A Diocesan Organ Advisor's lot is not (always) a happy one!
Jeffrey Williams on his travels and discussions around the diocese
In 1999, following the successful and much acclaimed restoration of the Abbey Organ, I was approached, quite unexpectedly, by the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) to take over the Organ Advisory post, which had become vacant. My name had been put forward by Alan Thurlow, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral. Always ready for a new a challenge and still flushed with success following my masterminding of the organ restoration at Romsey, I accepted.
In at the deep end
Almost immediately I found myself embroiled in a bitter disagreement with one of our Greater Church neighbours along the coast, who were dissatisfied with some aspects of the rebuilding of their organ and wanted the matter addressed. It suddenly dawned on me why my predecessor had decided to move on!
After a visit to the church and much discussion with the organists and church authorities, I decided to endorse their concerns and recommended to the DAC that the problems be addressed. Eventually the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned, other than the independent consultant engaged initially to advise on the work.
Standing the test of time
Usually the post involves nothing more arduous (or exciting) than inching the Volvo carefully along narrow tracks to a church in some remote corner of the diocese to inspect the damage caused to an organ by workmen, mice or the weather. From time to time – and rather more often than I would like – I find myself having to defend the corner of a robust little Victorian village church organ which, having had little attention in 75 years other than its six-monthly tunings, is now in need of a major clean and overhaul. This would return it to a reliable state of repair and enable it to carry on doing its job for another 75 years.
In the opposing corner, almost invariably, looms the spectre of the Digital Pipeless Organ or Electronic Simulation. I do not have a closed mind on the subject of these instruments - although I did suffer a serious loss of humour when it was suggested by someone that we might save ourselves some money and have one in the Abbey.
Curbing delusions of grandeur
I do object, however, when a perfectly satisfactory and, sometimes, quite historic organ is threatened with eviction in favour of an electronic substitute. Often the desire of the organist and PCC – no doubt influenced by the organist – is to go for an instrument with the tonal specification of cathedral organ, at a cost that would more than cover the work needed to restore the pipe organ.
This is all the more ridiculous when you probe into the musical needs of the church only to discover that they do not need an instrument capable of playing the entire gamut of the cathedral and organ repertoire. What is actually needed in most cases is a reliable 'hymn machine' (my terminology) capable of coping with Mendelssohn's Wedding March and Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze at the occasional wedding or funeral, which the existing organ has done admirably for generations.
Difficult choices
Often, though, there are less clear-cut decisions. In a recent application from the north of the diocese there was a request for an electronic instrument to be installed; the pipe organ was in need of attention that was beyond the financial means of the church and, in addition, it needed to be relocated from its present position in order to lead the worship now that there was no longer a choir.
When I visited, however, I discovered a superb organ built in the early Twentieth Century by Nicholsons, which was certainly not a candidate for the skip. My recommendation was to allow the installation of the electronic simulation on condition that the pipe organ is maintained intact until such time as funds become available for the work or a suitable church can be found for its re-location.
Old Basing rediscovers 'original features'
Every so often a major project comes up that is really exciting. The recent restoration of the organ at Old Basing, to the east of Basingstoke, was a joy to be involved in: it also re-united me with my good friends at J W Walker and Sons Ltd, with whom I worked so closely with at the Abbey.
The parishioners at Old Basing valued their organ but appreciated that the time had come for major expenditure. With no question of substituting it with an electronic simulation, there was great willingness to tackle the project head-on and raise the funds, which happened remarkably quickly. The work was a great success and the church now has a superb organ that has been fully restored, together with some small modifications. It will give reliable service for many years to come.
The most exciting part of all was the discovery of the original stencilling on some of the front display pipes that were hidden behind the false case added in the 1930s. A unanimous decision was made by the PCC – yes, unanimous, I kid you not – to re-stencil the whole of the pipe front to match the original. It looks glorious.
Most significantly of all, my role as DOA and my continuing involvement, albeit very part-time, with the music at Romsey Abbey, allows me to keep a close eye on my most important project of all!