Remembrancer
No. V. - THE ORGAN AT ST SEPULCHRE'S CHURCH
HAVING given some account of the organs of Schmidt and Schrider, we will now direct the attention of our readers to that at the head of this paper, which was built by Renatus Harris, in 1667, and supposed to be the oldest of his make now in London. It originally consisted of a great and choir organ only; but, after an extensive repair by the elder By field, son-in-law to Harris, about 1730, the swell was added; and a new trumpet, clarion, and open diapason bass was added to the great organ. After this repair, the judgment of organ-builders and connoisseurs decided it to be the finest in London, although not the largest. In 1817, an important improvement was made, by extending the compass of the great and choir organs to E in alt, and making the bass long octave. Another open diapason, all through, was added to the great organ; and a dulciana to the choir organ, and also an octave of pedals, and pedal pipes» In 1827, the swell was enlarged in compass, from F in the tenor, to gamut (G in the bass), with a Venetian front; likewise two octaves of German pedals, commencing at CCC to CC and C, and also two coupling stops, to unite the choir and swell to the great organ, when required. The last two repairs were made by that eminent artist, Mr. Gray, who has the care of the organ, and whose fame is so extensively known.
There have been several accounts published of this organ, in periodical and other works, from which we will make a few extracts for the sake of those of our readers who feel interested in the subject. The celebrated Mr. Russell, formerly organist at the Foundling Hospital, is said to have been "extremely partial to the organ at Sepulchre's Church, Snowhill; and has been heard to say, that it was the finest instrument upon which he ever played, and that the trumpet-stop could not be equalled in the kingdom" (Monthly Magazine, January 1814, p.552; also July 1814). The well-known artist, Mr James Davis, who executed the extensive organ repairs at St. Saviour's Church, about twelve years ago, thought highly of the organs built by Schmidt and Harris, and observed, "The diapasons in the organ of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the reed stops, in that of St Sepulchre, were the finest in England" (Gentleman's Magazine, March 1827, p284). The Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Vol. XIII. p.502, describes "the organ of this Church as an extremely good one; and particularly remarkable for its fine trumpet-stop,"
In addition to these commendations, may be added the opinions of the celebrated organ builders, Green, Avery, and England, who all bore testimony to the rich quality of tone it possessed. So partial was Byfield the elder to the instrument under consideration, that he would forbid any one beside himself to tune it, alleging that he never could attend to a second on the same day; inasmuch as he could not bear "to hear any reed work after it." Indeed, his partiality was carried so far as to request that his body might, after death, be interred as near to it as possible; and which request has since been complied with, he now lying in the south-western part of the church-yard. Avery and England add their testimony as to its "brilliancy and crispness in the chorus."
The stops which this organ contains are as follows:
13.
CC/FF C/
GREAT ORGAN
1 Stop Diapason
2 Open ditto.
3 Ditto ditto.
4 Principal.
5 Twelfth.
6 Fifteenth.
7 Larigot
8 Tierce
9 Sexquialtra.
10 Mixture.
11 Trumpet.
12 Clarion.
13 Comet.
14 Pedal Pipes.
CHOIR ORGAN
1 Stop Diapason.
2 Flute.
3 ranks. 2 ditto.
5 ranks. 1010 pipes.
3 Dulciana to C.
4 Principal.
5 Fifteenth.
6 Cremona,
7 Vox humana.
SWELL.
1 Stop Diapason.
2 Open ditto.
3 Principal.
4 Hautboy.
5 Horn.
6 Trumpet.
7 Sexquialtra.
The compass of the great and choir organs extends from GG to E in alt, 57 notes; the swell, from gamut G to E in alt, 46 notes. The pedal pipes are brought on by means of a side pedal, and may be used separately, or attached to the choir, or great organ keys. There are two other pedals, to unite the German pedals to t great and choir organs, together or separately. There are also two others, to unite the swell and choir organs to the great one, together or separate. The choir organ is in a distinct case, in front of the great organ, similar to those in Cathedrals. The swell, previous to the repair in 1817, was of the same compas and contained the same number of stops as the one above-described in the Temple organ, being precisely of the same quality, and built by the same artist. The stop diapasons, in the great organ and swell, are both of metal, and of a very fine quality.
As this Church of St Sepulchre is about to undergo an extensive repair next year an excellent opportunity will be afforded of enlarging the organ still further, by extending the compass of the Swell to C in the bass, and having a new sound-be to the great organ, for the sake of facilitating the tuning; the great organ beir at present too contracted. There will then be a further opportunity of adding pedal pipes on a larger scale; and we sincerely hope the liberality of the parish oners of St. Sepulchre will be readily extended in improving and preserving an organ, of which they ought to feel proud.
Having given the opinions of such eminent professional men respecting the merits of this instrument, it would be superfluous to say more. Those who have not heard it and who feel an interest in the science, would do well to listen and judge for themselves,
It is a remarkable circumstance, that the organs at St. Andrew, Holborn, and at Christ Church, Newgate-street, both built by the same artist, and at a later date, should not have lasted out equally with this, which, with care, will continue another hundred years. St. Andrew's organ was built, 1699; Christ Church, 1690; St Sepulchre, 1677. We should almost fear the former two have
not died a natural death. Christian Remembrancer, 1833 (pp. 625-6)
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