CHURCH ACOUSTICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 8

CHURCH ACOUSTICS.

EXPERT ADVICE NEEDED. CHKISTCIIURCH EX PER! M ENT. "Dean Julius recently suggested to the Christehureh Cathedral Chapter that he would like to try out experimentally a sounding-board over the cathedral pulpit to improve the audibility of preachers, or rather to remove the obstacles to their being heard," states the "Church News." "Authority was given, but it was found by the committee that the result was so uncertain as not to warrant the expenditure in the present conditions of the cathedral finances. "The project was revived at the last meeting of the chapter by Dr. W. Irving, who gave a sum of money for the purpose, and the contrivance is to be made. "Concerning acoustics of churches, the Bishop of Chichester recently wrote that: 'It cannot be stated too clearly that the pure chance notion of acoustics, i.e., that it cannot be forecast by architects whether the acoustics of a building will be good or bad, is a complete delusion. There is a science of acoustics, and if the rules arc obeyed by the architect in planning the building, good hearing can be guaranteed. For that reason the bishop has given a definite order that the plans of all new churches in his diocese must be submitted to the best English authority on acoustics, Mr. Hope Bagenal, before the bishop will sanction them. "The first results of calling in Mr. Bagenal were seen in the new church of St. Wilfrid, Brighton, which has a somewhat lofty nave and a high tower immediately over the sanctuary, with peculiar difficulties in the way of hearing on the part, of the congregation. Thanks to the collaboration of the architect with Mr. Bagenal, the acoustics of the whole church arc a perfect delight to the speaker and the congregation."