Getgood Link: YouTube – Chris Lawton at the organ of St Anne’s Church, Digbeth: Daily, daily, sing to Mary

YouTube – Chris Lawton at the organ of St Anne’s Church, Digbeth: Daily, daily, sing to Mary – A lovely film of organist Chris Lawton playing the organ at St Anne’s Church on Bradford St/Alcester St. But as lovely as his rendition of Daily, daily, sing to Mary is what’s astounding is the wealth of information about the organ he’s put in the video description:

The organ was built in the 1950s by the famous John Compton Organ Company Ltd and is situated on the rear gallery of the church. Like most Compton organs, the organ is built using the “extension” principal which involves 4 ranks of pipes all totally enclosed and played from a detached stopkey console. The organ also features the Compton patent “acoustic cube” which provides the bottom 8 notes of the “Sub Bass” stop on the pedal. The specification reads:

PEDAL
Sub Bass 32′
Bourdon 16′
Flute 8′
Trombone 16′
Trumpet 8′
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

GREAT
Bourdon 16′
Open Diapason 8′
Hohl Flute 8′
Salicional 8′
Octave 4′
Flute 4′
Salicet 4′
Twelfth 2.2/3′
Fifteenth 2′
Swell to Great

SWELL
Contra Salicional 16′
Hohl Flute 8′
Salicional 8′
Flute 4′
Salicet 4′
Piccolo 2′
Fifteenth 2′
Cymbale III
Trombone 16′
Trumpet 8′
Clarion 4′
Tremulant (affects whole organ)

ACCESSORIES
4 double thumb pistons to Great and Pedal
4 thumb pistons to Swell
4 toe pistons to Pedal
1 reverser thumb piston – Great to Pedal
1 reverser thumb piston – Swell to Pedal
4 ventil switches
Double touch canceller to each department
Voltmeter
1 balanced expression pedal – organ
1 balanced expression pedal – crescendo

Many thanks to Father Conor Murphy for allowing me access to this magnificent instrument.