Jesus we follow thee - St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London (Compton organ)

Описание: #comptonorgan #churchorgan #pipeorgan

Me playing the organ at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, London.

St Bride’s is one of Sir Christopher Wren’s London ‘Church Gems’ and it was substantially damaged during the blitz in world war II. The original Gray and Davison had occupied the rear gallery and was completely destroyed.

The present organ here was built by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd in 1957 as part of the church rebuilding following the bomb damage. In true Compton fashion it is built using the 'extension' technique and is housed in 3 fully enclosed chambers at the rear of the church with an unenclosed Positive division. Some minor changes have taken place over the years including the addition of new stops and tonal remodelling but the organ remains mostly original.

Legend has it that the church originally looked at a Compton electrone organ but Jimmy Taylor (technical director of Compton at the time) said "you have a space for a good pipe organ - we can do you one".

In 2002 the organ was overhauled by Keith Bance of Harrow and in 2018 as a result of a lightning strike causing much damage to the electrics of both the church and the organ, Harrison and Harrison of Durham replaced the original 1950s wiring and relays with solid state.

Being in a church dedicated to St Bride I simply had to play the hymn tune 'St Bride' so here it is to "Jesus, we follow thee" from the Methodist hymnal 'Hymns and Psalms'. In the first verse I make use of the French Horn on the solo division.

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

For more information on the John Compton Organ Company Ltd and to see me play other Compton organs, please click on the following link for my site dedicated to the John Compton Organ Company Ltd:

http://comptonorgans.yolasite.com/

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.