THE ORGAN IN ST MARY REDCLIFFE, BRISTOL

John Harris and John Byfield built a three-manual organ in the church in 1726. It stood in a west gallery, and was one of the largest English organs of its day. It was rebuilt in 1829 by John Smith of Bristol, and much altered by W.G. Vowles in 1867, when it was installed on each side of the chancel.

Harrison & Harrison built the present organ in 1912, incorporating a small amount of pipework from the previous instrument. The Swell Organ, which includes a group of orchestral stops, was placed in a new stone chamber, built in the angle between the north transept and the north choir aisle.  The Great Organ is on the north side of the chancel;  the Choir, Echo (containing the quieter accompanimental stops) and Solo Organs are on the south side; the Pedal Organ is distributed among the three sections; and the console is in the north-west corner of the chancel.
In 1947 the Swell Organ (which had been badly damaged by fire in 1941) was rebuilt, and the Pedal Double Ophicleide added.  Stops 9, 11, 12, 13 and 40 were added during selective restoration work in 1974.
The organ was fully restored in 2010.


PEDAL ORGAN



SWELL ORGAN

    1. Double Open Wood
 (from 2, lowest 5 acoustic)
 32
45.
 Open Diapason
   8
    2. Open Wood
16
46.
 Harmonic Flute
   8
    3. Open Diapason
16
47.
 Principal
   4
    4. Geigen
 (from 29)
 16
48.
 Concert Flute
4
5.
 Dulciana
 (from 20)
 16
49.
 Fifteenth
2
6.
 Violone
 (from 55)
 16
50.
 Mixture
V
7.
 Sub Bass
 (from 30)
 16
51.
 Double Trumpet
16
8.
 Octave Wood
 (from 2)
 8
52.
 Trumpet
8
9.
 Principal*
8
53.
 Horn
8
  10.
 Flute (from 30)
 8
54.
 Clarion
4
  11.
 Fifteenth*
 (from 9)
 4
55.
 Contra Viola
16
  12.
 Octave Flute*
 (from 30)
 4
56.
 Viole d'Orchestre
8
  13.
 Mixture*
 19.22.26.29
 IV
57.
 Viole Céleste
8
14.
 Double Ophicleide
 (from 16)
 32
58.
 Viole Octaviante
4
  15.
 Double Trombone
 (from 17)
 32
59.
 Cor Anglais
16
 16.
 Ophicleide
16
60.
 Orchestral Hautboy
8
  17.
 Trombone
 (enclosed with swell)
 16
61.
 Vox Humana
8
  18.
 Clarinet
 (from 69)
 16

XI Tremulant (55-61)   XII Octave   XIII Sub Octave
19.
 Posaune
 (from 16)
 8

XIV Unison Off   XV Solo to Swell

I Choir to Pedal   II Great to Pedal






III Swell to Pedal   IV Solo to Pedal


ECHO AND SOLO ORGAN







(62-70 enclosed)


CHOIR ORGAN


62.
 Lieblich Bordun
16
20.
 Contra Dulciana
16
63.
 Lieblich Gedeckt
8
21.
 Open Diapason
8
64.
 Salicional
8
22.
 Claribel Flute
8
65.
 Vox Angelica
 (tenor c)
 8
23.
 Viola da Gamba
8
66.
 Lieblich Flöte
4
24.
 Dulciana
8
67.
 Flageolet
2
25.
 Salicet
4
68.
 Dulciana Mixture
 15.19.22
 III
26.
 Flauto Traverso
4
69.
 Double Clarinet
16
27.
 Gemshorn
2
70.
 Oboe
8
28.
 Corno di Bassetto
8

XVI Tremulant

V Swell to Choir   VI Solo to Choir

71.
 Tuba
8






XVII Octave   XVIII Sub Octave   XIX Unison Off

GREAT ORGAN



(No. 69 has an extra octave of pipes in the treble)
29.
 Gross Geigen
16




30.
 Bordun
16

ACCESSORIES

31.
 Large Open Diapason
8

Eight general pistons and general cancel
32.
 Small Open Diapason
8

Eight foot pistons and cancel to the Pedal Organ
33.
 Stopped Diapason
8

Eight pistons to the Choir Organ
34.
 Hohl Flöte
8

Eight pistons to the Great Organ
35.
 Geigen
8

Fourteen pistons to the Swell Organ (eight for the

36.
 Octave
4

    main chorus and six for the 'orchestral' stops)
37.
 Wald Flöte
4

Eight pistons to the Solo Organ
38.
 Octave Quint
22/3

Reversible pistons: I-IX; 14, 16
39.
 Superoctave
2

Reversible foot pistons: II, VIII; 1
40.
 Mixture*
 15.19.22.26.29
 V

Single-acting pistons: Doubles Off;

41.
 Harmonics
 17.19.21.22
 IV

    Great Reeds on Choir (X, 42-44);
42.
 Contra Tromba
16

    Tromba on Choir (X, 43)
43.
 Tromba
8

Combination couplers: Gt & Pedal Combinations coupled;
44.
 Octave Tromba
4

     Generals on foot pistons

VII Choir to Great   VIII Swell to Great


Eight divisional  and 256 general piston memories

IX Solo to Great    X Reeds on Choir


Stepper, operating general piston memories

Manual compass 61 notes; pedal compass 32 notes


Two balanced expression pedals to the Swell Organ

The actions are electro-pneumatic


   (aisle and trancept)

* Stops in 1974


Balanced expression pedal to the Echo & Solo Organ.








Click here for St Mary Redcliffe pictures










HARRISON & HARRISON

2010

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