Report on the visit to Sherborne and English Organ School (EOS) 17th September 2005

A fine day for our coach outing and a picturesque drive across the Dorset countryside to the charming old town of Sherborne, with its wealth of mellow-gold stone buildings.

There we gathered in the beautiful abbey church, just celebrating its 1300th anniversary, and admired the wonderful fan vaulting and glass until it was time to meet the organist Joseph Sentance, for a fascinating talk and demonstration of the recently rebuilt and extended organ.

The original Gray organ of 1858, in its ornate case in the north transept, was variously restored in the 1950s by Walker and in the 80s by Bishop, but never to general satisfaction. The latest rebuild, by Tickell involves new pipework and action, and additional section mounted at the west end of the abbey principally to assist congregational singing. However the stereophonic effects achievable with the new layout were impressively demonstrated by Joseph in his playing of Gigout's Grand Choeur and Mendelssohn's 5th Sonata. We all had a chance to climb up to the console and explore the effects for ourselves, and otherwise enjoy the sound, light and architecture of this wonderful place.

Then a short coach journey to Milborne Port along the old A30. Another stone town, Milborne Port once rivalled Sherborne but is now little more than rather a quaint village, and the Queen's Head where we lunched, a charming old village pub. A stroll down the narrow streets than led to the Old Chapel, where the English Organ Schoolnow fills the schoolroom and the chapel itself.

WSOA members lost in Milbourne Port?

We were warmly welcomed by Margaret Phillips and her husband David, who bravely bought the buildings in 1992 to house their splendid collection of period organs and other keyboard instruments, and provide a base for their reaching, publishing and 'evangelising' activities in connection with the organ. It was an inspiring collection and an inspiring place. We began our visit in the schoolroom, sitting rapt as Margaret talked about and demonstrated new-built organs and harpsichords replicating instruments used by Bach, Byrd and Couperin, restored 18th century organs lending themselves to the music of Frescobaldi and even our own John Marsh, and a recovered mid-19th century organ which seemed just right for Mendelssohn. The stories of the recovery of these venerable instruments--one found in a local turkey shed--were as fascinating as the sounds they made in their new and happier home.

Margaret Phillips, our Hostess and recitalist

After a break we moved to the chapel itself, full of character as a balconied Congregational place of worship, and now dominated by the large instruments used for the regular EOS recital evenings another replica instrument by peter Collins, on which Margaret played Buxtehude and Heiller, an 18th century hand-blown/foot pumped/candle lit instrument by Davis right for Wesley, and a huge 3-manual 'Irish Organ' of 1865 (which ingeniously incorporates some of the Milborne Port chapel's old organ) on which Margaret finished with Simon Preston's Alleluyas. Thereafter there was time to try out the more robust instruments in the collection, to purchase CDs produced by EOS or the music distributed by them, to explore the workshops on the lower floor of the building, and to enjoy tea and chat with our very hospitable hosts. Joseph joined us and demonstrated his own instrument with characteristic aplomb, permitting members to have a turn.

We travelled home to Chichester full of organ music in our bags and in our heads, happy and inspired after a most enjoyable day out, and thankful to those who made the visits possible and who gave us such an enriching experience.

Nigel Brown