Me playing the organ at All Saint's Church in Darlaston, West Midlands.
The present church was rebuilt and consecrated in 1952 as a result of the original church being bombed during world war two. The architect at the time had probably assumed that an electronic organ would have been installed as an organ chamber had not been included and it was only during the actual building that this was remedied.
The organ was built by the famous John Compton Organ Company Ltd (of cinema organ fame) and is typical of many instruments built by this company at the time. Like most Compton instruments, the pipework is completely enclosed behind an ornamental grille and is built using the 'extension' principal and uses 5 'units' of pipes as follows: First Diapason, Second Diapason, Harmonic Flute, Salicional and Trumpet. In 2007 the organ was given an overhaul and as such is now one of the finest remaining examples of a Compton church pipe organ in the West Midlands which is enhanced by brilliant acoustics in the church. The specification reads:
PEDAL
Acoustic Bass 32'
Open Bass 16'
Sub Bass 16'
Flute 8'
Salicional 8'
Trombone 16'
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
GREAT
Bourdon 16'
First Diapason 8'
Second Diapason 8'
Harmonic Flute 8'
Salicional 8'
Octave 4'
Flute 4'
Salicet 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Fifteenth 2'
Swell to Great
SWELL
Contra Salicional 16'
Second Diapason 8'
Harmonic Flute 8'
Salicional 8'
Principal 4'
Harmonic Flute 4'
Salicet 4'
Nazard 2.2/3'
Piccolo 2'
Fifteenth 2'
Cymbale II
Trombone 16'
Trumpet 8'
Clarion 4'
Tremulant (affects whole organ)
ACCESSORIES
4 thumb pistons to Great and Pedal duplicated by toe pistons
4 thumb pistons to Swell duplicated by toe pistons
1 canceller thumb piston - Great to Pedal
1 canceller thumb piston - Swell to Pedal
1 balanced expression pedal - organ
1 balanced expression pedal - crescendo
3 ventil switches
Double touch canceller to each department
Voltmeter
For this first video, im playing the hymn 'One there is above all others' to the appropriately named tune 'All Saint's'. This hymn demonstrates the main sounds on the instrument including the 16ft Trombone on the pedal in the last verse.
Many thanks to warden Jeff Johnson for allowing me access to this wonderful Compton organ.
