An Old Engligh Organ Bellows in Rhode Island
Listener John Marks of Wickford, R.I., presents the sound of a circa-1680 treadle-bellows organ as one of our prize-winning SoundClips segments.
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
Our SoundClip series features sounds listeners collect in their homes, at their jobs, or in today's case a place of worship.
Mr. JOHN MARKS (Recording Engineer, Rhode Island): This is John Marks. I'm a recording engineer in Rhode Island. And this sound is the sound of a pipe organ in the old Narragansett Church in Wickford, Rhode Island.
(Soundbite of pipe organ)
Mr. MARKS: The old Narragansett Church is celebrating its 300th anniversary. This organ was built in 1680 in London, England. It was build by the royal organ maker to King Charles II.
(Soundbite of pipe organ)
Mr. MARKS: There are two pedals at the bottom of the case. But both pedals aren't to play notes. They're to treadle action that powers the wind. So the organ has to not only have to play, he has to pump the bellows, and that's the clicking and banging you're hearing behind the music.
(Soundbite of pipe organ)
BLOCK: From Wickford, Rhode Island, a treadle-bellows organ, played by Mark Steinbock(ph), sent to us by listener John Marks.
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