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Cathedral
Organs 1835-1850
This history appeared in "Notes on
the history of organs in St Mary's Cathedral,
Sydney" by Gavin Tipping (a former
organist). The source for the notes were from
various historical accounts of music in St Mary's
Cathedral by E J Lea-Scarlett (a former organist)
1835 |
On Sunday, September 20, 1835, a new
bishop, Dr John Bede Polding, O.S.S., was
solemnly installed in St Mary's. The
instrument in use was a seraphine, alias
metaliphone or mealiaphone, which emitted
a disagreeable and scarcely organ-like
sound. Bishop Polding, a great musical
enthusiast, determined that St Mary's was
to have a fine organ too, "full of
dulcet honey and loud as the ocean roars
when the blasts from the East drive its
waters into Bondi Bay". Funds for
the organ were to be found by using the
Cathedral for the performance of what
Polding refered to as 'Oratorios'. Four
great Oratorios were held between 1836
and 1857, but only two (1836 and 1838)
were actually used for the organ fund. At
first the contract for the new organ was
given to Flight and Robson for an
instrument costing 800-1000 pounds. This
order was not proceeded with. |
1838 |
Final negotiations were made with
Bevington and Son, Frith Street Soho, to
supply and deliver at a cost of 735
pounds an organ which they took two years
to despatch. |
1839 |
Dr J A Reid was appointed
"Director and Musical
Composer". During his short period
of office an organ previously in use in
the Jesuit Church Cardiner Street,
Dublin, was hired for six months, at a
cost of 20 pounds. The Bishop considered
it a weak and ineffective instrument. |
1841 |
The new organ arrived on board the
General Lushington in late January. It
was hoped to have it installed by Easter,
but it was not until June 30 that the
opening 'Oratorio' to mark the new organ
was held. |
1848 |
Repairs of 100 pounds were carried
out on the Bevington organ. |
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1850-1900
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