BARREL-ORGANS IN CHURCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23381, 24 June 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

BARREL-ORGANS IN CHURCH

By MATANGA

New Zealand Instance

LATELY, among the random memoranda of an enthusiast i altout Now Zealand history, was brought to light a pencilled fragment, roughly written, that might well have mystified all hut a verv f ew specially qualified to ntake ji guess ns to what it meant. That js the way, unfortunately, with many bits of writing that the newly-awak-ened zest for knowledge of Old New Zealand is investing with interest. Their meaning is too seldom, arid too doubtfully, understood, because thev tell too little about their own history and because nobody able t;o supply it is at hand.

That is not quite the ease with this particular fragment. In itself it is merelv a list. Here it is. as far as its obviously careless writing allows it to be confidently read: "Old Hundredth L.M.. London Now C.M., St. Anne's C.M., Bedford 0.M., Carlisle S.M.. Mount Ephraim S.M., Morning Hymn L.M.. Evening Hymn L.M., Chant (tlfen a word at present) in F. Chant (Dr. Crotch) in C." A list of church tunes? Obviously. A limited selection for nse as need might have dictated? Right again. Anything else to be said? Only tliis: that it is actually the list of tunes provided by the barrel of a church organ, and the church, long long ago, was at Padua in the Bay of Islands. This church was on the spot where was built —Archdeacon Henry Williams himself says so in an extant letter — the first church in this country, and the letter was written to the giver of-the organ, Henry Williams' relative and friend, the Rev. E. G. Marsh, of Avlesford. When seen seventeen years B£o —by the aforesaid enthusiast about New Zealand history, then repairing the organ in succession to the late Archbishop Julius, who as a visiting bishop had devoted his mechanical talent to a like mission of healing—the whole lij-t was plain enough; but it was hurriedly copied. Hence the indecipherable word, which someone reading this may be able to supply.

Upon that sort of aid many a concremation, not only in Old New Zealand, was once dependent for its vocal music. Not altogether—even that organ had a manual, for use by anyone adequately skilled—-but the barrel had virtues which the humble could appreciate, whatever the unrighteously proud might say..

In Lancashire A church barrel-organ, by the way, is the subject .of a really funny Lan-' cashire story told in dialect by Edwin Waugh. Here is the essence of it: a few interjected words of less robust fcipjish may not be unwelcome. " Thero had been trouble in "th' owd wapel" between the choir and "a rook 'ytfmusiciancrs"' who, Sunday alter Sunday, played their flute, bassoon and ether instruments in lieu of an organ., as was the custom in places of worship in those days. "Th' singers fell out wi' th' players, an' th' players did everything they could to plague th' singers." One Sunday morning, just before the service commenced, "some o' th' singers slipt a pepper-box an' a haw-po'th o' grey peighs (peas) an' two young rattons (rats) into old Thwittler's doublebass; an' as soon as he began a-playin' the little things squeak't an' scutter't about i' th' inside till they thru't out o' tune. Th' singers couldn't get forrnd for laughin'. of 'cm whisper't to ThwittTer an' axed hiin if "his fiddle had getteiv th' bally-warche. (stomach ache):" Thwittler never uttered a word, in response, but, "wi' his ynre (hair! stickiii' up like a cushion full o' stockin' needles," he bolted from the Chapel, raced home, and, with his clothes on. lumped into bed and covered his head with the bed clothes, shaking like a leaf. He seemed to imagine that his double-bass had been bewitched, and that Old Nick was after him. "A Bit o' Daycent Music" The quarrel between the singers and the players was .causing such unrest in the chapel that the wardens agreed they wanted "a bit o' daycent music for Sundays beawt (without) a' this trouble." One suggested a Jew's harp and a few triangles. "That's no church music!" declared ' another: "Did onybody ever veri 'Th' Owd Hundred' .played on a triangle?" At length it was decided to buy a barrel-organ— "one o' thoose that they linden up at th' side, an' then they play'n o' theirsel; beawt any fingerin' or blowin'." They ordered an instrument which was guaranteed to play such favourites as Burton." "Lydia," "French." "Old York," "The Old Hundred," and "sich like.' 1 H duly arrived in the village, for .delivery to an old carrier entrusted to convey it to the chapel. Now,- it happened that the carrier received at the f a «ie time, a washing-machine, which bad to be delivered to a farm. What «i(l the noodle do but deliver the barrelorgan to the farmer and the washingMadiine to the chapel! So, when the supposed washing-machine had its "audio turned at the farm it began to Play,,and when £he washing-machine Ja.B put in the chapel it refused to pro"Uc? any music at all. At hist the mix-up was straightened and the barrel-organ occupied its rightposition. But at' its first service it " c ßan by playing "French," and without stopping went on to "The Old Hun"ftd," and so 011 through all its tunes. tlion commenced the series again. fob'Kly knew how to stop it. It was wrtied over, sat upon, and in despair teaching it manners it was ultim■Mv: takori out and dumped in the nnppl y a ,. ( ] s (jll [,hning! The story with the chapel'wardens sitting Cn it, "fair flummoxed."

Bishop Stubbs There wori often lively times in the Vlion church. music ivmled by ■f'sjeianors." Bishop Stubbs visitor! a sir!' "bcro. the players and the . "?ers equally prided themselves on nff 11 " and their rivalry was • nn cvidtyit. "What does your asV i Up i tllinlc nf " f 'b»irP" the viear "\V 11 ». Stubbs after the service. sj n _ ' ' lvns the bishop's reply, "the fnii 8c " before and the minstrels 101 ' jo* nftor." Deri Uas n ' |;|,) P. V quotation. As happy. a inps, w as his einphatie comment,'at Ortin" 100 n r,l|-n ' church when the o fV n , K "'blo(il v stopped in the middle ?: TW' Vl f n ' "' ! ' ow tbo organ!" of n a " K " r b stories is the one told Prnii/l ' £T o ' ls hire service by J. A. untJiow' clerk announced that the Gl flr^, Wol, ld bo "Who is the Kin? of aiuin,,'. tbe pause following the ."'Anient, throughout the church ting nf I '!'. visroro'-s exclamation of 'm P .P' HV,>r< —"Here. Tom. hand *hh», " 1:00,1 ' pm k" mv fmw K : n - !" 4 ffloiinl n i assi " s 1 ricks are bv no means Its s r P ol - v enjoyed by the barrel-organ. 1 Ucul a . l ' m SO ways, however, are parllr r- y Worth remembrance.