Oh dear! At vast expense, we are having our church organ cleaned and serviced. And now the craftsmen doing it have discovered that ... 56, I think it was ... little thingummies ... I forget the technical name ... will have to be replaced; and this will cost us at least a thou' more. Apparently, these delicate little pieces of wood have to have bits of sheepskin cut up and attached to them, and S Thomas's has a major Perished Sheepskin Problem. Happily, they have a sheepskin to cut up and use, so there won't be too horrendous a delay before the organ is back in use, but what am I to say when the bill arrives?
Perhaps it would help if I could supply them with a replacement sheepskin. Those lambs that provide the wool for pallia ... I seem to recall that the nuns concerned eat them for their Easter lunches ... I wonder what they do with the skins?
Next: the leathers will go bad.
ReplyDeleteLittle patches of softened leather, which, over time, become un-soft.
The sheepskin thingamabobbles are (IIRC) on the back of the keys and are used to prevent 'clacking' as the organist plies his trade.
And you cannot replace either of them with electronic doodads.
But you should look at replacing the wiring with electronics so far as possible; it will prevent endless re-wiring.
How you talked about this problem to your diocesan organ adviser, Barry Williams, who is a friend of mine? I can give you contact details if necessary?
ReplyDeleteDo you get any lamb chops with your sheepskin?
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the old joke about a woman going into the butcher's shop for a pig's trotter and asking the butcher to leave the head on!