St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: exterior
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: exterior
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by David Shield
© OHTA 2013 (last updated September 2013)
St Martin's Lutheran Church stands in the riverboat town of Mannum alongside the River Murray. The town services a rural community and has an active tourist trade based on the remaining riverboats.
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: organ
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
Robert Ampt tells the story behind the acquisition of the organ for Mannum in a recent article in OHTA News.1 Briefly, the church intended to purchase a new electronic organ. At a time when new bright-toned mechanical action organs and their music were enthusing young organists, Robert saw the opportunity to suggest this alternative to the church.
Based on his experience with Roger Pogson's organ at Futter Hall at The King's School in Sydney, Robert determined it should be a Pogson instrument for South Australia.2 The suggestion met with opposition. The electronic had more stops and was cheaper. After several meetings with the Mannum organ committee, the possibility of a pipe organ looked doomed to failure. However, a quiet member of the congregation volunteered to find the additional money for the pipe organ. The offer was accepted and the organ arrived in 1975 with the exception of one rank that was prepared for.
Its acceptance was unanimous. Opposition dissipated and a pumpkin crop was sown to raise the funds for the missing rank.
The organ is featured on the CD Pipe Organs of Adelaide vol 8, The Roger H. Pogson Organ St Martin's Lutheran Church Mannum Played by Harold Fabrikant. Produced by Academy Music.
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: console
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
| GREAT Rohr Flute Principal Koppel Flute Sesquialtera Mixture Swell to Great SWELL Gedackt Gemshorn Principal Cymbal PEDAL Sub Bass Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal |
8 4 4 II III 8 4 2 II 16 |
Compass 56/30
Balanced swell pedal
Tremulant
Mechanical key and stop action
1 Ampt R., 'Mrs S.B. Schultz and three Lutheran Organs', OHTA News vol 37 no 3 July 2013 pp. 14-17.
2 Roger Pogson began his career in 1948 as an apprentice to S.T. Noad in Sydney, establishing his own business in 1963. In 1968 he built his first mechanical key action organ for The King's School Parramatta, NSW. Further information, see Asboe K., 'The Organs of The King's School Parramatta', OHTA News vol 7 no 1 January 1983 pp.17-19 and Hastie K., 'An Organbuilding Career in Summary, Roger Pogson, Our Honorary Life Member' OHTA News vol 17 No 1 January 1983 pp.10-12.
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: left-hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: right-hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: pedal board and couplers
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]
St Martin's Lutheran Church, Mannum: view of interior from rear gallery
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (October 2009)]