The Organ
The organ was originally installed in the church (in the North Aisle) in 1887 by S Taylor and Sons as a gift from E H Farnham Esq. In 1897 a specialist organ chamber was built and the organ located to its current position in that chamber. Click here for the spec in 1897.
A rebuild and extension was undertaken in 1959. In 1980 a further rebuild was done by Ken Canter to a different specification, this rebuild included electrification of the action and the relocation of the console from organ chamber into the nave.
It is now nearly twenty five years since the last rebuild and the time has come for a clean and overhaul. Some of the mechanical components are worn and as the technology used in the original electrification of the action has moved on, the components have become obsolete. Furthermore, the voicing of the organ is well away from the original specification as installed by Taylor’s in 1887 and the current specification of the swell is somewhat lacking.
It was agreed by the United Church Council that the organ should undergo a further rebuild to bring the instrument back to something like its original glory. The new specification can be found here and provides the following improvements:
Swell reed restored from original specification
Swell strings restored from original specification
Great Flute 4 restored from original specification
Complete “fit for purpose” Diapason chorus on great
Organ gains a Great flute chorus
Diapason chorus on swell
New flute chorus on swell
Clarinet on great adds soft reed (replacing badly voiced swell krummhorn)
Swell Mixture recast to be closer to chorus
Proper solo trumpet to Great
Bourdon chorus to pedal
Mutations added in 1980 kept (although Larigot recast as Tierce)
Revitalised and operational swell box mechanism
New solid state preset system (30 levels)
This work was carried out by Henry Groves and Sons from Bramcote in Nottingham and began in 2006.
This was an exciting project in the musical life of the Church and the village. After the rebuild, the church an organ that would enhance the music of the church and be fit for purpose to accompany professional musicians in the high quality concerts that we are planning to put on in the church.
Internal photos of the organ are available (courtesy of the Quorn Village Website)