Like all the churches I have played the organ for, the prevalent attitude seems to be "as long as the organ is making a sound we don't need to spend any money on it"
This has been the attitude at the church where I have been organist for during the seven years. Each year in my annual report I have stated that due to lack of regular upkeep the organ was becoming less likely to survive unless a huge programme of cleaning and maintenance was carried out. I have regularly pointed out that an organ is like a car in that it needs regular maintenance and servicing, but over the years this has fallen on deaf ears!
Unknown to me, sometime ago the PCC decided that they would not spend any major amounts of money on the instrument, and this decision has finally backfired on them.
They decided to have a survey done on the instrument to see just what it would cost to put the instrument back into first class condition. The survey was carried out by the very reputable organ building firm of Harrison and Harrison of Durham, and the results echoed, almost to the letter what I had been reporting to the PCC for the last seven years. [Surprise, surprise!]
Three options were suggested.
The first was to put the organ back into A1 condition. Cost - a mere £233,723 + 20% VAT!
The second option was to reduce the instrument to a 2 manual and do more or less the same restorative work. Cost - £187,323 + 20% VAT.
The third option was a new 2 manual organ of similar size and capability. Cost - £409,404 + 20% VAT.
A price to remove the current instrument (if we decided to go for option 3) was also quoted - £16,790 + 20% VAT.
So assuming the PCC decided to go for the cheapest option (keeping the instrument and reducing to a 2 manual with all the necessary remedial and restorative work carried out would cost us £187,323 + 20% VAT (£224,787)
As the PCC don't have this kind of money (how surprising!) we were faced with a problem. We can't afford any of the suggested solutions what do we do?
We have an electric piano (not capable of supporting a church congregation in full flow, not the sort of instrument to use at weddings and funerals etc. etc.)
Purchase a Hymn Singing Karaoke Machine (yes! they do make such things!!) A very third rate solution which encourages singing like an automaton.
Go for a digital electronic organ - Prices range from just under £10,000 to £60,000.
I produced a report on the present organ, and possible solutions, and the PCC bit the bullet and voted to go down the digital electronic organ route.
There are a multitude of electronic organ builders around, so the first course of action is to narrow down the field and discard those who merely produce electronic organs for home use.
Then there will be the inveitable - send for catalogues and price lists, compare specifications, listen to and play actual instruments, either in the makers showrooms, or better still on instruments which have been installed in churches.
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