FARMINGTON – During the blizzard on March 12, two technicians from Potter-Rathbun Organ Co., Inc. from Rhode Island inspected the Organ in the Old North Church.
The technicians opened panels, shined lights into sections which hadn’t seen illumination in decades and even crawled on top of the weighted bellows to inspect the 1904 Cole Tracker instrument. They found a couple of the pipes that had holes drilled into them to change the pitch. The drilling was commonly done to make the notes sharp or flat.
They heard something which might have been an air leak, possibly originating in the old, leather bellows. However, upon connecting the air fan located in the lower level of the Church to the organ, no leak was detected.
The techs completed the inspection and documented their finding, announcing the local treasure was in grand condition and to go ahead and play it.
Potter-Rathbun Organ Co. will be sending a report of which they will be recommending the future replacement of the bellows. But most importantly, the organ is badly in need of a tuning.
The organ inspection is just one piece of the Farmington Historical Society’s continued effort to bring the Old North Church back to the Farmington Community. The Farmington Historical Society will be accepting donations that will be placed into the Cole Tracker fund for the tuning and future repairs of the organ. Donations may be sent to Farmington Historical Society, Cole Tracker Fund, P. O. Box 575, Farmington, Maine 04938.
The organ was last played in a concert by Emily Floyd in the early 1970s. Once tuned, it is hoped she will play the first organ concert of the 21st century.
Very nice , I love to see stuff like this. It certainly is a treasure!
Wouldn’t that be wonderful, for Emily to play this organ once again? She has always been one of my favorite people.
This is awesome! A 110 year old organ played by a 96 year old musician. I would pay admission to be witness to this!
Les…Emily DID play the organ – last Monday night. It brought tears…honestly! Camilla Cai had ‘warmed it up’, but turned over the bench to Emily. She pushed pedals, and hauled buttons in and out, and that old gal just SANG!!! Emily, at 96, was totally at home at that keyboard. She whipped out Amazing Grace with no problem! What an experience! It was goose-bump time for sure!
How much is charged for the tuning? Donations would come in quicker if there was a goal to reach.
It is wonderful to read that Emily Floyd has played this instrument! She was one of my mother and father’s dearest friends. She and “Doctor Paul” were frequent guests at their house, when I was a youngster. As one who loves to listen to pipe organs, I would be willing to pay anything to hear Emily play this one again, in-tune or out-of-tune!
Please organize a concert. The place would be filled!!
Organ tuning can go beyond $ 1000, a goal would be great to have $1000? $2000? $5000?