The interesting Catholic Church of St Anthony of Padua in Rye, East Sussex contains the now extremely rare 'Sonatina' electrone.


The 'Sonatina' was Compton's smallest electrone model designed for pianists. It consists of a single manual split into sections to give the effect of a 2 manual and pedal instrument. The following paragraph is taken from an original Compton brochure which explains all:

Ingenious Compton technical design enables the player to produce from his single-manual Sonatina the effect of a two-manual and pedal organ. The combination of solo and accompaniment (great) sections in one keyboard, together with an 'automatic bass' facility, make this the ideal 'graduating' instrument for the pianist. Of instant appeal to the expert musician is the characteristic Compton tonal quality of the Sonatina.

Compton Sonatina models are now extremely rare but what makes this particular one even more unusual is that it also has a Vibraphone stop. 

The specification reads:

BASS
Bass MF
Bass P

ACCOMPANIMENT
Geigen 16'
Diapason 8'
Gedackt 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Flute 4'
Dulcet 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Fifteenth 2'
Mixture III
Tromba 8'
Mute

SOLO
Bass Flute 16'
Concert Flute 8'
Clarinet 8'
Oboe 8'
Trumpet 8'
Flute 4'
Vibraphone 4'

GENERAL
Light Vibrato
Heavy Vibrato
Reverberation