🎵 'Grove' Organ Demonstration TEWKESBURY ABBEY

[@ColinHarvey78]

Wow! What amazing organ! Those reeds (without exception) are glorious!

[@easheraustinmusic]

Brilliant Tuba in Lang Tuba Tune!! Sounds great on this organ!!

[@aceairstream]

So glad you were able to record the Grove organ- it's a very special instrument!

[@bobbyhendley3084]

Love this instrument!

[@mervwhitney7229]

Very enjoyable. I know nothing about music or playing the organ but this is a wonderful instrument. Of course, no organ is of any use without the Organist. Thank you Simon and to Richard for putting it on BIS

[@jerrymartin79]

What a fantastic demonstration of such a fascinating instrument. I've heard a lot about this organ but had not researched it myself: I loved Simon's demonstration and playing of the Tuba tune. Bravo all!!!!

[@pierrelauwers8719]

Thanks for this loooong due recording !

[@clydesight]

Thank you for this informative and inspiring demonstration of this very beautiful - beautiful to hear and beautiful to see - pipe organ!

[@anthonyshiels9273]

Wishing Richard, Caroline and everyone at BIS a Very Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year from Maynooth in Ireland.

[@CKruegerOrgan]

Love it

[@TerryYoung-tp9ir]

Yes! Wonderful, musician and instrument.

[@jgh548]

Now I get why this instrument is so praised. What a beautiful tonal palette and a wonderful chorus too.

[@martym61]

This is a very interesting organ. One of a kind. Thanks to Simon for the demonstration.

[@stevehaydon6753]

Thanks for this Richard, a very important documentation of this wonderful instrument, sounds great even with the cypher!

[@mattleach958]

Absolutely Glorious. Thank you Richard and Simon.

[@johnhosking6193]

What a fabulous instrument!

[@jonboz7585]

Much appreciated. Thanks for showcasing this singularly interesting instrument with a truly unique combination of actions. I really enjoyed this presentation.

[@markswintonorganist8227]

Bravo, Richard, for documenting this historic and rare (if not unique) instrument that always seems so unduly neglected. And thank goodness that Tewkesbury's 'home team' are willing and able to champion it!

[@simonbell4050]

She's a marvellous machine - unfortunately, the longer you play it for, the more things go wrong. In my time she's never been remotely reliable!

[@peteacher52]

Thank you Richard. This was a cracker! I'll need to re-read Mr Sumner's book - admittedly rather elderly by now - to see if he refers to the Grove organ other than in passing. Three of his obvious favourites were St Paul's, Truro and Beverley, yet it seems as though the Grove, in full working condition, would equal the ringing beauty of Beverley Minster.

[@The2010SnowDay]

What a neat instrument! Any thoughts of sampling for Hauptwerk to raise some funds? Certainly seems like a unique Victorian survivor worthy of preservation!

[@pavlostriantaris2817]

What a beautiful organ! I do not think I have ever heard an organ built after the Baroque with such a high tuning.

[@musgawp]

Sometime in the 90s, when the Milton was undergoing one of its restorations, I played this for a colleague’s wedding. Easy playing and very adaptable if I remember correctly.

[@NatalieJmedia]

wow tonally this beauty sounds amazing and what a great Tuba Happy Christmas Richard and simon Bell. reginald Porter Browns tuba tune would sound awesome on this organ. had the pleasure of hearing this played at Arundel cathedral a few weeks ago another wonderful organ.was great to visit the organ loft.

[@martinroberts2811]

Have to agree with others comments a wonderful instrument and amazing that it is still is existence. The lack of any casing would possibly explain such lovely bright tones that are produced from this historic instrument

[@geoffcox242]

Great demonstration

[@jma_bcn]

Woooow!

[@chrisburn7178]

My local church organ is by Beale & Thynne, looks like Thynne also partnered with Michell for a few organs. This must have been their Magnum opus!

[@danielmkubacki]

What cool organ.

[@Lubbert77]

It is rather fabulous isn‘t it? Probably needs restoration, which would be more than worth it.

[@jonwelch686]

That organ is very deserving of a thorough restoration and maybe furniture work around it with plexiglass inserts to show the mechanics of the organ.

[@johnmaguire9305]

Is this the only organ without a case? I remember seeing it some years ago and wondering if some clever person could couple both organs together ( like the Stephans dom in Vienna)?

[@TheGloriousRestoration]

Sounds pretty convincing for an 'unplayable' instrument. Surely a couple of days tuning and a carefully chosen and executed programme could yield a worthwhile full length recording?

[@RichardHarrold1991]

I believe "Thynne" is pronounced "Tyne", as in Newcastle upon, not "thin"! Unless Simon is a Goon Show fan? Grytpype-Thynne and all that. By the way, Carlton Cumberbatch Michell was a relative of the famous actor Benedict Cumberbatch - the lineage is traceable using ancestry sites. He spent some time in the USA, working for the Austin organ company, including during the time when Robert Hope-Jones was also there - the two did not get on!

[@Ed-Rosenthal7]

Look at those cobwebs!!

[@choirboyfromhell1]

It's not A=440 is it?

[@RichardHarrold1991]

Nope, A440 is C523.3, Victorian pitch was C540.

[@simonbell4050]

@RichardHarrold1991 Which is why we are very grateful the 1948 scheme with the famous Walker 5 manual console was never completed, as it would have involved a pitch change!