The following, being a correct account of this gigantic instrument, may be depended upon as giving particulars with perfect accuracy. The organ is the joint production of Dr S. S. WESLEY and Mr Henry WILLIS. Its entire cost will probably be between 8000 and 9000 pounds. The choir and solo organ is not yet completed, but it is expected that the whole instrument will be perfectly finished in 6 weeks or 2 months. In consequence of the delay in the progress of the building, and the difficulty of getting all the works completed by this period, the voicing of the instrument has been done under very great disadvantages.
The instrument consists of four rows of keys from G to A, i.e, GG to A in altissimo, 63 notes, and two octaves and a half of pedals, from C to F, i.e, CCC to F, 30 notes. There are 108 stops, and 8000 pipes, varying in length from 32 ft to 3-8ths of an inch, ten octaves apart.
The great organ contains:-
Double diapason 16ft, 3 x open diapason 8ft, 1 open diapason, wood, 8ft, stopped diapason 8ft, 2 x principal 4ft, quint 4ft, flute 4ft, tenth 3/6th ft, twelfth 3ft, 2 x fifteenth 2ft, doublette ranks 2, equilateral rank 4, mixture rank 4, fourniture rank 5, cymbale rank 5, posaune 16ft, ophicliede 8ft, trombone 8ft, trumpet 8ft, 2 x clarion 4ft.
The pedal organ contains:-
Double diapason, open wood, 32ft, double diapason, open metal 32ft, open diapason, wood 16ft, open diapason metal 16ft, salicional open metal 16ft, bourdon closed wood 16ft, principal wood 8ft, principal metal 8ft, quint 6ft, fifteenth 4ft, mixture ranks 3, fourniture ranks 5, posaune 32ft, trombone 16ft, ophicliede 16ft, trumpet 16ft, clarion 8ft.
The solo organ contains ;-
Double diapason closed wood 16ft, open diapason wood 8ft, stopped diapason wood 8ft, flute orchestral 4ft, flageolet orchestral 2ft, oboe orchestral Mid C 8ft, clarionet orchestral tenor C 8ft, corno di bassetto orchestral 8ft, flute harmonic 4ft, trumpet harmonic 8ft, ophicliede 8ft, trombone 8ft, vox humana 8ft, bassoon 8ft, contra fagotto 16ft.
The swell organ contains ;-
Double diapason 16ft, 2 x open diapason 8ft, stopped diapason 8ft, dulciana 8ft, 2 x principal 4ft, flute open wood 4ft, flute close wood 4ft, twelfth 3ft, 2x fifteenth 2ft, doublette ranks 2, piccolo open wood 2ft, sesquialters ranks 3, mixture ranks 3, fourniture ranks 4, trombome 16ft, contra hautboy 16ft, horn 8ft, trumpet 8ft, oboe 8ft, ophicliede 8ft, 2 x clarion 4ft.
The choir organ contains :-
Double diapason closed wood 16ft, open diapason 8ft, dulciana 8ft, viol de gamba 8ft, claribella 8ft, stopped diapason 8ft, dulcimer 4ft, principal 4ft, celestiana 4ft, flute 4ft, flageolet 2ft, twelfth 3ft, fifteenth 2ft, mixture 3ranks, cremona 8ft, trumpet 8ft, orchestral oboe, tenor C, 8ft, clarion 4ft.
The couplers or mechanical connections are, swell to great organ, choir to great organ, solo to great organ, solo to choir organ, choir to pedals, great to pedals, swell to pedals, solo organs to pedals.
The bellows of this great instrument are worked by two steam engines, which furnish an aggregate power of ten horses, and were constructed by Messers FAWCETT and PRESTON. The largest pipe has an area equal to 2ft 8inches by 2ft 5inches, whilst the smallest is less than one -eighth of an inch in diameter. The notes are 10 octaves apart.
The grand source of the wind is from two immense bellows, each having three feeders, placed in the vaults below the hall. These are blown by a steam engine, consisting of a pair of oscillating cylinders. There are, besides, twelve other bellows, or reservoirs, each giving its own appropriate pressure of air to those stops or pipes which it supplies.
The pneumatic lever is applied to each of the manuals distinctly, and also distinctly or separately to the manual couplers. To the pedal organ there is a double set of pneumatic levers, but the most elaborate use of this power is found in its application to the combination of stops. Here we have it exhibited in a compound form to each organ individually, and to the whole collectively, where, by one operation, the player is enabled to produce a combination of stops upon the entire instrument at once. This movement appears in a a series of six handsome gilt knobs, placed immediately under each set of manuals, at about two keys distant from each another, occupying a central position, and always within reach of one or other of the performer's thumbs. The pneumatic lever is also applied to the opening and shutting of the swell louvers and some other important purposes. The very extensive use Mr WILLIS has made of this extraordinary power seems to have rendered any deviation from the ordinary valves, in immediate connection with the pipes, unnecessary, excepting in the pedal organ, where the large pipes have a very peculiar valve for their supply, which is quiet, sound, and free from resistance resulting from the compressed air. Space, however will not permit us describe this curious mechanism.
The pedals radiate to a point some distance behind the player, when seated at the instrument, and are circular on plan and conically segmental in elevation.
The mode of drawing the stops id different from most organs we have seen. Each knob, which is of solid ivory, presents itself at an angle of about 30 degrees, by this arrangement, with that of the pedals and the combination movement, the player has remarkable control over the instrument. This arrangement has been claimed as the invention of Mr JACKSON of this town.
The improvements in the mechanism in this noble organ are patent, and consist,
1st Of the cylindrical valve,
2nd The exhausting valve to the pneumatic lever, which would, by engineers, be called an opposition surface valve, its object being to facilitate the exhaustion of the bellows, and thus to enhance the reiteration of the touch,
3rd The throttle valve to the same, whereby the noise always perceptible in pneumatic levers without this application is entirely overcome. This is simply a valve placed over the aperture through which the wind must pass to inflate the pneumatic lever, and although the machine retains all the impulsiveness necessary to ensure punctuality, its impetus is gradually checked by the pneumatic bellows closing this valve, which is admirably contrived to have no connection with the movement.
4th, The combination movement, and the application of pneumatic levers, in a compound form, by which we understand one acting upon another.
5th, An improved method of centring or hinging such movements as lead from draw-stops to slides etc.
6th, [not patent], A most valuable contrivance in the coupling of the pedals with the manuals, whereby the four couplers in reality become eight. This is effected by two pedals on the left of the performer, one pedal produces the connection in unison with the pedal organ, the other in octaves with the same. They can be used separately or together, and stand in such a position as to enable the performer by one operation to detach the whole coupling movement, though the stop be drawn.
Copyright 2002 - To date