Fill thou my life - St Michael's Church, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton
- 10 years ago
Me playing the organ at St Michael and All Angels Church in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton.
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall as it was badly damaged in a devastating fire on the night of the 2nd February, 1950. All that remained intact was the 14th century tower with its peal of eight bells, and the Victorian porch. The church was rebuilt in modern Gothic style, and consecrated on April 16th 1955.
The new organ was built by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd to replace an instrument by William Hill which got destroyed in the fire. As typical with Compton, the organ is built mostly on the extension principal complete with the patent 32ft polyphonic bass. The pipework is housed in the north chancel chamber and speaks into the church via an ornamental grille. The detached console is situated on the opposite side and still retains the original Compton flathead drawstops. The specification reads:
PEDAL
Sub Bass 32'
Contra Bass 16'
Bourdon 16'
Gamba 16'
Octave 8'
Flute 8'
Fifteenth 4'
Trombone 16'
Tromba 8'
Hautboy 8'
Clarion 4'
Choir to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell Octave to Pedal
CHOIR
Contra Dulciana 16'
Claribel 8'
Dulciana 8'
Vox Angelica 8'
Flauto Traverso 4'
Dulcet 4'
Dulcet Twelfth 2.2/3'
Piccolo 2'
Tierce 1.3/5'
Tromba 8'
Hautboy 8'
Octave Tromba 4'
Sub Octave
Octave
Tremulant
Great to Choir
Swell to Choir
GREAT
Double Open Diapason 16'
First Diapason 8'
Second Diapason 8'
Hohlflote 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Principal 4'
Harmonic Flute 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Fifteenth 2'
Tromba 8'
Swell to Great
SWELL
Contra Viola 16'
Geigen Diapason 8'
Lieblich Gedeckt 8'
Viola da Gamba 8'
Viole Celeste 8'
Gemshorn 4'
Octave Viola 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Cymbale III
Contra Hautboy 16'
Trumpet 8'
Hautboy 8'
Sub Octave
Octave
Tremulant
ACCESSORIES
6 double touch thumb pistons to Choir and Pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to Great and Pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to Swell and Pedal
6 toe pistons to Pedal and Great
6 toe pistons to Swell and Great
4 coupler cancel thumb pistons
1 setter thumb piston
1 general cancel thumb piston
1 balanced expression pedal - swell
1 balanced expression pedal - choir
Voltmeter
For this first video I am playing the hymn 'Fill thou my life, O Lord my God' to the tune 'St Fulbert' which makes use of the main sounds on the organ used for accompanying congregational hymn singing.
Many thanks to the church officials for kindly allowing me access to this fine Compton organ.
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall as it was badly damaged in a devastating fire on the night of the 2nd February, 1950. All that remained intact was the 14th century tower with its peal of eight bells, and the Victorian porch. The church was rebuilt in modern Gothic style, and consecrated on April 16th 1955.
The new organ was built by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd to replace an instrument by William Hill which got destroyed in the fire. As typical with Compton, the organ is built mostly on the extension principal complete with the patent 32ft polyphonic bass. The pipework is housed in the north chancel chamber and speaks into the church via an ornamental grille. The detached console is situated on the opposite side and still retains the original Compton flathead drawstops. The specification reads:
PEDAL
Sub Bass 32'
Contra Bass 16'
Bourdon 16'
Gamba 16'
Octave 8'
Flute 8'
Fifteenth 4'
Trombone 16'
Tromba 8'
Hautboy 8'
Clarion 4'
Choir to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell Octave to Pedal
CHOIR
Contra Dulciana 16'
Claribel 8'
Dulciana 8'
Vox Angelica 8'
Flauto Traverso 4'
Dulcet 4'
Dulcet Twelfth 2.2/3'
Piccolo 2'
Tierce 1.3/5'
Tromba 8'
Hautboy 8'
Octave Tromba 4'
Sub Octave
Octave
Tremulant
Great to Choir
Swell to Choir
GREAT
Double Open Diapason 16'
First Diapason 8'
Second Diapason 8'
Hohlflote 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Principal 4'
Harmonic Flute 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Fifteenth 2'
Tromba 8'
Swell to Great
SWELL
Contra Viola 16'
Geigen Diapason 8'
Lieblich Gedeckt 8'
Viola da Gamba 8'
Viole Celeste 8'
Gemshorn 4'
Octave Viola 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Cymbale III
Contra Hautboy 16'
Trumpet 8'
Hautboy 8'
Sub Octave
Octave
Tremulant
ACCESSORIES
6 double touch thumb pistons to Choir and Pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to Great and Pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to Swell and Pedal
6 toe pistons to Pedal and Great
6 toe pistons to Swell and Great
4 coupler cancel thumb pistons
1 setter thumb piston
1 general cancel thumb piston
1 balanced expression pedal - swell
1 balanced expression pedal - choir
Voltmeter
For this first video I am playing the hymn 'Fill thou my life, O Lord my God' to the tune 'St Fulbert' which makes use of the main sounds on the organ used for accompanying congregational hymn singing.
Many thanks to the church officials for kindly allowing me access to this fine Compton organ.