English Cathedral Organs

Durham Cathedral has four organs - the main cathedral organ and two mediaeval reconstructions. You can hear the comparison on this video. The fourth instrument is the Laus Deo organ by Lammermuir Pipe Organs, delivered in 2004. This is attractive single manual instrument is on wheels so it can be moved around the Cathedral.

Other than that, it's surprisingly difficult to find a free online recording of the main cathedral organ, or indeed much in the way of detail about the organ. However the instrument was originally installed in 1876/7 by Henry Willis but heavilly rebuilt between 1905 and 1935 by Harrison and Harrison. The best I have found for you is this short, and relatively poor quality, 'taster' recorded during a candlelight procession.

The recording chosen is of the then Cathedral Organist / Director of Music Arthur Wills playing the classic organ piece Marche Pontificale by Widor in 1978. The organ was in fine condition as it had recently been restored.

Guildford is a modern Anglican cathedral which was not consecrated until 1961. (Although building began in 1936 it was interrupted by the Second World War.) Unusually, the organ is actually older than the cathedral. Although commissioned by the firm of Rushworth and Dreaper in 1961, the instrument was orginally built in 1866 by Harrison and Harrison for Rosse Street Baptist Church in Shipley, West Yorkshire. The Positive Organ (see below) was added in 1962 and is necessary for the choir who are situated a long way from the Main Organ.

The instrument has four manuals, 4,398 pipes, and two sections (the Main Organ and the Positive Organ), both played from the same console although there are separate bellows.

Although the Main and Positive Organs are linked (they can be played separately or together), there is an additional organ in the Lady Chapel. This small "Ardeton" organ was also built by Rushworth and Dreaper.

I have mostly linked pure instrumental pieces, but for Guildford Cathedral I have made an exception for personal reasons, preferring to showcase the carol, I Saw Three Ships. The organ is still quite prominent in the background.

I bought the record of Carols from Guildford with my pocket money many, many years ago. I also bought a tinsel Christmas tree. Christmas started for me when we put up my tree and I listened to Carols from Guildford.

The organ by Henry Willis dates from 1876.

The video is actually only an audio sountrack and features Michael Murry playing the John Cook Fanfare for Organ.

The organ of the The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster is a 20th century instrument built by Harrison and Harrison in 1937 for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937, incorporating pipes from earlier instruments, most notably a give manual instrument built by William Hill in 1848. It remained a relatively large four manual organ. A fifth manual was added in 1986 to support a new Bombarde division located in the North Triforium. The full specification of the organ can be found here on the National Pipe Organ Register.

The location of the abbey's main pipe organ has changed over time. In the 17th century, it was located in the north aisle of the Quire. It is said that the composer Henry Purcell was buried beneath the organ - more likely he was buried close by - but as organ tuner he had a very close relationship with the instrument. The organ is now located on the screen at the entrance to the Quire. The organ has been refurbished several times, always by Harrison and Harrison.

There is also a Celestial organ located in the South Transept, fittingly above Handel's tomb. There has been a lot of work on this organ, including the addition of a fifth manual, but at the time of writing it is not official in service.

The video is the classic Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on the main organ.

York Minster is one of the great Gothic cathedrals and boats a renowned organ by Elliott and Hill, considered to be one of the best instruments in Britain. The instrument was installed in 1832 after a fire of 1829 destroyed the older instrument. (The fire was reportedly set by an organ-hating arsonist.) In 1859 William Hill and Sons largely rebuilt the organ, replacing much of the pipe work, although the orginal casing was retained. The 1984 fire again damage the instrument. While the damage was not extensive, it did prompt a major overhaul in 1991/92 by a former Minster organist,. Geoffrey Coffin.

There is a specification on the National Pipe Organ Register, but the best source on the York Minster organ is here on the Guild Music site, which shows not only a specification but also has a good history of the instrument.

There are a lot of great videos of this instrument online, so I may create a lens just to showcase them. When that happens, I will link it here.