NEW ORGAN DEDICATED

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 7

NEW ORGAN DEDICATED

ST. ANNE'S, WELLINGTON

SOUTH

In the presence of a large congregation on Easter Sunday afternoon, his Grace Archbishop O'Shea, assisted by the Yen. Archpriest Kelly and the Eev. Dr. Gilhooly, solemnly blessed and dedicated the new pipe organ installed in St. Anne's Catholic Church, Wellington South. The Yen. Archpriest Kelly, P.P., thanked the Archbishop, and expressed appreciation of the action of the church committee in sanctioning the purchase of a new instrument. He also thanked the organist, who had successfully carried out the installation, and the willing helpers who assisted in the work. After commending the choirmaster and choir members generally for their excellent and untiring services, Archpriest Kelly referred with appreciatio.i to the harmony that existed among all "the enthusiastic workers in various parish activities. Archpriest Kelly then gave an appropriate address, tracing the history of music in the Church through its various stages. Archbishop O'Shea then proceeded to the choir gallery, and the ceremony of the blessing was carried out. At its conclusion the organ was used for the first time to intone the "Ecce Sacerdos" (Stadler). The singing of the choir was of a particularly high i standard. Benediction followed, the celebrant being the Rev. Dr. Gilhooly. Constructed at the organ building works of George Kilgen and Sons, St. Louis, the new organ represents the most modern electric instrument of its i. kind, and embodies features which are unique in New Zealand church organs. | The detached console, for instance, is of particular interest and value. This enables the organist to be seated at any desired distance from the main j organ itself, and allows him to deterI mine more easily and correctly the right balance of volume between the organ and the choir's singing.. When the console and keyboard are actually situated in the main organ body, as is usual with most instruments in New Zealand churches, the organist is not in the best position to appreciate properly the effect and 'balance of, his accompaniment to the singing. The only connection required between the detached console and the main organ action and pipes is an electric cable under the flooring. The moment a key is pressed down at the console, an electric contact is set up -along the cable, and the corresponding pipe in the organ chamber is instantaneously sounded. The conventional type of draw knob stop controls, are replaced in St. Anne's organ by stop keys above the keyboards, which are quicker and easier to operate while playing. Combination pistons under the manuals are also of an improved type, allowing the organist to set up instantly any desired combination of.stops, and to change them in one movement for every composition to,be played. By means of a special crescendo pedal, the organist is able to bring out the full organ volume in an instant/ or to develop a crescendo gradually from the softest stop to the loudest. The voicing of the pipes throughout and the general tone of the organ are rich and mellow, while the handsome dark oak case with its two banks of gold bronze display pipes completes a pleasing exterior to a fine instrument.,