St Patrick's Basilica
 Fremantle

 South Island Organ Company






St Patrick’s Basilica is a magnificent stone building in 14th century Gothic style, with flying buttresses flanking the west front and a traceried window of eight lights. The building was designed by Michael Francis Cavanagh, the foundation stone was laid on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 1898 and the nave opened on 3 June 1900; his design envisaged a spacious nave with aisles and clerestory, transepts, a wide and spacious apse, and a colossal tower and spire (supported by flying buttresses) rising from the northern side of the building. Only the nave was initially completed and a new sanctuary of equivalent scale was opened on 24 April 1960. The building was raised to the status of a minor basilica in 1994, one of only four buildings in Australia sharing this distinction.

The original two manual organ was by Bishop & Son, of London, supplied in 1895; this was electrified in the 1960s by J.E.Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works who divided the case and provided some extensions. When the organ was dismantled in the 1980s, it was found that the great chest was inscribed “Kendall of Kensington 1851”, so the Bishop organ, with its diminutive swell compass, may have arrived in the West secondhand. According to the Directory of British Organ Builders, Edward Kendall was working as an organbuilder in Kensington, London between 1826 and 1855 and was born c. 1795.



The present organ dates from 1988-90 and was built by Bellsham Pipe Organs (Aust.) Pty Ltd and incorporated some of the pipework and chests from the Bishop organ. Apart from the divided Grand Organ in the west gallery, it incorporated an interconnected twomanual organ in the south transept. The organs were given as a thanksgiving in memory of the many priests of the Congregation of Oblates of Mary Immaculate who have served the parish since their arrival from Ireland in 1894.



This instrument was extensively rebuilt and enlarged by the South Island Organ Company Ltd, of Timaru, New Zealand, with Rod Junor as consultant, and resulted from a generous gift by the Hughes family in memory of Alice Hughes. The work was completed for Easter 1998 and represents the largest parish church organ in Australasia. The work carried out was extensive, involving the complete reorganisation and expansion of the internal layout, with several new divisions, additional pipework and complete revoicing, new winding system, new serialdrive MIDI electrical and combination systems, made by Muldersoft of Auckland, and a new lowprofile transept console.



Photos above: Mark Quarmby (Oct. 2004)


Ian Molyneux, Looking around Perth: a guide to the architecture of Perth and surrounding towns. East Fremantle: Wescolour Press, 1981, pp.xvii.

• Building dates supplied by Dominic Perissinotto

• The Basilica of St Patrick Fremantle (organ booklet issued by South Island Organ Company Ltd).

• The FreemanEdmonds Directory of British Organ Builders. Oxford: Positif Press, 2002, v.3., p.553.




St Patrick's Basilica, Fremantle



Specification from the South Island Organ Company website.
  • 4 manual & pedal Grand Organ
  • 2 manual & pedal Transept Organ
  • 109 stops
  • Original 2-manual mechanical action organ was
    built in 1898 by J. C. Bishop & Son of London.
  • Rebuilt by Gunstan 1963
  • Rebuilt 1990
  • Rebuilt by SIOC 1998

 

This is one of those rare organs that has everything that makes us love the instrument – grandeur and beauty of sound and form, complex yet simple function, noble architecture, lively acoustic, good siting.

The rebuild undertaken by the South Island Organ Company was made possible by generous gift by the Hughes family in memory of Alice Hughes (dec.).

The work has been extensive, involving a complete reorganization and expansion of the internal layout, with several new divisions, additional pipe work and complete revoicing, new winding system, new serial-drive Muldersoft transmission and capture system, and low-profile transept console.
The rebuilt organ completed for Easter 1998 is a triumph of eclectic organ design and is amongst the largest Church organ installations in Australia.

 

Grand Organ Specifications

 

  

Pedal
1. Sub Diapason Acoustic-32'[q]
2.SubBourdonAcoustic-32'[r]&[a]
3. Principal - 16' [s]
4. Open Diapason Wood - 16' [q]
5. Subbass - 16' [r]
6. Lieblich Bourdon-16'(Ch)[e]
7. Octave - 8' [s]
8. Bass Flute - 8' [r]
9. Bourdon - 8' (Ch) [e]
10. Viola - 8' (Ch) [b]
11. Fifteenth - 4' [s]
12. Nachthorn - 2' (Bmb) [p]
13. Octave Flute - 4' [r]
14. Nachthorn - 2' (Bmb) [p]
15. Mixture - IV
16. Contra Posaune-32'(Bmb)[d]
17.Ophicleide - 16' (Bmb) [o]
18. Posaune - 16' (Bmb) [d]
19. Fagotto - 16' (Sw) [h]
20. Posaune - 8' (Bmb) [d]
21. Trumpet - 8' (Sw) [w]
22. Schalmey - 4'

 
Great, II
33. Bourdon - 16' [a]
34. Principal - 8'
35. Gamba - 8'
36. Harmonic Flute - 8'
37. Bourdon - 8' [a]
38. Octave - 4'
39. Stopped Flute - 4'
40. Twelfth - 2 2/3'
41. Fifteenth - 2'
42. Fourniture - V - VI
43. Cymbel - III
44. Cornet - M.C. - V (Bmb) [c]
45. Trumpet - 8'
46. Posaune - 16' (Bmb) [d]
47. Trompette en Chamade - 8' (Bmb) [j]

Positive, I
23. Gedact - 8'
24. Quintade - 8'
25. Prestant - 4'
26. Rohrflute - 4'
27. Octave - 2'
28. Sesquialtera - II
29. Quint - 1 1/3'
30. Scharff - IV
31. Krummhorn - 8'
32. Trompette en Chamade-8'(Bmb)[j]
Cymbelstern
Tremulant
Sub octave & unison off

 

Choir, IV
67. Lieblich Bourdon - 16' [e]
68. Contra Viola - 16' [k]
69. Harmonic Flute - 8' [n]
70. Bourdon - 8' [e]
71. Viola - 8' [k]
72. Salicional - 8' [l]
73. Unda Maris T.C - 8' [m]
74. Harmonic Flute - 4' [n]
75. OctaveStringsSalicional-4'[l]&[m]
76. Piccolo Bourdon - 2' [e]
77. Sifflute Bourdon - 1' [e]
78. Corno di Bassetto - 8'
79. Posaune - 8' (Bmb) [d]
Tremulant
Octave
Sub-octave
Unison off

 

Swell, III
48. Lieblich Bourdon - 16' (Ch) [e]
49. Open Diapason - 8'
50. Rohrflute - 8'
51. Gamba - 8'
52. Voix Celeste T.C. - 8'
53. Principal - 4'
54. Koppelflute - 4'
55. Nasard - 2 2/3' [f]
56. Fifteenth - 2'
57. Harmonic Piccolo - 2' [g]
58. Tierce - 1 3/5'
59. Larigot - 1 1/3' [f]
60. Octave Piccolo - 1' [g]
61. Mixture - IV
62. Fagotto - 16' [h]
63. Trumpet - 8' [w]
64. Oboe - 8' [h]
65. Vox Humana - 8'
66. Clarion - 4'
Tremulant
Tremulant Fast
Octave
Sub Octave
Unison off

 
Transept
88. Open Diapason (Gt) - 8'
89. Gedackt (Gt) - 8'
90. Spitzgamba (Gt) - 8'
91. Principal (Gt) - 4'
92. Flageolet (Gt) - 2'
93. Mixture (Gt) - III
94. Rohr Flute (Sw) - 8'
95. Echo Viole (Sw) - 8'
96. Voix Celeste TC (Sw)-8'
97. Principal (Sw) - 4'
98. Lieblich Flute (Sw) - 4'
99. Octave (Sw) - 2'
100. Basson (Sw) - 16' [u]
101. Hautbois (Sw) - 8' [u]
102. Oboe Dolce (Sw) - 8'

Bombarde, IV
80. Tuba Mirabilis - 8' [o]
81. Trompette en Chamade - 8' [j]
82. Posaune - 16' [d]
83. Posaune - 8' [d]
84. Posaune - 4' [d]
85. Cornet T.G. - V [c]
86. Nachthorn - 8' [p]
87. Nachthorn - 4' [p]
Octave
Sub-octave
Unison off

Tremulant
103. Bourdon (Ped)-16'[v]
104. Bourdon (Ped) - 8' [v]
105. Basson (Ped) - 16' (Sw) [u]

 
Couplers
Positive to Pedal - Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal - Positive 4' to Pedal
Great 4' to Pedal - Swell 4' to Pedal
Choir to Pedal - Bombarde to Pedal
Choir 4' to Pedal - Bombarde 4' to Pedal
Transept to Pedal - Swell 16' to Great
Swell to Great - Swell to Positive
Positive to Great - Positive to Swell
Bombarde to Great - Bombarde to Positive
Bombarde to Swell - Choir to Great
Bombarde OFF IV - Choir to Swell
Choir ON Positive - Transept to Great
Transept to IV - Transept to Positive
Transept to Swell - Choir OFF IV
Swell OFF III - Gt (& cpld. mans.) to IV

Console
Muldersoft capture System with 1 open & 3 secure user areas.

Per user area:
16 general thumb pistons.
8 divisional thumb pistons to Positive, Great, Swell and Choir.
4 divisional thumb pistons to Bombarde.
6 divisional thumb pistons to duplicate Transept Organ stop-tabs.
8 divisional toe pistons to Pedal and 8 duplicating Swell.
Reversible thumb pistons for:
Bmb to Pos, Sw to Pos, Pos to Ped, Bmb to Gt,
Pos to Gt, Sw to Gt, Gt to Ped, Sw to Ped,
Bmb to Ped, Ch to Ped, Gt to IV,
Reversible toe pistons:
Sw to Ped, Sw to Gt, Gt to Ped, Bmb to Gt.
Thumb pistons:


MIDI Sequencer:
MIDI IN/OUT/THRU port.
3 illuminated switches for:
Choir Expression to Swell
"NEXT" on Divisional Pistons.
Invert Manuals II & I.
3 switches for :-
Generals (9-16) on Pedal Toe Pistons.
Generals (1-8) on Swell Toe Pistons.
Great & Pedal Pistons Coupled.
4 position rotary switch for control of 2 swell pedals:
T.O. Closed / Open / to Swell / to Choir.
Drawstop for Choir Combinations to Positive Pistons.
Drawstop for Pedal Divide coupler.
Choir & Swell expression Pedals.

General Cancel - T.O. Cancel
Crescendo facility with LED display of program and step number.
Electronic metronome.
Transposer - 11 semitones up or down with LED display.
Sequencer with 768 steps per user area (divided into 16 items of 48 steps) and insert facility.
Thumb pistons for "SET" & sequencer "NEXT", "LAST", "RESTORE".
Toe piston for "NEXT".

 
Transept Organ Specifications

Great, I
106. Open Diapason - 8'
107. Gedackt - 8'
108. Spitzgamba - 8'
109. Principal - 4'
110. Flageolet - 2'
111. Mixture - III
112. Hautbois - 8' (Sw) [u]

 

Swell, II
113. Rohr Flute - 8'
114. Echo Viole - 8'
115. Voix Celeste - T.C. 8'
116. Principal - 4'
117. Lieblich Flute - 4'
118. Octave - 2'
119. Basson - 16' [u]
120. Hautbois - 8' [u]
121. Oboe Dolce - 8'
Tremulant
Octave
Sub-octave
Unison off

 

Pedal
122. Bourdon - 16' [v]
123. Bourdon - 8' [v]
124. Basson - 16' (Sw) [u]

Organ-Direct G.O Stop-Tabs
125. Tuba - 8'[o]
126. Posaune - 8' [d]
127. Trompette en Chamade - 8' [j]

Couplers
Swell to Pedal - Great to Pedal
Swell 4' to Pedal - Swell to Great
Auto Pedal Coupling
T.O. On Upper/ G.O. On Lower
Great to Swell/ G.O. Off Upper

 
 

Console
Muldersoft capture system with 1 open & 3 secure user areas.
Per user area:
8 general and 4 divisional levels.
6 general thumb pistons.
6 divisional thumb pistons to each manual
(Great perm. coupled to Pedal).
16 general thumb pistons operating G.O.
6 divisional toe pistons duplicating Gt. & Ped. coupled.
6 divisional toe pistons duplicating Swell.
Reversible thumb pistons:
Sw to Gt - Gt to Ped - Sw to Ped
Reversible toe pistons:
Sw to Ped - Sw to Gt - Gt to Ped
Blind reversible toe pistons with LEDS:
G.O. Contra Posaune 32' G.O. Sub Bourdon 32'
Thumb Pistons:
T.O. General Cancel. G.O. Gen. Can. (with LED)
Read-only LED display panel for control of G.O. level position and user area.
Duplicate of G.O. Crescendo pedal with LED display of program and step number.
Transposer - 11 semitones up or down with LED display.
Electronic Metronome.
T.O. Sequencer with 384 steps per user area (divided into 8 items of 48 steps) and insert facility.
Thumb pistons for "SET" & sequencer "NEXT", "LAST", "RESTORE".
Toe pistons for "NEXT".

 
Midi Sequencer
MIDI IN/OUT/THRU port.
3 switches for:
G.O. Generals (1-8) on Swell Toe Pistons.
G.O. Generals (9-16) on Gt & Pd Toe Pistons.
T.O. Generals on Gt & Ped Toe Pistons.
G.O. & T.O. expression pedals.
2 x 3 position rotary switches for control of G.O. expression pedals:
G.O. Swell - closed / open / on T.O. 2nd pedal.
G.O. Choir - closed / open / on T.O. 2nd pedal.




Full details, specification and images of the organ may be found at:

South Island Organ Company





























Photos: Trevor Bunning (March 2009)