Albert Keates

Keates organ (II / 23) from 1907 in Sheffield

Albert Keates (born July 14, 1862 in Hanley , Staffordshire , † June 25, 1949 in Sheffield ) was an English organ builder .

He was trained at John Stringer & Co. in Hanley. He later worked as head voicer ( chief sounder ) at Brindley & Foster (Sheffield) and started his own business in 1885 together with Edwin Lowe , who left the company in 1889. Between 1889 and 1939 Keates list of works includes around 90 local and national organ new builds and general restorations, some as far as Northern Ireland (Belfast). After 1938 the company existed until 1948, but was taken over by Harris Organs of Birmingham a few years later .

Keates' organ works are initially shaped by the German influence of the tradition of Johann Friedrich Schulze , which is particularly evident in the construction and intonation of the principals and mixtures . This is due to Karl Schulze, who learned from Friedrich Schulze and was able to poach the Keates from Brindley and Foster. However, there was no relationship between the two Schulzes.

JI Wedgwood comments on this:

"As you know, I am not particularly well disposed towards diapason work of the Schulze order, yet your Diapason, based frankly on this pattern, seemed to me to possess the commendable features of its particular genus, without its undesirable attributes. I think your treatment of the treble is altogether superior to Schulze's method. "

Keates arranged his organs very diversely; the various organ works are surprisingly little alike in structure and disposition. The largest organ that has been completely preserved in its original state is in St. Pauls, Sheffield ; it has 33 stops on 3 manuals and was built in 1913. It also contains one of the not fully developed swell works that Keates built; this organ therefore contains neither a main work mixture nor a reed part in the pedal.

Keeat's largest organ has 44 registers on 3 manuals and was built in 1931 for the Uppingham School.

In 2004 the Keates organ of the Methodist Church was moved from Leeds to St. Wolfgang, Munich and restored (II / 22, expanded to III / 28). At the beginning of 2006, a Keates organ was moved to Rodershausen (II / 13, extension to III / 27). These are among the first English organs in German-speaking countries. Another relocated, overhauled and expanded Keates organ has been in St. Hedwig, Paderborn since December 2010. Also in December 2010, a converted Keates organ was inaugurated in the Catholic city and parish church of Hl. Engel Peine (Ni). After a complete restoration and the addition of 1 stop (Trombone 16 'according to Keates), the instrument has 32 stops, distributed over 3 manuals and pedal.

literature

• Colin W. Andrews: Some Sheffield organs: a millenium survey of organ builders, organs and their location in south and west Sheffield . Cappella Archive, Great Malvern, 2001, p. 7.

Web links

• Newspaper report on the Uppingham organ
• The Keates organ in Munich
• The Keates organ in Rodershausen
• The Keates organ in Peine
• The Keates organ in Berlin