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FUGUE:
CHAPTER XIII
THE
ORGAN RESTORATION, 2000-2004
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Mike
Collins (1940-2013) wrote:
In
the late-September of 2000, the Church exterior was rapidly
being cocooned in scaffolding. Fittingly, Prof. Graham Barber
gave a short closing recital to visitors at the Leeds Heritage
Open Weekend on Sunday afternoon, 16th September, 2000. He
concluded with a requested performance of Bach’s Toccata
and Fugue in D Minor, which, despite a storming presentation,
managed to adequately show up the faults and problems that lay
within.
The
organ remained silent throughout 2001, as the interior of the
Church underwent its transformation.
At
last, in May, 2002, work began on the organ. Harrison and
Harrison of Durham were on site over a period of five weeks,
taking out the whole of its interior. Most of it was
transported to their workshop, leaving only the lower end of
the 32-foot Pedal rank in situ, along with a variety of pipes
which would require little more than cleaning.
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Above:
the Organ chamber,
bereft of pipes.
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Above:
Pedal
pipes, stacked along the North side-aisle of the Nave.
Left:
Pedal pipes, adorning the Benjamin Gott statue.
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Left:
A sight to remember
Right:
The Swell soundboard in transit
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The
stripped down Manuals at the Harrison & Harrison’s
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New
frame being built at Harrison & Harrison’s in Durham
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Pipes
piled on scaffolding in the Lady Chapel
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Of
great interest was the question of overall layout. To the best of
our knowledge the various organs were arranged in a similar
fashion to their original set-up at Meanwood, and later in St.
Peter's in Harrogate. Judging by the somewhat cramped layout
before 2002, the arrangement of the various departments must have
been retained as at St. Peter’s, perfectly fitting the south
transept there. It appears that no opportunity was taken to house
the organ differently within the extra space afforded by the
gargantuan proportions of St. Bartholomew's. In the former layout
the bulk of the Great Organ was felt to somewhat obscure the Choir
and Echo, both of which were situated behind the console and below
the level of the Great, the Echo being against the north wall of
the transept. Where the sound would have filtered out within the
confines of the Meanwood chalet, it tended to appear muffled from
the back of the large auditorium at Armley. Hence the proposition
to bring both the Choir and Echo up to a position level with the
Great. Also advantageous was the positioning of the soundboards
running at right angles to the face of the organ, the pipes being
planted semi-tonally, from the smallest at the front.
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The
new arrangement prompted the moving of the Swell Organ upwards and
forward. Further to that, new shutters were fitted which give a
greater dynamic breadth. Our advisors underlined the fact that
decisions regarding the voicing of the pipes could only be taken
following further study and research, after examining other
existing examples of Schulze's work. The overall policy was for a
comprehensive and meticulous restoration, in which aspects of the
organ's musical and mechanical state would be paramount. Materials
and methods conformed as much as possible to the original
works.
The
organ is now protected from the elements, and will enjoy less
violent temperature fluctuations in the future. This also goes for
humidity variations that recent records showed varied
considerably. To balance this, an automatically controlled
humidifier has been added to the pump room feeding directly into
the wind supply. With the changes within the church the organ is
also rid of damaging fumes and water vapour. Audiences at concerts
are now more comfortable, with suitable lighting and relatively
silent and effective heating, and they will ultimately enjoy
facilities compatible with a modern concert hall.
From
June, 2003, several contractors were used to provide electric
points and lighting, a water supply and humidifier. Now the
interior of the chamber is illuminated to provide excellent
facilities for tuning and maintenance, and power points are
strategically placed (except for the later discovered omission of
one to fit a small heater to warm up the organist!). Harrison &
Harrison’s contractors again erected scaffolding, this time
to the full height of the organ. This enabled them to clean and
gently polish the whole case, and the uppermost angels were part
gilded by local labour. From July onwards the organ frame was
reconstructed and the organ returned to the new layout.
In
early January, 2004 the organ was ready for the final pipe
installations and for final voicing and tuning. This was a long
and laborious operation and was only partly completed when the
organ was heard again for the first time on Sunday, 22nd February.
It was prematurely rededicated, along with the church, by the
Archbishop of York on March 3rd.
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This
stunning picture, taken by Phill Davis, shows part of the Great
(front), some Pedal box pipes, the full rank of the Echo, and
much of the Choir.
The
boxed Swell rank is on the floor above.
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