Foto’s: Andrew & Jane Wood © 2018
In 1871 bouwde J.W. Walker & Sons een nieuw orgel voor de Church of Saint Mary in Hitchin (Hertfordshire). W.J. Northcott breidde het instrument in 1878 uit. In 1893 is het weer uitgebreid door J.W. Walker & Sons. In 1911 is het orgel omgebouwd en 90 graden gedraaid vanwege een aanpassing in het kerkinterieur. Dit gebeurde eveneens door J.W. Walker & Sons. In 1937 wijzigde dezelfde firma de dispositie. In 1957 is het orgel herbouwd door John Compton. Rushworth & Dreaper reviseerde het orgel in 1978 en maakte het schoon. Ook werden diverse onderdelen opnieuw beleerd. In 1988 reviseerde Hill, Norman & Beard de speeltafel en voegde nieuwe computergestuurde speelhulpen toe. Dezelfde firma plaatste in 1992 een setzer. In 1998 werden er kleine wijzigingen in de dispositie aangebracht door Hill, Norman & Beard. Peter de Vile en Dedham Organ Systems wijzigden de dispositie in 2000. In 2008/2009 is het orgel herbouwd door The Village Workshop. Het elektro-pneumatische kegelladen-orgel met elektrische registertractuur heeft een radiaal concaaf pedaalklavier.
Dispositie:
Pedal | C – g1 | |||
1 | Acoustic Bass | 32 | labelled Quint 10 2/3′ | |
2 | Major Bass | 16 | open wood | |
3 | Minor Bass | 16 | open wood | |
4 | Bourdon | 16 | A, Northcott | |
5 | Octave Metal | 8 | B | |
6 | Bass Flute | 8 | A, Northcott | |
7 | Super Octave | 4 | B | |
8 | Flute | 4 | A | |
9 | Trombone | 16 | wood | |
10 | Tromba | 8 | C | |
11 | Clarion | 4 | C | |
Choir | C – c4 | |||
12 | Violin Diapason | 8 | ||
13 | Chimney Flute | 8 | ||
14 | Wald Flöte | 4 | ||
15 | Nazard | 2 2/3 | ||
16 | Flageolet | 2 | ||
17 | Tierce | 1 3/5 | ||
18 | Tremulant | |||
19 | Tromba | 8 | C, 61 notes play | |
20 | Octave Tromba | 4 | C | |
Great | C – c4 Keys 61 | |||
21 | Double Diapason | 16 | stopped below A# | |
22 | First Diapason | 8 | ||
23 | Second Diapason | 8 | ||
24 | Claribel Flute | 8 | stopped from mid c down | |
25 | Dulciana | 8 | ||
26 | Principal | 4 | ||
27 | Harmonic Flute | 4 | ||
28 | Twelfth | 2 2/3 | ||
29 | Fifteenth | 2 | ||
30 | Mixture III | III | 15.19.22 | |
31 | Mixture II | II | N’cott, IV prepared for 1871 | |
32 | Tierce | 1 3/5 | 2000, was Tromba (Choir) | |
33 | Trumpet | 8 | HP | |
34 | Clarinet | 8 | ex Swell, repl.Gemshorn 4′ | |
35 | Clarion | 4 | HP, independent | |
Swell | C – c4 Keys 61 Enclosed | |||
36 | Bourdon | 16 | ||
37 | Open Diapason | 8 | ||
38 | Lieblich Gedeckt | 8 | ||
39 | Echo Gamba | 8 | ||
40 | Voix Celeste | 8 | TC | |
41 | Principal | 4 | ||
42 | Flute | 4 | ||
43 | Fifteenth | 2 | 1998, replaced Clarinet | |
44 | Mixture | IV | 15.19.22.26 | |
45 | Double Trumpet | 16 | ||
46 | Horn | 8 | HP | |
47 | Oboe | 8 | ||
48 | Clarion | 4 | HP | |
49 | Tremulant |
Couplers:
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Great
Swell to Choir
Swell octave
Swell suboctave
Swell unison off
Choir to Great
Choir to Pedal
Choir octave
Choir suboctave
Great to Pedal
Accessories:
Balanced swell (with indicator on console). Gt & Ped pistons combined; Ch &
Ped pistons combined; Sw & Ped pistons combined; General pistons on toe
pistons (all by illuminated push buttons below the Gt stops). 7 thumb pistons
to Ch, Gt & Sw; 7 toe pistons to Ped and Sw. Reversible thumb pistons to
Sw-Ped, Gt-Ped, Ch-Ped, Sw-Gt, Ch-Gt, Sw-Ch. Toe pistons Gt-Ped rev.,
Trombone rev.. General Cancel piston. 10 General Pistons. 64-channel piston
setter. “Solo Stops” facility (which can be turned off) by illuminated push
button below Swell stops (disconnected, 1995); record/playback facility;
Further information:
The organ was built as 58 note manual compass and 30 note pedal compass; a
61/32 note console was installed in 1958; the extra notes are connected and
play where possible (eg using a sub-octave coupler). John Stainer gave the
opening recital at the ‘Manufactory’ in May 1871 and presided at two services
on 8 July 1871 when the organ was installed in the church.