ORGAN STORIES
1.The TELC Arulnathar Church in Kellys,Chennai,had upto the late 1990s Organ accompaniment with the aid of a Hammond Organ(2 manual and full pedal board), quite unusual in this part of the world(For long I was under the impression that this was a Hammond B 3 Turn wheels Organ though it did not sound like one.Now that church has a web site and it lists that Organ as having being received in 1971 as a gift from Germany which means that it must be an electronic organ for the Hammond stopped its turn wheels organs in 1971:It might be a good idea to get it restored or even retrofitted with a New Organ Mechanism ).My Uncle,Mr Paul Somasundaram, recalled an event in the 1970s when a full dedication service was conducted for that Hammond Organ in that church.It is sad to see its state of repair for it now functions as a keyboard stand for the Yamaha Keyboard that is used in its stead.Its unique and glorious notes and sounds and combinations are heard no more. I have also noticed a small reed organ beside the Non-functional Hammond.Years ago,I had visited the church while in attendance at a Wedding in the Mid 1980s(The wedding of the son of Mr Jonathan,Headmaster,Ret'd,ELM Fabricious School).An Old Organist was drawing out notes from an old Reed Organ(It was very low in Volume of Sound) placed near the swanky Hammond(As it looked then).I was wondering why he was not using the Hammond.At another Wedding, around the same time a young Organist(probably played regularly from the mid eighties to the early nineties) was playing on the Hammond Organ and then at the end of the service went on to play some delightful sheet music from the organ repertoire(I could'nt recognise it though but I remember it sounded like a song sung by Remo Fernandes at a Big Games(May be Commonwealth Games) event conducted in New Delhi at that time. I remember the Brother of Benny,Organist TELC,Ambattur mentioning this Organist's name but it has slipped through my mind.This brother of Benny was a member of the Lutheran Mens Voice at that time in the 1990s. Later,I got introduced to the Lutheran Church Traditions as my Wife belonged to the Lutheran Church.One Lutheran Mens Voice concert was conducted at the Adaikalanathar Lutheran Church,Purasawalkkam.Mr Rajeevan David was to accompany the choir on the Keyboard(That was the first time I saw him).He got delayed due to the traffic.Mr Prabhu Dorairaj,the Conductor of LMV got an idea.The young Lutheran Organist (Would like to get his name identified)led the congregation through a session of informal praise and worship and this young Lutheran Organist that I am talking about played some vamping style keyboard music to accompany the LMV. The Pipe Organ was silent through out the service.There was a talk about the church going for a Console Electronic Organ due to the precarious condition of the Pipe Organ.When I visited the church after some years,I found a Complicated Wooden Cabinet housing a Keyboard.Many years later now,I see that the Pipe Organ has been resurrected again.Coming back to this Organist,I found him giving full Keyboard accompaniment to the choral music of the LMV at CSI Emmanuel Church Anna Nagar and that was before I left for the North to take up my Governmental Posting in the KVS in 1997.His four part accompaniment with the LMV for the Hymn,'All hail the power of Jesus Name' from memory(Without Sheet Music) impressed me very much.Just around that time I remember that there was a huge Electronic Organ in that Emmanuel Church(Anna Nagar).One Lady was faithfully playing that Organ.A keyboard was seen in the vicinity and it was being used with possibly a growing popularity for the Tamil Keeerthanai in the mid 1990s and other modern Tamil Songs.At the Time of the LMV Concert in Emmanuel Church,it had been pushed to the corner in a position that indicated that it had been given up.After some time ,that Organ was no longer seen in the church and Keyboard got an Organ Cabinet in its stead.
2.The Emmanuel Methodist Church in Vepery had a Pipe Organ until the time when the church was renovated in probably 1999 or 2000.That Church has a rich collection of Pianos, Organs(Technics(now transferred to Manali Methodist Church after servicing which was done by Mr Chella Kumar),Viscount Digital),keyboards, etc.In 1994,when the Pipe Organ was still functional,I saw this Technics in a Beatiful packing describing the Donor,Made in Germany',reference etc.After the church's restoration,I found the Organist (Mr Bevin Roy) using a Microphone to pick up the sounds of the Organ from its Cabinet speakers.The old pipe organ existed in a dismantled state in EMC's auditorium waiting and waiting for an installation or restoration( A Concert was planned by the Choir for a possible restoration until they they discovered the true state of the organ) for they also serve God ,those who stand and wait for orders(John Milton).It was reported that the church committee was not interested in the re-installation in the days following the renovation of the church though Mr Chella Kumar,Pipe Organ Expert had expressed his interest.The Pipe Organ was probably found to beyond repair years later when some people considered a possible re-installation and as per the latest news , and was sold out as scrap in the month of May 2009.Mr Bevin Roy,the veteran Organist told me(over phone) that the Pipe Organ before its eventual dismantling was in a bad shape with some stops having become irredeemable.
3.The TELC Anbunathar Church in Anna Nagar Chennai,used to have an 2 manual and full pedal board Artronica Electronic Oscillator Organ but that has now been donated to a TELC church in (Pandur Village),Tiruvallur(One can only hope that it is put to a good sheet music use),the church having purchased a Yamaha 2000 series keyboard(Rs 18000/- I believe) ,obviously a loss for Organ Sound enthusiasts.Now ,I have come to know that the Artronica had to be shunted out due to its poor condition.The keyboard certainly does seem to come a cropper thought the Artronica was a simple organ by International standards.Now,the Church seems to have arranged a two keyboards cabinet to make it sound or appear like an Organ with two manuals.At present it looks as though,the Organ Sound will come back into the church through a new Digital Organ.
4.Ref:Photo Gallery
5.The Pipe organ in TELC Adaikalanathar church has no pipes at present.Probably the Church is attempting to restore the Pipe organ.(It has been Restored:2013).Restored but not in use.
6.The Pipe Organs in St Matthaias's Church (Doveton,Chennai) and St Thomas' Church(Santhome Chennai) have been silent for a long time.Their consoles now house Reginald Electronic Organs. The Pipe Organ at the Roman Catholic Santhome Cathedral is listed as an Antique Pipe Organ on its Web Site.Mr Chella Kumar has been approached for a possible resurrection of the Organs at St Matthaias (Vepery,Chennai) and Christ Church(Mount Road,Chennai){:2013}.After several years,this Church ,now ,houses a Pipe Organ,that has travelled from KIS Kodaikanal Chapel to CSI St Barthelemews,Mysore,to St Matthaias's.
7.All Saints Church,Trichy:1 reed Organ(came to know now that this organ was purchased from a Circus company long time ago),1 Reginald (probably retired from service),1 Content Organ,1 Small pipe organ without pedals.
9.The CSI Zion Church at Chindadripet in Chennai has a functional Pipe Organ now after the restoration that was done a few years back.
10.A small non-functional Pipe Organ(Small enough for it to be lifted by two people)at Holy Cross Church in Perambur,Chennai, was brought back to life through the original hard working effort of one Indian,one Mr Chellakumar(a freelance service technician for Promusicals service center , Musee Musicals service center and Krish Musicals service center:all Chennai b)- a praise wothy effort indeed!.The Pump mechanism developed problems recently and the new Organists not being keen,it is back to the keyboard story.
11.The CSI Christ Church in Ambattur,Chennai, continues to use one 1985 make Reginald spinet Organ for its services.It is still functional and surprisingly is being used in a makeshift shed(2012) which is a few kms away from the present location of the church that is being rebuilt.This church is now considering a purchase of a new 2 manual Digital Organ to be installed in its huge church structure that is being built now,as per reports. A Two Manual Content Digital Organ has been purchased and the Old Reginald Spinet has been respectfully placed safely in the corner near the choir stall.My love affair with the organ started with this instrument which was purchased in 1985.This Reginald Organ had Four Big Speakers on its Cabinet.Obviously two Bass Speakers and two lead speakers.An output line probably with amplified circuiting led to to two Box speakers(One Bass and one lead ) which were mounted on the wall towering above the Organ.This was a spinet Organ with divided manuals for the left and the right hand and a 13 Pedal Clavier and a Volume Pedal.Pedals had Flute 8 Ft and Flute 2 Ft Stops.The Lower Manual for the Left hand had Flutes 16 Ft,8 Ft,4 Ft and 2 Ft and one Diapason(Ft ,I don't remember) and separate volume knob to balance against the overall volume of the Organ and the Upper Manual for the Right Hand had 6 stops indicating Trumpet,Oboe,Violin ,Cello etc.There was a switch for Vibrato.The Pedal Board had 2 Ft Flute and 8 ft flute stops.And when Organist John Collison (Presently Organist on the Pipe Organ in St Mary's Church,Fort St George,Chennai)used to play 'All hail the Power of Jesus' name',the four parts of hymn music used to sound out very clearly.I have never seen such clarity of Four Part Music in any Organ(That is among the simple Electronic Organs such as Reginald,Artronica,Yamaha Electone,etc) through out my life.It was probably the Manufacturer's (Mr John George)master stroke.And in the 1990s ,it was this Organ propelled me towards learning to read sheet music all on my own efforts.I had to take recourse to a small 4 octaves Yamaha PSS 290 keyboard to understand playing four part music.When I did play on that Reginald of the CSI Christ Church at Ambattur,the effect was electric.I will never forget that experience.At the CSI Redeemer's Church in Anna Nagar(Near Kilpauk Cemetery),I had an opportunity of playing some Pre-service Music at the Funeral of the Mother of my Organist Uncle Paul Somasundaram(m/o Redeemer's Church) on the Yamaha Electone Organ.It had a dignified Sound though it did not the volume of a Reginald/Artronica class organ.It was a Spinet Organ with 13 Bass Pedals along with the Volume Pedal.It was not very high on volume.My Uncle used to tell me that the Organist used to play on the higher Octave to pack some Audibility into their playing.It was said that this was a used organ purchased from the Grace Lodge Orchestra.One Mr Rufus was the Organist.At a Christmas concert, in the mid 1990s,I noticed that this Organ was relegated to the corner.A Piano on hire and a Casio keyboard were seen.The Church has gone from strength to strength in Choral repertoire under the baton of Mr Emmanuel Ponraj.Keyboards have come and keyboards have gone.Now,they even have their own Piano(Presented by Paul Hector Pandian,Former Speaker of the Tamilnadu Assembly).The church doesn't seem inclined towards the purchase of an Organ.
12.The CSI John the baptist Church,Egmore, Chennai, has been using an old basic one Manual Reginald Organ.while I was teaching at Loyola Evening College,there one student who used to give me regular reports of his playing on this Organ.
13.The Artronica Organ at St Andrews Church,Chennai, remains in a state of disrepair.This is a guess.No,there is no Artronica say some.
14.Artronica Organs are in the following Churches:CSI Trinity Church,Avadi,Chennai,Stephen's Church ,Conoor,One TELC church in Traquebar etc,CSI Dudley Church,Dindigul,CSI Church,Velacherry.
16.The ELM English Church in Kodaikanal near the Kodai International School,has what looks to me the only TWO MANUAL CONSOLE REED ORGAN with FULL PEDAL RANGE with an air pump) in India.
17 .The Tamil Methodist Church on Ritherdon Road continues to use an old Imported Electronic Organ.An expert from Singapore had to service this instrument in the nineties.I also noticed an old Reed Organ on a pedestral.-7 Sept 2018 Update:I just entered this church compound last Sunday and noticed a Digital Organ which seems to be a Content Digital Organ.
18.The CSI House of Prayer church in Adyar was using a Five Octave one manual Artronica without Pedal board for many years.The church having purchased a Content Digital Organ, has placed this Artronica in its Auditorium.That small Artronica has a good number of stops and effects knobs and keys that looked as good as new.That was one of the earliest Artronicas -it has been donated to its branch church(Probably Neelangarai CSI Church) in a nearby area.I have seen an Old Reed Organ in that church.
19.St John's Church,MEERUT (the church in which the sepoy mutiny took place in1887) has a Pipe Organ that witnessed that massacre.It was the most grand pipe organ ever in India in the words of Bishop Heber who had visited that church long long ago. It has been in a state of disrepair .Presently with the Church of North India(CNI),it is attended a very small number of the faithful.So,probably a restoration doesn't come into the picture.
20.A church in Simla and the Christ Church(Jabalpur) continnue to have funtional Pipe organs, as I believe.
21. The CSI Church in Choolaimedu,Nungambakkam continues to use its Three Manual Artronica successfully.
22.According to a former Bishop in the Madras Conference of the Methodist Church in India,Bishop Thoburn Church of Kolcutta is the only Methodist Church in India having a Pipe Organ.Recently,Pastor Noel Praburaj,Presbyter of that Church announced while on a visit to EMC Puducherry, that he had taken effort to procure parts to make this organ functional.
23.St Peter's Church of Viragalur Village(built by an ancesstor of mine in 1909 or so to be a part of the erstwhile SPG and then later the CSI),Lalgudi Taluk in Trichy Dt had a Reed Organ donated by one Major of Viragalur in the 1970s.This organ was manufactured by the Chinnaiah Organ makers of Bellary.that sounded wonderfully well but through the nineties Rats played havoc with its bellows.That Organ largely being unused ,fell in to decay.It was shifted to the vestry.In a few years ,its cabinet was the only remnant with the Keys and reeds section having fallen down through the already emptied bellows section.It became firewood in the end as white ants had done all the damage.
24.I grew listening to the Reed Organ in the Trinity Church in Avadi in the seventies.Later it was an Artronica single manual and then a keyboard took over.
25.While visiting the CSI Kalyani Hospital in ,Chennai,I noticed a beautiful and quite huge Reed Organ in an an Office Section related to Nurses.It must have been originally placed in the small chapel within the hospital.The Chapel ,I noticed had an electronic keyboard cabinet.Probably ,there was no one with the inclination or interest or capability to play the reed organ, pressing the bellows and using its stops.Today the old chapel(Built in 1909 or so) has given way to a larger chapel and original corner stone is missing while the the new one stands forth shining.The Heritage Law has been passed recently by the Government of Tamilnadu .This Law could have protected the Original Chapel had it been there.I tried to trace any remnant of the Reed Organ which I had seen in the office but to no avail but I did notice an old Organ stool which must have come from that Reed organ.It is still doing the honours for the Electronic Keyboard which is in the Chapel.
25 The Chapel in the old General Hospital opposite to Chennai Central had a Christian Chapel for prayer.It had a reed organ.The old building having been demolished,the chapel disappeared and then , a few of the faithful got a chapel in the the new building but what's happened to the old reed organ?
26.The CSI Christ Church in Tepakkulam in Trichy,I am told has a non-functional Pipe Organ gifted by the St John's Church of Trichy.
27.I noticed a Grand Piano below the the Audio Equipment platform in the Green Room of Betram Hall in Loyola College.It was the early days of the Electronic keyboard in the 1990s.I felt a bit sad.Probably the College management felt that the days of the Piano were over.Some musicians seemed to prefer the smaller Indian Harmonium.The Loyola College Chapel had a beautiful Reed Organ.
28.The MCC's Bishop Heber Chapel has beautiful Reed Organ which is still used.A Piano exists in the Chapel.A Pipe Organ installation is in the offing.
29.I remember having seen a solid Reed Organ in the huge Gothic Roman Catholic Chapel of Christ the King Church in St Joseph's College Trichy.
30.One Artronica Organ exists at Bornmann Enclave Chapel Kothanur Bangalore 560077.
31.One folding Estey Reed Organ at St Stephen Lutheran Church,Bangalore?
32. Reginald Organ made for the CSI Holy Trinity Malayalam Church on Ritherdon road,Vepery,I was told,was shunted away to a corner in the Sunday School of the Church ,the young musicians probably favouring what they call as 'advanced keyboards'.
33.Emmanuel Jeba informed me about the existance of an Artronica 2 Manual Full Pedal Board Organ at CSI Ulaga Meetpar Alayam,Royapuram,Chennai.The Volume is low and the Pedals are not functional.But the good news is that it is being used.
NEWS THROUGH INTERNET CORRESPONDENCE:
JEBA SPEAKS
Hi Sir,
Its indeed Gods gift that i have nice person like you who shares good interests in pipe organ and electronic organs.
Just saw your link about organ's ,its bad to see these magnificent instruments are not used and we simply cant do anything about this mishap,Like to inform you that we can add two more organs to the list one small working pipe organ in my church CSI St.Pauls Church Choolai,(nearby to St.Mathias church) and the second one a electrical organ in CSI Church of Victorious Cross in Ashok Nagar,
About the organs:
1.Pipe Organ:
Make : Hill & Sons im not sure about the year (I'll find it out anyway)
Specifications : 1 Manual with full pedal board.Electric blower attached.
This is one of the few organs that are maintained and serviced regularly but not played very often,I dont know why the Organist uses it only during Holy Communion and Evensong services and it is over shadowed as usual by a keyboard.
Hi Sir,
Greeting to you in the name of out Lord Christ.
I am very unfortunate to get a glimpse of the artronica organ in my home town as
my schedule was limited and went there during week days (normally the church is
open only on sundays).
I am much intrested in purchasing a artronica with 2 manual and full pedal version,
please let me know if one is available.
thanks & regards,
emmanuel_jeba
Jeba,
Your reminiscences on the connoor church brough back to my mind a csi church I used to attend at Aranvakadu where my father was in service at the Cordite factory.It was a moderatly sized and good looking church with a beautiful Reed Organ.I can still hear the young Organist (he used to play the guitar too) playing the 4 voice 'All Hail the Power 'on it(with the bass clef notes coming out very clearly).This was during the 1987-1988 years.I wonder what's become of that Reed Organ....probably the same story as of the Artronica at Connoor......
Praveen
Form submitted from website: http://artronicaorgans.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Name: Emmanuel Jeba
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Hi all,
Its nice to see a website for Artronica Organs famous brand of Indian made Electrical organs,I would like to share that i used to play one in my home town at (C.S.I St.John The Baptist Church,Coonoor,Nilgiris),it was a Single Manual organ with 13 small pedals,i my recent visit to the Church last year i saw the 20yr old organ put aside and was replaced by yamaha key board,It badly needs servicing and can be brought to top notch condition,Its really a cherishing experience to play Artronica.
I am planning to visit my home town this month hope i could get some videos of the organ.
Thanks and Regards
emmanuel_jeba †
Reply |PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN to emmanueljeba07
PRAVEEN SPEAKS
I had a talk on this piece.Mr Subash has memories of that piece.Please do take videos and images of that Organ.You could probably play on it and videograph it.I can use it for the web site.The paradox is that I grew up listening to a Reginald Spinet (n admiring too) in my Musical formative years.One organist ( correctly identified by another talented organist {Ebenezer Stephen} in the same church:Mr Thangaiah-Organist and Choir Master)at the Anna Nagar TELC used to play with gusto on an a 2 manual Art (it's sounds still reverberate in my ear-especially festival songs like 'Sir esu natharukku jaya mangalam' and Festival Chants like 'Panithu Umaiye'.I am reminded or Rev Jacob of the same church whose voice gelled beautifully with the Organ).Once again,it was the same tragedy,this perfectly working piece was shunted out to a Tiruvallur TELC ,the church having purchased a comparatively miniscule Yamaha 2000 PSR going against the wishes of that organist(correction;the church had to buy the keyboard as the Artronica had problems).-Praveen
- Show quoted text -
On Sun, Jan 3, 2010 at 2:54 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Form submitted from website: http://artronicaorgans.weebly.com/contact-us.html
JEBA SPEAKS
Name: Emmanuel Jeba
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Hi all,
Its nice to see a website for Artronica Organs famous brand of Indian made Electrical organs,I would like to share that i used to play one in my home town at (C.S.I St.John The Baptist Church,Coonoor,Nilgiris),it was a Single Manual organ with 13 small pedals,i my recent visit to the Church last year i saw the 20yr old organ put aside and was replaced by yamaha key board,It badly needs servicing and can be brought to top notch condition,Its really a cherishing experience to play Artronica.
I am planning to visit my home town this month hope i could get some videos of the organ.
Thanks and Regards
emmanuel_jeba †
I had a talk on this piece.Mr Subash has memories of that piece.Please do take videos and images of that Organ.You could probably play on it and videograph it.I can use it for the web site.The paradox is that I grew up listening to a Reginald Spinet (n admiring too) in my Musical formative years.One organist Mr Thagaiah,at the Anna Nagar TELC ,used to play with gusto on an a 2 manual Art (it's sounds still reverberate in my ear).Once again,it was the same tragedy,this perfectly working piece (It was not in perfect condition as I discovered now from Organist Ebenezer Stephen) was shunted out to a Tiruvallur TELC ,the church having purchased a comparatively miniscule Yamaha 2000 PSR going against the wishes of that organist.(It was the wish of the church and everyone including the Organist as I have discovered now)-Praveen
- Show quoted
RANDAL GILES SPEAKS
Dear Praveen.
It was a nice evening, and very well-attended. I thought all the organists did a good job. Actually I had to leave before the last two played. I found St Andrew's organ is still a bit tough to play on--the keyboard makes you have to play heavily on it, it seems to me. but I am not used to any real organ keyboard. Electronic keyboards spoil us in that regard.
The last instrument to be finished so far is St Andrew's Bangalore. There are other churches considering having their organs restored, notably Nagpur, Kodiakanal (but they won't do that, I don't think--too expensive), Delhi, and Colombo. So we'll see who comes up with the money next! I doubt that it'll be St George's Cathedral Madras, alas...
There is a fellow here who has been assisting Chris Gray in fixing up the pipe organs who already knows how to fix up reed organs and has done many such jobs very well. His name is Samson Bharathy, and his cell phone number is 9444142095. He could do that independent of any work he does for Chris Gray. Call him up and find out what he charges.
Cheers,
Randy
Dr Randall Giles
CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music
160/12 Santhome High Road, Mylapore
Chennai 600 004 Tamil Nadu, India
website: www.randallgiles.org
E-mail address: [email protected]
Telephones: house +91 44 2466 2524; mobile: +91 98843 43784
From: PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 1:57 PM
To: Randall Giles
Subject:organ performance
- Show quoted text -
Sir
I saw a concert data sheet detailing the performance of organists on the Kirk Organ.I was mightily glad to see your name on the top of the list.I greatly appreciate your services in this regard.I would like to know about the feedback you received from the other Organists[and your own views on their performances] and the members of the audience.My uncle ,one Mr Somasundaram of the Redeemer's church was in the audience and I came to know about the concert through him.Somehow I couldn't make it to the concert due to my commitments and responsibilities in the school that I work in.Sir ,What's the latest on the organ restoration effort in South India?Will the Reed organs ever merit such a consideration?
I do wish that Pondicherry had an organ for I could have seen you perform here.
With goodwill,
PRAVEEN
PRAVEEN SPEAKS
Sir,
Goodwill and best wishes to you.I was at Kodai a few days back.I found an unusually grand reed organ for this part of the world at the Zion Church in Kodaikanal with two manuals and quite a few stops and a complete pedal clavier board.I can identify the bellows pedal.There are other two pedal levers that arouse my curiosity.Probably one of them is for volume control.Interestingly the organ has been retrofitted with an electric air pump at the back.Your opinion....And what's the name of the church[n denomination] which has that now defunct pipe organ that you had referred to earlier?Please view the images of that reed organ.I hope I am right to call it a reed organ.One pedal looks like the volume pedal that you see on electric,electronic and digital organs.Must be a very old organ I suppose,a contribution of the Mission legacy ,no doubt.
Yours
PRAVEEN,23.5.08.
P.S-How do you manage the Pedal Keys when you operate the bellows to pump air with your feet?
RANDAL GILES SPEAKS
Dear Praveen,
At what church was this organ? I am going to Kodaikanal next week (will arrive there on June 19th morning) and I will go check this organ out. My suspicion is that it is a pipe organ with "expression" pedals which open and close the swell box. but since there are two such pedals side by side in your photo, I'll have to see when I get there. Tell me, please, where this church is. Zion Church is where in that city? It's a city to which I have never been, so if you be specific, or point out a well-known landmark which people there will know, that'll help. This will be my first visit to that city. Did you see any pipes anywhere ? It may be some sort of reed organ, but I'll have a look. Was it in playing condition, or just sleeping there?
Cheers,
Randy
Dr Randall Giles
CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music
160/12 Santhome High Road, Mylapore
Chennai 600 004 Tamil Nadu, India
website: www.randallgiles.org
E-mail address: [email protected]
Telephones: house +91 44 2466 2524; mobile: +91 98843 43784
JEBA SPEAKS
Hi Sir,
I am glad to inform you that I have got Information about two more Pipe Organs!!..
Organ at the St.Mathias Church Vepery Chennai and in Tucker Church Broadway.
I spoke with the Organist Mr.James Durairaj,in St.Mathias and He says almost all the
parts of the organ is made of Wood,the sad news here is most of the part are removed
and sold illegally by the then Sexton and Organ technician in the 1980s,
Its out of shape and a Reginald One manual keyboard is attached to the console
which is serving as the Churches sole music instrument.
About the organ in St.Mathias :
Two manuals with full pedal board.
Couplers for Swell Great and Pedal.
Made in 1800s with cost of Rs.6000
Keyboards made of Ivory.
Repair Work :
Restoration needs a full overhauling of the organ from scrap.
The organ at Tucker church is the one in very bad shape and is not used for
a very long time and the Organist is my uncle Mr.Marcus.He said that the Church
is not in a position to afford the cost for restoring the organ.
About the organ in Tucker Church :
One manual with full pedal board.
Made by Hill & Sons London
Repair work :
Same case as of the organ in St.Mathias.
I discussed the status of the organs in chennai with my youtube friend in UK.
Richard Shireby Ireland-Shireby church organ builders (Lincolnshire, UK).
He mentioned that the average cost for restoration would be £25,000 in parts & 20,000 man hours of labour to complete!
and is not having any plans to visit others countries?.. We need some one who can help the King of Instruments.
Would you mind sending me your Contact number and do let me know when you visit Chennai
We can meet up in person and share things.
I have planned to visit the organ at TELC Adikalanathar Church this Weekend.
FYI : The picture attached is the 3Manual organ at Egmore Wesley Church.
With warm regards
Emmanuel Jeba
THE SECULAR WORLD:The Mother of the Auro Ashram was known to be a an Organ enthusiast.She was said to be in possession of many organs(Electric/Electronic/Reed).I was told that these organs are in the inner private room in that Ashram. A few are functional while others are not.
ST THOMAS CHURCH,CANTONMENT NEAR GUINDY CHENNAI:A fully functional Pipe Organ exist to this date ,I was told , by one Organ Enthusiast Mr Peter Premkumar of Puducherry.But I guess it is totally non-functional.
CSI HOLY TRINITY CHURCH,PALAMKOTTAI:A Pipe Organ was in existance until 1980.A Reginald electronic took over after 1980.I wonder if the Pipe Organ stands there.
CSI ST PAUL'S CHURCH,TRICHY- AN OLD REED ORGAN WAS SEEN IN THE 1990S.LATER A NEAT 5 OCTAVES ONE MANUAL REGINALD WAS BEING PUT TO USE
CSI ST JOHN'S TIRUCHIRAPALLI:I was surprised to know from a documentary film that this St John's had two pipe organs during the course of it's history-one was given away to Christ Church,Tepakulam,Trichy and the other to the Tanjore Missions,most probably after the exit of the English Army units from Trichonopoly after the death of Tipu Sultan,the warrior.The Reed Organ at St John's Trichy continues to sound music,I believe but on a recent visit I noticed a Content Digital and this Reed Organ was not seen in the near vicinity.In the Eighties and the Nineties the Church had a One Manual Artronica with 13 Pedals.It sounded wonderful.In 1987,I heard Organist Edwin (Cousin of my Uncle Somasundaram)playing ,'The Lord Bless thee and keep thee.The Soprano notes and the four voice ending on the the last lines ,"And give peace"sounded so beautiful.Soprano: F A C followed bySop F+ Alto EFlat+Tenor C + Bass A---------SopF+Alto D+ Tenor B Flat +Bass BFlat------------ Sop F+Alto D Flat +TEnor G+BFlat-----------Sop F+ Alto C+ TenorA+ Bass F .This was the sound harmony and the Organ music that made me love the Organ.Later,when I got somewhere near the Organ at another Wedding in 1993,Organist Edwin even played some classic Organ Music of Bach, etc,on this Artronica.I remember it had sliding switches for it four Flute Stops.I even took a Picture of this Organ.May be I may be able to get it some day.Edwin did not seem inclined towards the Pedals at that performance.At the next wedding service in the same church,Mr Singh,the good old veteran organist and friend of Coolin Rajaiah was at the Artronica Organ.The service was about to start.Mr Singh was about to play the 'Bridal March'.Two Camera were switch on using the Power supply from the church.Boom went the Artronica with a drone sound.The Organ was getting low voltage due to the Video Lights.Mr Singh was gesturing towards the the Camera men and other but it was of no avail.No one understood his predicament.He sat on the Organ stool of the Historic Reed Organ and managed the whole service.Mr Edwin turned up at the end of the service and said that the Reed Organ had the habit of sounding out its full effects in the warm time of the Noon time.Years later,the new millenium,i attended a Sunday Evening Service,Mr Edwin was playing,'Come thou font of Every Blessing'.The sound seemed new.I saw a huge Organ Cabinet of the size of a Four Manual Organ,housing a Yamaha Keyboard with a large display screen connected to two Huge speakers blowing sound into the congregational area.'Praise an Worship' Keyboardist was also using the Instrument.When I enquired about that old Artronica,Mr Edwin said,"Oh,that one.It has been disposed off.It was given to a member of the church".I had the opportunity of hearing Mr Cooling Rajaiah play the song ,' Abiragamai Asirvathithu' on this keyboard.This was the second time that I was hearing him on that song for I had heard him play this same song on the Two Manual Reginald of his Home church:the St Christopher's church of Trichy.Recently on a visit to the church,I found the Keyboard cabinet with its keyboard missing but was glad to see a Content Digital Organ siting pretty in that St John's church.
PIPE ORGAN RESTORER'S MAIL:
Hi,
Only today I came to know about the website www.organsinindia.webly.com. It is a very nice work you are doing. I am very much interested in the various entries, some of which I was involved such as dismantling the EMC Purasaiwalkam organ was done by me. The committee was not interested to put it back in the new building.
I had fixed the Holy Cross Church Perambur Pipe Organ. My name is Chellakumar and not Selvakumar. Also I am the technician at Promusicals.
Thanks
Regards
Chellakumar
Cell 7667664949
The foundations of St Thomas' Cathedral (the Cathedral of the Church of North India's Diocese of Mumbai) date from the mid 17th cent (1676). The construction was completed much later by 1718. Records show that the Cathedral has had I think 3 pipe organs in succession. The last one was a large 3 man/ ped 'Bishop' instrument. It had a 32' stop as well! This instrument was dismantled in 1953 as it was wasn't fully functional...a real pity! A Hammond (drawbar) organ (2 man/ped) served the musical needs of the Cathedral from 1953 to 1993 when a Reginald (3 man/ ped) was purchased. The Content D6800 replaced the Reginald in 2008. Both the Hammond and Reginald are still with us. The Reginald is a stand by. The Hammond is not fully functional and is not in use at the moment. The Cathedral has a grand piano. An English make: 'Chapel'. It's not upto concert standard, but serves our requirements.(courtesy: Ravi Joshua,Organist,St Thomas's Cathedral,Mumbai)
PIPE ORGANS IN CHENNAI:
1.CSI EGMORE ENGLISH WESLEY CHURCH(METHODIST BEFORE INTEGRATION):The Pipe
Organ at Egmore Wesley Church is known as Conacher Organ,
Manufacturerd in England.it has three manuals. It was built in 1880, for a church in
Mumbai. It reached Egmore Wesley in 1944.The funds raised thorugh the
concert were raised for the restoration of the Pipe organ.
2.Trinity Church (near Central Station ,Chennai-reportedly had a pipe organ long long ago-Courtesy: Jones Peterson) )
COIMBATORE:
1.Today(16.7.2012),I found a write up on St Mark's Church,Podannur(Student's Edition),Coimbatore.What interested me was a line which said,'the pipe organ was substituted by a swanky keyboard'.Oh,not again!.What became of the Organ is the question on my mind!
PIPE ORGANS IN ANDHRA PRADESH:
1.St John's Church,Hyderabad
2.All Saint's Church,Hyderabad
3.St George's Church,Hyderabad
4.Holy Trinity Church,Secunderabad
5.Medak Cathedral,Secunderabad
ORGANS IN BOMBAY/MUMBAI:
1.St Thomas Cathedral,Mumbai
2.CNI WESLEY CHURCH:The Wesley (CNI) Church in Mumbai has a Conacher too (2 manual/ ped tracker action)-Courtesy:Ravi Joshua
3.Bishop Thoburn Methodist Church Calcutta: A functional pipe organ (The only Methodist Church in India to have one at present) :
PIANO NEWS
1.A few Pianos exist in working condition in Rastrapathi Bahvan(erstwhile viceroy's house) in New Delhi:would love to get more info on this.
2.The Emmanuel Methodist Church in Vepery had a Pipe Organ until the time when the church was renovated in probably 1999 or 2000.That Church has a rich collection of Pianos, Organs(Technics(now transferred to Manali Methodist Church after servicing which was done by Mr Chella Kumar),Viscount Digital),keyboards, etc.In 1994,when the Pipe Organ was still functional,I saw this Technics in a Beatiful packing describing the Donor,Made in Germany',reference etc.After the church's restoration,I found the Organist (Mr Bevin Roy) using a Microphone to pick up the sounds of the Organ from its Cabinet speakers.The old pipe organ existed in a dismantled state in EMC's auditorium waiting and waiting for an installation or restoration( A Concert was planned by the Choir for a possible restoration until they they discovered the true state of the organ) for they also serve God ,those who stand and wait for orders(John Milton).It was reported that the church committee was not interested in the re-installation in the days following the renovation of the church though Mr Chella Kumar,Pipe Organ Expert had expressed his interest.The Pipe Organ was probably found to beyond repair years later when some people considered a possible re-installation and as per the latest news , and was sold out as scrap in the month of May 2009.Mr Bevin Roy,the veteran Organist told me(over phone) that the Pipe Organ before its eventual dismantling was in a bad shape with some stops having become irredeemable.
3.The TELC Anbunathar Church in Anna Nagar Chennai,used to have an 2 manual and full pedal board Artronica Electronic Oscillator Organ but that has now been donated to a TELC church in (Pandur Village),Tiruvallur(One can only hope that it is put to a good sheet music use),the church having purchased a Yamaha 2000 series keyboard(Rs 18000/- I believe) ,obviously a loss for Organ Sound enthusiasts.Now ,I have come to know that the Artronica had to be shunted out due to its poor condition.The keyboard certainly does seem to come a cropper thought the Artronica was a simple organ by International standards.Now,the Church seems to have arranged a two keyboards cabinet to make it sound or appear like an Organ with two manuals.At present it looks as though,the Organ Sound will come back into the church through a new Digital Organ.
4.Ref:Photo Gallery
5.The Pipe organ in TELC Adaikalanathar church has no pipes at present.Probably the Church is attempting to restore the Pipe organ.(It has been Restored:2013).Restored but not in use.
6.The Pipe Organs in St Matthaias's Church (Doveton,Chennai) and St Thomas' Church(Santhome Chennai) have been silent for a long time.Their consoles now house Reginald Electronic Organs. The Pipe Organ at the Roman Catholic Santhome Cathedral is listed as an Antique Pipe Organ on its Web Site.Mr Chella Kumar has been approached for a possible resurrection of the Organs at St Matthaias (Vepery,Chennai) and Christ Church(Mount Road,Chennai){:2013}.After several years,this Church ,now ,houses a Pipe Organ,that has travelled from KIS Kodaikanal Chapel to CSI St Barthelemews,Mysore,to St Matthaias's.
7.All Saints Church,Trichy:1 reed Organ(came to know now that this organ was purchased from a Circus company long time ago),1 Reginald (probably retired from service),1 Content Organ,1 Small pipe organ without pedals.
9.The CSI Zion Church at Chindadripet in Chennai has a functional Pipe Organ now after the restoration that was done a few years back.
10.A small non-functional Pipe Organ(Small enough for it to be lifted by two people)at Holy Cross Church in Perambur,Chennai, was brought back to life through the original hard working effort of one Indian,one Mr Chellakumar(a freelance service technician for Promusicals service center , Musee Musicals service center and Krish Musicals service center:all Chennai b)- a praise wothy effort indeed!.The Pump mechanism developed problems recently and the new Organists not being keen,it is back to the keyboard story.
11.The CSI Christ Church in Ambattur,Chennai, continues to use one 1985 make Reginald spinet Organ for its services.It is still functional and surprisingly is being used in a makeshift shed(2012) which is a few kms away from the present location of the church that is being rebuilt.This church is now considering a purchase of a new 2 manual Digital Organ to be installed in its huge church structure that is being built now,as per reports. A Two Manual Content Digital Organ has been purchased and the Old Reginald Spinet has been respectfully placed safely in the corner near the choir stall.My love affair with the organ started with this instrument which was purchased in 1985.This Reginald Organ had Four Big Speakers on its Cabinet.Obviously two Bass Speakers and two lead speakers.An output line probably with amplified circuiting led to to two Box speakers(One Bass and one lead ) which were mounted on the wall towering above the Organ.This was a spinet Organ with divided manuals for the left and the right hand and a 13 Pedal Clavier and a Volume Pedal.Pedals had Flute 8 Ft and Flute 2 Ft Stops.The Lower Manual for the Left hand had Flutes 16 Ft,8 Ft,4 Ft and 2 Ft and one Diapason(Ft ,I don't remember) and separate volume knob to balance against the overall volume of the Organ and the Upper Manual for the Right Hand had 6 stops indicating Trumpet,Oboe,Violin ,Cello etc.There was a switch for Vibrato.The Pedal Board had 2 Ft Flute and 8 ft flute stops.And when Organist John Collison (Presently Organist on the Pipe Organ in St Mary's Church,Fort St George,Chennai)used to play 'All hail the Power of Jesus' name',the four parts of hymn music used to sound out very clearly.I have never seen such clarity of Four Part Music in any Organ(That is among the simple Electronic Organs such as Reginald,Artronica,Yamaha Electone,etc) through out my life.It was probably the Manufacturer's (Mr John George)master stroke.And in the 1990s ,it was this Organ propelled me towards learning to read sheet music all on my own efforts.I had to take recourse to a small 4 octaves Yamaha PSS 290 keyboard to understand playing four part music.When I did play on that Reginald of the CSI Christ Church at Ambattur,the effect was electric.I will never forget that experience.At the CSI Redeemer's Church in Anna Nagar(Near Kilpauk Cemetery),I had an opportunity of playing some Pre-service Music at the Funeral of the Mother of my Organist Uncle Paul Somasundaram(m/o Redeemer's Church) on the Yamaha Electone Organ.It had a dignified Sound though it did not the volume of a Reginald/Artronica class organ.It was a Spinet Organ with 13 Bass Pedals along with the Volume Pedal.It was not very high on volume.My Uncle used to tell me that the Organist used to play on the higher Octave to pack some Audibility into their playing.It was said that this was a used organ purchased from the Grace Lodge Orchestra.One Mr Rufus was the Organist.At a Christmas concert, in the mid 1990s,I noticed that this Organ was relegated to the corner.A Piano on hire and a Casio keyboard were seen.The Church has gone from strength to strength in Choral repertoire under the baton of Mr Emmanuel Ponraj.Keyboards have come and keyboards have gone.Now,they even have their own Piano(Presented by Paul Hector Pandian,Former Speaker of the Tamilnadu Assembly).The church doesn't seem inclined towards the purchase of an Organ.
12.The CSI John the baptist Church,Egmore, Chennai, has been using an old basic one Manual Reginald Organ.while I was teaching at Loyola Evening College,there one student who used to give me regular reports of his playing on this Organ.
13.The Artronica Organ at St Andrews Church,Chennai, remains in a state of disrepair.This is a guess.No,there is no Artronica say some.
14.Artronica Organs are in the following Churches:CSI Trinity Church,Avadi,Chennai,Stephen's Church ,Conoor,One TELC church in Traquebar etc,CSI Dudley Church,Dindigul,CSI Church,Velacherry.
16.The ELM English Church in Kodaikanal near the Kodai International School,has what looks to me the only TWO MANUAL CONSOLE REED ORGAN with FULL PEDAL RANGE with an air pump) in India.
17 .The Tamil Methodist Church on Ritherdon Road continues to use an old Imported Electronic Organ.An expert from Singapore had to service this instrument in the nineties.I also noticed an old Reed Organ on a pedestral.-7 Sept 2018 Update:I just entered this church compound last Sunday and noticed a Digital Organ which seems to be a Content Digital Organ.
18.The CSI House of Prayer church in Adyar was using a Five Octave one manual Artronica without Pedal board for many years.The church having purchased a Content Digital Organ, has placed this Artronica in its Auditorium.That small Artronica has a good number of stops and effects knobs and keys that looked as good as new.That was one of the earliest Artronicas -it has been donated to its branch church(Probably Neelangarai CSI Church) in a nearby area.I have seen an Old Reed Organ in that church.
19.St John's Church,MEERUT (the church in which the sepoy mutiny took place in1887) has a Pipe Organ that witnessed that massacre.It was the most grand pipe organ ever in India in the words of Bishop Heber who had visited that church long long ago. It has been in a state of disrepair .Presently with the Church of North India(CNI),it is attended a very small number of the faithful.So,probably a restoration doesn't come into the picture.
20.A church in Simla and the Christ Church(Jabalpur) continnue to have funtional Pipe organs, as I believe.
21. The CSI Church in Choolaimedu,Nungambakkam continues to use its Three Manual Artronica successfully.
22.According to a former Bishop in the Madras Conference of the Methodist Church in India,Bishop Thoburn Church of Kolcutta is the only Methodist Church in India having a Pipe Organ.Recently,Pastor Noel Praburaj,Presbyter of that Church announced while on a visit to EMC Puducherry, that he had taken effort to procure parts to make this organ functional.
23.St Peter's Church of Viragalur Village(built by an ancesstor of mine in 1909 or so to be a part of the erstwhile SPG and then later the CSI),Lalgudi Taluk in Trichy Dt had a Reed Organ donated by one Major of Viragalur in the 1970s.This organ was manufactured by the Chinnaiah Organ makers of Bellary.that sounded wonderfully well but through the nineties Rats played havoc with its bellows.That Organ largely being unused ,fell in to decay.It was shifted to the vestry.In a few years ,its cabinet was the only remnant with the Keys and reeds section having fallen down through the already emptied bellows section.It became firewood in the end as white ants had done all the damage.
24.I grew listening to the Reed Organ in the Trinity Church in Avadi in the seventies.Later it was an Artronica single manual and then a keyboard took over.
25.While visiting the CSI Kalyani Hospital in ,Chennai,I noticed a beautiful and quite huge Reed Organ in an an Office Section related to Nurses.It must have been originally placed in the small chapel within the hospital.The Chapel ,I noticed had an electronic keyboard cabinet.Probably ,there was no one with the inclination or interest or capability to play the reed organ, pressing the bellows and using its stops.Today the old chapel(Built in 1909 or so) has given way to a larger chapel and original corner stone is missing while the the new one stands forth shining.The Heritage Law has been passed recently by the Government of Tamilnadu .This Law could have protected the Original Chapel had it been there.I tried to trace any remnant of the Reed Organ which I had seen in the office but to no avail but I did notice an old Organ stool which must have come from that Reed organ.It is still doing the honours for the Electronic Keyboard which is in the Chapel.
25 The Chapel in the old General Hospital opposite to Chennai Central had a Christian Chapel for prayer.It had a reed organ.The old building having been demolished,the chapel disappeared and then , a few of the faithful got a chapel in the the new building but what's happened to the old reed organ?
26.The CSI Christ Church in Tepakkulam in Trichy,I am told has a non-functional Pipe Organ gifted by the St John's Church of Trichy.
27.I noticed a Grand Piano below the the Audio Equipment platform in the Green Room of Betram Hall in Loyola College.It was the early days of the Electronic keyboard in the 1990s.I felt a bit sad.Probably the College management felt that the days of the Piano were over.Some musicians seemed to prefer the smaller Indian Harmonium.The Loyola College Chapel had a beautiful Reed Organ.
28.The MCC's Bishop Heber Chapel has beautiful Reed Organ which is still used.A Piano exists in the Chapel.A Pipe Organ installation is in the offing.
29.I remember having seen a solid Reed Organ in the huge Gothic Roman Catholic Chapel of Christ the King Church in St Joseph's College Trichy.
30.One Artronica Organ exists at Bornmann Enclave Chapel Kothanur Bangalore 560077.
31.One folding Estey Reed Organ at St Stephen Lutheran Church,Bangalore?
32. Reginald Organ made for the CSI Holy Trinity Malayalam Church on Ritherdon road,Vepery,I was told,was shunted away to a corner in the Sunday School of the Church ,the young musicians probably favouring what they call as 'advanced keyboards'.
33.Emmanuel Jeba informed me about the existance of an Artronica 2 Manual Full Pedal Board Organ at CSI Ulaga Meetpar Alayam,Royapuram,Chennai.The Volume is low and the Pedals are not functional.But the good news is that it is being used.
NEWS THROUGH INTERNET CORRESPONDENCE:
JEBA SPEAKS
Hi Sir,
Its indeed Gods gift that i have nice person like you who shares good interests in pipe organ and electronic organs.
Just saw your link about organ's ,its bad to see these magnificent instruments are not used and we simply cant do anything about this mishap,Like to inform you that we can add two more organs to the list one small working pipe organ in my church CSI St.Pauls Church Choolai,(nearby to St.Mathias church) and the second one a electrical organ in CSI Church of Victorious Cross in Ashok Nagar,
About the organs:
1.Pipe Organ:
Make : Hill & Sons im not sure about the year (I'll find it out anyway)
Specifications : 1 Manual with full pedal board.Electric blower attached.
This is one of the few organs that are maintained and serviced regularly but not played very often,I dont know why the Organist uses it only during Holy Communion and Evensong services and it is over shadowed as usual by a keyboard.
Hi Sir,
Greeting to you in the name of out Lord Christ.
I am very unfortunate to get a glimpse of the artronica organ in my home town as
my schedule was limited and went there during week days (normally the church is
open only on sundays).
I am much intrested in purchasing a artronica with 2 manual and full pedal version,
please let me know if one is available.
thanks & regards,
emmanuel_jeba
Jeba,
Your reminiscences on the connoor church brough back to my mind a csi church I used to attend at Aranvakadu where my father was in service at the Cordite factory.It was a moderatly sized and good looking church with a beautiful Reed Organ.I can still hear the young Organist (he used to play the guitar too) playing the 4 voice 'All Hail the Power 'on it(with the bass clef notes coming out very clearly).This was during the 1987-1988 years.I wonder what's become of that Reed Organ....probably the same story as of the Artronica at Connoor......
Praveen
Form submitted from website: http://artronicaorgans.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Name: Emmanuel Jeba
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Hi all,
Its nice to see a website for Artronica Organs famous brand of Indian made Electrical organs,I would like to share that i used to play one in my home town at (C.S.I St.John The Baptist Church,Coonoor,Nilgiris),it was a Single Manual organ with 13 small pedals,i my recent visit to the Church last year i saw the 20yr old organ put aside and was replaced by yamaha key board,It badly needs servicing and can be brought to top notch condition,Its really a cherishing experience to play Artronica.
I am planning to visit my home town this month hope i could get some videos of the organ.
Thanks and Regards
emmanuel_jeba †
Reply |PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN to emmanueljeba07
PRAVEEN SPEAKS
I had a talk on this piece.Mr Subash has memories of that piece.Please do take videos and images of that Organ.You could probably play on it and videograph it.I can use it for the web site.The paradox is that I grew up listening to a Reginald Spinet (n admiring too) in my Musical formative years.One organist ( correctly identified by another talented organist {Ebenezer Stephen} in the same church:Mr Thangaiah-Organist and Choir Master)at the Anna Nagar TELC used to play with gusto on an a 2 manual Art (it's sounds still reverberate in my ear-especially festival songs like 'Sir esu natharukku jaya mangalam' and Festival Chants like 'Panithu Umaiye'.I am reminded or Rev Jacob of the same church whose voice gelled beautifully with the Organ).Once again,it was the same tragedy,this perfectly working piece was shunted out to a Tiruvallur TELC ,the church having purchased a comparatively miniscule Yamaha 2000 PSR going against the wishes of that organist(correction;the church had to buy the keyboard as the Artronica had problems).-Praveen
- Show quoted text -
On Sun, Jan 3, 2010 at 2:54 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Form submitted from website: http://artronicaorgans.weebly.com/contact-us.html
JEBA SPEAKS
Name: Emmanuel Jeba
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Hi all,
Its nice to see a website for Artronica Organs famous brand of Indian made Electrical organs,I would like to share that i used to play one in my home town at (C.S.I St.John The Baptist Church,Coonoor,Nilgiris),it was a Single Manual organ with 13 small pedals,i my recent visit to the Church last year i saw the 20yr old organ put aside and was replaced by yamaha key board,It badly needs servicing and can be brought to top notch condition,Its really a cherishing experience to play Artronica.
I am planning to visit my home town this month hope i could get some videos of the organ.
Thanks and Regards
emmanuel_jeba †
I had a talk on this piece.Mr Subash has memories of that piece.Please do take videos and images of that Organ.You could probably play on it and videograph it.I can use it for the web site.The paradox is that I grew up listening to a Reginald Spinet (n admiring too) in my Musical formative years.One organist Mr Thagaiah,at the Anna Nagar TELC ,used to play with gusto on an a 2 manual Art (it's sounds still reverberate in my ear).Once again,it was the same tragedy,this perfectly working piece (It was not in perfect condition as I discovered now from Organist Ebenezer Stephen) was shunted out to a Tiruvallur TELC ,the church having purchased a comparatively miniscule Yamaha 2000 PSR going against the wishes of that organist.(It was the wish of the church and everyone including the Organist as I have discovered now)-Praveen
- Show quoted
RANDAL GILES SPEAKS
Dear Praveen.
It was a nice evening, and very well-attended. I thought all the organists did a good job. Actually I had to leave before the last two played. I found St Andrew's organ is still a bit tough to play on--the keyboard makes you have to play heavily on it, it seems to me. but I am not used to any real organ keyboard. Electronic keyboards spoil us in that regard.
The last instrument to be finished so far is St Andrew's Bangalore. There are other churches considering having their organs restored, notably Nagpur, Kodiakanal (but they won't do that, I don't think--too expensive), Delhi, and Colombo. So we'll see who comes up with the money next! I doubt that it'll be St George's Cathedral Madras, alas...
There is a fellow here who has been assisting Chris Gray in fixing up the pipe organs who already knows how to fix up reed organs and has done many such jobs very well. His name is Samson Bharathy, and his cell phone number is 9444142095. He could do that independent of any work he does for Chris Gray. Call him up and find out what he charges.
Cheers,
Randy
Dr Randall Giles
CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music
160/12 Santhome High Road, Mylapore
Chennai 600 004 Tamil Nadu, India
website: www.randallgiles.org
E-mail address: [email protected]
Telephones: house +91 44 2466 2524; mobile: +91 98843 43784
From: PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 1:57 PM
To: Randall Giles
Subject:organ performance
- Show quoted text -
Sir
I saw a concert data sheet detailing the performance of organists on the Kirk Organ.I was mightily glad to see your name on the top of the list.I greatly appreciate your services in this regard.I would like to know about the feedback you received from the other Organists[and your own views on their performances] and the members of the audience.My uncle ,one Mr Somasundaram of the Redeemer's church was in the audience and I came to know about the concert through him.Somehow I couldn't make it to the concert due to my commitments and responsibilities in the school that I work in.Sir ,What's the latest on the organ restoration effort in South India?Will the Reed organs ever merit such a consideration?
I do wish that Pondicherry had an organ for I could have seen you perform here.
With goodwill,
PRAVEEN
PRAVEEN SPEAKS
Sir,
Goodwill and best wishes to you.I was at Kodai a few days back.I found an unusually grand reed organ for this part of the world at the Zion Church in Kodaikanal with two manuals and quite a few stops and a complete pedal clavier board.I can identify the bellows pedal.There are other two pedal levers that arouse my curiosity.Probably one of them is for volume control.Interestingly the organ has been retrofitted with an electric air pump at the back.Your opinion....And what's the name of the church[n denomination] which has that now defunct pipe organ that you had referred to earlier?Please view the images of that reed organ.I hope I am right to call it a reed organ.One pedal looks like the volume pedal that you see on electric,electronic and digital organs.Must be a very old organ I suppose,a contribution of the Mission legacy ,no doubt.
Yours
PRAVEEN,23.5.08.
P.S-How do you manage the Pedal Keys when you operate the bellows to pump air with your feet?
RANDAL GILES SPEAKS
Dear Praveen,
At what church was this organ? I am going to Kodaikanal next week (will arrive there on June 19th morning) and I will go check this organ out. My suspicion is that it is a pipe organ with "expression" pedals which open and close the swell box. but since there are two such pedals side by side in your photo, I'll have to see when I get there. Tell me, please, where this church is. Zion Church is where in that city? It's a city to which I have never been, so if you be specific, or point out a well-known landmark which people there will know, that'll help. This will be my first visit to that city. Did you see any pipes anywhere ? It may be some sort of reed organ, but I'll have a look. Was it in playing condition, or just sleeping there?
Cheers,
Randy
Dr Randall Giles
CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music
160/12 Santhome High Road, Mylapore
Chennai 600 004 Tamil Nadu, India
website: www.randallgiles.org
E-mail address: [email protected]
Telephones: house +91 44 2466 2524; mobile: +91 98843 43784
JEBA SPEAKS
Hi Sir,
I am glad to inform you that I have got Information about two more Pipe Organs!!..
Organ at the St.Mathias Church Vepery Chennai and in Tucker Church Broadway.
I spoke with the Organist Mr.James Durairaj,in St.Mathias and He says almost all the
parts of the organ is made of Wood,the sad news here is most of the part are removed
and sold illegally by the then Sexton and Organ technician in the 1980s,
Its out of shape and a Reginald One manual keyboard is attached to the console
which is serving as the Churches sole music instrument.
About the organ in St.Mathias :
Two manuals with full pedal board.
Couplers for Swell Great and Pedal.
Made in 1800s with cost of Rs.6000
Keyboards made of Ivory.
Repair Work :
Restoration needs a full overhauling of the organ from scrap.
The organ at Tucker church is the one in very bad shape and is not used for
a very long time and the Organist is my uncle Mr.Marcus.He said that the Church
is not in a position to afford the cost for restoring the organ.
About the organ in Tucker Church :
One manual with full pedal board.
Made by Hill & Sons London
Repair work :
Same case as of the organ in St.Mathias.
I discussed the status of the organs in chennai with my youtube friend in UK.
Richard Shireby Ireland-Shireby church organ builders (Lincolnshire, UK).
He mentioned that the average cost for restoration would be £25,000 in parts & 20,000 man hours of labour to complete!
and is not having any plans to visit others countries?.. We need some one who can help the King of Instruments.
Would you mind sending me your Contact number and do let me know when you visit Chennai
We can meet up in person and share things.
I have planned to visit the organ at TELC Adikalanathar Church this Weekend.
FYI : The picture attached is the 3Manual organ at Egmore Wesley Church.
With warm regards
Emmanuel Jeba
THE SECULAR WORLD:The Mother of the Auro Ashram was known to be a an Organ enthusiast.She was said to be in possession of many organs(Electric/Electronic/Reed).I was told that these organs are in the inner private room in that Ashram. A few are functional while others are not.
ST THOMAS CHURCH,CANTONMENT NEAR GUINDY CHENNAI:A fully functional Pipe Organ exist to this date ,I was told , by one Organ Enthusiast Mr Peter Premkumar of Puducherry.But I guess it is totally non-functional.
CSI HOLY TRINITY CHURCH,PALAMKOTTAI:A Pipe Organ was in existance until 1980.A Reginald electronic took over after 1980.I wonder if the Pipe Organ stands there.
CSI ST PAUL'S CHURCH,TRICHY- AN OLD REED ORGAN WAS SEEN IN THE 1990S.LATER A NEAT 5 OCTAVES ONE MANUAL REGINALD WAS BEING PUT TO USE
CSI ST JOHN'S TIRUCHIRAPALLI:I was surprised to know from a documentary film that this St John's had two pipe organs during the course of it's history-one was given away to Christ Church,Tepakulam,Trichy and the other to the Tanjore Missions,most probably after the exit of the English Army units from Trichonopoly after the death of Tipu Sultan,the warrior.The Reed Organ at St John's Trichy continues to sound music,I believe but on a recent visit I noticed a Content Digital and this Reed Organ was not seen in the near vicinity.In the Eighties and the Nineties the Church had a One Manual Artronica with 13 Pedals.It sounded wonderful.In 1987,I heard Organist Edwin (Cousin of my Uncle Somasundaram)playing ,'The Lord Bless thee and keep thee.The Soprano notes and the four voice ending on the the last lines ,"And give peace"sounded so beautiful.Soprano: F A C followed bySop F+ Alto EFlat+Tenor C + Bass A---------SopF+Alto D+ Tenor B Flat +Bass BFlat------------ Sop F+Alto D Flat +TEnor G+BFlat-----------Sop F+ Alto C+ TenorA+ Bass F .This was the sound harmony and the Organ music that made me love the Organ.Later,when I got somewhere near the Organ at another Wedding in 1993,Organist Edwin even played some classic Organ Music of Bach, etc,on this Artronica.I remember it had sliding switches for it four Flute Stops.I even took a Picture of this Organ.May be I may be able to get it some day.Edwin did not seem inclined towards the Pedals at that performance.At the next wedding service in the same church,Mr Singh,the good old veteran organist and friend of Coolin Rajaiah was at the Artronica Organ.The service was about to start.Mr Singh was about to play the 'Bridal March'.Two Camera were switch on using the Power supply from the church.Boom went the Artronica with a drone sound.The Organ was getting low voltage due to the Video Lights.Mr Singh was gesturing towards the the Camera men and other but it was of no avail.No one understood his predicament.He sat on the Organ stool of the Historic Reed Organ and managed the whole service.Mr Edwin turned up at the end of the service and said that the Reed Organ had the habit of sounding out its full effects in the warm time of the Noon time.Years later,the new millenium,i attended a Sunday Evening Service,Mr Edwin was playing,'Come thou font of Every Blessing'.The sound seemed new.I saw a huge Organ Cabinet of the size of a Four Manual Organ,housing a Yamaha Keyboard with a large display screen connected to two Huge speakers blowing sound into the congregational area.'Praise an Worship' Keyboardist was also using the Instrument.When I enquired about that old Artronica,Mr Edwin said,"Oh,that one.It has been disposed off.It was given to a member of the church".I had the opportunity of hearing Mr Cooling Rajaiah play the song ,' Abiragamai Asirvathithu' on this keyboard.This was the second time that I was hearing him on that song for I had heard him play this same song on the Two Manual Reginald of his Home church:the St Christopher's church of Trichy.Recently on a visit to the church,I found the Keyboard cabinet with its keyboard missing but was glad to see a Content Digital Organ siting pretty in that St John's church.
PIPE ORGAN RESTORER'S MAIL:
Hi,
Only today I came to know about the website www.organsinindia.webly.com. It is a very nice work you are doing. I am very much interested in the various entries, some of which I was involved such as dismantling the EMC Purasaiwalkam organ was done by me. The committee was not interested to put it back in the new building.
I had fixed the Holy Cross Church Perambur Pipe Organ. My name is Chellakumar and not Selvakumar. Also I am the technician at Promusicals.
Thanks
Regards
Chellakumar
Cell 7667664949
The foundations of St Thomas' Cathedral (the Cathedral of the Church of North India's Diocese of Mumbai) date from the mid 17th cent (1676). The construction was completed much later by 1718. Records show that the Cathedral has had I think 3 pipe organs in succession. The last one was a large 3 man/ ped 'Bishop' instrument. It had a 32' stop as well! This instrument was dismantled in 1953 as it was wasn't fully functional...a real pity! A Hammond (drawbar) organ (2 man/ped) served the musical needs of the Cathedral from 1953 to 1993 when a Reginald (3 man/ ped) was purchased. The Content D6800 replaced the Reginald in 2008. Both the Hammond and Reginald are still with us. The Reginald is a stand by. The Hammond is not fully functional and is not in use at the moment. The Cathedral has a grand piano. An English make: 'Chapel'. It's not upto concert standard, but serves our requirements.(courtesy: Ravi Joshua,Organist,St Thomas's Cathedral,Mumbai)
PIPE ORGANS IN CHENNAI:
1.CSI EGMORE ENGLISH WESLEY CHURCH(METHODIST BEFORE INTEGRATION):The Pipe
Organ at Egmore Wesley Church is known as Conacher Organ,
Manufacturerd in England.it has three manuals. It was built in 1880, for a church in
Mumbai. It reached Egmore Wesley in 1944.The funds raised thorugh the
concert were raised for the restoration of the Pipe organ.
2.Trinity Church (near Central Station ,Chennai-reportedly had a pipe organ long long ago-Courtesy: Jones Peterson) )
COIMBATORE:
1.Today(16.7.2012),I found a write up on St Mark's Church,Podannur(Student's Edition),Coimbatore.What interested me was a line which said,'the pipe organ was substituted by a swanky keyboard'.Oh,not again!.What became of the Organ is the question on my mind!
PIPE ORGANS IN ANDHRA PRADESH:
1.St John's Church,Hyderabad
2.All Saint's Church,Hyderabad
3.St George's Church,Hyderabad
4.Holy Trinity Church,Secunderabad
5.Medak Cathedral,Secunderabad
ORGANS IN BOMBAY/MUMBAI:
1.St Thomas Cathedral,Mumbai
2.CNI WESLEY CHURCH:The Wesley (CNI) Church in Mumbai has a Conacher too (2 manual/ ped tracker action)-Courtesy:Ravi Joshua
3.Bishop Thoburn Methodist Church Calcutta: A functional pipe organ (The only Methodist Church in India to have one at present) :
PIANO NEWS
1.A few Pianos exist in working condition in Rastrapathi Bahvan(erstwhile viceroy's house) in New Delhi:would love to get more info on this.
MR PAUL SOMASUNDARAM, MEDICAL STATICIAN, FORMER DIRECTOR IN ICMR(Indian Council of Medical Research) STATISTICS SECTION,CHENNAI
It was my Father Mr A.R.Lazarado(Seen in this image) ,who introduced me to the Organ.My early experiences were essentially related to listening to Reed Organs in Churches.Later when I started listening to the sounds of the Organ I realised that my Uncle Paul,who was located close to my house in Chennai, was an Organist himself.In many ways ,he inspired me to take up to the organ, as an Organist albeit in a subtle way:
My Channel on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/linblosune
My Uncle Paul Somasunndaram's Diary follows:
During the 1930s, and probably for several decades earlier, most churches in Madras Province (now Tamil Nadu state) had fairly large reed organs. Air from 2 bellows, powered by the organist depressing 2 pedals alternatively, passed through the reed corresponding to a depressed black or white note, sounding the corresponding note of music. A few churches, such as All Saints' church, Tiruchirapalli and St Paul's, Vepery, Madras, had small pipe organs; St Geoges Cathedral and St Andrew"s Kirk, Egmore, had big pipe organs with 2 or 3 manuals and pedal notes. Some homes and small instituitions such as St Paul's High School, Vepery, Madras had portable "baby" organs with 4 octaves of notes. My father, Rev. I. Somasundaram , who was a church organist, as were his 4 brothers, was in Calcutta in 1934-38?? doing his Bachelor of Divinity studies. He bought a fairly large organ with a double set of reeds and 2 stops and a "swell" control, operated by a knee. The organ bought by my father, Rev. I. Somasundaram, was manufactured by Rose and Co, Calcutta. It could be carried by 2 people and was taken about in a bus for carol rounds in Coimbatore in 1952-54.In Yecaud, a hill station near Salem, air could be pumped into the reed organ by operating a lever by the sexton, but could also be played with pedals as in other organs with some difficulty. I had played this organ for Christmas and New Year services when my father took the services as the pastor in Salem.
There was a big pipe organ with 3 manuals and pedal notes in Cathedral Church of the Redemption, New Delhi. It was fixed in a loft /gallery at the back of the cathedral and the organist sat facing away from the altar, while the choir also sat in the gallery, facing the altar. I had the privilege of playing this organ for Urdu services for 6 months, as the tunes and chants were the same as for the English service. The organist was Mr Sunderaraj, who had been the organist, playing a Hammond Electronic Organ in St Stephen’s English church, Ootacamund (Uthagamandalam).
The Hammond organ was an early electronic organ imported from USA; it had about 100 stops, each of which could be set at some 10 levels to give a number of tones.
In 1970--71, when I was in London, there was a simpler electronic organ called the Philicorda which had a sweet melodious tone, in the Indian YWCA hostel. I had the opportunity of playing it for the weekly services held at the YMCA.
My uncle Mr Jegannathan of Hyderabad was the guest organist playing the Hammond organ during summer holidays when he used to stay with us in 1947—52 while my father was posted in Ootacamund. In those days, there was only one other church in Tamil Nadu with the Hammond organ. This was in Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Madras. Later, one was acquired for the Lutheran church in Kellys, Madras, when it was inaugurated around 1960. But it was not in good condition when I played it for the wedding of my nephew around 1995.
My Channel on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/linblosune
My Uncle Paul Somasunndaram's Diary follows:
During the 1930s, and probably for several decades earlier, most churches in Madras Province (now Tamil Nadu state) had fairly large reed organs. Air from 2 bellows, powered by the organist depressing 2 pedals alternatively, passed through the reed corresponding to a depressed black or white note, sounding the corresponding note of music. A few churches, such as All Saints' church, Tiruchirapalli and St Paul's, Vepery, Madras, had small pipe organs; St Geoges Cathedral and St Andrew"s Kirk, Egmore, had big pipe organs with 2 or 3 manuals and pedal notes. Some homes and small instituitions such as St Paul's High School, Vepery, Madras had portable "baby" organs with 4 octaves of notes. My father, Rev. I. Somasundaram , who was a church organist, as were his 4 brothers, was in Calcutta in 1934-38?? doing his Bachelor of Divinity studies. He bought a fairly large organ with a double set of reeds and 2 stops and a "swell" control, operated by a knee. The organ bought by my father, Rev. I. Somasundaram, was manufactured by Rose and Co, Calcutta. It could be carried by 2 people and was taken about in a bus for carol rounds in Coimbatore in 1952-54.In Yecaud, a hill station near Salem, air could be pumped into the reed organ by operating a lever by the sexton, but could also be played with pedals as in other organs with some difficulty. I had played this organ for Christmas and New Year services when my father took the services as the pastor in Salem.
There was a big pipe organ with 3 manuals and pedal notes in Cathedral Church of the Redemption, New Delhi. It was fixed in a loft /gallery at the back of the cathedral and the organist sat facing away from the altar, while the choir also sat in the gallery, facing the altar. I had the privilege of playing this organ for Urdu services for 6 months, as the tunes and chants were the same as for the English service. The organist was Mr Sunderaraj, who had been the organist, playing a Hammond Electronic Organ in St Stephen’s English church, Ootacamund (Uthagamandalam).
The Hammond organ was an early electronic organ imported from USA; it had about 100 stops, each of which could be set at some 10 levels to give a number of tones.
In 1970--71, when I was in London, there was a simpler electronic organ called the Philicorda which had a sweet melodious tone, in the Indian YWCA hostel. I had the opportunity of playing it for the weekly services held at the YMCA.
My uncle Mr Jegannathan of Hyderabad was the guest organist playing the Hammond organ during summer holidays when he used to stay with us in 1947—52 while my father was posted in Ootacamund. In those days, there was only one other church in Tamil Nadu with the Hammond organ. This was in Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Madras. Later, one was acquired for the Lutheran church in Kellys, Madras, when it was inaugurated around 1960. But it was not in good condition when I played it for the wedding of my nephew around 1995.
,That's the Old Reginald Spinet Organ (Split 2 Keyboard Manual for independent playing by two hands with one octave pedals)at CSI Christ Church,Ambattur,Chennai-53,India(Cornered out).This Church in its old building was managing with a nice sounding Reed Organ for many years.One Sunday,the Pastor,announced the Organ acquisition Project and pleaded with the congregation to support this Project with prayers and donations and as such this Organ was was purchased on an Instalment Basis.Such was the struggle for Money in those days.Today,this church with its huge membership can even buy a Concert Grand Piano or Big a Four Manual Organ very easily if it wishes. This Reginald was the Organ that pulled me into Organ Music.I still remember the Songs or Hymns I played for the Evening Congregation for the very first time.It happened all of a sudden with any clue.I was in the church as a worshipper as was my Father.My Father knew all about my newly acquired passion for Church Music.He simply asked me to ask the Sexton to allow me to play.And the Sexton willingly opened the Organ and invited me to play.Another interesting coincidence was that there was no Pastor or Preacher to conduct the service.The Sexton took over this job.He did not wait for me to play the Music..The First Song was the Tamil Lyric ,'Stotiram Esunatha',the second was 'Enalume thudithipai' .I was familiar with these two songs and so played them by ear.Then came the Benediction:I played the three fold Amens.And then he proceeded to sing the Tamil version of the Hymn,'Abide with me'.I was delighted as I had by now memorised the Four part Arrangement of this Hymn(You must remember that I had come to the church without any Sheet Music).However,since it was sudden,I joined the congregation in the second line and fortunately they were on the same key(E FLAT) as I was playing.
10/07/2016
My Cousin Mr Jeremiah,a long time members in the church,who incidentally is seen in this picture in that Red Shirt told me in the month of May 2016, that this Reginald Organ was put up for sale.It is is no longer seen in that corner.On the 6th of July ,the Organist and Choir Master Mr John Collison passed away after a brief illness after having spent a better part of his life in the Church's Signature Choir and Organ traditions and the Man who initiated the idea of the purchase of this Organ.He has created an army of young Organists over the years.In September 1997,he requested me to join choir effort as as an Organist .But these changed,I got my appointment order to join the KVS and had to join my Public Service as a Teacher in Chattisgarh State.
10/07/2016
My Cousin Mr Jeremiah,a long time members in the church,who incidentally is seen in this picture in that Red Shirt told me in the month of May 2016, that this Reginald Organ was put up for sale.It is is no longer seen in that corner.On the 6th of July ,the Organist and Choir Master Mr John Collison passed away after a brief illness after having spent a better part of his life in the Church's Signature Choir and Organ traditions and the Man who initiated the idea of the purchase of this Organ.He has created an army of young Organists over the years.In September 1997,he requested me to join choir effort as as an Organist .But these changed,I got my appointment order to join the KVS and had to join my Public Service as a Teacher in Chattisgarh State.
That's the New Content Digital Organ(Double Manual with Full Range Pedal Keys) at CSI Christ Church,Ambattur Chennai.Mr Peter Collison has been the Choir Master(And Organist when needed) in this Church for about 31 years.His Son ,John Collision who grew on the Reginald Spinet shifted Base and went to Ayanavaram in 1997 following his marriage and has been the Organist at St May's Church ,Fort St George,Chennai for many years now.
A PASTOR WORKS FOR THE ORGAN
Rev Noel Prabhuraj, Methodist Minister,Scholar,Pastoral Trainer,and Intellectual sent me this Epistle(This was the nearest image that I could get)
Dear Praveen,
The incidents you are referring to took place between 2006 to 2008.
I was transferred to the Thoburn Memorial Methodist Church(Calcutta) in 1999.
At that time the church was in a state of total disrepair. The roofs were
leaking, the roof of the Upper Hall had collapsed. Water leakage had
damaged the electrical wiring of the lower hall etc. So I had to embark,
on a slow journey of renovating and repairing.
The Pipe-Organ was the last thing I did before leaving the church.
By that time every other renovation and repair of the various premises
had been completed.
Repairing the pipe-organ was a difficult task, because didnt know, and
didnt have experts around who could tell us what to do, where to get parts,
how to repair and whom to entrust the task to.
Finally we did get someone to check it up thoroughly. And he found parts
in 16 pipes missing. The parts for this were not available anywhere in India.
They were only available in Germany. But God's goodness was such that a
visiting pipe-organ specialist, from Germany, had a look at it and said the he
would send the parts, free of cost.
By this time I was leaving the Church. But I had set the wheels in motion.
Even after leaving the Church, I continued the correspondence, so that this
project of repairing would be completed by keeping the next pastor in the loop.
After, it was completed the German Embassy had an evening of
Special Pipe-Organ Choir Performance, at the Church.
I hope this info was of help to you.
Warmly in Christ
Noel Prabhuraj
Dear Praveen,
The incidents you are referring to took place between 2006 to 2008.
I was transferred to the Thoburn Memorial Methodist Church(Calcutta) in 1999.
At that time the church was in a state of total disrepair. The roofs were
leaking, the roof of the Upper Hall had collapsed. Water leakage had
damaged the electrical wiring of the lower hall etc. So I had to embark,
on a slow journey of renovating and repairing.
The Pipe-Organ was the last thing I did before leaving the church.
By that time every other renovation and repair of the various premises
had been completed.
Repairing the pipe-organ was a difficult task, because didnt know, and
didnt have experts around who could tell us what to do, where to get parts,
how to repair and whom to entrust the task to.
Finally we did get someone to check it up thoroughly. And he found parts
in 16 pipes missing. The parts for this were not available anywhere in India.
They were only available in Germany. But God's goodness was such that a
visiting pipe-organ specialist, from Germany, had a look at it and said the he
would send the parts, free of cost.
By this time I was leaving the Church. But I had set the wheels in motion.
Even after leaving the Church, I continued the correspondence, so that this
project of repairing would be completed by keeping the next pastor in the loop.
After, it was completed the German Embassy had an evening of
Special Pipe-Organ Choir Performance, at the Church.
I hope this info was of help to you.
Warmly in Christ
Noel Prabhuraj
TIRUNELVELLI DIARY
Name: JEREMIAH RAJANESAN
Comments: Recently Icame across your website on organs. I myself is a passionate lover of organ music and was delighted to see all the informations in your site. I am from Dohnavur Fellowship, Dohnavur, Tirunelveli district. We have a long tradition of organ music in our community in the past 113 years. We still have 3 nos five octave reed organs and 7 nos 4 octave reed organs. A double reed set 5 octave reed organ ,which served our worship for more than 75 years had been recently replaced by a 2 manual ,32 note pedal board Viscount organ. This organ has some stops which have been specially voiced (sampled sounds] from pipe organs in France and UK. I will be more than happy to share information about our organs.
Name: JEREMIAH RAJANESAN
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Recently Icame across your website on organs. I myself is a passionate lover of organ music and was delighted to see all the informations in your site. I am from Dohnavur Fellowship, Dohnavur, Tirunelveli district. We have a long tradition of organ music in our community in the past 113 years. We still have 3 nos five octave reed organs and 7 nos 4 octave reed organs. A double reed set 5 octave reed organ ,which served our worship for more than 75 years had been recently replaced by a 2 manual ,32 note pedal board Viscount organ. This organ has some stops which have been specially voiced (sampled sounds] from pipe organs in France and UK. I will be more than happy to share information about our organs.
Name: JEREMIAH RAJANESAN
Email: [email protected]
ODE TO THE PIANO
-L.PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN
To the lover of the Piano, the Piano is the most Grand Instrument of all time. A standard Piano offers a range of 7 and a half octave (88 Keys) and would come with beautiful wooden frame taken from the best kind of wood. The Piano is a keyboard instrument which operates with strings. It has many strings,in fact 88 strings , to be precise , and it operates on the principle of percussion that is to say that the musical note is produced through a contact mechanism. In the case of the piano , every key is linked to a complex levers that are attached to hammers with soft material to produce the musical note. When a key is pressed, the hammer strikes the string that is linked to it. The shortest string produces the highest note while the longest spring produces the lowest note. Consequently when complex harmony or Arpeggios are played, we experience the beauty of the Piano.
No one is sure about the person who invented the Piano. The Piano flourished in the 18th century. The Industrial revolution helped to contribute the steel strings that were necessary for the Piano. The Piano can be seen three major Forms:
1. The Upright Piano
2. The Grand Piano(I will call it the Medium Grand Piano)
3. The Concert Grand Piano(The 9 Ft. length piano)
4. The Square Piano(rarely seen these days)
5. The Baby Grand Piano
The Piano is usually called the Piano Forte (Piano in Musical Notation Sheets refer to Softness and Forte stands for Loudness).The Piano can be used in almost all styles of music. It is extensively used in Solo Performances, Chamber Music, Pop Music, etc. M.S.Subalakshmi composed some of her memorable songs on the Piano. Her Piano lies in the Kalakshetra Foundation Centre in Tiruvanmiur, Chennai.Now this reminds me of Jennifer Arul's interview with Pianist Handel Manuel win the mid-1980s when he referred to his accompanying M.S.Subalakshmi for an English song penned by Rajaji at the United Nations.Contemporary Classical Western Pianist Srinavasan is now engaged in integrating Piano into Classical Carnatic repertoire. Recently ,I came across a news item reporting a Classical Piano Performance by one Mr Chari at Max Muller Bhavan (Germany Cultural Centre) in Chennai .Thus the Piano can find itself at home in any musical situation. It was really very sad for me see a Grand Piano being shunted into a Storage space in Betram Hall at Loyola College ,Chennai in the 1990s when was on the Teaching Falculty there. The Piano can offer wonderful roles for the two hand and special pedals for the feet can enhance the aesthetics of Piano Playing. Most Pianos are likely to have three pedals for the feet. The right Pedal is called the Sustain Pedal but sometimes is wrong called the loud pedal. The Middle Pedal is the Sostenuto(in the conventional Pianos of U.S and Canada).The Chords(there are 384 chords {that is 3 or more keys struck together} that are possible on the keyboard family of instruments) continue to sound when this pedal is pressed even though the following music in being played by the Pianist. The left pedal enables the Pianist to strike one string only with a less powerful blow. Harmony, the clothing for a melody(a raga) finds its best home on a conventional acoustic Piano. It would be most pleasurable to derive the best effects of interpretative indicators of sheet music if played on the Piano- vivace, fortissimo, expressive, crescendo, diminuto,ritardo ,etc. One can never forget the simple but profound Piano Harmony that John Lennon used for his Song, ‘Imagine’. His Piano continues to be in great demand at auctions eventhough he is no more. If you are a Hindi Film songs enthusiast, you can try listening to Brian Silas’s performances on the Grand Piano.In many of the old Tamil movies , it was one Piano Diwakar who held the sway for many years. Isai Gnani ,Ilayaraja had a talented Pianist in one Mr Viji Manuel.There are several other Indian Pianists who perform admirably well on the Piano.I have had the opportunity to witness performances of Pianists such as Mr Padma Sri Handel Manuel (f/o Mr Viji Manuel, Mrs Dhamayanthi Santwan,Mrs Lalitha Choweller, Mrs Pratibha Williams, Mr Arul Siromoney, Mr Albert Abisekara,Mr Rajeevan David, Mr Naveen Jebaraj and Mr Edwin Roy and other Pianists from other countries performing here while on tour. I have heard that Pianist Cooling Rajaiah was a part of the M.S.Viswanathan Music Team.
It was probably at the American College Chapel in Madurai in the mid 1980s that I saw my first Piano with my own eyes. I was in the place during the practice session for a wedding. On seeing a Huge Upright, I asked the Organist as to why he was playing on a comparative smaller Reed (Pump) Organ. It was then that he remarked that it was a Piano. I had mistaken the Piano Pedals to be the Bellows Pedals. The Piano is the product of hard labour and is a costly affair and requires tuning at regular intervals. Many models of Electric Pianos, Electronic Pianos, Electronic Keyboards have flooded the Markets in the past few decades. Recently, avung garde Digital Pianos sound very much like the Accoustic Pianos Somehow even in this age of technology, the acoustic Piano holds its place. While European Pianos are very costly, Pianos made in China come much cheaper. May be a day will come when Pianos will be manufactured in India and then exported to other countries for that would save the cost of transportation if we were to desire to have one. Pianos can also be hired on rent in some of the major cities.
If you are a beginner it may be worthwhile to listen to Classical Music on the Piano or may be you could register yourself for a formal course on the Piano. Remember the Beatles Boys were self taught Musicians who could delightful harmonies and they could not read sheet music. But their music is now recorded on sheet music with Faculties of Music discussing the structure and organization of their music.
Our own Nuclear Man Late Shri Raja Ramana was an accomplished Pianist and a wonderful Patron of the Piano who convinced the Government to reduce the import duty on the Piano.But for him ,the Piano in India would have a remnant of the colonial past.It is also heartening to note that many Pianos still survive in the Colonial Establishments of India such as the Governor's Residences and the Rastrapathi Bhavan(The Viceroy's House) where they are used for small musical concerts occasionally after tuning and repairs.
Learning Music is a Life long experience and can give one an unalloyed pleasure that cannot be described in terms of words. Learning Music on the Piano is delight beyond compare. The Piano can help you discover your true potential in life .Long Live the Piano!
-L.PRAVEEN DHANASEELAN
To the lover of the Piano, the Piano is the most Grand Instrument of all time. A standard Piano offers a range of 7 and a half octave (88 Keys) and would come with beautiful wooden frame taken from the best kind of wood. The Piano is a keyboard instrument which operates with strings. It has many strings,in fact 88 strings , to be precise , and it operates on the principle of percussion that is to say that the musical note is produced through a contact mechanism. In the case of the piano , every key is linked to a complex levers that are attached to hammers with soft material to produce the musical note. When a key is pressed, the hammer strikes the string that is linked to it. The shortest string produces the highest note while the longest spring produces the lowest note. Consequently when complex harmony or Arpeggios are played, we experience the beauty of the Piano.
No one is sure about the person who invented the Piano. The Piano flourished in the 18th century. The Industrial revolution helped to contribute the steel strings that were necessary for the Piano. The Piano can be seen three major Forms:
1. The Upright Piano
2. The Grand Piano(I will call it the Medium Grand Piano)
3. The Concert Grand Piano(The 9 Ft. length piano)
4. The Square Piano(rarely seen these days)
5. The Baby Grand Piano
The Piano is usually called the Piano Forte (Piano in Musical Notation Sheets refer to Softness and Forte stands for Loudness).The Piano can be used in almost all styles of music. It is extensively used in Solo Performances, Chamber Music, Pop Music, etc. M.S.Subalakshmi composed some of her memorable songs on the Piano. Her Piano lies in the Kalakshetra Foundation Centre in Tiruvanmiur, Chennai.Now this reminds me of Jennifer Arul's interview with Pianist Handel Manuel win the mid-1980s when he referred to his accompanying M.S.Subalakshmi for an English song penned by Rajaji at the United Nations.Contemporary Classical Western Pianist Srinavasan is now engaged in integrating Piano into Classical Carnatic repertoire. Recently ,I came across a news item reporting a Classical Piano Performance by one Mr Chari at Max Muller Bhavan (Germany Cultural Centre) in Chennai .Thus the Piano can find itself at home in any musical situation. It was really very sad for me see a Grand Piano being shunted into a Storage space in Betram Hall at Loyola College ,Chennai in the 1990s when was on the Teaching Falculty there. The Piano can offer wonderful roles for the two hand and special pedals for the feet can enhance the aesthetics of Piano Playing. Most Pianos are likely to have three pedals for the feet. The right Pedal is called the Sustain Pedal but sometimes is wrong called the loud pedal. The Middle Pedal is the Sostenuto(in the conventional Pianos of U.S and Canada).The Chords(there are 384 chords {that is 3 or more keys struck together} that are possible on the keyboard family of instruments) continue to sound when this pedal is pressed even though the following music in being played by the Pianist. The left pedal enables the Pianist to strike one string only with a less powerful blow. Harmony, the clothing for a melody(a raga) finds its best home on a conventional acoustic Piano. It would be most pleasurable to derive the best effects of interpretative indicators of sheet music if played on the Piano- vivace, fortissimo, expressive, crescendo, diminuto,ritardo ,etc. One can never forget the simple but profound Piano Harmony that John Lennon used for his Song, ‘Imagine’. His Piano continues to be in great demand at auctions eventhough he is no more. If you are a Hindi Film songs enthusiast, you can try listening to Brian Silas’s performances on the Grand Piano.In many of the old Tamil movies , it was one Piano Diwakar who held the sway for many years. Isai Gnani ,Ilayaraja had a talented Pianist in one Mr Viji Manuel.There are several other Indian Pianists who perform admirably well on the Piano.I have had the opportunity to witness performances of Pianists such as Mr Padma Sri Handel Manuel (f/o Mr Viji Manuel, Mrs Dhamayanthi Santwan,Mrs Lalitha Choweller, Mrs Pratibha Williams, Mr Arul Siromoney, Mr Albert Abisekara,Mr Rajeevan David, Mr Naveen Jebaraj and Mr Edwin Roy and other Pianists from other countries performing here while on tour. I have heard that Pianist Cooling Rajaiah was a part of the M.S.Viswanathan Music Team.
It was probably at the American College Chapel in Madurai in the mid 1980s that I saw my first Piano with my own eyes. I was in the place during the practice session for a wedding. On seeing a Huge Upright, I asked the Organist as to why he was playing on a comparative smaller Reed (Pump) Organ. It was then that he remarked that it was a Piano. I had mistaken the Piano Pedals to be the Bellows Pedals. The Piano is the product of hard labour and is a costly affair and requires tuning at regular intervals. Many models of Electric Pianos, Electronic Pianos, Electronic Keyboards have flooded the Markets in the past few decades. Recently, avung garde Digital Pianos sound very much like the Accoustic Pianos Somehow even in this age of technology, the acoustic Piano holds its place. While European Pianos are very costly, Pianos made in China come much cheaper. May be a day will come when Pianos will be manufactured in India and then exported to other countries for that would save the cost of transportation if we were to desire to have one. Pianos can also be hired on rent in some of the major cities.
If you are a beginner it may be worthwhile to listen to Classical Music on the Piano or may be you could register yourself for a formal course on the Piano. Remember the Beatles Boys were self taught Musicians who could delightful harmonies and they could not read sheet music. But their music is now recorded on sheet music with Faculties of Music discussing the structure and organization of their music.
Our own Nuclear Man Late Shri Raja Ramana was an accomplished Pianist and a wonderful Patron of the Piano who convinced the Government to reduce the import duty on the Piano.But for him ,the Piano in India would have a remnant of the colonial past.It is also heartening to note that many Pianos still survive in the Colonial Establishments of India such as the Governor's Residences and the Rastrapathi Bhavan(The Viceroy's House) where they are used for small musical concerts occasionally after tuning and repairs.
Learning Music is a Life long experience and can give one an unalloyed pleasure that cannot be described in terms of words. Learning Music on the Piano is delight beyond compare. The Piano can help you discover your true potential in life .Long Live the Piano!
It is very gratifying to note that my site has readers from all over the world:
QUERY 1. A query from a web surfer in the UK.
Form submitted from website: http://organsinindia.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Name: Irene Holley
Email: [email protected]
Comments: I have found all this information very interesting, as I am doing family research on my relatives who lived in India during British rule. Apparently, my great-great grandfather went to India from Scotland(?) to install pipe organs in the churches in India. I know that they lived in the Madras area. This is a long shot, but I am hoping you might have some information about a Farrar in the 1800s connected with the initial installations? I live in England and am really desperate to find out more about my ancestors. Glad to see that there is someone out there who is taking such an interest in these organs and keeping them alive. Many thanks, Irene Holley
REQUEST:
I invite Pipe Organed Historic Churches of Chennai and South India(Madras in those times could have meant the Madras Presidency which encompassed many of the South Indian States)to this forum and help dig out information on Mr Farrar,Pipe Organ Installer and help Ms Irene Holley.Some Memorial Tablets in Historic South Indian Churches(Essentially English Churches built for the English/Scots) could probably refer to Mr Farrar.-Praveen
QUERY 2: A query from a web surfer in the UK.
I am trying to find any information about the pipe organ in St.Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata. I believe it was in 1872 that an organ first existed there. According to the cathedral website it has been rebuilt by a British organ-builder. However, I can find nothing about this from any of the organ-builders here in UK! Perhaps you can help, please?-Brian D. Williams, (organist at Germanus-of-Auxerre church in Cardiff, Wales UK.
t
REQUEST;I request Organ Enthusiasts and other from the Eastern part of India to help with information on this query.-Praveen
QUERY 3: A query from a web surfer in the UK.
OK. thank you very much, I appreciate your interest. Are you located somewhere in India? my E-mail-penpal lives in Kolkata and teaches in Howrah B.E. Model Engineering school. She was born in Uluberia village and the organist (Anthony) of the church there provided the photo. She sent it to me via PDF. attachment. But she is not in touch with him any longer, and that is why I cannot get information about the Cavaille-coll organ! // I will await your next mail, in due course,thank you.from Brian D. Williams.
REQUEST:I request Organ Enthusiasts and other from the Eastern part of India to help with information on this query.(I just just wonder how a small village-town in West Bengal could have had a Pipe Organ).-Praveen
QUERY 1. A query from a web surfer in the UK.
Form submitted from website: http://organsinindia.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Name: Irene Holley
Email: [email protected]
Comments: I have found all this information very interesting, as I am doing family research on my relatives who lived in India during British rule. Apparently, my great-great grandfather went to India from Scotland(?) to install pipe organs in the churches in India. I know that they lived in the Madras area. This is a long shot, but I am hoping you might have some information about a Farrar in the 1800s connected with the initial installations? I live in England and am really desperate to find out more about my ancestors. Glad to see that there is someone out there who is taking such an interest in these organs and keeping them alive. Many thanks, Irene Holley
REQUEST:
I invite Pipe Organed Historic Churches of Chennai and South India(Madras in those times could have meant the Madras Presidency which encompassed many of the South Indian States)to this forum and help dig out information on Mr Farrar,Pipe Organ Installer and help Ms Irene Holley.Some Memorial Tablets in Historic South Indian Churches(Essentially English Churches built for the English/Scots) could probably refer to Mr Farrar.-Praveen
QUERY 2: A query from a web surfer in the UK.
I am trying to find any information about the pipe organ in St.Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata. I believe it was in 1872 that an organ first existed there. According to the cathedral website it has been rebuilt by a British organ-builder. However, I can find nothing about this from any of the organ-builders here in UK! Perhaps you can help, please?-Brian D. Williams, (organist at Germanus-of-Auxerre church in Cardiff, Wales UK.
t
REQUEST;I request Organ Enthusiasts and other from the Eastern part of India to help with information on this query.-Praveen
QUERY 3: A query from a web surfer in the UK.
OK. thank you very much, I appreciate your interest. Are you located somewhere in India? my E-mail-penpal lives in Kolkata and teaches in Howrah B.E. Model Engineering school. She was born in Uluberia village and the organist (Anthony) of the church there provided the photo. She sent it to me via PDF. attachment. But she is not in touch with him any longer, and that is why I cannot get information about the Cavaille-coll organ! // I will await your next mail, in due course,thank you.from Brian D. Williams.
REQUEST:I request Organ Enthusiasts and other from the Eastern part of India to help with information on this query.(I just just wonder how a small village-town in West Bengal could have had a Pipe Organ).-Praveen
Brian D. Williams, (organist at Germanus-of-Auxerre church in Cardiff, Wales UK).
the picture above shows our famous William Hill 3-manual organ (1884) It has been played by famed organists such as Marcel Dupre, Fernando Germani,Jeanne Demessieux, George Thalben-Ball. We keep the organ well maintained. It is the best in the whole of Wales.
the picture above shows our famous William Hill 3-manual organ (1884) It has been played by famed organists such as Marcel Dupre, Fernando Germani,Jeanne Demessieux, George Thalben-Ball. We keep the organ well maintained. It is the best in the whole of Wales.
>>> Thank you so much, I would appreciate also if you have the 'Spec' of the Aristide Cavaille-Coll organ in Uluberia church West Bengal? The name of the organist is Anthony, I think? The organ is a 3-manual. Here attached is a photo of the console. Or if you have a photo of the pipe-facade(display) please? from Brian Williams.
THE ORGAN AT ST PHILOMENA'S CHURCH,MYSORE, INDIA: I got an interesting Mail today from Dr Dr Andrew Henderson
Darlington DL3 8HS,
UK
Hello,
I was interested to see your site and pictures of organs in India. It is good to see that there is some interest in preserving pipe organs in India.
I visited Mysore in 1986, when I was a medical student, and stayed at the CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital.
I visited St Philomena's Cathedral. A church official switched the organ on for me, the blower powered up, but there were multiple ciphers and sadly, it was not playable.
I was allowed to take some photographs of the organ, which are attached.
I hope the pictures are of interest.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Henderson
[email protected]
Dr Andrew Henderson
Darlington DL3 8HS
UK
0750 708 8953
Photographs -below
Darlington DL3 8HS,
UK
Hello,
I was interested to see your site and pictures of organs in India. It is good to see that there is some interest in preserving pipe organs in India.
I visited Mysore in 1986, when I was a medical student, and stayed at the CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital.
I visited St Philomena's Cathedral. A church official switched the organ on for me, the blower powered up, but there were multiple ciphers and sadly, it was not playable.
I was allowed to take some photographs of the organ, which are attached.
I hope the pictures are of interest.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Henderson
[email protected]
Dr Andrew Henderson
Darlington DL3 8HS
UK
0750 708 8953
Photographs -below