, but the

the organ the better for the passage of the sound
rule
it
:

higher above
as a general
front
pipe.

should

be

twice

as

high as the

shortest

Divided Chance

Orqan

Plate re

EDWARD

TARVER^DEL T

LITH.

fOR BISHOP * STARi

VINCENT BROOhb, D^IYa,SQN_1^

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

(Appendix
III.)
.

15

The

interior
';o

should be lined with boarding,

and should be large enough

the
organ,

admit of a passage quite round be

space so
that

and there

should

easy access
instru-

may
ment

be gained to every portion of the

in case of its

interior of the

derangement.

This will enable the organ

or

builder to

spread out his

so as to
'

"sound-boards,"

more properly
and
" perfect

" wind-chests,"

allow free course of

air,

freedom of speech,"

to'

each pipe, and to provide broad passage-

boards, good both for ventilation

cost

and

facilitating access.

The

and

difficulty

attached to keeping organs in order in this

country,

are

much

augmented

by the
I

baneful

system

of

cramping, unfortunately so prevalent.

in

have known instances

to be performed, at

which extraordinary gymnastic

risk

feats

had

imminent

of accident

to person

as well as
;

organ,

before

the interior of

an instrument could be got at

and then the

adventurer's exertions were repaid

by a

severe attack of cramp.

quite
inaccessible,

In

other

organs,

some of the pipes being

likely to

were always out of tune, and are

remain
for
,

so

unless

some new and

special

apparatus

be devised

tuning them.
perfect

The

interior of a

modern French or German organ, the

part,

arrangement and freedom of approach to every

lesson to every English organ builder,
to insist

conveys a

and should teach him

upon

sufficient

space being allowed for his instrument.

With

all

the above requisites satisfied, a platform for the organ

to stand on,

and a hot-water

coil (or

other

means

for

warming)

i6

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

chamber
or

encircling the

the
cold

heating

apparatus being used

fre-

quently in

damp

weather

the
to

cost

of

tuning

and

keeping the organ

in order,
is

would be reduced to a minimum.

so

church

organ
it

subjected

many changes

of

temperature, that
similar instrument

requires
is

more frequent attention than a

in

that

placed
is

room

or

hall

where

more

constant

temperature
is

maintained.
;

The
is

organist's

continual complaint

of the " reeds "

but

it

not generally
regards tune,
all

known

that

they are really far

;

more

stable,

as

than the

flue- work
-flat

but as the latter alters together,

going

one way

or sharp, according to the temperature

the "reeds,"
of an

being fewer in number, and more prominent in character than

the
rest,

are pronounced the culprits.

The

" flue-work "

organ

placed

near

the

roof

will

sometimes be sharpened a

semitone by the heat from the gas, and the breaths of a large
congregation in an ill-ventilated building
;

and the
of

tuner, being

informed

that

the

" reeds "

are

"

out

tune,"

going

to

examine
allowed
perfectly

them
to
in

on

week-day,
its

when the church has been

temperature,
supplies
finds

resume
tune

normal
This

they

are

again.

another argument in

favour of placing some distance between the organ and the roof
of the building.

The organ chamber

of

is

generally placed on the north side

is

the choir, but where the situation

very damp, the south

should be chosen

when

practicable.

Ch Ar^CEL OrQAN OVEF^ VeSTF^Y DOOF^

PlaleT

'"""

TABVEB DEL ET

.it,

a.Snop t STARR

VIMCENraBOOMSDjY

ft

soj-

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

In most of the accompanying designs
it

17

will

be noticed

that the front of the instrument projects over the head of the

performer.
it

This

form
a

was

general
graceful

in

mediaeval

organs

not only renders

more

appearance, but carries

the sound over the

performer's
to

head,
the

enabling him better to

effect

hear

his

choir,

and
pipes

estimate

he

himself

is

producing.

The

also,

being placed in consequence some

distance above
listen to. It

the ear, are more pleasant to sing with, or to

was customary with some of the old

of
the not

builders to

cover the
in

the

front

organ
in

by

shutters

or

blinds
is

when
used

instrument

was

use.

This resource

still

Belgium

and

Italy,

and

might

be

restored

here with

much

advantage, especially in the large

dust, dirt,

manufacturing towns, where

to the organ.

and noxious vapours are so destructive

is

The

blind

general throughout Italy, and

it

is

extremely rare

to find an organ unprovided with this protection.

are shutters,

Where

there

when opened they

exhibit beautiful paintings on

to be derived

their inner sides.

An

example of the advantages

from these

is

to

be found at Jesus College, Cambridge, where

the organ (built

by

J.

C. Bishop)

being provided in this manner,

and

constructed

of very pure

and

choice

materials,

is

only

tuned once in

five or six years.

An

ordinary instrument would

require cleaning almost as frequently as that.

Plate IX. A represents a chamber organ, which exhibits both


i8

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

and shutter arrangements, the blind appearing partially
centre-front pipes.
in his interesting

blind

drawn up over the

The Rev.

F.

H. Sutton,

work on

'

Church
of the

Organs' (Rivingtons), gives some very beautiful designs

same

description,

as

also
in

does

Sir

John

Sutton

('A Short

Account of Organs
(Masters).

England,'

with

Illustrations

by

Pugin.

MATERIALS USED
It

IN

ORGAN BUILDING
its

has been
for

already noticed that a stringed instrument

as

such,

instance,

a violin

derives
the
vibrating

quality of tone, or

timbre,

from

the vibrations

of

molecules

of

the wooden

sound -board, united with the

internal

body

of

air.
is

The

great perfection

of

violins

by the old

Italian

masters

due to a careful selection of choice and well -seasoned wood,

as well
as

to their
into

age and frequent

favourable

use,

which has thrown

their

molecules

vibratory forms.

Unseasoned

wood could not have endured to the present time, and "an
imperfectly
elastic

or
it

non-homogeneous material expends the

in

motion imparted to
the motion
is

the friction

of

its

own molecules

converted into heat instead of sound." (Tyndall.)

This rule applies equally to the pipes, or the sound-producing

portion of an organ, which should be of the very finest materials
possible,

whether of wood or metal.

Schmidt, Harris, and the

NOTES ON CHURCH
old English organ builders,
careful
in

ORGANS..
true
artists,

19

who were

were most

their

selection

of materials, and would throw

flaw or imperfection.

away
had

a pipe that had the been

less

least

If they

careful,

their

instruments would
glorious

never

have

come

down
their

to the present time as

artistic

examples and proofs of

merit.

Too many

of their so-called successors

have lowered the

art to a pursuit of transient

Mammon,

instead

of enduring Fame.

The
metal

inferiority of material is

perhaps most

conspicuous

in

the

employed

by a majority of organ
position
;

builders, even

by some occupying a high

and as the

value of good metal pipes forms a large proportion of the cost

of an
organ,

considerable

saving

may

be effected by

the
is

use of cheap and unfit materials.

type or

That ordinarily used now

antimony metal, consisting of lead combined with a small

tin.

quantity of antimony and a very small percentage of

The

antimony and
used alone
it

tin

are

to

harden the lead, for

soft

if

the lead were

would be too

even to sustain

its

own
:

weight.

The

disadvantages of this composition are numerous

it is

firstly,

the

tone resulting from

or sweetness
;

hard, coarse,
it

and incapable of delicacy

and
decays
rapidly

secondly,
air, is

tarnishes

on

exposure to the
unless painting

and

is

therefore of no use for " front pipes,"

;

resorted to
loses
its

thirdly,

it

is

extremely
the

brittle,

and soon
force

splits

and

"speech"

under

necessary

of the "tuning-horn."
sufficient

Any
it

one of these defects should

utterly,

have been

to

condemn

but

inartistic

organ

C 2


20

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

recognizing no quality

builders,

more estimable than cheapness,

of underselling
is

eagerly embraced

the

opportunity

more con-

scientious competitors.

The

cost of type metal

about one-fifth
equal

that of average
parts of tin

tin

metal, such

as spotted metal (nearly

and
tin)

lead),

and about one-eighth that of the metal

(almost pure

used by Schmidt or Harris, and by the best

modern

foreign organ builders.

late
J.

The
the
stop,

C.

Bishop (inventor of the composition pedals,

valve,

anti-concussion
&c.,
&c.),

or

wind

regulator,

the
the

clarabella

an

enthusiastic

admirer

of

old

organ
the
in

builders,

endeavoured

to

set

an

example

and

prevent

prevailing debasement of materials.

his

He

established
less

a rule

manufactory that no metal containing

tin,

than twenty-five

per cent, of

with no admixture whatever besides lead, should

this rule

be used there; and

to the present time.

has been steadily adhered to up

Following
general use at
1.

are

the names and compositions of

for pipe
lead,

metals in

home and abroad

:

making

Type metal

composed of
:

antimony, and a
tin

little tin.

2.

Pewter, or 6tofre

about 20 per cent, of

to

80 of

lead.
3.

Ordinary metal
Spotted metal
:

25 per cent, tin to 75 of lead.

4.
5.

nearly equal parts of tin and lead.

tin,

Tin

85 to 90 per cent, of

remainder of lead.

6.

Zinc.

Chancel Orqan

in

Vestry Arch

PlateVl.

EDWARD

TAnvER,OEL,ET

LITH.

FOR BISHOP A STAi^R,

VINCENT BBOOKS.OHr t

SON IMR

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

The
first

21

yields a hard

and coarse tone

in

it

tarnishes

and

decays rapidly, sometimes going

holes

by

separation of the

antimony from the lead

means.

soon

it

cannot be tuned by the usual

Antimony has the

it

quality of rendering
brittle.

any other metal

with which
part of
is
it

is

combined extremely
unfit

thousandth
it

will

make even gold

for the

uses to which

generally applied.

The second
Germany, mostly

of these compositions

is

used in France and

for the feet of pipes, to save expense.

Nos. 3 and 4 are constantly used in the best of the English

manufactories.

The
full,

first

named

of these retains

its

colour well,
;

and
this

yields a

round, and sweet quality of tone

but even

mixture has been found too poor to withstand the gaseous

vapours in or near manufacturing towns, especially those of the

"black

country."

The

spotted

metal

has

a brighter,

more

sparkling character of tone, and possesses a very pretty, wavy,

spotted

appearance,

somewhat

similar
is

to

watered

silk

the

colour does not soon tarnish, and

easily restored

by washing.

The
ness

pipe of this material should be constructed of good thickto

is

render

a "full"

quality

of tone.

Being

hard, this

metal

not so easily bruised in travelling, &c., as the foregoing

is

compositions, and

therefore to be strongly

recommended.

No.

renders

very

brilliant

tone,

and

is

of

bright

appearance.

This and No. 4 have the advantages of extreme

lightness, tenacity,

and

durability, but both are very expensive.


NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.
No.
6.

"

Zinc has been used

a great saving of cost.
it is

of late years for large pipes,

It is

and
(for

effects

very ugly in appearance

it

which reason

generally coloured), and

alters

very

much from

variation of temperature, sometimes rattling, at other

its

times being very tight in

"stay."
in the
its

It

is

exceedingly light
not very carefully
tin-metal

and hard, but

soldered.

is

apt to give

way

seam

if

When economy
should

renders
on,

use necessary,
" correct

mouths

be

insisted

otherwise

voicing

becomes impossible.
Hopkins,
in

his

comprehensive work

on 'The Organ,

its

History and Construction,' sums up the numerous advantages of

tin

as

material

for

organ
as

pipes

in

the

following

manner

"Tin recommends
great durability,
is
its

itself

a material for organ pipes by

its lightness.

its

superior silver colour, and

It

very ductile, on which account

pipe-work

of such

material

does not nearly so soon become broken or cracked round the

top

by the

force

necessarily

exercised

with

the tuning-horn

during the process of tuning.

Neither are pipes of this material

so soon attacked by the strong acid in the

sustains

woodwork which

and supports them

will eat

(the

upper boards and rack boards)

part of pipes

but which

away the lower

made

of

many

other materials that are more frequently used.

little

It

undergoes but
or the

change, either from exposure to the atmosphere,

impure exhalations produced by the breathing of a closely-packed

audience
;

and

it

resists the influence of

sulphurous vapours, such


NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.
as the fumes of gas,* nor
is
it

23

oxydized even by the combined

Tin, again,
is

action of air and

moisture.

less

susceptible of
in use,

change of temperature than are many of the compounds

on account of
material

its

greater hardness
in

consequently, pipes of this

stand
;

better
its

tune.

Tin

does

not

soon become
'

tarnished

hence

peculiar appropriateness for ungilded

it

front

pipes,' for

which purpose

has indeed been used in even the

in

humblest village church organs

at length

Germany
is

and when

it

does

become

dulled, its splendour

tin,

easily recovered.

The

lighter specific

gravity of
is

again

fully

one-third less than

that of lead

in

its

favour, a given

quantity of the former

latter.

going much farther than an equal weight of the

....
more

The

great cost of tin

five or six

times that of leadf

and

particularly the baneful 'low-contract' spirit which unfortunately

pervades
preclude
it

most modern transactions

its

in

organ-building

matters,

use to any great extent in this country, although

would, on account of the greater durability of the material,

prove to be the cheapest in the end."

Again,
listen

to

what the venerable old Benedictine,

'

Dom
L'Art

Bedos, has to say on the subject in his interesting work,

du Facteur d'Orgues "Je pense, avec que par

'

(Paris, 1766)

d'habiles

facteurs

d'orgues,
le

que ce

n'est

esprit d'^conomie qu'on

emploie

plomb pour tous

ces

is

* It has been calculated that half a pound of solid sulphur per discharged into the air from every jet of gas. t Now eight times that of lead (1872).

annum

24

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

mieux de
les faire

jeux, et qu'il seroit

en 6tain

ils

en auroient

plus

de son, plus de tranchant, et plus d'harmonie."

still

This

is

apropos of the custom,

of

to

some extent

existing in France,

making the

bodies of the pipes of tin, but the feet of " 6tofife,"

an alloy described above.

cette mati^re
fit

He

continues

"

Ce

n'est

pas que

rien

au son des tuyaux

" (the
fact,

tone of a pipe

proceeds from

its

body, the foot being, in

merely a conveyla

ance for the wind), "mais

elle contribueroit

beaucoup k

dur6e

de I'accord et de I'harmonie.
rouille

Le plomb
sel,

produit une esp^ce de

blanche en forme de

qui alt^re les embouchures des

pieds des tuyaux.

Le peu de

solidite

de cette mati^re

fait

que

le

jour ou la lumiere des bouches ne se maintient pas long-temps

comme

I'ouvrier les a

mis

cette espece

de

rouille I'alt^re

aussi,

voyons-nous qu'en
souvent
les

ce

royaume, on est oblige d'accorder plus

oii le

orgues qu'en Allemagne,

plomb

est entierement

banni de cet instrument, dont tous les tuyaux avec leurs pieds
sont
faits

en etain."
strange, indeed, that England, the richest country
in

It

is

the world,

and which produces

should

all the tin

used by the continental

organ

builders,

have condescended to the employment

of the inferior substitutes other

respect
it

now

in vogue, while in
in

almost every
especially
in

has been

foremost

the

art,

the improvement of mechanical

facilities.

It is

not for want of

good example,

for the pipes of

Schmidt's and of Harris's organs

in

were of excellent material, and are perfect even now

their

Organ for West end of

Church or for

Town Hall.

pt^teAOi.

EDWAHD

0,TARVE.H D& L ET LITH. FOB BISHOP i

STARR

CEHTaRODXS

Dft>

a.SON.IMP


NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.
tone.
It
is

25

true tin

was very cheap then

.

but England was

not

so

rich,

and mining operations must have been on

a
is

smaller and more expensive scale than

so perfect.
It

now when machinery

must be borne

in

mind
is

that the term "tin," as

used technically in organ building,

tin,

not intended to
viz.

mean pure

but the mixture explained above

85 to 90 per cent,

of tin and the remainder of lead.

latter is requisite

certain quantity of the

for

on account of the soldering,

pure tin fuses

of
lead
in

at a very low temperature.

small quantity

also

imparts a solidity of tone and substance, acting

much

the

same way
It
is

as alloy in a gold piece.

fair

question

whether
pure

the

tone

of

some

stops
;

may

not

require

less

material
in

than the above

for

instance,

the

open diapason,

which
is

weight

and

dignified

solidity of tone are

wanted
aimed

but there

no doubt whatever that

where brilliancy
of the same

is

at,

as in the
viz.

gamba and

other stops

class,

a pure metal,

one containing a higher

percentage of

tin, will

give that result almost without the aid of

the voicer's usual

artifices for

gaining that quality of tone.

It

has long been the custom in the house of Bishop and Starr to

make

the gambas, &c., of "spotted metal" for this reason,

when

the rest of the pipes were

made

of their "ordinary metal," viz.

25 to 30 per cent, of

tin.

Because only six

different materials

for

organ pipes have

been enumerated

and

those mostly combinations of the same

26

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

metals in different proportions

others
'

it

must not be supposed that

curious

have

not

been
;

tried.

A
us
as

old

book,
Arts,'

called

Humane

Industry

or,

a History of the

Manual

by

Dr.

Powell, of the date

artisan

1661, tells

follows:

"A
he

Neapolitan

made a

pair of organs all of alabaster stone, pipes, keys,

and

jacks,

with

loud,

lusty

sound,

which

afterwards

bestowed upon the Duke of Mantua, and which Leander Alberti

saw

in the said duke's court.

The same Leander saw a

of glass,
that

pair of

organs at Venice

made

all

made a

delectable

sound

Gandentino Merula,

in his

book de Mirabilibus
the

Mundi,

makes
in

mention

of

an

organ
pipes

in

church of

St.

Ambrose,

Milan,

whereof

the

were
;

some of wood,

some of
upon,

brass,

and some of white lead

the

which, being played

flutes,

did

express

sound of cornets,
variety

drums,

and

trumpets,
silver,

with

admirable

and

concord."

Porcelain,

and many curious materials we

for

also
is

read of as having

been used
Kensington

the

purpose,

and there

now

at

the

South

Museum

a German

" Positiv "

of the seventeenth

century, of which the pipes are all of paper.

With regard
I

to

the pipes of glass at Venice mentioned above,

the
I

have one of

same

material, that yields a tone anything but "delectable."

silver,

have also met with a stop having pipes of German

but

they were not pleasant in tone, and the tuning horn was of no
avail

with them.

Besides

these, there

is

at

Canton an organ

of which the pipes consist entirely of bamboo.

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

27

few words will be

sufficient

with regard to the woods

used in organ building.

That
seasoned

for

the pipes should

free

be

finest

Canadian

pine,

well

and

from
is

knots.

For particular

stops,

as

the
of

stopped diapason, there

much

to say in favour of oak,

which Father Schmidt constructed

India and extreme climates,

so

many

fine

ones.

For

mahogany must be employed, and

the pipes should be screwed or bradded up to the top note.

Manual sound-boards should always be of mahogany,^ which,

though more
costly,

will save

more than

its

cost in the

end

and the same

always

may be
now

said of leathered tables, which are almost

for

ignored

the

sake

of saving

few pounds.

An

unsubstantial
is

building

frame

made

of

an

unseasoned

material

fruitful

cause of annoyance and expense.

effects

The

weight of the organ, as well as the

of the atmosphere
considerably,

on the wood, cause

it

to

warp and

alter

thus

throwing the action out of gear, producing "stickings," &c.

It

would be easy to give excellent reasons

in plenty

why

the most'perfect materials only should be used in every portion of the instrument, but enough,
I

hope, has been said to show that,

first

although more expensive in the

instance, the use of

good

material saves both trouble and expense in the end.

In England

the art-qualities of an organ are less considered in the price paid

for
it

than in any other country.

The comparison

of an estimate
builder, for

from an English, with one from a French organ

an

28

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

of

instrument
materials
price

exactly the
finish

same

size,

differing

only in

the

and

of

the workmanship, will

show that the

named by
It will

the latter would be nearly double that of the

former.
in

be said that English builders hold the remedy

their

own

hands, and have only to raise their prices to a

;

requisite standard

but while the general public are blind

to,

and ignorant
always

of,

the

advantages

of
is

good
called

material,

there will
until
it

be

builders

whose work

cheap

is

discovered by-and-by to have been dear at any price.

The

following

passage from Seidel's work

on the organ

reads almost like a satire on the ordinary style of design for

organ cases in

this

country
is

"

The organ being an

essential

ornament to the church,

possible.

usually rendered as

handsome as

The organ
of
&c.
;

builder embellishes the case

description
;

by

juttings

and wainscots
angels,
foliage,

every

by columns, heads
varnish,

of

by a handsome

and by more or

less costly gilding."

Although great

improvements
few years

in

this

respect have been

made during
Cathedral and
Scott

the
St.

last

witness

the organs at Ely

II.),

Mary's, Nottingham (Plate

by

Sir Gilbert

in

still

the greater number of English organ cases are very

poor
is,

design,

and much yet remains to be done.

is

The
;

fact

the organ builder

expected to be his own architect

he

Organ Divided

by

Window.

PlalrVm

EOW.no

TABVtR, DLL tT LIT, FOR BISHOP * STARR

ICENT

BROOKS 0AY4.SON-IMP

N-QTES
therefore expends
possible,

ON CHURCH
little

ORGANS.

29

as

trouble
is

or labour

on the case as

and what he does

this

often in the worst possible taste.

Perhaps

accounts for organs being hidden in recesses

by

architects, since

when they

are not hidden, the church

is

often

disfigured

by an

unsightly arrangement of bed posts and front

pipes painted in gaudy colours to hide their internal inferiority.

If the use of zinc

and type metal

is

to supersede that of the

;

silvery tin, then of course colour

must be employed

but surely

nothing can exceed the beauty of the bright polished metal,

which contrasts so well with any kind of wood,

in

is

so ecclesiastical

appearance, and enables a skilled observer to

form a just
If

opinion pf the character of the organ almost at a glance.

colour be required,
it

should
in
first

appear on the metal

itself,

the

naked metal standing

the pipe
contrast,
is

place of the neutral coat with which

painted.

generally

Then

it

forms an agreeable
is

and the

effect

of the metallic lustre

not

lost.

The

large organ for

Bombay

Cathedral was treated in this manner,

the bay leaves and coronals being enriched in colour, while the

bodies of the pipes were

pipes,

left in their original brilliancy.

Wooden
they
oppor-

where they are

shown

and
;.

there

is

no reason

should not be in Gothic architecture

tunity for the application of colour

offer a favourable

but for church purposes

is

perhaps varnish, being

more subdued,

better

in

character.
III.),

The

little

"bracket" organ by Bishop and Starr (Plate

of this exhibited in the International Exhibition of 1872, was

30

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

the
centre-front

class,

pipes

being

constructed

of white

pine

varnished.

The

effect

of contrast with the brightness of the

spotted metal pipes in the semicircular towers was very pure.

The
good

designs contained herein are intended to

effect

show how a

architectural

may

be

obtained

by simple means,

and that organs need not necessarily be eyesores.

present examples of most of the positions
Plate
II.

They

also

ordinarily

adopted.

shows how a spacious chancel

it.

may

contain a large

organ entirely within

The organ

contains nearly fifty stops

feet.

and

rises to

the imposing height of 40

If the chancel

be of moderate height, but narrow, an organ on Plate

III.

similar to that given

proves very

effective.

The

more extensive portions of the mechanism

as the bellows, sound-board, &c.
cove,

in this instance

such

are

placed in the projecting

and the lower

(which

part,

having the benefit of a shallow mural

recess

can easily

be imitated in a modern building),

takes up less space than a harmonium.

Plate

The

height

is

16

feet.

IV. represents

divided
effect,

or

double chancel organ,

having a more symmetrical

and distributing the sound

side only.

more equally than an instrument placed on one

The

connecting mechanism in this case would have to pass under

the
chancel
floor,

but

with

the

aid

of

the

pneumatic' or
;

electro-pneumatic powers, this would form no impediment

the introduction of the patent " simplified "
these

and

mode
the

of applying

powers

has

also

considerably

reduced

expense as

Chamber Urqan.

Plate E<L

EDWARD J T*HVER,OEL ET

LITH.

rOK BISHOP

it

STARR

HCCHTBROOtUj OAY&SOflMP

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

well as the space necessary.

31

Double organs placed on each

in Italy,

side of the choir are

common

but being unconnected

they require separate organists.

A
part

strong argument for placing the organ altogether within

is

a chancel
of a

that the sound, because of the narrowness of this

is

church,

prevented from immediate diffusion, and

initial

being conducted along the walls, has a strong

direction

imparted to
churches the
best
heard,
It.

it.

" It

is

common

observation that in most

altar,
is

Communion

service,

read from the

is

the

althouuh the clergyman

then farthest from the

people.

must be admitted that

its

this

does

not

invariably

happen, but the frequency of

the influence of
its

occurrence seems to point to

the restricted height and width of the chancel^

air,

small
well

body of

and

its

parallel

walls,

as directing the

voice
initial

forward in a

direction

coincident

with

its

natural

impulse."

(Roger Smith.)

Plate V. shows a chancel organ placed in a small gallery

over the vestry door;

is

it

is

intended for a position where there

floor space is limited.

ample

height, but
is

where the

Plate VI.

of an organ in a "general swell," placed in the

vestry.

archway between the chancel and the

be boarded up, so as to
reflect

The back should

forward,

the sound

otherwise
is

much

of

it

would be absorbed
in

in the vestry.
is

This position

frequently chosen

small churches, but

always ineffective

unless the back be boarded.

The same

objections equally apply

32

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

in^

to placing the organ

front of a tower arch.

The

"Venetians,"

or swell shutters, are

made an ornamental

feature in this design,

and placed

at the sides, instead of, or as well as, in front.

The organ

at St. James's, Piccadilly,

is

an instance of how
in a

successfully such an

instrument

may be

erected
;

west-end

gallery
as

when

the singers are placed there also

its

the gallery acts

a sounding board, and

pillars

convey the vibrations to

organ
is

the floor.
position

The appearance

of

this

as
is

noble as

its

aided

by the admirable form of roof

favourable for

sound.
in

Care must, however, be taken to keep an organ placed

at

this situation

some distance from the

roof,

on account

of the reasons before given.

Plate VII. exhibits an instrument

designed for such a place, but equally well suited, where there
is

no

gallery, to
;

be situated on the
is

floor

at

the west

end, or

elsewhere

if

there

sufficient height, this

organ might have a

for instance),

i6-feet front (a violone

on the pedal organ

which

would make

its effect

more imposing.
a
semi-detached organ, showing a
(either
in a

Plate VIII.

represents
;

window between

it

might stand at the west end

gallery or on the ground) or in a transept.

organs,

Instances of similar

but

all

in

galleries,

occur at Christchurch, Streatham

Spitalfields
;

Church of the Marist Fathers,

Plate IX.
{a

&c.

and

b),

are

two house organs, constructed to

occupy a small space

only.

Plate X. shows an organ on a

similar

plan

to

Plate

III.

Qeneral SwellOrqan.

PliteX

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

but, unlike that,
" Venetians,"
it

33

is

placed in a "general swell," of which the

are

or

shutters,

exhibited.

This
if

arrangement
tones
is

permits the sound to expand

to

better

than

the

have
also

make

their

way through
closed

the front pipes.

in

There

miniature

choir-organ

by

folding shutters,

after

the

manner of some of the anqient

Plate

instruments.

XI. represents the

little

chancel -organ built for His

It

Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

the side of the tower arch
;

has been placed at

fits
it

its

form, however,

for

almost

any

position.
I

cannot too strongly point out the advantages that would

if

result

architects

would

consult
their

the

organ

builder

before,

instead of after,

commencing

churches or other buildings

life is

intended for organs.

An

organ builder's

spent in gathering

experience as to the form of buildings most favourable for the

distribution

of

sound,

while

an

architect's
interests,

experience relates
however, are not
as
is,

mostly to beauty of form.

antagonistic, but the same,

Their

and can be as favourably united

builder's advice or co-operation

can music to verse.

The organ

notwithstanding, generally ignored until quite too late to remedy

the mistakes which often occur
;

then he

is

called

in,

to find the

place allotted for his organ too small and defective for sound.

He

shrugs

his

shoulders,

and packs
"

it

into

its

cupboard

euphemistically called the

organ chamber

"and

weights his

bellows so as to try and force the tone into the church, which can

34

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

This ought
his,

only be done at the expense of purity and sweetness.

not to be, and
if

the organ builder had justice done him,

advice and experience would be esteemed

by the

architect,

and

both would work to a desirable end.

often proves

small organ, well placed,

more
is

satisfactory than one of twice the size

where

the position

unfavourable.

The
1st,

writer of an able letter in the

1872),
is

'Musical
question,

Standard'
concludes
:

(June

discussing
that

this

vexed

" Lastly,

there

most remarkable

development of church progress, the organ chamber, sometimes

simply the lower part of the tower,
erection
;

or

at

others

distinct

in

the

latter
is

case

the

instrument,
practically

owing

to

the

thinness

of the
;

walls,

generally

almost outside
of,

the
is

building

where

the

tower
in,

is

made

use

the
is

sound
fairly

of course rather better kept

in

but the instrument

however,
those
to

stifled

either
in

instance

while,

who have

directions

these

matters

allow

themselves
to

be ruled by

man whose

profession

has

solely

do with the sense of

vision,

they must expect to have their ear starved."

too frequently the case that a hole for the organ
architect,
is

It is
left

by the

and the unfortunate organ builder has to

huddle his pipes closely together, to the great detriment of their

tone and freedom of speech
;

the mechanism also requires to be

it

packed together, so

that, in case of accident,

is

impossible to

get at the parts for the purpose of rectification, and the organ,

not having a free course of air through

it,

can never sound well.

Sandrincham

Chu
Plate

XL

LLi

/v

AHD

TAHVf R AHCH

VINCENT SPOOKS

DA_y

1,

SQh LFTH

Built by

Bishop

& S


NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.
or be kept in order.

35

In such cases as these the instrument

it

is

never out of the hands of the builder, while

to him.

is

never a credit

This
even as

is

an old grievance, however, and we hear the complaint

far

back as the time of

Dom

Bedos (before mentioned),

:

whose words on the subject are

"Avis a ceux qui veulent
bien qu'aux
architects et

interesting

faire construire

un orgue,
ce

aussi

aux

menuisiers,
I'orgue.

siir

qui

est

leur

competence respective par rapport k

"

Lorsq'on veut

faire construire
villes,

un orgue, on

est dans I'usage,

surtout

en certaines

de s'adresser

premi^rement

un
le

architecte,

que Ton charge de construire

la tribune,

de donner

dessein de I'orgue, d'en faire faire les buffets et de les mettre en

place.

On

appelle ensuite

un facteur d'orgues,

qui,

malgr6 un
fait,

nombre d'inconvenients
auxquels
il

qu'il

trouve dans un local deja

et

n'est plus possible

de remedier, du moins sans une de construire I'instrument

dimensions
II

d^pense considerable,

est

oblig^

le

moins mal

qu'il peut, selon la disposition et les

qu'il

a pl6 i I'architecte de donner au local et aux

buffets.

arrive

de

\k

un grand prejudice pour

le

proprietaire
les

parce que I'orgue

I'art,

n'ayant pas pu atre construit dans

ggn6,
difficile

regies de

tout

sera
tr^s

a k

r^troit,

mal

'dispose,

impossible,

ou

au

moins
et

entretenir, sujet
solide.

de grands

inconvenients,

par

consequent peu

On

remarque plusieurs exemples frappants

et
ailleurs,

de ce que

je viens

de dire dans Paris

Jp connois

36

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

que
le

plusieurs 6glises,

respect que je leur dois ne

le

me

permet

pas de nommer, qui ont eu

malheur de tomber dans cette

imprudence.
sans entendre,
" II

Un

architecte

peut etre fort habile dans son art

comme
un

c'est I'ordinaire, celui

du facteur

d'orgues.

n'y a pas lieu d'etre autant surpris de ce qu'il disposera

local et
buffet,

inal

un

que de ce

qu'il

veut bien se charger

s'il

d'une pareille entreprise, sans douter au moins

ne pourra pas

faire

des fautes.
il

Mais

lorsqu'il

se concertera avec le facteur

d'orgues,

n'aura pas a risquer d'occasionner des obstacles a la

bonne

disposition et i la solidite
avis

de I'instrument.

Je donnerai
quelques
des deux

done quelques

aux entrepreneurs d'un

;

orgue, et
le sujet

autres en particulier au menuisier

sections suivantes.

ce qu'il sera

"AVIS
"

AUX ENTREPRENEURS d'uN ORGUE.

qu'il

La

premiere chose

convient de faire lorsqu'on veut faire

construire

un orgue,
le

est

d'appeller
le

d'abord
placer.

le

facteur, qui

doit

examiner
avec
la
lui

local
la

ou Ton veut

Apr^s

^tre

convenu
I'^glise,
;

de

quality de I'orgue, selon la grandeur de

disposition
le

du

lieu,

et

la

d^pense qu'on veut y

les

faire

il

en

dressera
local
fera

devis,

et

donnera

principales

mesures, tant du
Celui-ci
;

que des
son

buffets,

en se concertant avec I'architecte.

qui
est

devis
les

pour tout ce
et
les

de

sa

competence

il

donnera

desseins

plans tant de la tribune que des

et

buffets, et

fera construire

I'un

I'autre

s'il

en est charge,

le

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

tout
selon
les

37

mesures dont on sera

convenu.

Le

devis

du

facteur doit contenir le detail de toute la composition de I'orgue

projette
;

s'il

sera un i6 pieds ou un 8 pieds en montre, i

;

com-

bien de claviers, et quel sera leur etendue

sur chaque clavier
;

quel jeux joueront

taille,
il

si

les

jeux seront de grosse ou menue de chacun

;

et quelle sera la mati^re

de quelle esp^ce de bois

construira les tuyaux et les somniiers,"

APPEN DIX.
APPENDIX
The
It
I.

following

is

an instance of the vibrating powers of wooden pipes

to

became necessary
additions to

some
1

the building.

move an organ in a Roman Catholic chapel during The organ had an open diapason of

6 feet on the pedal organ, and the roof being low near the organ, some

of the longest pipes had to be "mitred," or turned over horizontally at the tops.

The

chapel was dusty and damp.

When

came

to

examine

the pipes I found the dust had collected in the horizontal mitres to the

depth of nearly an eighth of an inch, where the pipes' vibrations had

shaken

it

into

a beautifully regular pattern of serpentine

eveij

lines,

which,

becoming damp,
destroy.

the jolting of the van

I

in

removal had

failed to

photograph that

had taken was unfortunately not so

suc-

cessful as I could

have wished.

APPENDIX
The organ
I

II.

builder should

be

careful to

keep

his front pipes

some

distance from the opening of the arch, or they will interrupt the sound.

have seen cases where they were allowed to follow the form of the
to
fill

opening, and
indistinct.
viz.

it

up

entirely,
is

rendering the sound confused and

Wliere the arch

low the reverse form should be followed,

the
largest at

the smallest pipe in the centre,

for

the

sides,

which
being

arrangement allows room

the

escape of the
;

sound,

besides

more

natural,

and

requiring less " conveyancing "

the largest pipes being

generally planted

by the organ builder

alternately at either

end of the

" wind-chest."

40

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX
In order that architects organ cases and chambers,
pipe
is

III.

may
it

possess

some

sort of guide in designing

should be understood that the longest front

feet,

the

of either 4, 8, 16, or 32
is

according to the size of the

instrument, and the latter

organ.

called in consequence a 4, 8, 16, or 32 feet

The average church organ has an

" 8-feet front," as

it

is

techni-

cally termed,

and only very large instruments can show a 3 2 -feet stop. Before designing an organ case, the architect should be informed of these
particulars.

Taking the law given on page 14

as high again as the shortest pipe in the front

following rule

The

that the organ chamber we should

feet as the

should be

arrive at the
is

shortest

pipe in an average-sized church organ

4 or 5 feet long, and the height of the case below to the impost should not
be
less

than 6

feet,

which would give 20 to 22

average height

of the chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAND ORGAN

FOR

BUILT BY
Messrs.

BISHOP & STARR.

C C to
7. 8.

Great Organ, Compass

Feet.
1.

G, 56

notes.
Feet. Pipes.

Pipes.

Sub Open Diapason

16

2. 3.

Open Diapason
Bell Diapason
.

56 56 56

Twelfth
Fifteenth
Sesquialtra, 4 ranks Mixture, 3 ranks

3 2
Various.

9.

4.

Clarabella
Principal

and

Stop'd p'dj

Diapason Bass
5.
6.

56

10. 11.

56 56 224 168

Posaune
Clarion

Harmonic Flute

. .

4 4

56 56

56 56

S7veU Organ,
Feet.
Pipes.

C C to
20.
21.

G.
Feel.
Pipes.

13-

14.
IS1

Double Diapason Open Diapason

Salicional (C)
..

16

56 56

Grave Mixture, 2 ranks Acute Mixture, 3 ranks

&

2 112

Various.

168

44
56

22. Contra-fagotto 23.

16

Stop'd Diapason\ 17- Metallic Flute ../

6.

Cornopean

56 56
$6 56

24.

Hautboy

18. 19-

Principal

..

Lieblich Gedact

56 56

25. Clarion

Choir Organ,
Feet.
Pipes,

C C to
31.

G.
Feet. Pipes.

26. 27.

Dulciana Bass

56

Hohl Flute

4
2

Treble/

32. Fifteenth 33. Piccolo

56 56

28. Viol di
29.
o.

Gamba

(C)
..
.

44
56 56

2
Various.

56
168

German Flute

Geigen Principal

Dulciana Mixture, 3 ranks 35. Cremona and Bassoon ..

34.

56

42

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

Pedal Organ,
Feet.

C C C to F,
38. 39.

30

notes.
Feet.

Pipes.

Pipes.

36. 37.

Grand Open Diapason Bourdon .. ,,

..
..

16
16

30 30

Grand Principal Bombardone ,,

. .

..16

30 30

Accessory Stops, CorpulcB,

40. Swell to Great. 41.
,,

iSi^c.

42. Swell to Choir. 43. Great to Pedals.

56.

44. 45.

Choir to Pedals.

Pedals.
55.

Great.

46 to

Composition Pedals.

Hydraulic Engine.

Total Number of

Pipes, 2422.

The Pneumatic Lever

Three

applied to Great and Swell Manuals.

pairs of Bellows,

worked by Hydraulic Engine or manual power.

The Front

Pipes of Spotted Metal.

The

interior

Metal Pipes composed

of 25 parts Tin to 75 of Lead.

The Case
Organ.

of carved Oak, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.

C, K. K. Bishop's " Simplified Pneumatic Action " applied to the Choir

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAND ORGAN

IN

THE

BUILT BY

Messrs.

BISHOP AND STARR.

CC to A,
11. 12. 1314. 15.

Great Organ, Compass

Feet.
1.

58

notes.
Feet.
Pipes.

Pipes.

2.

Sub Open Diapason Open Diapason

Bell Diapason

..16
. . . .

58

10. Fifteenth

2
..
..

3.

8
8
. . . .

4. Clarabella
5.

Stop'd Diapason
Principal

58 58 58 58 S^ 58

Block Flute
Sesquialtra,

4 ranks

58 58 232
174

Mixture, 3 ranks

o
4

Posaune
Clarion

6.
7.

58
1141

Wald

8.

Flute Hai-monic Flute

4
. . . .

8
3

9.

Twelfth

39 58

Swell Organ, Compass

Feet.
Pipes.

C C to

A, 58

notes.

16. 17. 18.

Double Diapason, Bass

..

16
16 8 8

12

Treble
.. ..

46
58

Open Diapason
Clarionette Flute

19. Salicional

20.

....

46 58
$8

21. Principal 22.

Keraulophon
..

4 4
2

23. Fifteenth

46 58
174

24. Sesquialtra, 3 ranks

44

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

Choir Organ
Feet.
Pipes.

continued.
Feet.
Pipes.

37. Metallic Flute 38. Viol

8
:

de

Gamba
. .

....
...

46 46
5^

39. Principal 40. German Flute

..

41.

Hohl Flute
Piccolo

4 4 4
2
2

Dulciana Mixture, 3 ranks 45. Bassoon, Bass .... Treble 46.

44.
47.

o
8 8 8

174
12

46
58

Cremona

46 46
822

42. Fifteenth 43.

58 58

Pedal Organ,
Feet.

C C C to
o
55. 56.
57.

E, 29 c/.
Feet.
Pipes.

Pipes.

48.
49.
50.

Space

for
.

Open Diapason, Metal

,,

32 16
i6
i5 l6 8

Fifteenth
Sesquialtra

41

,,

Wood

..

29

Mixture

4 o o
16

41

82 82 29
41

51.

Violon

29
41 41 41

58.
59.

Bombardone
Clarion

52.

Bourdon

53. Principal 54. Flute

497

Solo Organ,
60.

C C to

A, 58

notes.
Feet.
Pipes.

Tuba
Harmonique
. .

8 8

61. Flute

58 58

62.

Octave Tuba (prepared)

u6
Couplers.
63. Solo to Great.
64.
,,

67.

Swell to Choir. Swell

71. 72.
73.

Swell.

68. Solo to Pedals.

69. 70.
,, ,,

Choir to Pedals. Pedal super Octave.

Tremulant.

65. Swell to Great.

66.

Choir

,,

Great

74.

Steam.

Total Number of
Four Composition Pedals Three ,, ,,
to Choir.

Pipes, 3544.
to Swell.

Three Composition Pedals

,,
,,

Great.

Pedal Organ.

The Organ has four large pairs of Bellows, with different pressures of wind, operated upon by steam power.
is

This noble instrument is 24 ft. wide, 18 ft. deep, and 31 ft. high, and surrounded by large Metal Pipes, which for the present are left in their

metallic lustre.

The Case
to

is

a natural construction, in which ornamentation

is

intended

be

inserted.

GRAND ORGAN FOR THE TOWN HALL,

BOMBAY,
BxTiLT IN 1872.
From
Bombay.
the
'

Musical Standard^ September

is

i^th.

The

following

the description of the grand organ for the

Town

Bombay, the Messrs. Bishop and Starr

Hall,

gift
:

of Sir Albert David Sassoon, C.S.I., built by

Great Organ,
Feet.
1.

C C to
4.
5.

A, 58

notes.
Feet.
Pipes.

Pipes.

Sub Open Diapason

..

16

2.

3.

.. .. Open I)iapason Clarabella (open througli-1

8 8

58 58 58

out)

*:)

6.

Principal 4 5^ 116 Mixture (I2th and iSth).. Sesquialtra, 3 & 4 ranks) Various. 184

3&2

..

..

Solo Great Organ,

Feet.
7.

C C to A,
10.

58

notes.
Feet.

Pipes.
'^^
.c.

Pipes.

Bell Diapason (groovedl .. into No. 8) .. ../

Wald

Flute
.. ..

4
2

8. 9.

Harmonic Flute
Geigen Principal

....
..
..

^ 8

11.

$8 S^

12.
13.

Harmonic Piccolo Trumpet

Clarion

S8 58 58 58

The

Solo Organ

is

a higher pressure of wind.

on the same manual as the Great Organ, but is on The same Pneumatic Pallet acts on both

by means of a novel mechanical arrangement.

Swell Organ,
Feel.
14.

CC to A,

5S

notes.

Pipes.

Lieblich Bourdon

..

15.
16.

Open Diapason
Salicional

16 8

58

(grooved
..

8 8

46

No.
17.

IS)

Clarionette Flute 18. Principal 19. Lieblich Flute ..

46

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

Choir Organ,
Feet.

CC to A,

58

notes.
Feet.

Pipes.

Pipes.

26.

Dulciana

27. 28.
30.

Keraulophon Suabe Flute

8 8

29. Salicet

Hohl Flute

4 4

58 58 58 58 58

3>- Flageolet 32- Orchestral 3334-

Oboe C
\

..

..

2 8

58 46 58

Cremona

Bassoon Bass/

Fedal Organ,
Feet.

C C C to
30
37. 38. 39.

F, 30 notes.
Feet.
Pipes.

Pipes.

35. 36.

Grand
metal

Open

Diapason,\
/

'
,

Grand Bourdon
,,

Grand Open wood

Diapason,!
/

30

,,

Principal Fifteenth

16 8

30
30 30 30

4
16

40.

Bombardone

Couplers,
41. Swell to Great. 42. 43.
,,

etc.

Pedals. Choir.

44. Choir to Pedals. Great. 45. ,, 46. Great to Pedals.

47. Tremulant to Swell. 48. Sforzando.

49 to

57.

Composition Pedals.

Four pairs of bellows with pressures of wind varying from 2k to 5 inches. C. K. K. Bishop's Patent Simplified Pneumatic Actions applied to the Great and Swell Manuals. The interior metal pipes are of "Spotted Metal," except the Keraulophon and Orchestral Oboe, which contain a still higher percentage of tin. The exterior metal pipes are of zinc, which metal will better sustain the
shaking
it

will

experience in

its

long voyage.
is

The wood

pipes are

all

of

mahogany.
of mahogany, oak, and cedar, and is from the effects of changes of climate. The rollers are of tubular iron, the squares of gilded brass, and the wirework of a metal made expressly for this organ in place of the usual tinned iron wire, which speedily rusts in India. The bellows are provided with Messrs. Bishop and Starr's " Unalterable Pallet " for extreme climates, and all the leatherwork is poisoned to protect it from the attacks of white ants. An excellent performance was given on the organ by Mr. A. L. Tamplin, on Monday evening last. The programme was well chosen, and under
rest of the

The

woodwork

varnished throughout to protect

it

the skilful manipulation of this gentleman, the various resources of the

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

47

instrument were well displayed. An organ factory is rarely a good place wherein to test the merits of a new instrument nevertheless we have no
;

hesitation in saying that the quality of this organ

is

especially satisfactory.

The

and even, the reeds are bright, and the imitative stops are singularly piquant and successful. The new Patent Simplified Pneumatic Action, invented by Mr. Bishop,iun., which has been applied to the great and swell manuals, consists of a series of pneumatic pallets. It is just as effective as the usual well-known pneumatic action, but it is without its complication, takes up comparatively no room, requires but little wind, and of course is not so expensive as the old contrivance, the cost amounting to about a fourth of the latter.
is

foundation work

solid

The

dwellers in

Bombay owe a

debt of gratitude to Sir Albert Sasson

for this noble gift to their

Town

Hall.

'

The Graphic^ September 'itk.

Monday to come and hear an organ by Messrs. Bishop and Starr, and to be played upon by Mr. W. T. Best, attracted a large number of musical amateurs to the factory of this wellknown firm. The most noteworthy pieces in an excellent programme were Handel's Grand Organ Concerto, A major ; Bach's noble " Passacaglia C minor, on a Theme in the Pedal"; and the ever-welcome " Marche Funebre et Chant S^raphique," by Alex. Guilmant. Of the organ itself we can speak in unqualified praise. It is built with all the known modern improvements, many of which are invented by this firm, and fully sustains
The
invitations sent out for last
built

This instrument is the munificent gift of Sir its world-wide reputation. Albert David Sassoon, C.S.I., to the Town Hall at Bombay,' as a memento The "great organ" and of the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh in 1870.
"solo organ" have each a compass from CC to A, 58 notes, and are on the same manual, but the solo organ is on a higher pressure of wind. The " swell organ" and " choir organ" have also a compass from C C to A, 58 The notes, and the pedal organ a compass from CCC to F, 30 notes. interior metal pipes are of spotted metal, and the exterior are of zinc, as
zinc will better sustain the shaking it will receive during The wood pipes are all of mahogany, and the rest of the
its

long voyage.
is

woodwork

of

varnished throughout to protect it from The rollers are of tubular iron, the the effects of changes of climate.

mahogany, oak, and cedar, and

is

48

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

made
expressly for

squares of gilded brass, and the wirework of a metal

this organ, instead of the usual

tinned iron wire, which speedily rusts in

it

India.

All the leatherwork

is

poisoned to protect

from the ravages of

white ants.
'

The Guardian^ September nth.

The New Organ for the Bombay Town Hall.

London,
at the cost of

An
by

organ, built in

Bombay Jewish gentleman,

city, is
life,

to

be presented to the

Town

Hall of his native

so suggestive an illustration of the

that in itself
it

movea word
the

ments of modern Anglo-Indian

of passing notice.
is said,

calls for at least

The

offering of this

handsome

gift

Sir Albert

Sassoon

indeed, to have been prompted by the desire to

commemorate

But the munificence of the Sassoon family is hereditary ; and it may be assumed that if the Duke had not gone to India at all. Sir Albert would have found some other occasion for the exercise of his liberality. The organ is now finished, and has been played upon in public at Messrs. Bishop and Starr's manufactory in the Marylebone Road, by some of the most popular organists now in London, among others by Mr. Best and the two brothers Le Jeune. According to our notion as to what constitutes perfection of quality in an organ, Messrs. Bishop and Starr have completed as satisfactory a piece of workmanship as has ever been turned out by a London builder. An organ, according to our likings, should be distinguished by precisely that same unity of tone which
visit

of the

Duke

of Edinburgh to Bombay.

we expect in a pianoforte, and which is yielded by a complete orchestra when handled by the greatest masters. Every organ wherein there is a
predominance of brassiness, or of any
fails

class of stops, is so far faulty,

of impressing the

mind with

that sense of heroic grandeur in

and which the

This unity, accompanied with a sweetness, not of the and a complete roundness and fullness of quality, we have generally found in Messrs. Bishop's organs ; and in the present case these same qualities are quite as conspicuous as ever. Without being a monster organ, the pedal pipes being only on the i6-feet scale, it is quite large enough to give the builders ample scope for carrying out their conception, and it has a full sufficiency of the various solo stops in which the inventors It counts forty stops in all, and about 2350 pipes, of the day delight. including six complete sets of pedal pipes, each of them two octaves and a half in extent. The pneumatic action, for a new and more economical
organ stands alone.
sort,

cloying

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

49

form of which the builders have lately taken out a fresh patent, is appKed to the great and swell manuals, and the mechanism is of course such as would have sent a thrill of delight through the souls of Bach and Handel, accustomed as they were to the stiff and cumbrous machinery of their time. Without these facihties supplied by the modern organ, such playing as Mr. Best's would, we should suppose, be impossible. The rapid execution,
is unsurpassed, must have been out of Nothing could be finer than his playing of the PassacagUa,' in C minor, of Sebastian Bach with a theme given out on the pedals. Execution is, in fact, Mr. Best's great point. His phrasing is apt to become a little exaggerated, and he carries his old fondness for quickening and slackening the time in separate passages to an excessive extent. Phrasing on the organ is, undoubtedly, a more difficult art than upon the violin or the pianoforte, and to the older school of players it was almost unknown. Still, it is absolutely essential to a perfect performance, as it is the very life and soul of expression. In the same somewhat questionable taste, Mr. Best now and then indulges in a too liberal use of additional notes, by way of filling up the comparatively thin writings of the There can be no doubt, indeed, that Handel always old composers. designed his organ works, and his orchestral works, too, to be filled up But to a certain extent at the performer's or accompanyist's discretion. Mr. Best sometimes uses this liberty with, as we think, an excessive freedom, and the result is a sort of cloudiness and thickness of sound, impairing both melodies and harmonies, instead of enriching them. The playing of the young Le Jeunes is really as wonderful as ever, though, as the elder of the two must now be about eighteen years old, it is not so startling as when the musical world first heard Bach's most difficult fugues played by two boys so small that they were forced almost to jump from spot to spot in order to get at the keys on the manuals and the pedals. They are now steadily maturing, and promise some day to take the very highest rank as organ players. Each of them played two works of his own, extremely well written, and in the best style. Without any very striking originality in the way of melody, these compositions show a complete grasp of the resources of counter point, and are entirely free from those reminiscences into which young composers are apt to fall. Such playing is, no

especially with the feet, in which he

the question a hundred years ago.

'

doubt, not to be heard

young India take

in general ?

to

And the question naturally arises, will in Bombay. European organ playing as it takes to European culture

so

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

'

TIu Standard^ September yd.

organ, in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh's recent visit to that city. It has been built by Messrs. Bishop and Starr, of Marylebone Road, and is to be erected in the Town Hall of Bombay. The "great organ" and "solo great organ " have each a compass from C C to A, 58 notes, and are on the same manual, but the solo organ is on a higher pressure of wind. The " swell organ " and " choir organ " have also a compass from C C to A, 58 notes, and the pedal organ a compass from C C C to F, 30 notes. The interior metal pipes are of spotted metal, and the exterior are of zinc, as
zinc will better sustain the shaking
it

Organ for the Town Hall of Bombay. Sir member of the well-kaown Oriental firm has presented to the town of Bombay a magnificent
K.C.S.I., a

Albert Sassoon, Kt.,

of Sassoon and Co.,

will receive during its

long voyage.
is

The wood

pipes are

all

of mahogany, and the rest of the

is

woodwork
it

of

mahogany, oak, and cedar, and

varnished throughout to protect

from

the effects of changes of climate.

The

rollers are

of tubular iron, the

squares of gilded brass, and the wirework of a metal

this organ, instead of the usual tinned iron wire,

made

expressly for

which speedily rusts in India. AH the leatherwork is poisoned to protect it from the ravages of white ants. Although the machinery is not yet in perfect working order, select audiences were admitted to Messrs. Bishop and Starr's works on Saturday afternoon to hear a number of selections played by Master Percy Mull, and again in the evening by the brothers Le Jeune. Master Percy Mull is a young gentleman of twelve years of age, of the highest musical promise, the son of Mr. Mull, proprietor of 'The Times of India,' the leading daily journal published in Bombay, who himself was instrumental, some years ago, in bringing the Le Jeunes into notice. When Mr. Mull discovered the precious musical gift with which his own boy had been endowed, he provided for its careful cultivation, and the result has been that the young gentleman performed some of Bach's difficult music on
Saturday with the most perfect ease and accuracy,

NOTES ON CHURCH ORGANS.

'

51

Catholic Opinionl September ph.

Performance on the Grand Organ built by Messrs. Bishop and Starr for the Town Hall, Bombay. Favoured with an invitation, we

gladly accepted, on two of the evenings contained in the card of invitation, the opportunity of hearing this instrument. Among the visitors we observed

many

musical notables,

who

highly appreciated the taste displayed in the

selection of pieces, containing so

many

various and placid passages,

to

all

be had on this noble combination. The honours were certainly given to Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, Schmidt, Hesse, Gesler, &c., &c., to which no real lover of organ music would object. The occasion is opportune for drawing the attention of our readers to the fact that the same celebrated firm have built some of our finest organs, the one at the Oratory, Lincoln's Inn Fields, St. George's
well calculated to
off the

show

numerous mixtures

Cathedral,

S.

Monica's, and others.

the pleasure of hearing to our

Each of those mentioned we have had

great delight.

Organists

who

value the advantages to be derived from an

skill

instrument which will bring to light the

of their

own

manipulation
will,

adequately embelhshed by the readiness of a good mixture

if

we

hope,

about

selecting, give the preference to

it

a house so well deserving the

eminence

has so justly acquired.

'

The Tablet; September

\i,th.

Fine Arts.

The New Organ for Bombay. Messrs. Bishop and

Starr,

the builders of the magnificent organ presented by Sir Albert Sassoon to the Town Hall at Bombay, engaged last week the services of three eminent

show off the capabilities of the instrument at their works in Marylebone Road, when a numerous company attended by invitation. The new organ is one of great power and sweetness of tone, and worthy of the reputation of the eminent firm which have built organs for so many of our Catholic cathedrals and churches at home and in the colonies.
organists to

Besides Local, Country,

and Scientific Papers.

BISHOP AND STARR,

Organ Builders to Wer Majesty,
AND

W,R.H.

The Prince of Wales,

AND

HARLEY PLACE, JOHN STREET, EDGWARE ROAD,

LONDON,
N.W.

INVENTORS
OF THE

COMPOSITION PEDALS, ANTI-CONCUSSION VALVE.

ClEraMIa

airtr ai\i&x

Mai^n, dc,

tit.

BUILDERS OF THE LARGE ORGANS

The Oratory, Brompton.
St.

St. Giles's,

Camtaerwell.
Hall.

Anselm's, Lincoln's Inn

Fields.

Bonabay Cathedral.

Bombay Town
St. St.
etc., etc., etc.

St. St.

George's Cathedral. James's, Piccadilly.

Mary's, Nottingham. James's, Bermondsey.

LONDON

PlilSTED BV W. CLOWIiS

ASD

SONS,

STAMFORD STKEET AND CHAIUNO

CKOSS.