Me playing the organ at Zion Baptist Church in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

The organ was installed here second hand. It was originally built in the 1960s by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd and is the 363 model. At Zion, the organ is located at the front of the church on the left with the patent 'rotofon' speaker on the gallery at the rear. The specification reads:

PEDAL
Contra Bourdon 32'
Open Diapason 16'
Bourdon 16'
Echo Bass 16'
Octave 8'
Bass Flute 8'
Violoncello 8'
Flute 4'
Contra Bombarde 32'
Ophicleide 16'
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

GREAT
Double Diapason 16'
Open Diapason 1 8'
Open Diapason 2 8'
Hohl Flute 8'
Gemshorn 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Suabe Flute 4'
Dulcet 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Fifteenth 2'
Mixture III
Sesquiltera II
Tuba 8'
Swell to Great

SWELL
Bourdon 16'
Geigen Diapason 8'
Lieblich Gedact 8'
Salicional 8'
Quintadena 8'
Harmonic Flute 8'
Principal 4'
Lieblich Flute 4'
Salicet 4'
Nazard 2.2/3'
Piccolo 2'
Cymbale III
Acuta II
Contra Fagotto 16'
Trumpet 8'
Clarinet 8'
Clarion 4'

GENERAL
Slow vibrato
Fast vibrato
Reverb

MISCELLANEOUS
4 double touch thumb pistons to Great and Pedal
4 thumb pistons to Swell
1 balanced expression pedal - Great and Pedal
1 balanced expression pedal - Swell
Double touch canceller to each department

Im playing the hymn 'Thou God of truth and love' to the tune 'St Godric' which gives the basic idea of how the organ sounds for congregational hymn singing. The 8ft Tuba stop on the great is featured in the third verse.

These organs are fast becoming extinct with many churches replacing them with digital instruments etc. Modern technology is indeed appealing with its realistic sampled sounds but history is being lost as a result. Opportunities should be taken to see that these unique instruments are preserved for future generations to experience how technology worked in the pre digital era.

Many thanks to Zion Baptist Church for allowing me access to this fine Compton organ and for such a friendly welcome.

For more information on the John Compton Organ Company Ltd and to see me play other Compton organs, please click on the following link for my site dedicated to the John Compton Organ Company Ltd:

http://comptonorgans.yolasite.com/

REQUEST: I am always on the lookout for Compton organs to play - particularly electrones - so if you know of any churches which still have these then please do let me know. I will happily give a donation or pay any applicable room hire charge.