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The Brownedge Parish and Community Festival is held annually at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. It is an arts festival and includes floral displays, photgraphy and art exhibitions, origami demonstration etc etc. There is also an organ exhibition by Cathedral Organs Ltd of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire who are the UK importers for Eminent Church Organs of Holland.
This year I had the great pleasure of holding the post of "Festival Organist" for event which rain from Saturday 26th May to Saturday 2nd June. Primarily I was providing background music but also contributed to the Sponsored Hymn Singing on the Sunday raising funds for The Anthony Nolan Trust - an organisation which works to eliminate leukaemia.
The organ at St Mary's Church is a large 3 manual Eminent digital with lighted tab stop control. However, due to the location of the speakers and the sheer power it was not possible to play this instrument whilst people were viewing the displays near to where the speakers were located. So I was limited to how often I could use this organ and also had to be selective about what I played to avoid deafening people!
With this in mind, a brand new instrument was loaned to the church for the week by Cathedral organs. The model was the "Cantata" with drawstop control with the following specification:
PEDAL
Open Diapason
Bourdon
Violone
Octave
Gedackt
Fifteenth
Trombone
Trumpet
LIGHTED TABS
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Great
Great Tremulant
Swell Tremulant
ACCESSORIES
8 thumb pistons to Great and Pedal
8 thumb pistons to Swell
8 general thumb pistons
3 coupler reversible thumb and toe pistons
1 thumb piston - setter
1 thumb piston - general cancel
1 thumb piston - auto bass
1 balanced expression pedal - Great and Pedal
1 balanced expression pedal - Swell
Theatre organ effect switch
As well as the excellent sound, another key feature of this instrument is that although the speakers are contained within the console, the sound appeared to be coming from all around the church!
Throughout the week I put the Eminent through it's paces and played a broad range of music from hymns to classical pieces, show tunes to popular hits. The organ handled it all brilliantly. The organ featured a"theatre organ" switch which immediately altered the speed of the tremulants.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing this instrument. This is the first time I have played a digital electronic organ which has individual character - a bit like a pipe organ.
Any churches considering buying a new organ then I strongly recommend Eminent. Im not getting commission from Eminent or Cathedral Organs for saying this!
My thanks go to the committee of the Brownedge Festival for offering me the post of Festival Organist playing this superb instrument in such a splendid location. A truly wonderful week!
To find out more about the Brownedge Festival click
To find out more about Eminent Organs click
16'
16'
16'
8'
8'
4'
16'
8'
GREAT
Bourdon
Open Diapason
Stopped Diapason
Gamba
Principal
Flute
Twelfth
Fifteenth
Block Flute
Mixture
Trumpet
Orchestral Trumpet
Clarinet
