BIG ORGAN FOR NAPIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2125, 6 July 1907, Page 1

BIG ORGAN FOR NAPIER.

The “Adelaide llegister” says:— “On Tuesday, June 18th, Mr. J. E. Dodd, the well known organ builder of Gawler place, Adelaide, shipped an organ for Now Zealand which is not only tlio most up-to-date, but one of the largest t vet constructed in Australia. It will be gratifying to those who have the interests of our local manufacture at heart to know this older was secured sonic months ago by Mr. Dodd in competition with several of the leading English builders, and all the prominent Australian firms, and that the excellence of his work, which may he fairly regarded as the standard this side of the line, was the sole reason he received the contract. The new organ which is for St. John’s Cathedral, Napier, New Zealand, is a threo-manual, containing 34 speaking stops and 25 couplers and accessories. It is constructed throughout on the tubular pneumatic system, and by one of 3\l, Dodd’s recent' inventions a repetition can he secured' so rapidly that a mechanical instrument had to he devised to test its possibilities, for human fingers were not swift enough. The console is detached, and will stand 10 feet from the organ. 'Some of the most important features of this instrument are the high pressures used on the great swell ,and pedal (8 inches) ; the stop keys, which take the place of the ordinary knobs, are grouned in the row above the top manual; the leathered phonoa diapasons in the great and swell —the first stons of their class yet seen in this State; and the perfect system of control by piston and independent hitching pedals, which leaves the performer free to arrange fresh groups of stops while tlio full power of either manual or pedal is on. On the choir pistons are adjustable,and the most important couplers are controlled by pistons in addition to the ordinary stop keys. One new invention which will add materially to the comfort of the player is a small indicator on the right jamb of the console which shows exactly what full pedals are in action. The compass of the manuals is five octaves—CC to C-—and the pedals extend to top -G, instead of the customary E. Every requirement of tho player has been considered in the arrangement of tho console, which is constructed entirely to measurements supplied by Mr. K. 11. Lemarc, the most famous recital player of our time.” The specification for tho organ was drawn up by Mr. J. li. Fray, the Cathedral organist.