The Organ Project: Nicholson & Co. Ltd Visit - Pitch Discovery

During a visit to our contracted organ builders @Nicholson & Co. Ltd in February 2021, we set about discovering the original pitch of our 1889 pipe organ. Find out more: https://orgproj.co/u43s.

---------- From the Project Manager
February began in earnest, with a 4.30 am alarm call to set off to our contracted organ builders, Nicholson & Co. Ltd in Malvern, for two full days of heritage assessment. Our objectives were clear; we needed to ascertain original wind pressures, the lost 1889 pitch, and what work would be required to revert alterations to the 2,622 historic pipes. With wind pressure and pitch being wholly related, we promptly set to work identifying and selecting pipework from the Swell organ (this part of the organ having no confusion that the current wind pressure matched that of the original organ). We found that some of the slotted pipework (pipes that have a slot cut into their metal and a sliding collar for tuning) presented residue tidemarks, suggesting an original tuning position. This was first discovered on the Swell Vox Angelica, followed by the Swell Echo Gamba. We also noted that a number of stopped pipes (pipes that have a stopper in their top for tuning) had pencil markings, suggesting a stopper position that didn’t match the current pitch of 444Hz. Using the Nicholson voicing machine (a unit that allows you to place one or a selection of pipes onto it and play them through a keyboard, as if they were inside the actual organ), we listened intently, as James Atherton (Head Voicer) brought pipework to the pitch shown by the visible evidence. In sequence, it became clearer and clearer that our 1889 organ was originally at 448Hz, matching the pitch of the five-year younger organ at St Matthew’s, Northampton, and possibly the original pitch of the 1858 organ at Romsey Abbey (before a 20th Century pitch change). After many years of speculation and debate, it was a relief to all that the original pitch of 448Hz was incontrovertible and armed with this, we were able to steadily conclude the original wind pressures. Our second day gave way to a perfectly organised pick-and-mix of each of the thirty-eight ranks of pipes (noting that trays of pipes are quite heavy!), allowing us to make an assessment of what work was undertaken in 1965 to achieve the pitch change. What became obvious was that the financial constraints and uncertainty of the schedule of work in the 1960s forced a rather ad hoc approach to pitch change, with the bulk of the fluework receiving tuning slider adjustments only and zinc pipes having panels riveted to them. The reedwork has been the most altered, with cardboard used to lengthen pipes, pipe tops cut off, and extra weights added to reed tongues to counter the pitch change. These alterations are, however, recoverable. An interesting discovery was to find glue residue on the shallots of the bass 16ft reeds, evidencing that these pipes originally had leather attached to give a definite character to their sound. A full report is being compiled by Andrew Caskie (Managing Director) for review before any restoration work commences on the pipework.