-
Tuning visits
Dominic and Edward have been in London visiting past triumphs. They spent an enjoyable few days tuning at Bermondsey, Bishopsgate, Aldgate and St Lawrence Whitchurch.
-
The keys at St James Bermondsey
A picture of the “console” at St James Bermondsey 1829 with its “finger” pedalboard on the bass side, tell tales/or manual and pedal bellows, GG compasses; reconstructed by Goetze and Gwynn in 2002.
-
1829 organ case at St James Bermondsey
1829 organ case at St James Bermondsey. For the recording the performers occupied the gallery in front of the organ.
-
Ritter von Neukomm at St James Bermondsey
The University of St Andrews have issued their CD of the 1815 Requiem by Sigismund Ritter von Neukomm which uses the 1829 JC Bishop organ at St James Bermondsey as an orchestra with an octet of brass (SAND0007) “Resonances of Waterloo” available from https://onlineshop.st-andrews.ac.uk/product-catalogue/gifts-and-souvenirs/music-cds/resonances-of-waterloo-cd
-
Ellie on work experience
Ellie Hagen cutting a mortice whilst on work experience with her dad, Nick Hagen.
-
Edward and Charles
Edward and his twin brother Charles making a speech at their 70th Birthday Party at Charles’s farm, Sandy Lane Farm, Thame http://www.sandylanefarm.net/
-
18th August
Edward and his twin brother Charles at their 70th Birthday party with Dominic celebrating his 65th Birthday on the same day. It is also the 42nd anniversary of Dominic’s first day as an organ builder and his first meeting with Edward who took him out to dinner with Edwards brother John and wife Sarah.
-
Handel House organ in Edinburgh
The organ which we made for the Handel House Museum in 1998 lives in St George’s Hanover Square, where it gets use for the annual London Handel Festival (http://www.london-handel-festival.com/) and occasionally for the church’s services. On August 13th it took part in a concert at the Usher Hall, part of the Edinburgh International Festival with John Butt directing the Dunedin Consort in Handel’s Samson (https://twitter.com/DunedinConsort). Stephen Farr played harpsichord and organ, including organ concerto movements during the intervals. It is now safely back in St George’s (https://twitter.com/mayfairparish/status/1029338841990262784)
-
Nick, Joe and Chris dismantling
Nick, Joe and Chris in the final stages of dismantling the 1866 Hill and Sons organ at Cockerham near Lancaster.
-
The Hill organ at Cockerham, Lancashire dismantled in the church awaiting collection.
The Hill organ at Cockerham, Lancashire dismantled in the church awaiting collection.
-
Edward defying his age
Edward defying his age on top of the swell box at Cockerham church
-
The Wingfield organ at St Cuthbert’s, Wells
The Bath and Wiltshire Organists Association organized a trip to Wells and Downside on July 7th and were captivated by the Wingfield organ in the north transept at St Cuthbert’s in Wells. There will be an open afternoon at St Cuthbert’s on Sunday August 5th, introducing the Wingfield organ at 2.00pm 3.00pm and 4.00pm, with Dominic Gwynn talking about the organ and David Cheetham playing music from the 16th century, and tea and cakes also available. For information about the organ see https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/the-wingfield-organ/ and https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/story-suffolk-fragments-making-tudor-organs-dominic-gwynn/
-
Dominic is on the mend!
Dominic had an operation for bladder cancer four weeks ago. It all happened suddenly and since I have not felt unwell it has all been a bit surreal. The operation itself was undignified and painful, and the recovery has felt slow, but the important thing is that the growths were ‘non-invasive’ and there are not likely to be long term effects. Treatment will stop at the end of July with the last dose of chemotherapy, in time for the dismantling of the 1867 Hill organ at St Michael’s Cockerham, our next restoration project.
-
John Harper playing the St Teilo organ
On May 23rd John Harper organized a study day for his doctoral students about sacred music and instruments in the first half of the seventeenth century in the early music centre at Birmingham University. John Harper is playing the St Teilo organ, with Bill Hunt an treble viol and Helen Roberts on Cornett. The picture was taken by Sally Wadsworth.
-
Edward visiting the organ at Ponsonby, new Zealand
Edward with Graham Davison and Gordon Binnie, at Ponsonby, New Zealand visiting the 1779 Avery Chamber organ he restored back in 2004, on his recent trip to New Zealand in April this year.
-
New handles on the consort organ
New handles, made by Joe, on the consort organ
-
Carving and keyboard detail
Carving and keyboard detail.
-
Pipe front and keyboard
The pipe front of the consort organ. It is an oak frame and carvings, with ripple sycamore dummy pipes. The keyboard is oak, with boxwood naturals and ebony sharps.
-
Consort organ is looking good!
The consort organ we are making is nearing completion and looking good!
-
Chris and William soldering pipes
Chris showing William how to solder pipes. William was on a weeks work experience with us.
-
The Finchcocks crew
Dick Burnett talking to Derek Adlam, Lawrence Peskett and Katrina Burnett. Lawrence is an architectural designer who spent many years working at Finchcocks and has designed the new music room for the Burnetts in Tunbridge Wells.
-
Derek Adlam and Katrina Burnett
Derek talking to Katrina, who was also celebrating her 80th birthday. The celebration included the achievements making new and restoring historic keyboard instruments of Adlam Burnett in their workshop at Finchcocks near Goudhurst in Kent. Chris Nobbs and Bruce Luckhurst were present from that time. The occasion also looked to the future, launching the Finchcocks Charity, which supports musical events using historic keyboard instruments. There is a website with information about the Richard Burnett Heritage Collection and the Charity at http://www.finchcocks.co.uk/index.html
-
Derek’s 80th birthday celebration
On Sunday May 20th Dominic took Derek Adlam to an 80th birthday celebration at Dick and Katrina Burnett’s house in Tunbridge Wells. Derek is the doyen of early piano and harpsichord makers in the UK, who used to occupy the workshop next to ours at Welbeck.
-
Nick fixing the new red silk
Nick fixing the red silk to the spandrels of the pipe front, between the frame and the oval pipe front.
-
Samuel Green chamber organ at Edith Weston
In 1981 Martin and Dominic carried out their first restoration project on the 1786 Samuel Green chamber organ in the church at Edith Weston. The main concern then was to reverse the effects of damp and corrosion, and much was left unrestored, including the finish of the case. Now the pipe front has been restored by Nick Hagen with brass chicken wire and red silk, paid for by 2 Medical Regiment who are leaving MOD North Luffenham, which is closing.
-
Wingfield organ at St Cuthbert’s, Wells
David Cheetham Tudor organist, and members of the congregation gathering for a service at St Cuthbert’s in Wells, devised by our vicar the Revd. Sam Denyer to mark the stations of the Resurrection in the Easter season. David played the Wingfield organ, including a piece of Frescobaldi to mark the end of the service.
-
Chris leathering pallets
Chris cutting the new leather for the pallets of the Horniman Museums ca1790 chamber organ
-
Nick carving for the organ front
Nick carving for the front of the 17th century style consort organ
-
Edward hinging ribs
Edward hinging ribs to make the bellows folds for the 17th century style consort organ
-
Ben Marks working on the Horniman Museum organ
Ben Marks, keyboard instrument conservator http://keyboardconservation.co.uk/Home.html has been working with us for a week, sponsored by the HLF and the Horniman Museum. He has restored the keyboard of the ca1790 anon. chamber organ, and the key action.
