On Saturday 6th September 2025 Paul Carr played an organ concert to mark the completion of the refurbishment of the organ at St Bart’s Penn, Wolverhampton where he shares the organist duties with Gary Cole.
The refurbishment of the 1872 Walker/ was undertaken by Daly Organs
Both the refurbished organ and the programme were very enthusiastically received by the audience of over two hundred.
The Programme
S.S. Wesley (1810–1876)
Choral Song and Fugue
Sir William Harris (1883-1973)
Four Short Pieces: Prelude
Hendrik Andriessen (1892-1981)
Thema met Variaties
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C BWV 564
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
Three Pieces for Musical Clocks
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Fantasie in F minor K608
Thierry Pallesco (b.1956)
Fantaisie no.6
Ad Wammes (b.1953)
Happiness
Max Reger (1873–1916)
Introduction and Passacaglia in D minor
History of the Organ
The organ was installed at St Bartholomew’s in 1872 by J.W. Walker & Sons. It was an instrument of modest size, located in a cramped north-chancel chamber somewhat typical of the Oxford Movement liturgical reforms. The organ’s sixteen stops were distributed over two manuals and pedals, disposed in the chamber with mechanical action in an entirely conventional manner.
The organ seems to have survived in this form until 1974, when it was overhauled a modified by Nicholson & Co of Worcester.
Some remedial work may have been carried out by Bishop & Son (date unknown), including the addition of a Swell Fifteenth, but the majority of the alterations were undertaken by Nicholson & Co in 1974.
These changes were neatly done and reflected the tonal ideals of the time. The original Walker may have been considered somewhat dull – of course, we can’t know this now, but many of these small Victorian instruments were considered ordinary and lacking in character by the standards of the 1970s.
When considering what should be done to the organ in any future refurbishment work, it was agreed that the changes made in 1974 remained useful and that the combination of Walker’s Victorian organ and the later alterations made the organ resourceful and interesting to listen to.
William McVicker – Independent Organ Consultant
The organ specification at the National Pipe organ Register.
Paul Carr’s long-standing links to St Bart’s
Paul Carr first played the organ in St Bart’s back in 1989 and in one way or another
he has been associated with the instrument ever since. During the 1990s he played
for the then-termly Choral Evensongs and for the Carol services at Christmas.
Whilst Director of Music at St Paul’s in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham for
thirteen years until 2016, Paul’s involvement at St Bart’s was less frequent but he
was involved in the appointment of one of the previous Directors of Music. Since
2016 Paul and Gary Cole have shared the organist duties with Paul mainly playing for
Sunday evening Choral Evensongs.
Review of the Concert from the Lichfield and District Organists Association Newsletter
Paul’s opening recital at St Bart’s was quite something. A large and very appreciative audience sat, without any visual aid, and were amazed at how quiet the action now was and what bright sounds he conjured up in an interesting and varied programme. Among many other wonderful achievements were the seamless changes of registration (without any thumb pistons), the impeccable articulation and especially the pedal phrasing and ornamentation in the Bach Toccata, Adagio and Fugue. He also included a very powerful piece dedicated to him by the French organist and composer Theirry Pallesco.
