THE ABBEY'S CORONATION ORGAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE ABBEY'S CORONATION ORGAN.

How History Repeats Itself.

HISTORY is to-dav repeating itself at Westminster Abbey. The Coronation of George 11. took place in October. 1727. while that of George VI. will, all being well, be celebrated on May 12. 1037. Thus an interval of 210 years, save for a few months, lies between the two events; but there is one important point of resemblance. George I. died in the summer of 1727, and as an interval of only four months war permitted to elapse between the Accession and the Coronation of his successor, things must have been extremely busy at the Abbey. A veteran organ was standing at that time in the north choir aisle. It was an historic instrument in the fullest sense of the words. It had accompanied the choral services day by day, presumably ever since the late autumn of the year of Restoration. Three great geniuses had in turn sat at its keyboard. The names of Henry Purcell. John Blow and William Croft were sufficient to confer distinction upon any instrument. Moreover, extensive additions had been made during the reign of William 111. by that giant of the organ building craft "Father Smith." Needed in Hot Haste. But this grand old veteran was well-! nigh worn out. Only a few years before Dr. Croft, in a letter which still survives, had represented to the Dean and Chapter its unsatisfactory condition, and the sudden death of George I. precipitated a crisis. What then was to be done? To use the old instrument at the great Coronation ceremony was out of the question. Accordingly "Father Smith's" son-in-law, ''the musical Kit Schrider," was commissioned to erect a new instrument in hot haste. He managed to get the work done, though it must have been a fearful rush, and after the Coronation the King presented the new organ to the Dean and Chapter. The latter after [ due consideration decided to make an important change by erecting it in the centre of the choir screen, which was reconstructed for the purpose. The official opening took plac© on August 1, 1730, and for the next 118 year# the organ stood in this position, analogous to that which it occupies in York, Exeter, Lincoln and other English cathedrals.

PARALLEL WITH DAYS OF GEORGE II

A Masterpiece. Selirider's organ was regarded as a masterpiece at the time of its erection. Not only was it a large affair for that day, but it also possessed the novelty of a swell organ. Alterations and additions were periodically made during the next century and a half, culminating in a huge rebuilding under the direction of Sir Frederick Bridge in 1884. Upward* of fifty years have come and gone since then, but nothing whatsoever has been don® to the organ since the relatively distant year 1900, when it was overhauled and one or two additional stops provided. So delicate and complicated a piece of construction as a great organ, especially in such a climate as that of London, cannot be left indefinitely to take care of itself, as it were, and it small wonder that within the last few years portions of the old instrument have become unusable. Once more has the Abbey organ been found inadequate for the great solmenity of the Coronation.

The New Instrument. Messrs. Harrison and Harrison, of Durham, embarked upon their great la«t March, and they have been working with a will ever since. Their policy has been one of a conservative character. Everything that can possibly be retained is being jealously preserved, and also, of course, any stops possessed of an historic value (for there are two, the pipes of which bear the great name of "Father Smith ). On the other hand, a very large number of new stops of the utmost beauty will take the places of those which have seen tbeir best days, while action of the most modern and up-to-date character is being installed.

regards actual size, the Coronation organ will be little if any greater than its predecessor. I nit in sheer beauty of tone it may safely be prophesied that it will surpass any organ in the country. It will form a splendid embellishment to the great ceremony of May 12 next, just as was the case at the Coronation ot our second Hanoverian Sovereign.