St Peter's First Turn Wolvercote

A new organ for St Peter’s

Oxford’s Bishop Steven dedicated our new Jennings organ at a special service on Sunday 11 December 2016. Read our press release here.

Comments from organists attending an Open Day in early February 2017 included: “a very satisfying organ – a delight to play; nice touch, fantastic craftsmanship”, “a superb organ”, “delightful instrument to explore”, “very nice to play – fine selection of stops – a great organ for the church to have”, “so seldom get to play a 2-manual – such a pleasure”, “Trumpet stop fabulous!”, “great action and possible sound combinations. Visually impressive”, “fantastic to see an instrument of this stature installed – a joy to play”

The first public recital, on 25 February 2017, was played by David Bednall, Organist of the University of Bristol, Sub Organist at Bristol Cathedral. His programme of 14 pieces started with J S Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B minor, and ranged across three centuries, finishing on an improvisation on themes including the Teddy Bears’ Picnic and the hymn tune Wolvercote.

The commission

Dorset-based Robin Jennings has been building organs since 1989.  His elegant work may be seen in Our Lady of Lourdes, Wanstead and at St Mary’s Church, Streatley, Berkshire.  Instruments in private ownership include those commissioned by conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, on whose estate Robin has his workshop. The organ case is built from European oak, while the console is walnut.  Metal pipes, except those saved from our old organ, were made by Shires Organ Pipes Ltd in Leeds. The organ is fully mechanical and has two manuals and pedals. There are three couplers – Swell to Great, Great to Pedal and Swell to Pedal. Four adjustable combination pedals allow the organist to set his/her chosen registration. 

The stop list provides for the standard repertoire from Bach and Buxtehude, through C18th and early C19th English organ music to romantic works from C19th and C20th England, France and Germany, thus being suitable for services, concerts and teaching.

There are eight stops on the Swell, six on the Great and three on the Pedals. *= recycled pipework

Swell: Open Flute (Gedackt) 8, Gemshorn 8*, Principal 4*, Fifteenth 2*, Sesquialtera II, Trumpet 8*, Fagotto 16, Tremulant

Great: Open Diapason 8, Stopped Diapason 8, Principal 4, Chimney Flute 4, Fifteenth 2, Mixture III

Pedalboard: Bourdon 16*, Principal 8, Bass Flute 8

Fundraising

Thanks to the unwavering support of our congregation, we reached our goal in about 30 months. We gratefully acknowledge grants from the Stephen Clark 1957 Charitable Trust, Merton College and St John’s Colleges Oxford, the Pye Charitable Settlement, ON Organ Trust, AllChurches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Saddlers Company and the Williams Church Music Trust.