This years FOPS AGM was held last Saturday (27th March) at the Salomons Centre in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

A good turnout by FOPS Members made the event a great success.




The Arthur Mills Rosebowl was awarded to Jan Van Dinteren.





The Welte Player Organ gave fabulous performances of some well known music.






After the AGM, a 15 mile journey was made to the premises of Nick and Barbara Seymour, who had invited members to listen to their newly restored Mortier Organ "Broadway".

The restoration was carried out by Alistair Curtis, apart from re-leathering the feeder bellows, which was done by David Burville.

This was very well received by the visitors, who were of the opinion that it was one of the best sounding Mortier organs ever heard, so well done Nick, Barbara and Alistair!





Outside a Bursens organ was playing, accompanied by a Showmens Engine, both owned by Nick and Barbara.



I have some video footage from the day, including some of the Mortier (if Nick and Barbara don't mind?), so I will edit some sequences together when I get the time and post links to them.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Nick and Barbara personally and maybe I could encourage them to give us some information about the fabulous Mortier!

I have made two MP3 files of the addresses given at the AGM by FOPS Chairman, Peter Haywood and President Richard Preston:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/fops_chairm ... s_2010.mp3

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/fops_presid ... s_2010.mp3

I have uploaded some MP3 files of the Salomons Welte:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Salomons_We ... _March.mp3
http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Salomons_We ... _Heart.mp3

Not sure of this title, I think it is a Weber overture, maybe someone could let me know:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Salomons_Welte_Title_1.mp3

Thanks for taking the trouble to post so quickly Dave,glad you made it to the meeting and got home safely, the traffic reports on Friday for your route to the AGM were not good with hold ups in several places.
That must be a first in being able to listen to the Chairman and the President of the Society without actually being at the Meeting thanks to the Forum. The Salomans organ sounds great, I think it is the organ that Russell Wattam worked on a short while ago, He certainly did a good job.
I hope you have an MP3 of Nick Seymours Mortier Organ I have heard that it is has a wonderfull sound. or maybe Nick will be able to let us hear a sample on here.
Thanks again Dave I am sure others will offer their thanks for your trouble.

Regards
George

Hi George.

Thanks for your comments.

Nick and Barbara Seymour have kindly given me permission to post some sound recordings of the Mortier.

These don't capture the entire sound, as I was only using my video camera built-in microphone, but they will give an impression of what the instrument sounds like:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Broadway_Mortier_Track1.mp3

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Broadway_Mortier_Track2.mp3

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Broadway_Mortier_Track3.mp3

This is the accordion playing solo giving its "Paris Cafe" sound:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/sound/Broadway_Mo ... ordion.mp3

Thanks for the sound files, Dave! The overture on the Welte is "The merry wives of Windsor"! That Mortier surely is a fine instrument!

Hi Dave,
I probably will express everyone's feelings in saying that we owe a BIG thank you to Nick & Barbara for their hospitality and generosity.Not a single person went home thirsty or hungry.
And I must agree with you that Mortier 938 sounds great.
Thanks for a job well done.
Rudy(Mortierfreak)

Thanks for your messages guys, most appreciated.

Thanks bisebaer for the title of the Welte tune and Rudy, I agree with you, Nick and Barbara put on a terrific show. I kept going back to their buffet for more helpings!

Barbara emailed me this afternoon with some updates on the information in my post and gave me permission to place the Mortier music online.


All the best,

Dave

Thanks Dave and a big thank you to Nick and Barbara for allowing us to hear the sound of the Mortier.
What a magnificent Organ they have, a really great sound.
Regards
George.

Great photos Dave,
The Welte organ sounds very nice, The Organist Entertains on BBC Radio 2 a special program about the Welte organ with Nigel Ogden playing some music on it and 2 or 3 pieces of music played from roll players. Nick's Mortier sounds very nice, I saw Nick's engine when I was at the Great Dorest Steam Fair last year.
Ben

I have now made two videos of the AGM events.

There is one at Salomons:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/video/FOPS_AGM_2010.wmv

Also, there is one of Nick and Barbara Seymour's Mortier organ evening, which they have kindly given me permission to link to it:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/video/Mortier_Broadway_Video.wmv

I have edited a video of Jan Van Dinteren's Rosebowl presentation and speech:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/video/FOPS_AGM_Ma ... tation.wmv