This time it was Sherborne Abbey in Dorset. On Wednesday 29th April we received a call from James Henderson (Director of Music) desperate to know if we could provide an instrument for long-term hire within a week.
The Abbey was having some internal building work (moving the vestry to create a new internal toilet block) which necessitated the repositioning (stone-by-stone) of the tomb of Sir John Horsey. The tomb is very close to the pipe organ and the work would create huge amounts of stone dust which would get inside the organ. Therefore, it is necessary to cover the organ in plastic sheeting for protection, which means it will be out of action for a number of months.
Decision is made to hire a Viscount Envoy 350-FV organ
As soon as we received the call from James, I immediately drove the 120 miles to Sherborne Abbey, and was there by mid-afternoon. After a meeting with James and the verger, it was decided our three manual, 50 stop Envoy 350FV would be suitable for the job in hand Envoy 350-FV – Viscount Organs. We spent some time working out wiring routes and cable lengths after it was agreed to use the top of the North and South choir stalls to locate the main speakers – 6 each side, so 12 in total. One powered bass speaker was located to the side of the organ console. With 3 x 4-channel amplifiers fitted inside the organ console for neatness etc.
Agreeing an installation date was a challenge, as we had to fit it in with other work and the Sherborne Abbey Festival, which was in full flow. Eventually, we agreed an installation date of Thursday 7th May, so just a week after the initial call.
Calling on colleagues from Isle of Wight
Being a busy, working Abbey, we had specific times in which we could work, the main working time being from 10am through to mid-day on the Thursday. This meant that we needed to do a lot of the work before arrival, for example making up the cabling and installing amplifiers inside the organ. As we also had other work booked, we needed to call upon colleagues Roger and his son Steve, from the Isle of Wight who work with us on occasion.
Fortunately, all went like clockwork, with the organ, Roger, Steve, David Mason and myself arriving at 10am on Thursday morning. By mid-day, the organ was in situ, speakers on the choir stall roofs, all wired up and tested. A mammoth task in such a short time, but made very much easier by the excellent team at the Abbey who helped with cabling routes and supplied copious amounts of tea and biscuits. The pipe organ was covered in plastic sheeting the next day, the work undertaken by organ builder Michael Farley.
Voicing the hire organ at Sherborne Abbey
From mid-day until 2pm we had to break as there was a lunch-time concert, so we found a local hostelry for a leisurely lunch. At 2pm we arrived back and set about an initial voicing of the instrument. The main voicing is scheduled for Monday 11th May, undertaken by our voicer Richard Goodall, with help from James the Director of Music.
Finally! If you have never visited Sherborne Abbey before, I would highly recommend you make time for a visit. It is the most beautiful building, with a high fan faulted roof and the most glorious acoustic.
I have played the church organ since the age of 11. I am organist at my local catholic church as well as accompanist for a small choral group and keyboard player in a function band. I am committed to ensuring Viscount customers get industry leading service and advice, resulting in the very best organ to suit their needs, be it church, school, home or concert hall.
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