tHE ORGANS
The first organ at St. Martin’s was a small instrument which was borrowed from All Saints Church in 1902 ( there is no information available regarding this organ or from which Church it came)
This instrument was replaced by a one manual and pedal organ but this was soon found to be inadequate for the needs of the Church. It was sold to the Parish of Coedycerniw. The next instrument was another small instrument built by the local Cardiff firm of Gill. Some of its pipes were brought from an older organ in a Southampton Church. This organ was still in use at St. Anne’s church in Croft Street, Roath until that closed in 2015.
In 1905 a new instrument was built at St. Martin’s by Phipps of Oxford. It was a two manual tracker action and pedal. It occupied a chamber above the south Choir
tHE 1905 Phipps organ
This instrument was destroyed when the Church was bombed during the war on Ash Wednesday 1941. Services with Music were transferred to St. Cyprian’s, a daughter church in the Parish where there was a Two Manual Organ by Phipps of Oxford. When this Church closed in the 1950’s the organ was sold to St. Mary’s, Glyntaff 1956.
Swell
Bourdon 16’
Horn diapason 8’
Dulciana 8’
Flute 8’
Principal 4’
Flute 4’
Piccolo 2’
Mixture 3 Ranks
Horn 8’
Oboe 8’
Tremulant
Great
Double diapason 16’
Open diapason 8’
Salicional 8’
Clarabella 8’
Principal 4’
Harmonic flute 4’
Fifteenth 2’
Mixture 3 Ranks
Trumpet 8’
Clarinet 8’
Pedal
Open diapason 16’
Large bourdon 16’
Bourdon 16’
Trombone 16’
Couplers
Usual unison couplers
Swell Octave
Great Octave
Pedal Octave
tHE 1955 organ
This instrument was dedicated on December 17th 1955. Its nucleus was a second hand organ by William Hill and was bought by the parish from Richmond College of Divinity – London (Cost £5, 5000)
The organ consisted of fifteen ranks distributed over 3 manuals and pedals. The John Compton Organ Company proposed the addition of four extended ranks – Viola da gamba and Trumpet on the Swell, Bourdon on the Great and Dulciana on the Choir. The Pedal Organ has the usual extensions and the present specification is:
Swell
Open diapason 8’
Viola de gamba 8’
Voix celeste 8’
Rohr flute 8’
Principal 4’
Gambette 4’
Fifteenth 2’
Mixture 3 Ranks
Double trumpet 16’
Trumpet 8’
Oboe 8’
Clarion 4’
Tremulant
Great
Bourdon 16’
Open diapason 8’
Mixture 2 ranks
Stopped diapason 8’
Principal 4’
Stopped flute 4’
Twelfth
Fifteenth 2’
Choir
Double dulciana 16’
Gamba 8’
Lieblich gedackt 8’
Dulciana 8’
Wald flute 4’
Dulcet 4’
Dulcet Twelfth 2 2/3
Acuta 2 ranks
Clarinet 8’
Tremulant
Pedal
Principle 8’
Open diapason 16’
Bourdon 16’
Octave 8’
Bass flute 8’
Flute 4’
Double Trumpet 16’
Contra bourdon 32’
Fifteenth 4’
Couplers
Swell octave
Swell sub octave
Swell to Great
Swell to Choir
Great to Choir
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Choir to Pedal
The Specifications in Red were added in 1987
Roger Taylor – Organ Builder carried out a general cleaning and refurbishment of the organ in 1987. At that time one of the Open Diapasons on the Great was removed and the pipe work was made playable on the Pedal Organ as a Principle/Fifteenth unit. The vacated slide on the Great Organ was fitted with a new 2 rank Mixture. The bottom Octave of the Swell Trombone, which also doubles up as the Pedal reed, was re-positioned outside of the Swell box to increase the power.
tHE 2008 organ
In January 2008 further work was begun on the Organ at St Martin's. The action of the instrument was becoming increasingly unreliable and some parts of the organ were prone to failure due to the age and state of the old electro system which was original in 1955.
A new oak draw stop console with roll top has been built and supplied – the existing ivory keys, the pedals and organ bench and swell assemblies have been retained and refurbished and fitted into the new console.
New long draw stop solenoids were supplied and fitted together with new engraved heads on the draw stops.
A new solid state multi level piston capture system has been supplied and a full range of general, divisional and reverser thumb and toe pistons were fitted. The former electro mechanical switches and relays were removed and a NEW SOLID STATE system was supplied and fitted. The wiring in the console and up to the solid state system in the organ chamber was renewed.
New D.C. returns in the organ chamber were fitted, together with separate fuses for each circuit. A new D. C. power supply unit was fitted.
The Great Organ
Trumpet '
Mixture II
Fifteenth 2'
Twelfth 2 2/3'
Stopped Flute 4'
Principal 4'
Stopped Diapason 8'
Open Diapason 8'
Bourdon 16'
The Choir Organ
Tremulant
Trumpet 8'
Clarinet 8'
Acuta II
Fifteenth 2'
Twelfth 2 2/3'
Dulcet 4'
Wald Flute 4'
Wald Flute 4'
Dulciana 8'
Lieblich Gedackt 8'
Double Dulciana 16'
The Swell Organ
Clarion 4'
Oboe 8'
Trumpet 8'
Double Trumpet 16'
Mixture III
Fifteenth 2'
Gambette 4'
Principal 4'
Gamba 8'
Voix Celeste 8'
Rohr Flute 8'
Open Diapason 8'
Tremulant
The Pedal Organ
Trombone 16'
Fifteenth 4'
Flute 4'
Bass Flute 8'
Principal 8'
Octave 8'
Bourdon 16'
Open Diapason 16'
Contra Bourdon 32'
Couplers
Swell to Great
Choir to Great
Great top Pedal
Octave
Unison off
Sub Octave
tHE chamber organ
In addition to the fine three manual pipe organ, the liturgical music is enhanced by the presence an electronic chamber organ.
The One- Manual Viscount Cantorum Organ is housed in a handsome wooden case, designed and built by Father Wayne David. Inspired by the continental portative design, the Organ can be used in various locations around the church building. It allows more sensitive accompaniment of plainsong and provides authentic period timbres for the accompaniment of verse anthems and alike.
The Organ is given by Anna Louise Bates in loving memory of Stuart & Fraser Bates, who died tragically in December 2015. The Chamber Organ was dedicated during Mass on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in May 2018.