another annoyance. Sir Christopher's wish and intention was to place the organ where it now is, on either side of the choir, in order to leave the vista clear from the west door to the altar, which in his design stood grandly raised under a handsome canopy. This was overruled, and the organ was to be placed in a gallery cutting right across the entrance of the choir With his wonted philosophy, Wren bent his mind to reducing as much as possible the injury to the architectural effect, by keeping the pipes as low as he could. But in the builder of the organ, Bernard Smith, or 'Father' Smith, as he is called, Wren had a difficult person to deal with. Far from lowering the pipes, Smith made them higher than in his estimate, so that the case and ornaments had to be enlarged, and Sir Christopher complained bitterly that the Cathedral was spoilt by that box of whistles.' The rival organ builder, Renatus Harris, if indeed he was the author of an anonymous paper, called 'Queries about the S. Paul's Organ,'1 was not sparing in his criticisms. One query asks 'Whether Sir C. Wren wou'd not have been well pleas'd to have receiv'd such a proposal from the organ builder of S. Paul's, as shou'd have erected an organ, so as to have separated twenty foot in the middle, as low as the gallery, and thereby a full and airy prospect of the whole length of the church, and six fronts with towers as high as requisite ?' This question is easy enough to answer, and fortunately Wren's wishes have been at last fulfilled by Documents illustrating the History of S. Paul's, p. 165-72. A GRAND design. 275 that division of the organ, which now leaves the desired clear view from the great western doors to the altar. Harris, in 1712, proposed to erect a great organ over the west doors of the Cathedral, 'study'd to be in all respects made the most artful, costly and magnificent piece of organ-work that ever has hitherto been invented. The use of it will be for the reception of the Queen, on all publick occasions of thanksgivings for the good effect of peace or war, upon all state days, S. Cecilia's Day, the entertainment of foreigners of quality, and artists, and on all times of greatest concourse etc., and by the advice and assistance of Sir C. Wren, the external figure and ornaments may be contrived so proportionable to the order of the building, as to be a decoration to that part of the edifice and no obstruction to any of the rest. Sir Christopher Wren approves it.' Alas! at that time Wren's approval was enough to determine the majority of the commission to reject any plan thus sanctioned, and Renatus Harris's grand design survives on paper alone. |