Wind


Wind

Dear friends, I thought I should give you some thoughts on wind

But what sort of "wind" I hear you ask?  No, not the stormy sort of wind that has recently dislodged so many tiles from my lovely home.  Nor the sort of wind that is not talked about in polite circles.  Nor indeed is it the verb that involves turning a key and clock mechanisms

Yes, I'm talking about puff!  The sort of "puff" you need to make a recorder sound a note  -  deep breath, puff, music!

But on a bigger scale obviously.  The sort of puff that's needed to make all my wonderful pipes make lovely music, and the sort of puff that creates pressurised air to whizz around my tubes and make me work

Deep down, near my feet, there are two enormous reservoirs.  Higher up, in my midriff area, there are two more, but smaller reservoirs. Wind (puff!) is created by my blower, then stored until needed in these reservoirs

It sounds simple, and it is.  But these two huge reservoirs have been working for 108 years, and in that time have performed miracles as they fill with air, and then let it out to make lovely music.  Over 108 years, and with very little attention, they have accumulated piles of dust and dirt, and their leather sides are drying out and leaking.  Of course Mr Gary does his best to patch these up, but really friends, you will agree that 108 years on, they ought to be renovated

I can just about remember someone removing the old chorister's hand pumping mechanisms when I was 13, and a huge electric blower installed instead; and I can also remember a few years ago, one of my organist friends donating one of his most cherished biros to create some much needed tension in the crucial control string.  Beyond that, I cannot recall anyone taking much  of an interest in them

That is all going to change.  Soon, Mr Gary and his team of strong henchpeople, is going to remove these huge reservoirs and pack them off on the back of a lorry for full renovation.  When they come back, they will be transformed  -  and I know Mr Dave (Roberts) is going to do a fantastic job on them.  But I do just hope that Mr Gary and his team are building up their strength as the reservoirs are enormous and heavy, as well as filthy, and will not be easy to remove.  Good luck people!!



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