POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
Do make time to come along some time from 2pm onwards on Saturday 18th April when the organ will ‘speak‘ (as they say in the trade) in a marathon of great music played, by a relay of organists, in support of the Royal College of Organists National Organ Day and to celebrate the St Stephen’s organ's 135th birthday.
The organ in St. Stephen's is over 130 years old having been in action, from its birth, in Lower Basildon church. It was moved to the spanking new Upper Basildon church, St. Stephen's, in 1977. A great example of a successful blending of the old with the new.
At least three people play the instrument regularly for Sunday services putting its 498 separate pipes through their paces. It is amazing that so many pipes fit in to such a small space. Because it is so compact it is called a 'chamber organ' in contrast to the vast organs that you find in cathedrals. Theyassureme they can fill St.Stephen's with a lot of noise if they wanted to, especially if they wanted to drown out the singing.
The organ has two keyboards (manuals) one above the other looking like two pianos. This allows you to play one melody using different sounding stops with one hand while playing harmonies, or a counter melody, with completely different sounds with the other. A virtual orchestra at one's command. In addition, you can add to that really low notes, using the wooden pedals below with your feet.
Although the lowest shuddering sound comes from a pipe that is only eight foot in length it has been designed so that the wind travels back down the pipe making it equivalent to being 16 foot long !
In inventive hands it can sound really beautiful. The secret is, of course, to be able to play all the right notes, positively, in the right order!
The organ, as you can imagine, is getting on in years and showing inevitable wear and tear which will have to be put right if the instrument is to last another hundred years!
