Music
The Organ
The first pipe organ in the church was built by the London firm of William Hill and Sons, between 1892 and 1904, although Hill’s proposed specification for the organ was never completed. In 1921 the organ was re-built and enlarged by P G Phipps of Oxford. Nicholson of Worcester re-built the organ, with some tonal additions and modifications to the layout and action, in 2006.
SPECIFICATION OF THE ORGAN
(Nicholson & Co. 2006)
(incorporating pipework from Hill & Sons, 1892-1904, and P G Phipps, 1921)
Great
| Double Diapason | 16 | Hill 1904 (original Bourdon on Swell) |
| Large Open Diapason | 8 | Hill 1892 |
| Small Open Diapason | 8 | Phipps 1921 (?) |
| Clarabella | 8 | (John Nicholson c.1890)* |
| Dulciana | 8 | Hill 1892 |
| Principal | 4 | Hill 1892 |
| Harmonic Flute | 4 | Hill 1892 |
| Twelfth | 2 2/3 | Nicholson 2006 |
| Fifteenth | 2 | Hill 1892 |
| Mixture | III | Nicholson 2006 |
| Posaune | 8 | Nicholson 2006 |
Swell
| Horn Diapason | 8 | Hill 1893 |
| Stopped Diapason | 8 | Hill 1893 |
| Salicional | 8 | (John Nicholson c.1890)* |
| Voix Celeste | 8 | (John Nicholson c.1890)* |
| Principal | 4 | Hill 1893 |
| Flute | 4 | (John Nicholson c.1890)* |
| Fifteenth | 2 | Phipps 1921 (Piccolo re-voiced) |
| Mixture | III | Nicholson 2006 |
| Contra Oboe | 16 | Hill 1895 + 12 new, Nicholson 2006 |
| Horn | 8 | Hill 1899 |
Pedal
| Diapason (wood) | 16 | Phipps 1921 |
| Bourdon | 16 | Hill 1892 |
| Principal | 8 | (John Nicholson c.1890)* |
| Bass Flute | 8 | Hill 1892 + 12 new, Nicholson 2006 |
| Trombone | 16 | Nicholson 2006 |
*Five second-hand ranks of pipes which were originally in the Nicholson organ made for Small Heath Baptist Chapel, Birmingham, c.1890.
Couplers
| Swell to Great |
| Swell to Pedal |
| Great to Pedal |
| Swell Octave |
| Swell Sub Octave |
| Swell Unison Off |
Accessories
| Great and Pedal Pistons Combined (drawstop) |
| Generals on Swell Toe Pistons (drawstop) |
Thumb Pistons:
| 5 to Swell |
| 5 to Great |
| 5 Generals |
| Reversible Swell to Great |
| Reversible Swell to Pedal |
| Reversible Great to Pedal |
| General Cancel |
Toe Pistons:
| 5 to Swell |
| 5 to Pedal |
| Reversible Swell to Pedal |
| Reversible Great to Pedal |
Compass
| Manuals: CC – A (58 notes) |
| Pedal: CCC – F (30 notes) |
Misc
| Wind pressure 3 inches (76mm) |
| Equal Temperament A = 440 |
Composition of mixtures
Great:
| C (1) | 15-19-22 |
| F# (19) | 12-15-19 |
| F# (43) | 8-12-15 |
Swell:
| C (1) | 22-26-29 |
| C (13) | 19-22-26 |
| C (25) | 15-19-22 |
| C (37) | 12-15-19 |
| C (49) | 8-12-15 |
The organ is housed in a chamber high up on the north side of the chancel, with arches opening to the west and south. The action is electro-pneumatic. A conventional drawstop console, detached and mobile, is situated in the nave.
A piston capture action is fitted which provides the facility of 16 Divisional and 96 General levels, any one of which can be set and locked for organists’ individual use. A setter thumb piston is located on the lower keyslip, and locks and indicators are set into the right-hand stop jamb.
A fuller history of the organs and choirs of St. Margaret’s Church can be read in: Music at Saint Margaret’s Church, Oxford – an outline history of the organs and choirs by Brian Davey (Positif Press, Oxford, 2006). Copies can be obtained from the Organist and Choir Director, Richard Goodall. Price £6, all proceeds to the church’s music fund.
Pipes of the Great organ on their new soundboard placed near
a west-facing arch in the organ chamber
A glimpse through the Swell shutters, showing some pipes of
the Swell organ
Newly-made (2006) wooden pipes for the Pedal Bass Flute 8
