New Hybrid Organ within existing cases.
Were a very pleased to have been chosen to provide the new organ for St. Gabriel’s, Fulbrook, Walsall.
The current pipe organ was installed in 1977 by R.J. Winn using second-hand pipework and chests and replaced a Hammond tonewheel organ. It was never considered a success and is now failing mechanically. A report by acclaimed organ consultant, Paul Hale (https://paulhale.org/) revealed that the pipework came form a variety of sources, mostly unrecognisable and of little merit, and the electrical work inside the organ is very poor.
This large church is in the Anglo-Catholic tradition and music and the organ play a crucial role in worship. It is also used widely for concerts and other activities.
Originally, the church was convinced that the only option open to them was a purely digital instrument. This was for two reasons; firstly, budget was limited and a new or restored pipe organ to fill this large building was considered to be too costly. Secondly, it was stipulated that, whatever the organ solution, the two west cases (built by a late parishioner) must remain unchanged. The latter precluded the transplant of a redundant organ without major reconstruction work.
Our solution was to provide a Viscount Physis digital organ console with digital voices but also provide a pipe-based Great division using pipework and chests by J.W. Walker which we had in stock. After preliminary measurements, we were happy that this pipe section would fit comfortably on one of the cases, leaving the other case to house the speakers and amplifiers for the digital voices.
Our huge thanks go to Chris Booth, director of music, Frs. Mark and Richard and the wonderful team at St. Gabriel’s for their support and not losing faith in the project despite major faculty setbacks. We hope that this instrument will faithful serve the parish and its mission and will set an example of what can be achieved within financial and physical restraints and become influential in the West Midlands.
The stop-list can be found here: Specification
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