Ossett theatre organ gets a loving makeover

The Compton Christie at Ossett Town Hall has not been played publicly since renowned organist Kevin Grunhill performed there on February 16, 2020.

That show marked the first in a planned series of the 50th anniversary concerts by the Northern Theatre Organ Trust (NTOT).

But then the first lockdown came. NTOT’s publicity officer Stuart Clark said it had “decimated” its birthday year of gigs. No more concerts, virtual or physical, have been played since.

Mr Clark, 94, said: “We are in danger of losing patronage because of it going out of people’s minds. But also the organ needs to be used. Unlike an electronic organ, where you just switch it on and off, because of the physical aspect of the organ it needs to be used because of keeping it in tune for one thing.”

The organ dates back to the 1930s but it was relocated to Ossett in time for its first performance there in January 1970.

Spokesman Mr Clark said the delicate instrument needed to be tuned before every show and was susceptible to temperature and humidity changes.

Both lockdowns, restrictions on the number of people allowed into the town hall when it reopened and financial considerations have further prevented public performances. But despite the difficulties, there has been a silver lining. One of NTOT’s stated aims is to preserve and maintain the organ. The extended break has enabled it to do this and to remove decades of dust, which can deaden the sound.

A team of three has been busy during the downtime revamping pipes and wiring. Much of the pipework is concealed under the stage in a confined space. Pipes are stacked on top each other in ranks and are difficult to get at. For instance, a faulty pipe that replicates the sound of an oboe may be hidden behind several others. These need to be removed for the remedial work to take place.

Mr Clark said the work has been going on for around five years now. Fears that it may change the sounds have not been realised. He said the team who are working on it are doing an exceedingly good job

He added: “As far as now is concerned, and the work which has been done, it has not changed the sound of the organ one iota. It has brightened it up but not changed it. All the organists who have been playing it in the last few years, they all sit down and say, “Ooh, This is good”. All of them are delighted to be invited to do a concert because it is so good now.”

The big question is when will people be able to hear it for themselves? The trust has planned a programme of 51st anniversary concerts for 2021. Dates have been pencilled in and artists are waiting in the wings.

Mr Clark, like many, is hoping for a return to normality in the New Year. No one knows when that might be but music fans can be assured they will be ready when that time comes. But maintenance is a continual process and the society needs help to keep the instrument in tip top shape. Mr Clark said: “The integrity and performance of the organ depends on ongoing maintenance, which relies entirely on donations and bequests from our audiences and supporters.”

To support NTOT go to ossetttheatreorgan.weebly.com and click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab.

TEAMWORK:

Decades of dust are being removed from a musical masterpiece.

A team from the Northern Theatre Organ Trust have taken advantage of more downtime during their Covid-19 shutdown.

They have been busy overhauling the Compton Christie organ in Ossett Town Hall and its maze of pipes and wires below the stage.

The work is being conducted by maintenance leader Harry Brown, Richard Slater, who is in charge of the technical side, and his assistant Ken Garrett.

In normal times they have not been able to get at some of the parts because they are difficult to reach and often require other pipes to be dismantled first. The hall is also a busy venue.

Harry said: “Normal servicing routine is denied access to confined areas, some subjected to almost 90 years of accumulated dust, metal fatigue and general deterioration. Although the organ was only installed here 50 years ago, our Compton Theatre Organ was built in 1933 by John Compton & Son.”

Painstaking work has included the stripping and replacement of wiring inside vital pipes, which has required more than 2,000 connections to be soldered.

Chairman Ian Hughes said all “the cleaning, polishing and tuning will enhance the sounds as they ring through the hall’s splendour and acoustics, hitting the right notes for the trust’s planned programme of 51st Anniversary concerts.”