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The Organ

The pipe organ in the old church was inaugurated on 2nd April 1905, and cost £1287.  Three weeks later was the last occasion on which praise was led by a Precentor, except for special occasions since that time.  The organ builder was the renowned German company E. F. Walcker & Cie of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, who at that time were installing organs throughout Europe and in the USA.  The choice of organ builder may have been influenced not only by the high reputation of the company, but by the fact that it was commissioned in the golden age of pipe organ building, meaning that British companies would have had very full order books.

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The organ is a three manual instrument (Great, Solo/Choir, and Swell) with Pedals.  The inclusion of a crescendo pedal, which incrementally activates stops as it is pressed, was typical of German organs, but much less common in Britain.

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The instrument is included in the British Institute of Organ Study's Register of Historic Pipe Organs - Grade 1 - as being of importance to national heritage.

For organ enthusiasts!  All you ever wanted to know about the
old St Columba's organ.

Organ by E.F. Walcker (Opus 1175: 1904)

 

Pedal (30 notes: 6+3 stops)

 

Open Diapason                          16

Violon                                        16

Sub Bass                                    16

Bourdon (Swell)                        16

Octave Bass                                 8

Flute Bass                                    8

            Solo to Pedal

            Great to Pedal

            Swell to Pedal

 

Great (61 notes: 10+3 stops)

 

Double Open Diapason             16

Large Open Diapason                 8

Small Open Diapason                 8

Hohl Flute                                   8

Dulciana                                      8

Principal                                      4

Harmonic Flute                           4

Twelfth                                        2+

Fifteenth                                      2

Tuba (Solo)                                 8

            Great Octave

Solo to Great

Swell to Great

 

Solo and Choir (61 notes: 8+4 stops)

 

Gemshorn                                  8

Concert Flute                             8

Dolcissimo                                 8

Flauto Traverso                          4

Piccolo Harmonique                  2

Clarionet                                    8

Vox Humana                              8

            Tremula

Solo Tuba (unenclosed)            8

            Solo Sub Octave

            Solo Super Octave

            Swell to Solo

 

Swell (61 notes: 10+3 stops)

 

Lieblich Bourdon                    16

Open Diapason                          8

Lieblich Gedackt                       8

Viole d’Orchestre                      8

Voix Céleste                              8

Geigen Principal                       4

Piccolo                                      2

Mixture  (3 rks)                      

Horn                                          8

Oboe                                         8

            Tremulant

            Swell Sub Octave

            Swell Octave

 

Accessories

 

3 composition pedals to Swell

3 composition pedals to Great (+Pedal)

Reversible thumb pistons to Great, to pedal, and Swell to Great

Reversible thumb piston to Crescendo Off

Balanced expression pedals to Solo and Swell

General crescendo pedal with indicator dial (0-34)

Wind indicator dial (empty/full)

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