Відео

Today in July 2024 I wonder what the condition of this instrument is these days? Was it ever fully restored and perhaps playing somewhere or is it just collecting dust, if it indeed still exists today? It would certainly seem a really worthwhile restoration due to its heritage.

Did the organ ever get restored? Where is it these days?

Thank you for your time and effort in reviving this organ.

The mechanical aspects of this ancient beast are stunningly amazing.

'So am I; I'm ecstatic'. Should have said 'So am I; I'm electrostatic'.....:) .

Oh dear :( Bet it hasn't made another noise since?

Towards the end of its residency at the BBC it was installed at BBC Research Department, Kingswood Warren in the Large Viewing Room (LVR1) - I remember hearing it being played in the 1970's by engineering enthusiasts during their tea and lunch breaks. Facilities manager Terry Leyland arranged for it being sold to clear some space having asked of us if we were interested in finding a new home. Hope that the restoration work on this instrument was completed. ps The BBC no longer occupy Kingswood Warren which was sold to a developer for conversion to apartments and housing in 2010. 'B Block' which contained the LVR was demolished.

So what is the latest on this organ? This recording is just short of 7 years old and I don't recall seeing anything subsequently.

Essentially a giant British Hammond?

There is of course a very good 11 rank Compton pipe organ in the same studio. It now has an electronic control system made by my company, bit it's still a pipe organ in every way. The original console cable started smouldeing a few years ago due to a short, and later the old realys were causing trouble. With these gone it's now in good playing condition and sounds superb.

In some circuits a tone wheel can be used to create a single frequency, this drives a colpitts type oscilator the coil of witch has 13 taps to create a single octave, ans so on.

Interesting - but I'll stick with the pipe organ!

You are right. The original Valve amplifiers are still present and working well. Your suggestion about using the console as the basis for a Hauptwerk organ has been considered but there is a historical significance to the unit which we would like to preserve.

These old things had beautiful valve amps on them - though I don't know if you've got that. As for the rest of it, I'd rip the guts out and use it as the basis of a new drawstop Hauptwerk console =P There's no doubting that these things are fascinating, but I think they were better used for the old Melotone units. They're pretty painful up the top end! There can never be an adequate substitute for the pipe organ (and God knows Compton built some fine examples of those!).

The restoration has ground to a halt due to other commitments but will recommence as soon as possible.

Interesting. Hammond came up with a mechanical system too. They use rotating metal disks with the waveforms cut around the edges like teeth on a gearwheel. Magnets and coils were the pickup units which produced the notes. The waveforms were mixed with sliding drawbars.

I have a 1946 series 31 Wurlitzer and Wurlitzer 310 tone cabinet that were in a vacant house since 1971. So I'm looking at 40 years for that electrostatic reed organ as well. The guy who I bought it from discovered it. He made a new cable to connect the cabinet, but all that has worked so far are the mechanical sections. reeds are physically audible, but of course they are used electronically 100%- they provide the stable frequencies to be manipulated, w/ 3 pick-ups each reed.Will be EZ fix-caps

It is an Electro-static tone generation system. It uses spinning disks the have the waveforms etched into the rotating surfaces. The John Compton organ company came up with the system in the 1920s and used it to suppliment the sounds on their Theatre pipe organs. They called the device in the organs a Melotone unit. The BBC Electrone was a special order and much more elaborate. Several variants were made and were offered as an alternative to the much larger and more expensive pipe organ.

Very gooooood indeed!

Very fascenating insturment! Best wishes for the completion of the project!

@maplewoodsp Thanks for the comments. If you do make it to the UK let me know. I can point you towards some interesting instruments. Pat

Thanks for posting this. I hope to hear more as you get time. I had the great pleasure to hear BBC's Reginald Foort live on pipe organ on several occasions. I read about the Compton Electrone organs years ago. Maybe I will get a chance to see some of the UK instruments on a future business trip.

Absolutely superb! Fantastic work.

Crucial to make sure it ain't going to go BANG!

Thanks, work has been a bit slow lately due to ill health but things are progressing well

Very much looking forward to the completion of this project. It will bring back some very happy memories.

Thanks for the encouraging words. This is a worthwhile project and we are proud to be given the opportunity to restore an historic instrument.