My attention has been drawn to a series of concerts ('they do vary in quality', I'm told) at the historic church of Holy Trinity, Gosport, Hants, which dates from 1696. It now houses an organ built for the Duke of Chandos in 1720. It was installed at his stately home, Cannons where Handel was briefly employed as resident composer. Holy Trinity later bought the organ at auction in 1747 when the entire house and contents were sold piecemeal to pay off the debts left by the late first Duke. It was installed in the church in 1748. I think it may be the organ equivalent of one of the many places where Queen Elizabeth (I) stayed but it's still a very fine and interesting instrument.
The concerts, varied also in type, I gather, are part of the restoration fundraising.
I quote from Dr Alan Thurlow: "The organ at Holy Trinity has an interesting pedigree, not just because of the rebuilding by the famous organ builder William Hill in 1897 but because the heart of the instrument preserves pipework and the organ case from the historic instrument built in 1720 by Jordan for the Duke of Chandos. Not every church can boast organ casework that was seen by Handel, pipework on which he played and sounds which, even today, are the same as those which Handel himself heard!"
You may not be able to go to the concerts but I hope the bit of 'Handel history' is of interest. It was to me
. I also enjoyed discovering more about the custom of 'wife-selling' as relating to the second Duke who sold the organ; three years earlier he had bought a chambermaid in Newbury and married her.
The concerts, varied also in type, I gather, are part of the restoration fundraising.
I quote from Dr Alan Thurlow: "The organ at Holy Trinity has an interesting pedigree, not just because of the rebuilding by the famous organ builder William Hill in 1897 but because the heart of the instrument preserves pipework and the organ case from the historic instrument built in 1720 by Jordan for the Duke of Chandos. Not every church can boast organ casework that was seen by Handel, pipework on which he played and sounds which, even today, are the same as those which Handel himself heard!"
You may not be able to go to the concerts but I hope the bit of 'Handel history' is of interest. It was to me
. I also enjoyed discovering more about the custom of 'wife-selling' as relating to the second Duke who sold the organ; three years earlier he had bought a chambermaid in Newbury and married her.
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