Me playing the Compton organ at St Thomas's Church in Henbury which is situated just outside Macclesfield, Cheshire.
The organ was built by the famous John Compton Organ Company Ltd in 1948 where it replaced a previous instrument. It is the Compton "Miniatura III" model and is built upon the extension principal consisting of 3 ranks of pipes: Diapason, Gemshorn and Flute. In 1985, the organ was moved to it's present location on the rear gallery but otherwise remains in original condition. The specification reads:
PEDAL
Sub Bass 16'
Flute 8'
Great to Pedal
Solo to Pedal
GREAT
Tenordon 16'
Diapason 8'
Gemshorn 8'
Hohl Flute 8'
Octave 4'
Gemshorn 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Super Octave 2'
SOLO
Contra Flute 16'
Diapason 8'
Gemshorn 8'
Hohl Flute 8'
Gemshorn 4'
Flute 4'
Nazard 2.2/3'
Flautino 2'
ACCESSORIES
3 thumb pistons to Great
3 thumb pistons to Solo
1 reverse thumb piston - Great to Pedal
1 reverse thumb piston - Solo to Pedal
1 balanced expression pedal - Diapason, Gemshorn and Flute
1 balanced expression pedal - Crescendo Double touch canceller to each department
For this first video im playing the worship song 'Autumn Days' which makes use of the tremulant stop in the verses. Comptons were of course famous for their cinema organs in the 1930s and shades of these can be heard in the verses.
Many thanks to Reverend Gary Bowness for allowing me access to this Compton organ.
NOTE: this is purely my interest in order to make sure that these fine organs are archived forever and I do not make any monetary profit by this video being on youtube.
For more information on the John Compton Organ Company Ltd and to see me play other Compton organs, please click on the following link for my site dedicated to the John Compton Organ Company Ltd:
http://comptonorgans.yolasite.com/
REQUEST: I am always on the lookout for Compton organs to play - particularly electrones - so if you know of any churches which still have these then please do let me know. I will happily give a donation or pay any applicable room hire charge.
