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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.
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Wyck Rissington pedal keys
Wyck Rissington pedal keys
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Nick working on the pedal keys
Nick fitting new leather to the pedal keys from the 1882 Bevington organ at Wyck Rissington Gloucestershire.
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Edward working on the swell chest
Edward fitting re-leathered pallets to the swell chest from the 1867 hill organ at Cockerham.
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Chris working on the Bourdon
Chris re-fitting the tuning stoppers in the Hill organ Bourdon from Cockerham.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
