Me playing the organ at Snailbeach Methodist Church near Minsterley, Shropshire.

The organ was originally built by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd for a private individual in the North Yorkshire area it is believed. It was installed here in 1974 in memory of a church member.

Although the organ is a model 357 it does not have the standard specification but has some leanings towards the 352 (melotone) model in that there is a Tibia 8ft on the lower manual and a Vibraphone on the upper thus making a superb dual purpose instrument! The specification reads:

PEDAL
Contra Bass 16'
Bourdon 16'
Echo Bass 16'
Octave 8'
Flute 8'
Flute 4'
Trombone 16'
Trumpet 8'

MANUAL I
Bourdon 16'
Diapason 8'
Tibia 8'
Gemshorn 8'
Octave 4'
Open Flute 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Tromba 8'

MANUAL II
Contra Salicional 16'
Geigen Diapason 8'
Stopped Diapason 8'
Salicional 8'
Principal 4'
Stopped Flute 4'
Flautina 2'
Quartane II
Contra Oboe 16'
Cornopean 8'
Clarion 4'
Vibraphone 4'

GENERAL
Tremulant (affects whole organ)

ACCESSORIES
1 balanced expression pedal - Pedal and Manual I
1 balanced expression pedal - Manual II

One loudspeaker cabinet is used containing bass and treble speakers. This is mounted at the rear of the church over the entrance.

For this first video im playing the worship song 'Christ be our light' which makes use of quiet stops for the verses and almost full organ for the chorus.

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 everyone at Snailbeach Methodist Church for making me so welcome not only for allowing me access to this wonderful instrument but for coming to see me play and brilliant hospitality!

NOTE: this is purely my interest in order to make sure that these fine organs are archived forever and I do not make any monetary profit by this video being on dailymotion.

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/