Pipe Organs in WA
 
 
 
 
 

Free Reformed Church, Albany
The pipe organs of Western Australia



Albany Free Reformed Church

Albany Free Reformed Church

Albany Free Reformed Church
Evert van Der Veen at the console
Photo: Andrew Kroeze

Albany Free Reformed Church
The revised organ layout with Pedal Bazuin visible at rear on the left
and some of the Gedecktbas at right

Albany Free Reformed Church

Property
Name of institution   Free Reformed Church
Type of institution0   Church
Street Address   North Road
City   Albany
State   Western Australia
Postcode  
Country   Australia
Name of building   Free Reformed Church
Name of room   Church sanctuary
Dates of the building  
Register of Heritage Places  
Heritage Place number  
Architect  
Builder  

Special architectural features  

Special fittings  

Other location information  

Name of contact  
Mailing Address  
Telephone  
Email  
Other contact information  

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Previous organ(s)
Date of previous organ   None
Detail of previous organ  
Dates when key work has been undertaken  
Dates of any moves that have taken place  
Variations from original design of organ  
Information on previous organ  
Information about comparable instruments to previous organ  
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Present organ
Type of installation   Freestanding in gallery

Case description   Open casework

Placement in room   Right side of church facing front

Builder's name   Leon Verschueren Orgelbouw, Heythuysen, Holland

Opus number  

Date of completion/installation   1961

Construction materials  

Number of manuals   Two (2)

Key compasses  

Number of keys  

Key material  

Pedal compass  

Number of pedals  

Pedalboard type  

Pedalboard material  

Type of chests  

Type of key action   Tracker to manual.
Electro magnetic to Pedal

Type of stop action   Mechanical

Couplers   Positief to Hooftwerk
Hooftwerk to Pedaal
Positief to Pedaal

Tremulants   Positief

Accessories   

Console type   Drawstop, integral to case

Stop label material  

Placement   Right side facing the organ

General design  

Playing aids  

Divisions   Positief, Hooftwerk, Pedaal

Wind pressures  

Stop list  
HOOFTWERK
Prestant 8'
Bourdon 8'
Octaaf 4'
Fluit 4'
Octaaf 2'
Mixtuur II / III
Trompet 8'
.
POSITIEF
Roerfluit 8'
Principaal 4'
Fluit 4'
Nasard 2 2/3'
Fluit 2'
Terts 1 3/5'
Principaal 1'
Dulciaan 8' Mid C
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PEDAAL
Subbass 16'
Octaaf 8'
Gedecktbas 8'
Octaaf 4'
Bazuin 16'
.
Total number of stops   20

Total number of ranks   22

Total number of pipes   1,095

Dates when key work has been undertaken on current organ   The original organ had one manual and permanently coupled pedal.
The second manual was added in 1980 by John Plug.
Enlarged in 1990 by John Plug (Pedal Subbass 16 and Principal 8; Pos. Regaal). Subbass 16 pipes were originally in the Norman and Beard organ in St Peters Eastern Hill Victoria.
Pedal division rebuild in 1993 with electro-magnetic action by F.J. Larner & Co.
New bellows provided in 2002 by Patrick Elms & Co.
Pedal organ placed on new chest and revoiced in 2004 by Patrick Elms & Co.
A new Bazuin 16' was added in 2022 by Patrick Elms & Co.

Dates of any moves that have taken place to current organ   The organ was built in 1961 for a Free Reformed Church in Rotterdam, Holland. The church there had been sold and the organ was packed for shipping to whoever they decided to give it. A visit by Rev. J D Wielenga, minister of the Albany church, caused them to give the organ to Albany. The only cost to Albany was for the shipping from Holland and modification to suit the harsher climate of Australia. The organ was imported and installed in the present location in 1974 by John Plug and F.J. Larner & Co.

Information on current organ  

Comparable instruments to current organ   Nearest and somewhat similar instrument by Verscheuren is in the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Assessment of organ and current status   In good condition and constant use

Other organs by this builder   There are many organs by Verschuren Orgelbouw worldwide. Refer to details on their website.
Verscheuren Orgelbouw

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Document control Original entries J R Elms, OAM, Gazetteer of Western Australian Pipe Organs, 1971, 1999, 2003 and 2004.
This entry D B Duncan 23 Nov 2008.
Photograph of Evert van Der Veen at the console of the organ by Andrew Kroeze 23 Nov 2008.
Photograph of church exterior and organ by Trevor Bunning 23 Nov 2008.
Additional information from Bob Elms 01 Dec 2010.
Updated specification from Patrick Elms 04 Jan 2011.
Additional information from In The Pipeline Apr/May 2003.
Information on Bazuin rank from Patrick Elms 26 Mar 2022.
Photographs of new organ layout by Bruce Duncan 15 Sep 2023.