Blog
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Restored pneumatic motors
Restored pneumatic motors for the key and the stop actions. In these automatic instruments everything has to work properly, or Tannhäuser will not be as it should be
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Joe working on the key action
Joe working through the restored pneumatic mechanism, and making adjustments.
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Paper rolls of music
In 1862 the organ would have had barrels and a clockwork mechanism, but it was changed to a pneumatic action with paper rolls in about 1900. The reward was the large amount of music available, whole movements of symphonies, operatic overtures, etc.
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Imhof & Mukle organ 1862
The flute organ is by Imhof & Mukle, but actually made by F. Heine in Vöhrenbach Baden 1862
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Collecting the Orchestrion
Dominic and Joe moving the mechanism of Henry Bennett’s Flute Organ (Orchestrion) into the van. It originally belonged to Henry and Edward’s great grandfather, and was brought back to playing condition by Henry about 60 years ago!
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Wingfield organ at Fotheringhay church: May 25th concert
There will be a concert of music that might have been sung and played in Fotheringhay church (near Oundle) during the 16th century, on May 25th, sung by the Alamire Consort directed by David Skinner, and the organ played by James Parsons. Tickets from the Oundle International Festival box office, more information on https://www.warmingtonbenefice.org.uk/latest-articles/fotheringhay–echoes-of-the-plantagenets.php
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In memory of Bernd Fischer
We heard that we have lost Bernd Fischer last week, one of the finest craftsmen and maker of harpsichords which came as close as they could get to perfection. He was our neighbour, sharing a workshop with Derek Adlam. We learnt so much from him. Perhaps the greatest benefit of moving our workshop to Welbeck …
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Santiago De Compostela 3
The 1865 Ramon Cardama inscription revealed by Chris Wells when he restored the paintwork of the case.
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Santiago de Compostela 2
This notice records the Franciscan friar who rebuilt the organ, not that his idea of organ building would have been accepted by the rest of the trade
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Santiago de Compostela 1
Edward and Dominic revisited the 1709 Manuel de la Vina/1865 Ramon Cardama organ at the convent of Santa Clara in Santiago de Compostela, for a maintenance check and tuning. This notice recalls the completion of the restoration in 2004, with the team of organ builders, Chris Wells who restored the finish of the case, Carol …
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With restored front pipes
Finished : with restored front pipes
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Great inside pipework and music desk
Stage seven : Great inside pipework and music desk
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Pedal pipes and swell box shutters
Stage six : Pedal pipes and swell box shutters
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Manual keys,…..
Stage five : Manual keys, key actions and stop actions; the case going together
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Swell box and ….
Stage four : Swell box and flue ranks, rollerboards, wind trunks and front pipe conveyances
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Great and swell windchests and keybed
Stage three : Great and Swell windchests and keybed
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Support frame and bellows
Stage two : Support frame and bellows
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Examining the site
Putting an organ back together : 1867 Hill & Son organ at St Michael and All Angels Cockerham : stage one, examining the site!
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the completed organ
The completed organ at Cockerham
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the team
The team including Pete and Dave the from Ballards and on the right Rod England director of the project for the church.
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Filling the church with organ stuff!
Filling the church with organ stuff
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Ballards delivering the organ.
Ballards at Cockerham (murky weather but thank goodness the rain held off for two hours).
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39th birthday on 1st April
It was Goetze and Gwynn’s 39th Birthday on 1st April!! Edward and Dominic were in Santiago De Compostela, at the Convent of Santa Clara tuning the organ they restored there back in 2003.
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Warmth…..at last!!
Following a very cold January with broken heaters, we have finally had a new heating system installed in February, warmth at last!!
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Edward testing for the weight of the counter balances of the swell stop action
Edward testing for the weight of the counter balances of the swell stop action
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Chris Wells revealing previous decorative schemes on the front pipes
Chris Wells revealing previous decorative schemes on Cockerham front pipes
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Chris casting counter balance weights for the Cockerham swell stop action
Chris casting counter balance weights for the Cockerham swell stop action
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The completed oak grained lower case
Nick’s completed oak grained lower case
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Cockerham case panels and frames oak grained and ready for fitting
Cockerham case panels and frames oak grained and ready for fitting.
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Cockerham woodwork being prepared for wood graining
Cockerham woodwork being prepared for wood graining
