The Organ in St. Alphege Church Solihull

An organ existed here in the 17th century, but nothing is really known about it. There are records of another instrument built in 1755 by James Broxall, and this contained at least one stop from the previous instrument. In 1809 a new instrument was built by Elliot & Co., the price being £277: it had two manuals and no pedals. The Pedal organ was added in 1856 and the Choir organ in 1868, the work being done by Edward Brosswood of Birmingham. In 1888 the instrument was rebuilt by Hill and Son with a new Swell organ and two new stops were added to each of the other manuals and Pedal. In 1899 a Harmonic Flute was added to the Great and an Orchestral Oboe to the Choir.

A major rebuild took place in 1936 by Hill, Norman and Beard: this included electro-pneumatic action, a stop Key console and several tonal alterations. By 1977 the action had become unreliable and the console was worn out. Between October 1977 and May 1978 the organ was completely rebuilt by Nicholson of Malvern. The work included many new stops, the complete rebuilding of the action, much internal re-planning, a fine new console and voicing by Dennis Thurlow. In 1989 the whole instrument was taken apart for thorough cleaning and the opportunity was taken to replace the 1888 Swell soundboard which was giving trouble. The fine case dates from the first half of the 18th century and is probably by Thomas Schwarbrick, a pupil of Renatus Harris. It was brought to St. Alphege from St. Martin's, Birmingham by Charles Curtis, Rector of Solihull 1789-1829 and St. Martin's, 1781-1829.

Great

Open Diapason No.1           8

Open Diapason No.2           8

Stopt Diapason                   8

Principal                             4

Harmonic Flute                  4

Fifteenth                            2

Fourniture                        IV

Trompette                          8

Swell to Great

Choir to Great

Great & Pedal combs coupled

General pistons on Swell Toe pistons

Choir

Gedackt                             8

Spitz Flute                        4

Octave                                2

Larigot                              1 1/3

Sesquialtera                       II

Cymbal                              III

Cremona                            8

Oboe                                  8 (swell)

Bombarde                          8

Bombarde Octave

Great to Choir

Swell to Choir

Tremulant to Light Wind

Swell

Open Diapason                  8

Hohl Flute                          8

Salicional                           8

Voix Celeste                       8

Principal                             4

Lieblich Flute                     4

Nasard                                2 2/3    

Piccolo                                2

Tierce                                  1 3/5    

Plein jeu                              IV           

Oboe                                    8

Tremulant

Double Trumpet                16

Trumpet                               8              unit

Clarion                                 4

Swell to Pedal

Great to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Octave

Sub Octave

Unison Off

Pedal

Resultant Bass                    32

Open Wood                          16

Bourdon                              16

Principal                               8

Bass Flute                             8

Fifteenth                               4

Octave Flute                          4

Bombarde                            16

Double Trumpet                  16           (sw)

Trumpet                               8              (Sw)

Clarion                                4

7 Thumb pistons to each manual     7 Toe Pistons to Great        Setter piston 8 channels)

8 General Thumb pistons            8 Toe Pistons to Swell        General cancel

Reversible Thumb pistons for: Sw/Gt  Ch/Gt  Sw/Pd  Gt/Pd  Ch/Pd  Sw/Ch  Gt/Ch  Ch Bombarde

Reversible Toe pistons for: Sw/Gt  Gt/Pd  Gt/Ch  Pd Bombarde

You can hear the organ by clicking the link below:

Mendelssohn Prelude in d minor NAS StA_0106.mp3