DESCRIPTION:
Peter Tylor presents a short film about the pipe organ at Holy Trinity Church, St Austell, Cornwall, United Kingdom - otherwise known as St Austell Parish Church (NPOR K00221). Recorded on location at Holy Trinity on 5 April 2016 (except for four excerpts from videos made in January and March 2016, and previously uploaded to YouTube), and assembled using YouTube Video Editor on 6 April 2016.

Excerpts have been taken from the following videos:
God commends His love - tune "St. Austell" (E.H.G. Sargent, 1925): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rypYQXes1mk
Scatter Sunshine (E.O. Excell, 1892): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxWcrbPPpvA
Jesus Christ - Once Again (Matt Redman, 1995): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1LwKYnhcs
All Heaven Declares (Noel and Tricia Richards, 1987): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnHjaanM7II

My information about the history of this fine 3M&P instrument with 35 speaking stops - originally built by Bryceson Bros and Ellis of London circa 1878, enlarged by Hele & Co. of Plymouth and Exeter in 1914, and rebuilt by Maurice Eglinton of Saltash in 1973 - comes mainly from an anonymously-written guide book about the church, a copy of which is displayed therein for the use of visitors. To explain "the works," I have used an article from the February 1988 issue of "Vision" (a former Holy Trinity parish magazine), entitled "From The Organist" - who, at that time, was Robert Christie. For more detailed information about its specifications, see the relevant page on the National Pipe Organ Register website: http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=K00221

This being the church where I was baptized and brought up, I believe I owe my special liking for pipe organs to this particular instrument, whose appearance fascinated and whose sound delighted me as a child (although I had no desire to learn to play any instrument until my mid-teens, and it was not until January 2013 that I played here for the first time). Although I do not play for - and indeed I cannot regularly attend - any services at Holy Trinity, I have been made welcome to come in and play on weekdays when the church is open for visitors; this I try to do once a week when possible, most often on Tuesday afternoons when Mike and Marion - who especially enjoy hearing me play - are on church watch duty. (Marion can be seen in this video, doing some housekeeping in St Michael's Chapel behind me whilst I am relating the history of the organ.)

Regrettably, it is not at present heard as often as it deserves to be, since the prevalent style of worship at Holy Trinity is charismatic evangelical, the music at the main Sunday services being provided by an instrumental group (albeit a very good one of its kind). Worse still, its future is currently in some doubt - partly because it is now in need of some repairs (it has been estimated that it would cost £70,000 to bring it fully up to scratch, although whether or not it would really cost that much - or even needs all the work estimated for - might be questioned), and partly due to proposed alterations to the church building, which would involve (among other things) removing the organ to make way for meeting rooms.

(If this happens, it will be a most regrettable instance of history repeating itself in this town. When the current St Austell Baptist Church building was opened in 1900, it was equipped with what is believed to have been the largest instrument built by the local firm of J. Trudgian and Son of St Dennis - which, according to contemporary reportage, "had a very sweet tone, and was hugely admired". However, in about 1980, it was felt that it had become too costly to maintain - and so it was removed, and the front of the church interior partitioned off and turned into a classroom.)

Even so, the organ at Holy Trinity remains in use for weddings, funerals and other occasions; moreover, a good number of people in the congregation - including the young in years as well as the young at heart - appreciate hearing it when it is played, and, on one occasion last year, one of the younger members of the music group, hitherto unfamiliar with the organ, was sufficiently intrigued by my playing to come and sit beside me on the bench and play on the manuals while I pulled out different stops and added a few pedal notes.

Although my main purpose in making videos is to entertain, educate and/or provide spiritual uplift to those who watch them, I hope this film - and my other recordings of the organ here at Holy Trinity - will also draw attention to this fine instrument, which deserves to be preserved, used and appreciated as an asset to the church and to the wider community of St Austell. Long may it remain here - if God wills it - to glorify Him and to uplift the hearts and souls of those who hear its sweet and majestic strains!