| Parish of Colwyn Bay |
Specification & Brief History of the Organ at St Paul's Parish Church Colwyn Bay the following account was compiled and written by Mr Les Slater - who was an Assistant Organist at St. Pauls, sadly now deceased. ST PAUL�S ORGAN, COLWYN BAY Introduction The first stage of the organ was built by Peter Connacher and Son in 1888 and finalised in 1891 when the nave was built. It was rebuilt by John Cowin in 1960. In compiling this history I have received much information from the Local Library and from various Documents from St Paul�s including old magazines and PCC minutes and I am grateful to the librarian and to Canon John Evans for their help. I am also greatly indebted to Arthur Mostyn for his valuable reminiscences and showing me some of his old documents. Peter Woods who originally worked for Connachers has also given me much useful information. I have summarised the history to date and have included the major events of the building of the church structure. An organ is an instrument that is vitally dependent on the acoustics of the building in which it is placed. In fact the building and its �furniture� can be considered to be an integral part of the instrument itself. The fitting of a carpet throughout the church in 1980 significantly reduced the quality of the original acoustics for the organ and choir. Les Slater, October 2000 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ORGAN 1871 The first service in what was to become the parish of Colwyn Bay took place on 18th June 1871 in, most appropriately, a carpenter's shop in Ivy Street opposite the present site. 1872 A Mission Room was erected on the present site and opened on 18th June 1872. 1880 An Iron and Timber Church replaced the Mission Room and was opened on 23rd June 1880. 1886 The Church was destroyed by fire on 31st October 1886 and the building of the present stone church was started. 1888 The completed Nave of the present stone building, including the Aisles & Transepts, was consecrated on 13th July 1888. The total cost was �4,784:5s:3d helped by a sum of �1,386:1s:10d from the fire insurers for the old "iron" church plus sums donated by other benefactors. Peter Connacher & Co of Huddersfield built the first stage of the organ in the nave, the chancel not yet built. Their quotation for the organ shows �550 plus �50 for a hydraulic motor (�excluding plumbing�). The console with 3 manuals, in preparation for the final stage, and part pedal pipes etc. was installed. The specification is given in Appendix A. This includes details for the final organ, which was completed in 1891. There was provision for choir pipes, extra pedals and a Gamba & Trumpet on the Great. At the time it was one of the largest organs in the country. In the absence of our current technology such a size had been limited by the physical impossibility of playing such instruments. Connachers overcame this by incorporating 2 Barker Lever engines. These assisted the tracker action (Couplers?) thus enabling this large organ to be built (& played!). The opening recital was given by William Herbert Jude (37). He was the organist of Bluecoat Hospital Liverpool and of the Town Hall Stretford. This recital was given in two parts, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening separated by �hospitality�. The first Organist appointed for St Paul�s was Dr Venables Williams, organist of �Bangor Cathedral Trained Choir� at a stipend of �50/annum. 1891 The organ was converted to the full 3 manuals & pedals. An extra hydraulic motor was installed. The revised specification (as indicated in the original specification) is given in Appendix B. At this stage the cost of the organ totalled �1,071. The opening recital on the final stage of completion of the organ was given in May by William Thomas Best (65), a very famous organist of St George�s Hall Liverpool and of Wallasey Parish Church. He arranged much orchestral music for organ; indeed most organists will have some of his music in their collection. 1893 Colwyn Bay Parish was formed. Previously it had been part of the parish of Llandrillo. 1895 The chancel was completed and the organ was moved to its new position in the chancel. The chancel was consecrated on 7th April 1895. 1926 It is believed that a major overhaul was carried out and the hydraulic blowers replaced by an electric blower. Details awaited from David Wood (AC electricity was first generated in Ivy Street on the 30th Nov 1923). 1931 Morton Bailey was appointed Organist/Choirmaster at the age of 46. He served for 32 years and until illness interrupted it is said he had not missed a service for 29 years. The music at St Paul�s reached a very high standard due to his effective work as a choirmaster. He gave many recitals, generally after evensong. He died in 1945 and is buried in Llandrillo-yn-Rhos Churchyard 1945 Freddie Owen Smallfield was appointed Organist/Choirmaster. 1948 Frank Jewell from St George�s, Rhos succeeded Freddie Smallfield. In 1954/5 he moved to St Helen�s Parish church. After 1 month he moved back to North Wales taking up the post at St Paul�s Craig-y-Don. 1954 A J Fairlie (Jack) was appointed Organist/Choirmaster. He held the post until 1991 when illness forced him to give up. (He was born in October 1909 and died on the 20th June 1999.). 1959 The organ was found to have major problems, probably arising out of subsidence due to a hidden watercourse under the chamber. The delicate action was affected and caused many problems. The cost to rectify/rebuild was estimated to be in excess of �5,000. 1960 The rebuild contract was awarded to John H Cowin & Co. of Liverpool for �3,000. Unfortunately this lower price was reflected in poor standard and far from retaining the high quality materials & pipework of Connachers they used inferior materials and methods. Many changes to the pipes were unsympathetic and some high quality pipes were lost. Their siting of the console in the south transept was unhelpful. They contracted the wiring to a local Electrical Engineering firm. Most of the wiring was in fact carried out by the late Gordon Parkes a skilled electrician, who happened to be my second cousin. He told me that he had been concerned that he had no experience of the specialised organ building standards required and had been given little guidance. The quality of the wiring was fine but the resulting absence of standard organ building practice meant that maintainability was jeopardised. See Appendix C for the revised organ specification (still current). 1980 Underfloor heating and the carpet were fitted. Wonderful for comfort and aesthetics but not for the organ and choir acoustics. 1988 Gerald Littlewood from Cheetham, Manchester was appointed Choirmaster � initially assisting Jack Fairlie but soon effectively becoming Musical Director. Although he didn�t play the keyboard he was an excellent musician. Indeed he founded the musical department at Cheetham. Not only was he a capable violinist he also �created� violins (somehow neither the word �manufactured� nor �made� seems to do do justice to the skills involved). Many eminent musicians were among his customers. The choir flourished under his capable hands. He resigned in 1991 and died in 1998. 1989 Having retired from EMI in Hayes Les Slater came back to his native Wales. He had been Organist/Choirmaster in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire and at St Michael�s, Watford for many years. He was appointed to assist Jack Fairlie whose health was deteriorating. 1991 Both Jack Fairley and Gerald Littlewood resigned and Les Slater was appointed Organist/Choirmaster. On the 3rd February organ problems arose due to wood drying out due to unusually low humidity. The slides and soundboards were seriously affected. The slides were warping & sticking. The results were disastrous, notes or ranks missing or worse, cyphers. Emergency repairs were carried out. 1994 Stuart Robinson, an excellent organist, was appointed Organist/Choirmaster with Les Slater assisting 1995 Problems continued with the organ and various reports were generated on proposals for action. These were in the �100K region. However, Graham Eccles, the diocesan organ adviser, considered the instrument to be worth preserving and suggested a prioritised phased approach. 2000 On the 19th March the problems with missing notes, speed of response, sticking stop slides and tuning were very severe. More serious were reed cyphers, which occurred several times during the service. Turning the organ off and on stopped these but was not very acceptable during the service! The final voluntary had to be abandoned. Allan Organs gave a demonstration of an electronic instrument and quoted in the region of �50,000 to �55,000. Graham Eccles, the St Asaph Cathedral organist and current organ adviser insisted that if this was adopted then the existing pipe organ must be preserved in-situ without any interference with soundboards or pipework. Stuart Robinson left to take up the post of organist/choirmaster at St Paul�s Craig-y-Don. His last service at Colwyn Bay was the 2nd July 2000. John Mort was appointed organist from July 2000. APPENDIX A ORIGINAL SPECIFICATION 1888 The details are copied from Peter Connachers manuscript quotation. Note: The pipes and last column in bold refer to additions and changes to be made later (1891) as prepared for. CC to A, 58 notes GREAT ORGAN Double Open Diapason (12 closed) Wood & Metal 16ft 58 pipes Large Open Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Slide for Small Open Diapason 8ft 58 pipes To be added Dulciana (*Gamba) Metal 8ft 58 pipes Gamba (Dulciana to Choir) Stopped Diapason Wood 8ft 58 pipes Flute Harmonique Metal 4ft 58 pipes Principal Metal 4ft 58 pipes Twelfth Spotted Metal 22/3ft 58 pipes Fifteenth Spotted Metal 2ft 58 pipes Slide for Mixture 3 Ranks 174 pipes To be added Clarionet (*Trumpet) Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Trumpet (Clarionet to Choir) *Note: Slides No 4 & 11 will be large enough for a Gamba and Trumpet respectively. SWELL ORGAN - FIRST DIVISION Lieblich Bourdon Wood 16ft 58 pipes Open Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Rohr Gedacht Metal & Wood 8ft 58 pipes Salicional Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Voix C�lestes Spotted Metal 8ft 46 pipes *Vox Humana Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes See note below Gemshorn Metal 4ft 58 pipes Flageolet Metal 2ft 58 pipes Cornopean Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Oboe Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Tremulant � The Vox Humana will be transferred to the choir organ and will be replaced with a Vox Angelica. SWELL ORGAN � SECOND DIVISION ON OTHER SIDE Soundboard and pipes to be added at some future time and trunked from reservoir No 2 Heavy Pressure. Fl�te Octaviante Metal 4ft 58 pipes To be added Mixture 4 ranks Metal 232 pipes To be added Contra Fagotta Spotted Metal 16ft 58 pipes To be added Clarion Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes To be added CHOIR & SOLO ORGAN Soundboard and Pipes to be added at some future time. The Choir Organ keys to be put in at first. Lieblich Gedact Wood 16ft 58 pipes To be added Violin Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes To be added Flauto Traverso Wood 8ft 58 pipes To be added Dulciana (from Great)* Metal 8ft 58 pipes To be added String Gamba Pure Tin 8ft 58 pipes To be added Fl�te � Chemin�e Metal 4ft 58 pipes To be added Piccolo Harmonique Metal 2ft 58 pipes To be added Clarionet (from Great)* Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes To be added *Note: A Gamba 8ft & a Trumpet 8ft would be put on the Great Organ in place of Dulciana & Clarionet when the organ would be completed. PEDAL ORGAN, CCC TO F, 30 NOTES Open Diapason Wood 16ft 30 pipes Bourdon Wood 16ft 30 pipes Quint 102/3ft 30 pipes To be added. Violoncello Metal 8ft 30 pipes Trombone Metal 16ft 30 pipes To be added. Trumpet Metal 8ft 30 pipes To be added. COUPLERS Swell to Great Swell to Pedals Great to Pedals Swell to Choir To be added Choir to Pedals To be added GENERAL Four Composition Pedals to the Great Organ Four Composition Pedals to the Swell Organ Case. Two fronts of Pitch Pine as per enclosed design Front pipes to be decorated in gold & colours. The building frame to be arranged for the completed three manual organ. All three manuals to put in at first, so that the keys, draw stops, couplers & pedals may be in the position fixed upon by the College of Organists. The very best old well seasoned materials to be used in the construction of this organ. The workmanship to be of the highest class. The voicing to be carefully and artistically executed. The metal to contain 35% of Refined English Tin. The �Spotted Metal� to contain 50% of Refined English Tin. Completed in the Church, carriage and all expenses of erection, included for the sum of Five Hundred and Fifty Pounds. �550:0s:0d Conacher & Co ESTIMATE FOR HYDRAULIC ENGINE We would supply one of Speight�s Patent Hydraulic Engines, with specially constructed Engine Bellows, Feeders, Regulating Reservoir, Rolling (pallit??), Regulating Valve, Fixings, Trunks to organ bellows & complete (except the plumbing work) for the sum of Fifty Pounds. �50:s0:0d Conacher & Co. APPENDIX B SPECIFICATION AS COMPLETED IN 1891 The organ was finally moved to the organ chamber on the North Chancel in 1895 as the church building progressed. Various notes refer to additions and changes from the 1888 organ. Details are derived from Connachers manuscript quotation and Musical Opinion June 1891. MANUALS CC TO A, 58 NOTES GREAT ORGAN Double Open Diapason (12 closed) Wood & Metal 16ft 58 pipes Large Open Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Small Open Diapason 8ft 58 pipes Added Gamba Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added (Dulciana moved to Choir) Stopped Diapason Wood 8ft 58 pipes Flute Harmonique Metal 4ft 58 pipes Principal Metal 4ft 58 pipes Twelfth Spotted Metal 22/3ft 58 pipes Fifteenth Spotted Metal 2ft 58 pipes Mixture 3 Ranks III various Added Trumpet Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added (Clarionet moved to Choir) SWELL ORGAN - FIRST DIVISION Lieblich Bourdon Wood 16ft 58 pipes Open Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Rohr Gedacht Metal & Wood 8ft 58 pipes Salicional Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Voix C�lestes Spotted Metal 8ft 46 pipes Gemshorn Metal 4ft 58 pipes Flageolet Metal 2ft 58 pipes Cornopean Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Oboe Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Vox Angelica Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added (Vox humana to Choir) Tremulant SWELL ORGAN � SECOND DIVISION ON OTHER SIDE (Trunked from reservoir No 2 Heavy Pressure) Fl�te Octaviante Metal 4ft 58 pipes Added Mixture 4 ranks Metal IV various Added Contra Fagotta Spotted Metal 16ft 58 pipes Added Clarion Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added CHOIR & SOLO ORGAN Lieblich Gedact Wood 16ft 58 pipes Added Violin Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added Flauto Traverso Wood 8ft 58 pipes Added Dulciana (from Great) Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added String Gamba Pure Tin 8ft 58 pipes Added Fl�te � Chemin�e Metal 4ft 58 pipes Added Piccolo Harmonique Metal 2ft 58 pipes Added Clarionet (from Great) Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Added Vox humana 8ft 58 pipes From Swell PEDAL ORGAN, CCC TO F, 30 NOTES Open Diapason Wood 16ft 30 pipes Bourdon Wood 16ft 30 pipes Quint 102/3ft 30 pipes Added. Violoncello Metal 8ft 30 pipes Trombone Metal 16ft 30 pipes Added. Trumpet Metal 8ft 30 pipes Added. COUPLERS Swell to Great Swell to Pedals Great to Pedals Swell to Choir Added Choir to Pedals Added GENERAL Four Composition Pedals to the Great Organ Four Composition Pedals to the Swell Organ Case. Two fronts of Pitch Pine as per enclosed design Front pipes decorated in gold & colours. The initial building frame was arranged for this completed three manual organ. All three manuals had been put in at first, so that the keys, draw stops, couplers & pedals were in the position fixed upon by the College of Organists. The very best old well-seasoned materials were used in the construction of this organ. The workmanship of the highest class. The voicing carefully and artistically executed. The metal contains 35% of Refined English Tin. The �Spotted Metal� contains 50% of Refined English Tin. Completed in the Church, carriage and all expenses of erection, included for the sum of Five Hundred and Fifty Pounds. �550-0-0. Conacher & Co ESTIMATE FOR HYDRAULIC ENGINE To supply one of Speight�s Patent Hydraulic Engines, with specially constructed Engine Bellows, Feeders, Regulating Reservoir, Rolling (pallit??), Regulating Valve, Fixings, Trunks to organ bellows & complete (except the plumbing work) for the sum of Fifty Pounds. �50-0-0 Conacher & Co. APPENDIX C SPECIFICATION AFTER REBUILD BY JOHN COWIN IN 1960 Various notes refer to changes to the 1991 specification shown in Appendix B. MANUALS CC TO A, 58 NOTES GREAT ORGAN Double Open Diapason (12 closed) Wood & Metal 16ft 58 pipes Open Diapason I Metal 8ft 58 pipes Open Diapason II 8ft 58 pipes Dolce Metal 8ft 58 pipes Gamba revoiced Stopped Diapason Wood 8ft 58 pipes Flute Harmonique Metal 4ft 58 pipes Principal Metal 4ft 58 pipes Twelfth Spotted Metal 22/3ft 58 pipes Fifteenth Spotted Metal 2ft 58 pipes Mixture 3 Ranks 174 pipes Trumpet Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Clarion 4ft 58 pipes Added SWELL ORGAN (ENCLOSED) Lieblich Bourdon Wood 16ft 58 pipes Geigen Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Was Open Diapason Rohr Flute Metal & Wood 8ft 58 pipes Was Rohr Gedacht Salicional Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Vox C�leste Spotted Metal 8ft 46 pipes Octave Metal 4ft 58 pipes Was Gemshorn Flut Octaviante Spotted Metal 4ft 58 pipes Was Vox Angelica 8ft Twelfth Metal 2Bft 58 pipes Flageolet Metal 2ft 58 pipes Mixture 4 ranks Metal IV various Contra Fagotta Spotted Metal 16ft 58 pipes Oboe Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Cornopean Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Clarion Spotted Metal 4ft 58 pipes Tremulant CHOIR ORGAN (ENCLOSED) Violin Diapason Metal 8ft 58 pipes Flauto Traverso Wood 8ft 58 pipes Dulciana Metal 8ft 58 pipes Gamba Pure Tin 8ft 58 pipes Fl�te � Chemin�e Metal 4ft 58 pipes Gemshorn 4ft 58 pipes New Nazard 22/3ft Replaced Lieblich Gedact (Wood) 16ft Piccolo Harmonique Metal 2ft 58 pipes Clarionet Spotted Metal 8ft 58 pipes Was Clarionet Tuba 8ft 58 pipes New Chimes Tubular 8ft New PEDAL ORGAN, CCC TO F, 30 NOTES Sub Bass 32ft Added Open Bass Wood 16ft 30 pipes Was Open Diapason Violone 16ft 12 notes bottom octave added Bourdon Wood 16ft 30 pipes Lieblich Bourdon 16ft Transferred from Choir Quinta 102/3ft 30 pipes Bourdon extended. (Quint removed) Violoncello Metal 8ft 30 pipes Octave 8ft Added Flute 8ft Bourdon extended. Octave Flute 4ft Bourdon extended. Trombone Metal 16ft 30 pipes Trumpet Metal 8ft 30 pipes Trombone extended. (Trumpet removed) COUPLERS (LUMINOUS STOP TOUCHES ABOVE SWELL KEYBOARD) Swell to Pedals Great to Pedals Choir to Pedals Swell to Great Swell to Sub Octave Added Swell Octave Added Swell Unison Off Added Swell to Choir Choir to Great Added Choir Sub Octave Added Choir Octave Added Choir Unison Off Added Great to Pedal Combinations Added THUMB PISTONS IN KEYBOARD JAMBS Swell Jamb One Swell to Pedal (reverser). Five Composition pistons for Swell Organ. Great Jamb One Swell to Great (reverser). One Great to Pedal (reverser). Five Composition pistons for Great Organ. Also sets Pedal combinations dependant on Combination Piston setting. One piston for Pedal Trombone (reverser) Choir Organ One Choir to Pedal (reverser). Five Composition pistons for Choir Organ. PEDAL TOE PISTONS Left side Five Composition pistons for Swell Organ. Right Side Five Composition pistons for Great Organ or Pedals dependant on Combination Piston. GENERAL Balanced Expression Pedal for Choir. Balanced Expression Pedal for Swell. Crescendo Pedal. Setter Switches for Combination Pistons (Behind music desk). HOME |
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