Organ and Pianos

The Organ | Organ Specification

The Church Room has a high quality organ, and a Yamaha grand piano, suitable for recitals.  A Technics digital piano is also available.  Simple controls allow it to be used as a piano, or to simulate harpsichord, organ or other sounds. 

The Organ

The present organ, built in 1970 by Hill, Norman and Beard, was designed as a worthy successor to the famous Norman & Beard instrument in the old church, parts of which dated back to 1826.

It was hoped to transfer this organ to the new church, but in the reduced space available it proved not to be possible.  So a new organ was built, matched to the new church, and incorporating the best of the old pipes.

The detached three-manual console is in the gallery, having a low layout to enable the player to see over it.

The instrument is laid out on the classic 'werk-prinzip' whereby each division has its own clearly visible case.  This arrangement, with roofed cases to each department, gives a warmer and livelier tone.  The shapes are strictly functional, following the lengths of the pipes they contain, yet forming an interesting design in themselves.

The mechanism of the organ is electro-magnetic, incorporating patented solid-state relays for silent and rapid working.  The wind regulators are built into the soundboards themselves, to give a very steady wind supply.

The stop list was designed by H John Norman, in consultation with William Timmins (the then church organist); and the casework by Herbert Norman and the Architects of the Church Centre, Denys Hinton & Partners.

If you want to know more about the organ, or arrange to play it, contact the Church Musician via the Church Centre office.

Organ Specification  (You can print this page's text on one sheet from your browser's File menu).
Stops marked * contain some or all pipes adapted from stops of the former organ.  Stops marked + are derived.

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