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Pipe
Organs of Malaysia
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St ANDREW's PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH J. A. Riddell Riddell-Eminent pipe organ The Riddell-Eminent organ is a hybrid made up of components of the original 1939 Riddell organ married to the 1998 Eminent console. This was done by organ builder Mr Robert Navaratnam of Singapore (who also built the 9-rank Choir Organ in the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore). The original Riddell organ once had the distinction of being the only pipe organ ever to be completely built in Malaysia. The St Andrew's Riddell organ was officially dedicated with its first public performance on 16 April 1939. In 1939, Mr J. A. Riddell used the skills of local craftsmen to fashion all its components except the 29 display pipes which were cast and milled in England. During the Second World War, the organ pipes were looted. In 1948, Mr. Riddell restored the pipes but this time employing local materials and expertise, making the Riddell organ the only 100% Malaysian made pipe organ for the next 50 years until the organ upgrade of 1998. All other pipe organs in Malaysia were and still are imported from Europe. A slightly older organ which is a near twin is the one in All Saints Church, Taiping.
Apparently the leaders of St Andrew's were so impressed by the sound of
the older Riddell organ that they ordered one for St Andrew's and
installation was completed in April 1939. The two organs had a similar
appearance although the St Andrew's one had extra display pipes. The
St. Andrew's organ current display pipes were fitted after WW2 and have
a different configuration.
The Great Flute was removed before 1984. Old correspondence show that a new Piccolo 2' stop may have been added to the Great in 1972 by one Solomon S. C. Khoo but this stop was not listed in the 1984 record of the organ stops. The mystery Piccolo 2' stop and Solomon Khoo angle is very curious and only came to light recently when correspondence pertaining to the organ was discovered in a storeroom. This man, who may or may not have been an organ builder, used a series of different addresses. He variously referred to himself as Solomon S. C. Khoo, Solomon Khoo Swee Chuan or Khoo Swee Chuan. One thing was for sure - he was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Kuala Lumpur. The electronic organ console was customised from a standard 2 manual Eminent Omegan DCS 300/325 model. After Mr Riddell's retirement and presumable
departure from Malaysia, the Riddell organ was maintained by J. W.
Walker & Sons Ltd. of England up to 1972. It was then
taken over by Solomon Khoo of Kuala Lumpur who may or may not have
added a Piccolo 2' stop but which was not recorded as a functioning
stop in 1984. From 1979 to 1984, the maintenance of the organ was
undertaken by Anthony Welby of Australia. In 1984, Robert
Navaratnam of Singapore took over until the present day.
 Specification of the organ is:
Photographs and history of the church from St. Andrew's Church web site
History written by Andrew Hwang, St. Andrew's Church. Photographs and organ detail from Leonard Selva, Penang. Specification of the organ from Andrew Hwang, St. Andrew's Church.
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Duncan
Group International
PO Box 1155, Northam WA 6401, Australia Phone +61 (0) 8 9574 0410 Email duncangroup@wn.com.au |
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