Loose is situated
just south of Maidstone, a quintessential English village of
stone built houses and low-walled gardens nestling in a valley
close to the Hastings Road Viaduct. One imagines summer sunshine,
the wisteria quietly on the climb and people coming and going.
But this was November and, although the wisteria had long since
crept into winter dormancy, the sun was still shining pleasantly
on this charming little place, fortuitously unspoiled by
The ancient
Tonally this is
still an English organ, having beguiling flutes, full toned
Diapason choruses and, considering the small new organ cases, a
generous specification: Great Organ 8 8 8 4 4 22/3 2, Swell
Organ 16 8 8 4 2 8, Pedal Organ 16 8, usual couplers. The
action is direct electric on the main soundboards which, although
prompt, did produce some audible clicking during quieter playing.
We were fortunate to have Mr Roger Greensted from F H Browne
& Sons to give us an insight into this interesting
rebuild.
Mr Lawrence
Ockenden, Organist of St. Peter’s Church, Boughton
Monchelsea, demonstrated the organ for us with: In green
pastures by H. Darke, Fughetta in E flat by J.
Rheinberger and a pot-pourri of snippets of different
pieces all cleverly sewn together, enabling us to hear clearly
the individual voices of the organ as well as the full ensemble.
Remembrance Sunday was just past and, thoughtfully, Andrew Cesana
played For the Fallen by Sir Edward Elgar.
St. Peter’s
Church, Boughton Monchelsea, stands proud on the Quarry Hills
overlooking the Weald, an impressive view bestowed with a mystic
beauty in winter’s fading light. The church, which has
Norman origins, had been gutted by fire in 1832 and the Victorian
rebuild of 1874/5 left the church much as it is today.
Lawrence Ockenden
demonstrated the church’s Millennium Window, designed and
installed in an internal tower window by Graham Clark. The window
is lit from behind and a programme of lighting effects subtly
unveil the window’s component parts depicting the creation
through to the Millennium’s end, illustrated by a charming
cameo of St. Peter’s Church lych-gate. The window was indeed
a fascination, although the programme’s accompanying music
was, perhaps, not to everyone’s taste.
F H Browne
& Sons built the organ in 1915 at a cost of £322.00
although it included some pipework from an earlier one manual
instrument by J. W. Walker. The original Walker
Gothic case front, with painted wooden pipes, was also retained.
Mr Roger Greensted had kindly brought some original documents for
us to see and described the organ and the 1990 restoration in
much detail, its specification being: Great Organ 8 8 4 4 2,
Swell Organ 8 8 8 8 4 8 and Pedal Organ 16 8 51/3 4.
The instrument
was demonstrated by our Mr Ockenden who played: Psalm Prelude
set 1, No. 2 by Herbert Howells, Choral improvisation
Antiphon by Karg Elert, Trio Sonata in B flat op. 189 No.
10 by J. Rheinberger and J. S. Bach’s Choral Prelude, Lobt
Gott, ihr Christen, allzngleich. He also provided us with
another of his pot-pourri fully demonstrating the
instrument. We were indeed indebted to Mr Ockenden who spoke with
a profound knowledge and much Gaieté de coeur greatly
enhancing our enjoyment of the afternoon.
The tea provided
by the ladies of Boughton Monchelsea was quite the best we have
had for a long time. Individual servings consisting of: the
finest beef, with horse radish sauce, extra mature cheddar
cheese, bread rolls and cakes, then tea or coffee to taste. This
had been a memorable afternoon and we must thank Brian Moore who
so kindly arranged it for us.