4  12 2009

Positif finds a home

A Bedient pipe organ now resides in the St. Saviour By The River Anglican Church in Eagleport, OH, but we did not build it.

 

“Our” Opus P-21 is one of about 20 Positif organ kits sold in the mid-1970s via small ads in Popular Science magazine. These one stop, one manual tracker organs are powered by a foot-operated wedge bellows and feature 56 Gedeckt pipes.  Originally priced at $970 plus shipping, the kits arrived in four crates that included pipes, bench and precut casework parts made from oak, redwood, mahogany or walnut. 

John Porter of Silver Spring, MD was one of the adventurous souls who successfully negotiated the 90-page instruction manual to complete his walnut kit.  After John died last year, his wife Katherine contacted us about selling the organ, which had been used for living room performances for 30 years.

 

Acting on a friend’s tip, Brian McKee, organist and vestryman at St. Saviour, read about the kit organ on the news page of Bedient’s website.  Brian explains what followed:

“I had been looking for a small pipe organ for our church for about two years until I found this organ.  Our small country church’s nave is only 40 x 45 feet so we needed a small organ.

Gene e-mailed me the address of the owner so I could write her a letter.  Knowing it was a Bedient pipe organ I purchased it for the church from the pictures alone and discussions by phone with the owner and Gene’s advice.

Myself and our church’s Vicar, The Rev. James Ryerson, drove to Silver Springs, Maryland, from southern Ohio and picked it up ourselves.  I packed up the pipes myself very carefully.  I put the pipes back in and they are of such good quality that they even remained in tune.
We are absolutely thrilled with it!  I love it and the congregation loves it. It sounds so much better than the Baldwin Console electric organ we had that there is no comparison.

The organ will be used for accompanying the singing of Hymns, accompanying the Anglican Chant, as well as instrumental music.  I particularly love to play works by J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, and W.A. Mozart.  The wonderful tones of this organ are such that it is as though it were literally built to play works by Bach.”

According to Brian, the small 174-year-old church lays claim to historical significance.  On July 23, 1863, the church was caught in the crossfire between Union Militia and Gen. John Hunt Morgan’s Confederate Cavalry during a Civil War skirmish.  During the battle, Morgan allegedly entered the church to pray. A Methodist congregation built the church in 1835 and worshipped there until 1972.  Brian said it was later purchased by a group of transplanted Anglicans and continues to serve a small but vibrant 25-member congregation.

More stories: here.


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3 Responses to “Positif finds a home”

  1. The Rev. Dr. Ronny W. Dower, Said:
    on December 7th, 2009 at 1:54 pm


    Congrats on having a new organ and an excellent Organist. Voices raised in hymnody accompanied by a dedicated Organist is praise to the Lord in a most joyous way.

    The Rev. Dr. Ronny W. Dower,
    ECUSA Retired.

  2. James R. Stettner, Said:
    on December 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm


    Congratulations on acquiring a real pipe organ with true acoustic fidelity. And thank you for saving it from languishing somewhere unused.

    Thank you, Brian, for your photos of the organ contributed to the Organ Historical Society database, and for making a very thorough entry for the organ on same.

    Best wishes ~

    James R. Stettner
    Puget Sound Pipe Organs
    Seattle, Washington

    Photo Manager, OHS Database

  3. Brian McKee, Said:
    on January 14th, 2010 at 12:36 pm


    James & Rev. Dower:

    Thanks for your kind compliments.

    This organ has been a joy to me to play, and a joy to the congregation.

    We had a very successful, standing-room only, recital to celebrate the Bedient Positif’s installation on December 20. Opera singer Paola Semprini, a friend of mine, sand traditional Christmas Carols. I played compositions by Bach and Handel.

    The Bedient’s lovely sound was well-received by all in attendance. There was a crowd gathered round to study and enjoy it after the Recital.

    Brian McKee

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