Ethos

ORGAN BUILDING IN NEW SOUTH WALES

BETWEEN 1850 and 1900.

PAGE 5 (back to PAGE 1)

BRITISH ORGAN BUILDERS 2

Some Organs by Forster and Andrews of Hull, England.

This firm commenced business in 1843. The partnership was responsible for many fine instruments all over the world.

The organ at All Saints' Church of England, Woollahra

This church contains a very fine 3-manual organ of 30 speaking stops built by this firm in 1882. It is situated in the second bay at the eastern end of the north aisle of the church, a large and lofty stone building with a satisfactory reverberation period for sound. The instrument is in an ideal position, speaking directly into the chancel and nave.

SWELL ORGAN
Oboe	8'
Cornopean	8'
Mixture	IV rks
Fifteenth	2'
Principal	4'
Gedact Flute	4'
Voix celestes	8'
Gamba	8'
Stopped diapason	8'
Open diapason	8'
Double diapason	16'
Tremulant

GREAT ORGAN
Posaune	8'
Full mixture	V rks
Fifteenth	2'
Twelfth	3'
Flute harmonique	4'
Principal	8'
Gedact	8'
Viola da gamba	8'
Open diapason	8'
Bourdon	16'

CHOIR ORGAN
Corno di bassetto	8'
Flautino harmonique	2'
Flauto traverso	4'
Lieblich gedact	8'
Dulciana	8'

PEDAL ORGAN
Trombone	16'
Principal	8'
Bourdon	16'
Open diapason	16'

COUPLERS
Swell octave
Swell suboctavel
Swell to Great
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Choir to Pedal

ACCESSORIES
Composition pedals: Swell(3), Great(4)
Compass: manuals CC-a 58n.
Compass: pedals CCC-F 30n.
Great to pedal reversible poppet
Lever swell pedal
Action: Barker lever to Great, acting on Swell couplers to Great.
Straight, concave pedalboard

The Great Organ: The diapason chorus on this organ possesses both weight and brilliance of tone. The scale of the 8' diapason is approx. 7", the mouth being approx. 5" x 1 ˝". The scale of the principal is 3 1/8". The twelfth and fifteenth add the necessary coherence to the 8' and 4' ranks, their scales being 2 1/8" and 1" respectively. The posaune is voiced on similar but softer lines to a trumpet. Like all the reeds on this organ, it suffers from age.

The three flutes in this department take their place with the many beautiful examples by this firm to be heard around Sydney. The bourdon and gedact are almost identical in scaling and voicing. The flute harmonique is a pierced metal stop of pleasant quality. The string stop, viola di gamba is a bearded metal stop with unique string quality. This does not prevent it blending admirably with the flutes and diapasons.

Swell organ:The double diapason is a misnomer, being a bourdon right through its compass. It possesses no lowest octave. The open diapason is a charming stop, possessing the ideal neutral colour for such a stop in this department. The principal is bright and assertive. The fifteenth and mixture complete the diapason chorus. The 8' flute is very rich in tone while the 4' flute is much quieter the upper lip being curved.

Choir Organ: This consists of a family of 8', 4' and 2' flutes

The Organ at Bourke St. Congregational Church, Sydney The 2-manual instrument of 20 speaking stops was installed in the church by this firm in 1887 at a cost of Ł600. It was presented to the church by three sisters, the Misses Baxter who had a girls' school in Albion St., Surry Hills. The organ was opened on June 10th, 1888.

The organ is situated at the western (pulpit) end of the church, the pipe work being placed a good eight feet above the floor of the church. It is a most favourable position. The organ tone is helped by the considerable sound reverberation period as well as by the semi-circular domed recess in which the organ is placed.

The pedal department shows the usual deficiency of the period-the absence of 8', 4' and mixture work to make this department independent of the manuals. The absence of a chorus reed on the swell organ robs this department of one of it's most characteristic tone qualities.

The console is divided from the organ by the pulpit and is placed on the floor of the building. Thus the tracker action has to run back a considerable length, at least eight to ten feet on the floor level then a further eight feet up to the pallets. In spite of this, the touch is remarkably light, being only noticeably heavy when coupled. The detached console gives the player a better chance to judge his effects.

SWELL ORGAN
Oboe	8'
Mixture	II rks
Flautino	2'
Principal	4'
Gamba	8'
Lieblich gedact	8'
Open diapason	8'
Bourdon	16'

GREAT ORGAN
Corno di basseto	8'
Mixture	III ranks
Fifteenth	2'
Twelfth	2 '
Harmonic flute	4'
Dulciana	8'
Stopped diapason	8'
Open diapason	8'
Bourdon	16'

PEDAL ORGAN
Bourdon	16'
Open diapason	16'

COUPLERS
Swell to great
Swell to pedal
Great to pedal

ACCESSORIES
Composition pedals: Swell (2), Great (3)
Compass: manuals CC-G 56n.
Compass: pedals CCC-F 30n.
Lever swell pedal
Straight , concave pedal board
Drawstops at right angles to manuals

Great Mixture Breaks
CC: 19 22 26
C: 15 19 22
mid. C: 19 22 26
gg: 15 19 22

The great solo reed, corno di basseto still showed some of its original "woody" tone. This stop as treated by this firm has a 'very distinct tone of great richness.

The Organ at St. Saviour's Anglican Cathedral, Goulburn (according to the late R. Cherry's collection.)

SWELL ORGAN
Clarinet	4'
Oboe	8'
Horn	8'
Dulciana cornet	III rks
Fifteenth	2'
Principal	4'
Salicional	8'
Celeste	8'
Stopped diapason	8'
Open diapason	8'
Bourdon	16'

GREAT ORGAN
Tromba	8'
Mixture	V ranks
Fifteenth	2'
Twelfth	2 '
Harmonic flute	4'
Principal	4'
Stopped diapason	8'
Claribel	8'
Open diapason No.2	8'
Open diapason No.1	8'
Double open diapason	16'
1 blank knob	:

PEDAL ORGAN
Posaune	16'
Principal	8'
Bass flute	8'
Stopped diapason	8' (?16')
Open diapason	16'

COUPLERS
Swell to choir
Swell to great
Choir to Great
Swell to Pedals
Great to Pedals
Choir to Pedals

ACCESSORIES
Pistons: Swell(4), Great(5), Choir(3)
Horshoe pedals: Great to pedal
Swell tremulant
Straight, concave pedalboard

Other organs built by this firm:

St. John's Church of England, Glebe, 1883 2 manuals, 15 stops, 3 couplers.

Great Hall, University of Sydney, 1887 3 manuals, 36 speaking stops, 7 couplers.

This instrument was added to and electric action added by Hill, Norman and Beard (Aust.) in 1933.

Next: BRITISH ORGAN BUILDERS 3

WJ Simon Pierce Organbuilder

PO Box 7027
Hemmant
Qld 4174  Australia

Workshop:
Unit 1
18 Violet Street
Hemmant
Brisbane
Queensland

Last updated 26 July 2005