The Organ in St Felix Church, Felixkirk

by Duncan Mathews

The development of English organ building during the nineteenth century is increasingly well documented, though much research remains to be done. Several large firms came to dominate the scene, each pursuing their own tonal ideas; continental influences were a significant factor, but were generally assimilated into a recognisably English style. At this time many English firms were successfully exporting their instruments; most of these organs, however, were sold to the colonies, and relatively few reached mainland Europe.

In the reverse direction, with the exception of substantial instruments by Schulze and Cavaill & Coll, the organs that reached these shores were smaller two-manual instruments by builders such as Walcker, Anneessens and Mutin, the successor to Cavaill & Coll. It is interesting to speculate on the background to such organs being built in Britain; presumably some influence came from local musicians who were well travelled, but this does not fully explain the large number of organs built by Walcker, mainly in Scotland, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Whatever the reasons, their arrival must have caused a stir. Tonally quite different to the English organ of the day, and employing unfamiliar types of action, they must have been regarded with some awe, particularly by those who had to tune and maintain them. During the present century many of these instruments have been “improved” and changed out of all recognition. On occasion such work was doubtless undertaken because the sound of the organ did not fit in with the fashion of the day; the Walcker voicing being, I am sure, rather too bright and keen for general acceptance during the 1920s and 30s. Their actions may also have been thought too complicated and difficult to work on (though certain English creations of this period could well fall into the same category!). The archives of Harrison & Harrison bear witness to the problems encountered by English organ builders working on Walcker actions. According to a report written in 1926 by one of our men, a large instrument in Yorkshire had been “given up on” by a local builder, and two others would not entertain taking it on. Our man reported considerable problems with the organ, fault correction being made all the more difficult due “to all the action boxes being marked in German and one cannot tell what is what”.

It is therefore unusual and gratifying to find untouched examples of Walcker’s work today, and we at Harrison & Harrison are pleased to have been involved with the restoration of two such organs by Walcker in recent years: the first built in 1903 for Lochmaben Parish Church, Dumfriesshire (see The Organbuilder 1995), and the second the subject of this article. Built in 1890 for St Felix Church, Felixkirk, in North Yorkshire, it is an organ of considerable size and complexity for a small village church.

The organ is built into a shallow chamber at the west end of the north aisle, speaking east. The Great Organ is on the first level, with the Pedal divided at either side. The Swell is on two levels above the Great. This very tall, shallow layout is excellent for sound but makes tuning and maintenance very difficult.

The console is slightly detached, and the organist sits with his back to the organ facing east. In Walcker’s original specification, the console was to be sited in the chancel some thirty-five feet from the organ; there is no evidence that this ambitious plan was ever put into operation.

 

 

There are no pistons or combination pedals. In their place are four blind preset combinations. The system is highly ingenious: the combinations are set by punching holes in a cardboard strip which is inserted below a grooved wooden block to the left of the keyboard. Sliding this block produces the combination. By varying the layout in the cardboard strips, the presets can be made to operate the whole organ or only one department (without overriding stops already drawn).

The casework is an impressive piece of craftsmanship; constructed of oak, with a natural finish, it dominates the north aisle. The swell-box, veneered in oak to match the case, is clearly visible above the front pipes, and the total height of the organ is well over 25 feet. The front pipes are of tin.

The construction of the organ bears all the hallmarks of its era. In broad terms it is very similar to the organ at Lochmaben, but in detail it is quite different. Everything is massive and solid; no use of thin or flimsy materials here, all internal woodwork is solid pitch pine and heavy in weight. In many ways its internal construction is rather primitive, and it is obvious that major manufacturing changes were made by Walcker between the building of this organ and that at Lochmaben, which has much more of a factory-made look to it.

The action is charge-pneumatic throughout, working cone-valve sliderless chests. The lead action tubing is large bore, and each tube is run individually; where an English organbuilder would have used tube trays, horizontal tubes are supported individually by iron hooks.

The actions have all been fully restored. They are based on purses rather than motors as used later at Lochmaben. A great advantage of purses is their ease of renewal; each purse is separately leathered onto a thick card collar before being glued into position on the board. (See Diagram 1). All the pipework stands in ranks above individual stop chambers that are flooded with air by a ventil when a stop is drawn. When a note is pressed at the console, acharge of air inflates a primary purse at the soundboard which works a valve; this in turn causes a further charge of air to inflate all the individual purses for that note, there being one per stop. These work the cone valves that supply the pipes, but no pipe will sound unless a stop is drawn.

All coupling is charge-pneumatic. When the coupler is off, flat springs hold a strip of leather in position sealing the windway. When the coupler is on, a pin, lifted by a rectangular motor, lifts the spring clear of the leather strip allowing a charge of wind to pass. (See Diagram 2).

The double-rise reservoir, placed at the bottom of the organ, was in poor condition and has been releathered. The woodwork was covered in blue sugar paper in the style favoured by Walcker, and this has all been renewed. An interesting feature of Walcker organs is their use of local bricks, neatly wrapped in blue paper, as reservoir weights; no doubt a more economical approach than shipping iron weights.

The two concertina trunks and three concussion bellows were also releathered, and their paper covering renewed.

The reservoir has three feeders. This is no evidence that this organ was ever hand-blown: the feeders were originally linked to a water engine sited below the organ floor. This method of raising the wind was superseded by an electric blower around 1964, and the water engine was forgotten. Rediscovered during the restoration of the organ, the engine was removed from its pit and cosmetically restored by one of the churchwardens; it is now on display within the church. Interestingly it is of English manufacture; Walcker’s specification indicated that they would prepare for this only. Sadly, today’s water pressure is thought too low to allow the water-engine to be brought back into use; the feeders have been retained but not releathered.

A tremulant was added to the organ some time early this century. This was controlled by exhaust-pneumatic action from a single stop tab at the console, the machine itself being awkwardly sited within the organ. It was felt that this was an inappropriate alteration, and it was discarded.

The sound of the organ is colourful, incisive and very exciting, and we have taken pains to preserve it without alteration. Cone and roll tuning has been retained throughout. The voicing is characteristically vigorous; the onset of speech is somewhat explosive, answering to the design of the action.

The principals and strings are keen and bright, with a forceful Mixture on the Great. The fiery Swell Trumpet is heavily mitred to fit into a low area, the mitres being at right angles rather than gently turned in the English style. The Swell Oboe 8ft is a later stop, possibly dating from around 1920; it is likely that this was a substitute for the original Oboe that appears in Walcker’s specification, something a little more refined being thought desirable at this time. No attempt has been made to change this stop, it being accepted as part of the organ’s history.

The restoration of this remarkable organ was a great undertaking which made considerable demands on all concerned. The results have amply justified all the effort involved. The parish rallied enthusiastically to the cause, and generous support was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Encouraged by the Fund, the church now has a regular musical programme: the first event was a recital by Dr Francis Jackson on Sunday 4 May 1997 to mark the restoration of the organ. It is good to know that the rejuvenated instrument will play its part in the musical life of this beautiful part of North Yorkshire for many years to come.