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Christmas card 2018
2018 Christmas card from Goetze and Gwynn Ltd
Please click on the link to view the Christmas card
THE 1788 JOHANNES PRAUSE ORGAN AT REICHESDORF IN TRANSYLVANIA
In 2018 the restoration was completed by Hermann Binder, organ builder of Hermannstadt/Sibiu in Romania, with the assistance of Bartis Szabolcs in Gheorgheni, and from G&G at the beginning and completion of the project. The organ was built by Johannes Prause, a Prussian organ builder who settled in Saxon Transylvania, where he built a number of organs. This one was built in 1788, in the late 14th century church in Reichesdorf/Richiş, which was Lutheran from the Reformation and is filled with galleries, benches and banners. The organ was rebuilt by Karl Einschenk in 1909 with a reversed console and pipework transposed to give a more romantic stoplist.
It has been restored to the situation in 1788, with new keyboard and stop knobs in the original style, new bellows using the original leaves, and the pipes returned to their original positions. The organ has one keyboard and pedal pulldowns, with short compass C/E – c³. There are 12 stops; a principal chorus with Mixtur IV and Rauschpfeife II, stopped flutes at 8’ and 4’, and an open flute at 2’, a narrow-scaled Salicet 8’ and tapered Fugara 4’, with a Subbass 16’ (also available on pedal pulldowns). It was built to lead the congregation’s singing, but also to provide colour for preludes and voluntaries, some of which were heard at the opening concert by Liv Müller organist from Mediasch. A report can be found at www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/reports/
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
2018from
Martin Goetze and Dominic Gwynn ltd -
Edward setting up the key action frame and keyboards
Edward setting up the key action frame and keyboards for the Cockerham organ
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Nick fitting the concussion bellows
Nick fitting the concussion bellows as the Cockerham organ is being assembled
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Nigel Church organ in the new building for the Diocese of Leeds Music Department
On Tuesday December 4th, Nick and Dominic took a 5 stop Nigel Church practice organ of 1981 to the new music school in the vacated building next to the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Leeds. For the wonderful work being carried out by Ben Saunders and his colleagues for church music in the diocese of Leeds, see their website http://www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk/ The organ is being played by an organ scholar, Anthony Beckwith who helped us with the installation of the organ.
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Lèse Majesté
Dominic and Edward (presumptuously occupying the Provost’s chair (sorry CHAIR) in the Public Theatre, admire the work of their team. The organ builders were all present, Nick Hagen, Joe Marsden and Chris Davies. I am sorry not to have a group photograph.
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David Grayson addressing the audience
Before the concert the audience were addressed by the Provost Patrick Prendergast, emeritus Professor of Chemistry David Grayson and Professor Andrew Johnstone from the School of Music. David was the chairman of the organ committee, and was largely responsible for bringing the project to completion (https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/inaugural-organ-concert-and-restoration/)
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Inaugural concert at Trinity College Dublin
On Friday November 30th Malcolm Proud and David Adams gave a wonderful concert on the new organ in the Public Theatre at Trinity College Dublin, with music by William Byrd, Clérambault, Boyce, Distler, Nivers and J.S.Bach, to a packed hall. It was the organ’s first concert, though the university ceremonies have been accompanied by the organ throughout the year.
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Handel fugues and Cannons anthems at St Lawrence Whitchurch
On Saturday November 24th a concert was given by Alastair Ross and the London Handel Orchestra in the church of St Lawrence Whitchurch of fugues by Johann Krieger and Handel, and the Te Deum in B flat written for Cannons and the anthem “The Lord is my Light”. The choral music was all written 300 years ago, and performed in this church. Dominic explained to the audience how close the 1994 organ is the organ Handel knew. The concert was attended by members of the Handel Institute (https://handelinstitute.org/), who had the previous day had a performance of an aria recently acquired by the British Library, on whose autograph score there was a note describing Handel’s debt to Johann Krieger as a writer of fugues, hence the combination of Krieger and Handel fugues on the organ on the 24th (https://www.bl.uk/events/celebrating-handel)
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Re-leathering the reservoir on Cockerham
Nick preparing the reservoir from the Cockerham organ for re-leathering
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An old version
Chris trying out an old version of Stuart’s press, which used to belong to the late Roger Jubb of Gainsborough and now belongs to Stuart.
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The finished result
The finished result.
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Chris continuing….
The surplus has been cut off and the insert is place back into the mould to finish it.
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Chris inserting the arm and the new leather insert into a press
Chris is inserting the arm and the new leather insert into a press loaned to us by Stuart Dobbs, with our shaped moulds which have a pin in the bottom mould for the hole into which the action wire is fitted.
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Chris soaking the leather in polish
We are restoring the 1867 Hill & Son organ at Cockerham near Lancaster. As usual, the leather inserts in the metal roller arms and squares have perished, and have to be replaced. They are made of leather, soaked in polish, inserted in the hole in the arm, and moulded in a press to give a domed shape on either side of the arm. The result is excellent but requires special equipment and is undoubtedly time-consuming. Here Chris is soaking the leather in the polish.
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Joe soldering
Here he is soldering one of the tinned brass rods to the bottom of the resonator (from the Great Trumpet)
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Joe preparing rod to strengthen bass reed resonators
The larger reed resonators at St James Bermondsey (J.C.Bishop 1829) have been collapsing for some years now, so Joe is strengthening them, with three brass rods soldered to the lower end of each resonator to stop them bending. Here he is tinning the brass rod in preparation for soldering.
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Wetheringsett organ moving to Ludlow
Nick, Joe and Chris moved the Wetheringsett organ from St Swithin’s, Worcester to St Lawrence’s, Ludlow yesterday. This picture is in it’s new home at Ludlow, but only partly together, it was a long day…….
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Swell chest and pipes
The restored swell windchest with the pipes, so we can make sense of what has survived and what needs to be made new, and which pipes are played by each key.
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The organ builders, friends and colleagues at Reichesdorf
Willi Untch, last resident member of a large Reichesdorf family, Liv Müller the organist, Hermann Binder organ builder, Toni Timmerman, hostess at La Curtea Richvini, fixer and friend to us all, Dominic, Edward, Alex son of Liv and godson of Hans Schaas, Joe and Chris, in convivial mood
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Hans Schaas listening to Pfr. Ulf Ziegler’s sermon
Hans Schaas is ‘the last Saxon in Reichesdorf’, curator of the church, guide to Reichesdorf, and teller of tall tales. A youtube film can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs37j5oYQac
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Hermann Binder and Joe staying the pipes of the Subbas 16ft
Hermann has been the main organ builder in Romania, from Sibiu/Hermannstadt keeping its organs going through bad times and worse times. He did most of the work on this restoration project, with Szabolc Bartis of Gheorgheni restoring the metal pipes, the wind chest and the bellows. We worked together for the final week, in friendly cooperation.
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Willi Untch thanking the organbuilders and presenting them with mementos of Richis
Willi Untch thanking the organbuilders and presenting them with mementos of Richis
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Parish meal in the Village Hall at Richis
Parish meal in the Village Hall at Richis
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Liv Müller playing the organ
Liv is responsible for playing the organ at services in the Lutheran churches round Mediasch. She accompanied the service, choir and congregation, and played a lovely concert afterwards, with Edward contributing one piece.
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Einweihung der Orgel
Looking eastwards in the church at Richis during the service inaugurating the restored organ, with the service taken by Pfarrer Ulf Ziegler from Mediasch
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Restoration of 1788 Prause organ at Richis/Reichesdorf
With Hermann Binder we have just completed the restoration of the 1788 Johannes Prause organ in the Lutheran church at Richis/Reichesdorf Romania. The final stages have apparently taken a long time to sort out, and our visit was intended to act as a catalyst to the completion of the project. Here the choir from Mediasch are singing at the inauguration service and concert.
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Picture through the top of the organ
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Francois picture through the top of the consort organ on Dominic inspecting the evenness of his voicing.
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The consort organ with the front removed
The consort organ with the front removed and the wooden pipes revealed.
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The new consort organ
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Francois photograph of the almost finished organ which is based on the ca1630 organs at Staunton Harold and Smithfield Virginia.
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Francois Ryelandt viewing the new consort organ
Francois Ryelandt visiting the workshop to view the new consort organ.