Let the song go round the earth - Chris Lawton at All Saint's Church, Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Me playing the organ at All Saint's Church in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

The organ was originally built in 1882 by Lewis of Brixton, London to which further work was done in 1903. By the 1940s, the organ was in need of work but as a result of world war two this did not happen until 1953 when the John Compton Organ Company Ltd completely rebuilt and enlarged the organ. Electric action and detached drawstop console (which still features the original Compton flat head draw stops) were provided as well as new ranks of pipes including the Compton patent 32ft polyphonic bass on the pedal. Most of the original Lewis pipework was incorporated in the rebuild. The specification reads:

PEDAL
Sub Bass 32'
Open Wood 16'
Open Metal 16'
Sub Bass 16'
Dulciana 16'
Octave Wood 8'
Octave Metal 8'
Bass Flute 8'
Super Octave 4'
Flute 4'
Harmonics of 32 V
Fagotto 16'
Trombone 16'
Tromba 8'
Clarion 4'
Choir to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

CHOIR
Contra Dulciana 16'
Lieblich Gedeckt 8'
Salicional 8'
Dulciana 8'
Flute Harmonique 4'
Cornet III
Viola da Gamba 8'
Clarinet 8'
Schalmei 4'
Tromba 8'
Octave Tromba 4'
Sub Octave
Unison Off
Octave
Swell to Choir

GREAT
Contra Geigen 16'
Open Diapason 8'
Geigen 8'
Hohl Flute 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Octave Geigen 4'
Octave Quint 2.2/3'
Super Octave 2'
Cornet I (16ft) IV
Cornet II (8ft) IV
Swell to Great
Choir to Great

SWELL
Contra Viola 16'
Geigen 8'
Rohr Flute 8'
Viola da Gamba 8'
Viola Celestes 8'
Geigen Principal 4'
Octave Viola 4'
Gemshorn Fifteenth 2'
Mixture V
Contra Fagotto 16'
Double Clarinet 8'
Fagotto 8'
Clarinet 8
Oboe 8'
Trumpet 8
Clarion 4'
Tremulant

ACCESSORIES
5 double touch thumb pistons to choir and pedal
5 double touch thumb pistons to great and pedal
5 double touch thumb pistons to swell and pedal
5 double touch toe pistons to pedal and great
5 toe pistons to swell
3 canceller thumb pistons to pedal couplers
2 reversible thumb pistons
1 reversible toe piston - pedal Trombone
1 general cancel thumb piston
5 ventil switches
Second touch cancel off
Voltmeter

For this first video I am playing the hymn 'Let the song go round the earth' to the tune 'Moel Llys' which makes use of the main registrations used for accompanying congregational hymn singing.

I am only an amateur and by no means a pro so wanted to point this out and hope you are still able to get the jist of the amazing skills of the John Compton Organ Company Ltd.

Many thanks to the church officials for allowing me access to this wonderful Compton organ.

REQUEST: I am always on the lookout for Compton organs to play - particularly electrones - so if you know of any churches which still have these then please do let me know. I will happily give a donation or pay any applicable room hire charge.