Old Independent Church, Haverhill, Suffolk

Hauptwerk v2/3 Virtual Organ

THE ORGAN

HISTORY and BACKGROUND

The organ of the Old Independent was built in 1901 by James Jepson Binns, a prolific organ builder based in Leeds in the north of England. Both organ and church were financed for the Suffolk town of Haverhill by the Gurteen family, who were wealthy clothing manufacturers based in the town. Although manufacturing has now ceased, the company is still trading and is run by the sixth and seventh generation of the same family.

Binns had a reputation for solid workmanship, earning him the nickname “Battleship Binns”. His work was influenced by the German school and especially by Edmund Schulze upon whom he modelled his diapason choruses. Although his smaller instruments tended to be a little on the dull side (as was the vogue in the late 19th century), his larger instruments had developed principal choruses, a good range of flutes and strings and a variety of chorus and solo reeds. Binns was also noted for his patent mechanical piston setter mechanism, which is featured on the Haverhill organ.
Not many of his larger instruments survive unscathed - best known must be the Albert Hall in Nottingham and the Schulze organ at Armley has recently been returned to its 1905 post Binns rebuild state by Harrison and Harrison of Durham.

The organ at Haverhill has survived with relatively few changes and, as such, is an important and interesting example of Binns’ work. The organ was sympathetically rebuilt in 1992 by Hill, Norman and Beard with the essential essence and character of the instrument remaining intact. At some point prior to the rebuild the Great Harmonic Flute 4‘ was transposed to become a Nazard 2 2/3‘

SPECIFICATION

GREAT

Double Open Diapason
Open Diapason
Viola
Hohl Flute
Principal
Nazard
Fifteenth
Mixture
Posaune
Trumpet en Chamade

Swell to Great
Swell octave to Great
Swell suboct to Great
Choir to Great

16
8
8
8
4
2 2/3
2
III
8
8

SWELL

Bourdon
Open Diapason
Stop Diapason
Viole d’Orchestre
Vox Angelica
Voix Celestes
Geigen Principal
Suabe Flute
Flautina
Mixture
Contra Fagotto
Cornopean
Oboe
Clarion
Tremulant

16
8
8
8
8
8
4
4
2
III
16
8
8
4

CHOIR

Geigen Diapason
Viol di Gamba
Concert Flute
Dolce (tenor C)
Suabe Flote
Mixture
Orchestral Oboe
Clarinet
Trumpet en Chamade
Tremulant

Swell to Choir

Swell octave
Swell suboctave

8
8
8
8
4
II
8
8
8

PEDAL

Harmonic Bass
Open Diapason
Bourdon
Principal
Bass Flute
Fifteenth
Trombone
Tromba


Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Choir to Pedal

32
16
16
8
8
4
16
8

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the 1992 rebuild from a purist’s point of view was the addition of the Trumpet en Chamade, available on both the Great and Choir. Of course, the stop does not have to be drawn, although it seems that no visiting organist has been able to resist the temptation ! The other addition was a Choir 2 rank mixture, pitched sensibly at 12th and 15th in the treble to blend nicely with the existing flue work. The opportunity was also taken to alter the swell mixture constitution, adding a Gross Tierce rank (3 1/5th) from middle C and the Great Posaune was slightly altered to give a more trumpet like sound.

The result is an instrument that is tonally very flexible. The clear and bright diapason chorus is most effective for Bach preludes and fugues and the reeds pack sufficient punch for the performance of French romantic repertoire. The organ is most at home though in the English romantic repertoire, where the quieter registers come into their own.