Recitals on Organ lost in 1985 fire at St Mary's Church, Penzance, Cornwall, part 2, recorded 1973

The magnificent pipe organ at St. Mary's Church, Penzance, Cornwall was tragically destroyed in a fire on 23rd March 1985. Much of the instrument dated from 1769. Originally built for the former St. Mary's Chapel, it was rebuilt by Crabb of Exeter in the new church in 1835. S.S. Wesley, then organist of Exeter Cathedral, played at the first service. Improvements were made by J.W. Walker of London, Heard of Truro, Hele and Co of Plymouth, culminating in its full restoration by Lance Foy of Truro in 1981.

A series of organ recitals and choral concerts were recorded in summer 1973, the only known recordings of the organ. Many tracks had not been heard since until restoration of the tapes began in 2023 so that this historic organ's unique voice can be heard again. Some recordings were played in the church on 22nd March 2023, 38 years after the fire.

The visiting musicians were student organists, choral scholars and singers who kindly gave their consent for their performances to be used in recordings for public sale in aid of St. Mary's. After the fire, a fund-raising cassette tape was produced as a reminder of the fine instrument once in the church. This is side 2. A full restoration from the master tapes is planned, a link will be added when available.

track time stamps: (24 mins)
0:00 'Fugue in D' (Bach) played by John Willmett, Organ Recital 31st August 1973
5:25 'Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring' (Bach). Choral Evensong and Concert, 12th August 1973
10:04 'Ave Maria' (Stravinsky). sung by visiting choral scholars on 12th August 1973
11:56 'Rejoice in the Lord Alway' (16th C attrib Redford). see above, 12th August 1973
14:42 'Ave Verum'. (Byrd). see above, 12th August 1973
19:19 'Toccata in D Flat Major' (Jongen). Organist Robin Jackson, Recital 10th August 1973

Tape side 1 is available here: • Recitals on Organ lost in 1985 fire a...
Other recordings on playlist: • Historic archive Organ Music from St....

Recording equipment was loaned by Sentinel Records of Newlyn. Tape sponsored by a parishioner hoping to make an LP record to raise funds for the organ's restoration. LP was not made however the 1985 cassette used the two sides edited ready for the LP.

More information is at the National Pipe Organ Register records E00010 and N11238. www.npor.org.uk/survey/E00010 and www.npor.org.uk/survey/N11238

For more history of St Mary's church and the organ, see: 'A Time to Build – Signposts to the Building, Restoration, Enhancement, and Maintenance of Cornwall’s Anglican Churches and Mission Rooms 1800-2000' by Canon Michael Warner (pub Scryfa, 2022).
Also: "Pen Sans, The Holy Headland. 1000 Years of Faith and Fortune. St. Mary's Penzance" by Peter Mound (pub 1988).

Photo of the old organ by permission of Morrab Library - website: morrablibrary.org.uk/
1906 photo of the Church courtesy of St. Mary's - website: penleecluster.org.uk/about-us...

Tape Restoration AMDG 2023 and in memory of all involved 1973 & 1985 no longer with us. R.I.P.
© 2023 The Lighthouse. / @thelighthouse123 All rights reserved.
Thank you for listening to the lost organ of St. Mary's.