HOLY TRINITY ORGAN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22619, 23 April 1948, Page 4

HOLY TRINITY ORGAN

Sir, —The questions between ‘'Organist” and myself have now resolved themselves ‘into:—(l) Time-lag arising from detached console: (2) whether two-decker or three-decker; (3) whether old stops can safely be reused. (1) 1 advocated what is called a ‘‘semi-detached" console—one situated where the present “incorporated” console is, but reversed, so that the organist will face his choir. There is no perceptible action-lag thus. Detached, the time-lag increases for every loot of the distance between console and pipes. In St. Barnabs, Fendalton, is a line organ of 18 stops, utterly spoilt by its notorious action-lag, console and pipes are on opposite sides of a narnower chancel than Holy Trinity’s. (2) Three manuals do not give more “colour” than two; nor do they “improve the performance.” Colour depends on stops, plus the player's taste and registration skill. Most threedeckers I’ve seen would be more easily controlled, with no loss in colour or volume, if the same stops were put on only two manuals with all conveniences. (3) “Organist" now advocates the scrapping of all the existing beautiful stops. In England, many fine organs have “modernised” stops that are hundreds of years old, with splendid results. If the original pipes were metal, re-scaling makes them equal to new; if wooden they can be safely re-used if not worm-eaten. Wood that has proved borer-resisting for more than half a century is safer'than wood that might now go in, as new. “Organist’s” new organ of 31 stops could scarcely cost less than £7OOO on present-day costs. My 21 would give unlimited variety and volume in the hands of a skilled player for half that amount. MUSICIAN Christchurch (This correspondence is closed.—Ed. I-lerald.)