Decorated church organ pipes

It has long been the fashion for the organ pipes in churches to be painted. A visit to major and minor churches is sure to present an opportunity to admire this form of decoration. Most examples will be from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but more recent examples may be seen too. The examples here are in Gloucester Cathedral and appear to use the acanthus leaf as the basis for the design. The colours are brighter than is often the case.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Organ practice

Recently we were in Hereford Cathedral at a time when the organ was sounding. The organist was playing a fiery piece on the massive instrument and at times it felt like the old Norman columns would give way as the deep notes and heavy reverberations filled the ancient space. A few days later we were in the church of St Michael, Ledbury, where an organist was playing gentler tunes on the more modest instrument. The dullish day required illumination so that the music score could be seen and it made a nice pool of warm light to emphasise the focal point of the scene.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

En chamade organ pipes

The organ in the Priory Church of St Mary in Usk was once the organ of Llandaff Cathedral where it was installed in 1861. When it was deemed inadequate for that building it was sold to Usk church and erected there in 1900. It was made by the firm of Gray and Davison and features some en chamade pipes i.e. pipes that face forwards rather than vertically. This development in organ design dates from the early 1700s and usually involves the pipes that sound as reeds. The horizontal mounting makes them sond louder and they are frequently chosen for fanfares, solos and trumpet-like passages. The organ appears squeezed into the church, but the tightness of fit notwithstanding, I'm told it makes a splendid sound and is much sought after by organists as an instrument to play.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Organ, Worcester Cathedral

The thunderous sound of a large organ in a cathedral stirs the body and, perhaps, the soul. Sometimes it exhibits a quality that almost seems it could bring the building down. I've never heard this new organ in Worcester Cathedral. However, the building is sufficiently interesting that I envisage making several visits and so I am hopeful of one day experiencing it. The design of the pipes and case in its setting of columns, arches and painted vault in quite sumptuous.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

The organist at the Kinema in the Woods

We recently went to see the film, "La La Land", at the Kinema in the Woods in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. This timber building was re-modelled as a cinema in 1922 and has been showing films ever since. In 1984 an old Compton Kinestra organ was installed. When the intermission came along it rose up through the stage in front of the curtains with the organist playing. During his performance he made use, from the keyboard, of the glockenspiels and xylophones (and perhaps other instruments) on a wooden form out of shot at the right of the stage. A great musical performance, a great film, and a great little cinema well worth visiting.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100