There is
something magical about modern technology, we know that it works,
even if we know not how, or why. Television in the 1930s was a
new technology that captured the imagination. Although the
wireless was commonplace, the magic of pictures through the
aether had to be seen to be believed and, even then, remained
totally incomprehensible to all but the technically gifted. In
1937 Logie Baird and Marconi EMI were locked in technical combat,
with Baird’s Electro-mechanical 30-line system up against
EMI’s fully electronic 405 line scanning system and, of
course, we all know who won. Some of us were to see the Alexandra
Palace test transmissions of dance bands fronted by charming
young ladies singing of “the mystic magic rays that bring
television to you”, all in perfect BBC English.
But things have
moved on a little since then. In our organ world “
Our recent visit
to Mayfield and its
Some members may,
indeed, have been critical of the new
Obviously, the comparison of cost does enter the equation when a church or other institution considers the purchase of a new instrument. Churches, who may opt for an electronic organ, usually do so because they say that it is cheaper. However, the figures below, published recently by the Institute of British Organ Building, suggest that the opposite is true.
The average
life-span of an electronic organ is 17 years — a figure
revealed by the annual surveys in The Organbuilder and
Comparison of a
two-manual tracker-action organ with
10-12 stops, and
“three manuals for price of two” digital instrument.
Cost of pipe
organ 2003:
£100,000
Clean and
overhaul after 50 years, at
Current cost of
£15,000
*£64,000
Annual
maintenance: 100 years @ £100 *£61,000
Cost of digital
organ 2003:
£15,000
Average life 17
years
Replacement cost
after 17 years
*£24,071
34 years
*£39,785
51 years
*£65,759
68 years
*£108,689
85 years
*£179,646
Maintenance
*£17,000
(based on £100 p.a. for latter half
of life)
Total
cost of digital organ £449,949
* Allows
for inflation @ 3% p.a.
It is obvious
that the electronic approach is not, long term, the cheapest
option. Space for a pipe organ may prove difficult in small
churches or in the home, but given a suitable location a pipe
organ will undoubtedly be the best option.
When space is at
a premium, electronics can, however, prove useful. There are many
pipe organs, some in quite prestigious locations, which have used
electronics in adding that elusive 32ft pedal tone. This apparent
heresy can be introduced into a pipe organ only if the lowest
32ft pitch is strictly used, allowing the real pedal 16ft, 8ft,
and 4ft pipes to provide the full harmonic sequence and tonal
colour helping to mask the electronic’s deficiencies.
Beyond this
limited deep-pedal use electronics become obvious, as was
demonstrated this year by the collaboration between the pipe
organ builder Peter Collins and Allen electronics. Peter Collins
provided some six or seven ranks of real pipes to supplement an
electronic organ installed in the Parish Church of Trönö, in
central
The “man on
the Clapham omnibus” may not be aware of the electronic
organ’s shortcomings as is often painfully illustrated by
any film or television programme which depicts an organist,
whether it be at a small village church pipe organ or playing
something larger; the organ we hear is always an electronic,
usually of cathedral proportions. But those of us who are
charged with the responsibilities of organ installation or
maintenance should be fully aware and act accordingly. We live in
changing and sometimes difficult times for our pipe organs and
raised awareness of what the “real thing” has to offer
can only be to everyones advantage.