CURIOUS CONTEST ABOUT THE ERECTION OF THE CELEBRATED ORGAN IN THE TEMPLE CHURCH, LONDON.
After the Restoration, the number of workmen in England being found too few to answer the demand for organs, it was thought expedient to make offers of encouragement for foreigners to come and settle here; these brought over from Germany Mr. Bernard Schmidt and—— Harris; the former of these, for his excellence in his art, and the following particulars respecting him, deserves to live in the remembrance of all such as are friends to it.
Bernard Schmidt, or, as we pronounce the name, Smith, was a native of Germany, but of what city or province is not known. He brought with him two nephews, the one named Gerrard, the other Bernard; and to distinguish him from these, the elder had the appellation of Father Smith. Immediately upon their arrival, Smith was employed to build an organ for the Royal Chapel, at Whitehall; but, as it was built in great haste, it did not answer the expectations of those who were judges of his abilities. He had been but a few months here, before Harris arrived from France, bringing with him a son, named Renatas, who had been brought up in the business of organ making under him; they met with but little encouragement, for Dallans and Smith had all the business of the kingdom: but upon the decease of Dallans, in 1672, a competition arose between these two foreigners, which was attended with some remarkable circumstances. The elder Harris was in no degree a match for Smith; but his son, Renatus, was a young man of ingenuity and spirit, and succeeded so well in his endeavours to rival Smith, that, at length, he got the better of him.
The contest between Smith and the younger Harris was carried on with great spirit; each had his friends and supporters, and the point of preference between them was hardly determined by that exquisite piece of workmanship of Smith, the organ now standing in the Temple Church, of the building thereof, the following is the history, as related by a person who was living at the time, and intimately acquainted with both Smith and Harris.
Upon the decease of Mr. Dallans, and the elder Harris, Mr. Renatus Harris, and Father Smith, became great rivals in their employment, and several trials of skill were betwixt them on several occasions; but the famous contest between these two artists was at the Temple Church, where a new organ was going to be erected, towards the latter end of King Charles II.’s time. Both made friends for that employment; but, as the Society could not agree about who should be the man, the Master of the Temple, and the Benchers, proposed they both should set up an organ on each side of the church; which, in about half a year, or three quarters of a year, was done accordingly. Dr. Blow and Mr. Purcell, who was then in his prime, showed and played Father Smith’s organ, on appointed days, to a numerous audience; and, till the other was heard, every body believed that Father Smith would certainly carry it.
Mr. Harris brought Mr. Lully, organist to Queen Catharine, a very eminent master, to touch his organ, which brought it into such vogue, that they thus continued vieing with each other near a twelvemonth.
Then Mr. Harris challenged Father Smith to make additional stops against a set time; these were the Vox Humane, the Cremona, or Violin Stop, the double Courtel, or Bass Flute, and others.
These stops, as being newly invented, gave great delight and satisfaction to a numerous audience, and were so well imitated on both sides, that it was hard to judge the advantage to either. At last it was left to my Lord Chief Justice Jeffries, who was of that house, and he put an end to the controversy, by pitching upon Father Smith’s organ; so Mr. Harris’s organ was taken away without loss of reputation, and Mr. Smith’s remains to this day.
Now began the setting up of organs in the chief parishes of the city of London, for the most part Mr. Harris had the advantage of Father Smith, making, I believe, two for his one; among them some are reckoned very eminent; viz. the organ at St. Bride’s, St. Lawrence, near Guildhall, St. Mary Axe, &c.
Notwithstanding this success of Mr. Harris, Smith was considered as an able and ingenious workman, and, in consequence of this character, he was employed to build an organ for the cathedral of St. Paul.
The organs made by him, though in respect of workmanship they are far short of those of Harris, and even of Dalian’s, are justly admired; and, for the fineness of their tone, have never yet been equalled.
Harris’s organ was afterwards purchased for the cathedral of Christ Church, at Dublin, and set up there; but, some years back, Mr. Byfield was sent for, from England, to repair it, which he objected to, and prevailed on the Chapter to have a new one, made by himself, he allowing for the old one in exchange. When he had got it, he would have treated with the parishioners of Lynn, in Norfolk, for the sale of it; but they, disdaining the offer of a second-hand instrument, refused to purchase it, and employed Snetzlor to build them a new one, for which they paid him seven hundred pounds. Byfield dying, his widow sold Harris’s organ to the parish of Wolverhampton for five hundred pounds, and there it remains at this day (i. e. 1778.) One of two eminent masters, then living, were requested by the churchwardens of Wolverhampton to give their opinions of this instrument, who declared it to be the best modern organ he had ever touched.
Sir John Hawkins’s Memoirs.