Hillie2412

Young talent           I’ve told you about the fantastic organ players coming to the Abbey   to celebrate all that I have been able to do for 108 years These are international players!   They are used to playing some of the finest organs anywhere in the world, yet now they’ve agreed to come and play me.   I am chuffed to bits The first of these wonderful players is a young man, at the start of his career.   He holds a scholarship with the Royal College of Organists and is going to be organ scholar at Kings College Cambridge later in 2020.   I’m sure he will follow in the footsteps of the great musicians who have been Kings’ scholars I am really pleased he is coming.   I love to encourage young people to learn using my keys, or even just to come and see what happens when my keys, buttons and levers are pressed.   I can tell you those young people building brick models of my face were astonis...

Carols again! Once again its carol time I love this time of the year.   We have a lot of young people coming in to sing carols (and maybe also play with some of those lumpy bricks I’ve told you about).   There are lots of other people coming in for all the special services and for concerts.   There will even be Mr George’s Messiah yet again, and what can be better than that.   We have candles, a Christmas tree with lots of lovely lights, and a crib scene Will everyone realise this is my last Christmas before all that important work starts? Yes, I’ve had 108 Christmasses, 108 years of trying my best to help people sing their favourite music, 108 years of not being able to do that as well as I’d liked.   As you know, some of my most important pipes were never added, despite space having been left by Mr William.   And, as you know, my wheezing pneumatic motors have been getting more and more ragged as the leather flaps dry out.   (I do t...

A new friend! I thought you’d like to know I have a new friend   -   yes! The other day, that nice Mr Gary brought along equally nice Mr Colin to look at my woodwork, my keys and my buttons.   It seems he’s an expert on all those things! I didn’t realise how much work needed to be done.   There are numerous holes in my wood faces (caused by things being added to me and then removed), there are unsightly blocks of wood that should never have been added, and there is a driving mirror that ought to be binned as completely unsightly, inappropriate and useless.   My lovely ivory keys are worn in the middle (where my organist friends prefer to play, avoiding those keys which are harder to reach!) and the lettering on my draw stops is also wearing out So nice Mr Colin will sort all that out next year when Mr Gary carries out all his work on me And they are both going to be careful not to change my character.   As you know I’m a grand old Edwa...

My name I’m told this is a time for reflection and thought, so I’ve been thinking about names As you know, dear friends, my real name is 2412, because that is the name stamped on my timbers and pipes by Mr William all those years ago.   You can even see that number in the actual page in the actual order book, written by Mr William himself.   But I prefer you to call me “Hillie” which is much more friendly and less stuffy But “William” and “Hill” do resonate here in this wonderful Abbey building.   “William” is of course the name of the Norman conqueror of Britain, and it was his right-hand man Roger who built this beautiful Abbey.   I’m also told that Shrewsbury is quite near the wonderful hills of Shropshire, although as you’d imagine I’ve never actually seen them And just down the road there is the immense column and statue commemorating Shrewsbury’s distinguished soldier Lord Hill (Did you realise I’m tuned in to history as well as music?!) ...

Another year Advent is coming again I’m stirring up my reservoirs, getting my blowers in good shape, for it’s a time of preparation - for another Christmas and for an exciting year of change You know I like this time of the year, when it’s damp and not too cold.   My pneumatics work well and I sound all the better for it.   My friends in the choir are preparing for carol services and folk come from far and wide to sing Mr George’s Messiah And after Christmas, it will start to get really exciting.   I’ve already told you that I will be played by international stars, and my fame will spread even further.   Also all the plans for the work on me will start to come together and after Easter it will begin to happen Yes, another year, but probably the most important for me since 1911