Directory of Notable UK Classical Organs

ARMAGH.—ANCIENT CATHEDRAL OF ST. PATRICK. Built 1839 by Walker. 3 manuals (Compass, fff to F in Alt), 21 speaking stops, 3 couplers. Originally placed on gallery, South Transept ; removed to North Transept and enlarged, 1854 ; rebuilt, 1870, and compass altered to CC to F 54 notes, etc. Has a remarkably sweet tone, diapasons being particularly good.
Organist : T. Osborne Marks, MUS. BAC. OXON., MCS. DOC. T.C.D.

Built 1715 by Schwarbrick. Re-constructed 1804 by England ; 1892 by Nicholson (Worcester). 34 speaking stops, 10 other stops. Removed 1883 from West to East end. Fine front. Modern set of pedals up to G have been added, with 32ft. Acoustic Bass from Pedal open, and reeds re-tongued. Organist : Edwin Stephenson.

Built 1874 and rebuilt 1907 by Gray & Davison. 4 manuals and pedal, 51 speaking stops, peal of 37 bells. 2 tremulants, 12 couplers, 3 swell boxes, 30 pneumatic pistons and pedal touches. 3,473 pipes. Tubular pneumatic action throughout. Blown by "Kinetic" fans driven by a 10 h.p. electric motor at 850 revolutions per minute. Organist : Arthur E. Jones, F.R.C.O., L.T.C.L.

Rebuilt 1888 by Hill. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 9 couplers. Tubular pneumatic action. Hydraulic blowing.
Organist : Dr. A. H. Mann, M.A., F.R.C.O., F.R.A.M.

Built 1706 by Smith; overhauled and improved 1767 by Parker ; further work 1801 by Avery ; 1808 by Lincoln ; and 1819 by Flight & Robson. Extensive improve- ments 1836 by Gray ; and 1853, 1870 and 1890 by Hill. Completely rebuilt, restored and enlarged 1912 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 74 speaking stops, 17 couplers, 6 combination pedals, 22 combination Istons, 2 reversible pedals, 2 reversible pistons, pedal for tremulant, crescendo pedals. Tubular pneumatic. Blown by 12 h.p. electric motor and discus fan.
Organist; Alan Gray, Mt'S. DOC. CANTAB.,

Built 1885 by Willis. 4 manuals, 6 Stops on Solo, 13 on Swell, 8 on Choir, 15 on Great, 4 on Pedal ; 10 couplers, 4 composition pedals, 4 composition pistons on each manual. 5 pedal stops and Kinetic blower, operated by 10 h.p. Bull electric motor, added by Norman & Beard, 1905.
Organist : C. Charlton Palmer, MCS. DOC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Built 1856 by Willis. Rebuilt and enlarged 1907 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 58 speaking stops, 17 couplers, 3,322 pipes. Tubular pneumatic action throughout, 5 combination pedals, 10 combination pistons, 4 patent adjustable combination pistons, 2 reversible pistons, 1 reversible pedal, 2 balanced crescendo pedals, 2 tremulant pedals. Blown by 5 h.p. electric motor.
Organist: Fred Wadely, M.A., MCS. B. CANI'AB, F.R.C.O., 4, Victoria Place. Educated at Selyn College, Cambridge, and R.C.M.

Built 1874 by Chas. Whiteley ; improved 1895 by Gray & Davison ; rebdilt 1910 by Hill. 4 manuals, 63 speak- ing stops, 14 couplers, 10 composition pedals, 20 pistons, 1 double- acting pedal. Blown by electric Kinetic fan. Pneumatic action. Electric action also to Choir organ and Pedal.
Organist : Joseph C. Bridge, M.A., MVS. DOC. OXON. AND DUNELM, F.S.A., R.A.M., F.R.C.O.

Built 1685 by Renatus Harris. Last restored 1904, by Hele. Contains work by Byfield, Knight, England, Gray & Davison, and Hill. 3 manuals, 34 speaking stops, 7 other stops, and 2,080 pipes. Tubular pneumatic action ; 21in. pressure on all fine flue work, oboe, and clarionet ; Gin. on reeds and action. 4th manual and 32ft. pedal prepared for. Beautiful and mellow tone, con- Sidered one Of the finest In England. Opened 1904 by present organist, assisted by the choirs and organists of Salisbury and Winchester Cathedrals. Organist : Frederick Joseph William Gowe, F.R.A.S., F.R. HIST. SOC.

Built 1870 by Hill. Restored 1889 by Magaby, and 1907 by Hele. Opened 1907 by present organist. 4 manuals, 53 speaking stops, 13 other stops, and 3,040 pipes. Tubular pneumatic throughout. Blown by 3 hydraulic engines. Built in chamber about 20ft. below level of floor. Organist : William George Eveleigh, DOC. OXON., F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M.

Built 1887 by Willis. 4 manuals, 44 speaking stops, 10 other stops. Electric Kinetic blower. Organist : Walter Hoyle, F.R.C.O. Assistant: Fred J. Harker.

Built 1897 and enlarged and brought up to date 1912 by Norman & Beard. 4 manuals, 54 speaking stops. Case from Bath Abbey. Organist : Alfred Heath.

Built 1876 by Willis; Restored 1905 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 73 speaking stops, 17 couplers, 22 combination pistons, 6 combination pedals, I reversible piston, 4 stop-control switches, 3 balanced crescendo pedals. Blown by 3 electric motors.
Organist : Rev. Arnold Duncan Culley, M.A., MUS. BAC., F.R.C.O, A.R.C.M.

Built 1879 by Willis. Electric action added 1897 by Hope Jones. 4 manuals, 49 speaking stops, 18 couplers, and 4 double-touch couplers. Preparation for Sanctuary organ on Choir manual, and for various other stops. 20 compound composition keps, 2 Swell pedals, tremulant and stop switch. Electric motor and Willis patent cylinders. 3,160 pipes.
Organist : T. H. Collinson, BAC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Built 1908 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 69 speaking stops, 19 couplers, 7 combination pedals, 26 combination pistons, 1 reversible pedal, 2 reversible pistons, 2 balanced crescendo pedals. Choir, Solo and part of Great and Pedal electro-pneumatic ; Swell and remainder of Great and Pedal tubular pneumatic. Blown by 14 h.p. National gas engine and feeders.
Organist: A. W. Wilson, D. OXON., F.R.C.O., The College, Ely.

Built 1666 by Loosemore. Rebuilt by Henry Speechly. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 9 couplers. Front pipes of pure tin, the only ones in existence m Great Britain.
Organist : and Choirmaster : Dr. D. J. Wood, MUS. B. OXON., F.R.C.O., L.T.C.L.

Restored 1892 and added to 1909 by Willis. Original organ built 1686 by Renatus Harris was presented by Charles Il. Has been added to and altered by various builders. 4 manuals, 16 stops on Great ; Swell, 14 ; Choir, 10 ; Solo, 3 ; Echo, 7 ; Pedal, 10 ; couplers, 16 ; 3,455 speaking pipes ; 9 composition pedals ; 3 swell pedals ; 18 pneumatic combination pistons ; nearly 300 inter- changeable pneumatic combination knobs. Tubular pneumatic action throughout. Blown by 5 hydraulic engines.
Organist : George Robertson Sinclair, MUS. DOC. , F.R.C.O., HON. R.A.M., L.R.A.M.
Assistant Organist : Percy Clarke Hull, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.O.

Rebuilt 1884 and 1908 by Hill. 4 manuals, 18 stops on Great, 16 on Swell, 9 on Choir, 9 on solo, 13 on Pedal, and 17 couplers, 7 composition pedals, 2 double acting pedals, 24 pneumatic pistons.
Organist : John B. Lott

Built 1898 by Willis. Opened by Sir Walter Parritt. 4 manuals, 58 speaking stops, 18 other stops, 3,228 pipes. Greater part of organ is on choir screen and keyboard on north side, but Swell organ and part of Pedal organ in Triforium, on north side. Blown by electricity, the bellows and two electric motors being in the Triforium.
Organist: George John Bennett, MUS. DOC. CANTAB, F.R.A.M., F.R.C.O.

Built 1855 by Willis. Rebuilt and modernised 1898. Opened by Dr. A. L. Peace. 4 manuals, 100 speaking stops, 14 couplers, 36 pneumatic pistons, 6 composition pedals. Blown by two steam engines.

Now that a new organ has at length been reared in Llandaff Cathedral the musical history of the venerable fane may with propriety afford a little interest.
The present instrument is probably the third the cathedral has seen, for it is scarcely probable that there was an organ, such as we understand them, prior to the one which we read was destroyed in 1691 as a result of the factious conflicts of that period.
As far as Wales is concerned, mention is however, made by Dafydd ap Gwilyrn, who wrote in the fourteenth century , of an organ and choir at Bangor in his time, and it is also recorded in Hopkins and Rimbault's "History of the Organ" that a "loud organ" existed at St. Asaph at a very remote period, and, moreover, that the organ at Wrexham enjoyed more than a local celebrity. These were, probably. prehistoric organs, and, although there may be no record of the fact, they were, no doubt, to be commonly found at Llandaff and elsewhere throughout Wales besides at Bangor and St. Asaph.
As the seventeenth century was prolific in the erection of fine organs such as we more or less know them to-day, it may be assumed that the Llandaff instrument destroyed in 1691 was one of the class and the first organ of any dignity introduced into the cathedral.
In Mr. J. E. West's industrious compilation. "Cathedral Organists," it appears that the year mentioned also saw the suppression of the choir. "As a substitute," it says,"the National schoolmaster was appointed to lead the singing, for which he received £4 per annum." At Bishop Ollivant's enthronement, on March 13, 1850, these crippled musical arrangements appear to have been still in force, for we read that "on the opening of the door to the bishop's summons . . . the National schoolmaster, heading the procession, gave out a psalm, which was sung by about a dozen of his scholars, a bass viol being the only instrument then in the possession of the cathedral."
From 1691 to 1861 - one hundred and seventy years- choral services were unknown, whilst to-day the difficulty would rather be to find a place of worship of any kind without some attempt at choral worship.
In 1861, when the restoration of the half ruined edifice had been sufficiently accomplished by Bishop Ollivant and Dean Williams and enlightenment and toleration had dawned, music was once again acknowledged as the handmaid of religion though the bishop himself was as insensible to harmony as Archbishop Temple.
It was, presumably, about 1861 that Gray and Davison erected the fine instrument of its kind which did such good service until its displacement a year ago in favour of the organ just opened. Henry Preece; the venerable blower-historic and picturesque link with the past!-will tell you how Sir Frederick Ouseley complimented him on his blowing on the occasion of the opening of the instrument by that distinguished priest-organist, and that henceforth he was known as the "doctor of blowers."' Ouseley, by the way, also "opened" the organ in St. Fagan's Church some ten or fifteen years ago.
The first modern organist of Llandaff Cathedral was John Bernard Wilkes (1861-65). I say "modern" because ancient organists were as unlike the cathedral players of to-day as water is to wine.
Wilkes was the first of several Llandaff men who shed lustre on their profession. His tune to "Far from my heavenly home," in "Hymns Ancient and Modern," will. always live.
In 1866 L Hamilton Clarke was appointed, but only remained a year. He is now, as for twenty years past, one of the acknowledged directors of the music at various London theatres. He left Llandaff to became organist of Queen's College. Oxford.
From 1866 to 1870 Dr. F. E. GIadstone held Llandaff. He has the reputation of being a fine fugue player. In 1870 he went to Chichester Cathedral and subsequently joined the Roman Catholic Church. He is now a Londoner.
Then, in 1870, came Mr. T. E, Aylward, most retiring and thorough of musicians. Like Dr. Gladstone, he, too, progressed in 1876 to Chichester and was succeeded at Llandaff by Mr. C. Lee Williams, whose compositions have rightly brought him to eminence. In 1882 he trekked to Gloucester, to sit where Wesley once sat.
From 1882 to 1894 Mr. Hugh Brooksbank was the esteemed occupant of the post, until death claimed him and his undoubted talents.
To the enthusiasm and energy of Mr, George Galloway Beale, the present organist, will have to be credited the new organ which now adorns the ancient mother church of. the chief Welsh diocese.
The stigma of a debt of £300 on the instrument should assuredly not be more than a temporary one.

. Built by Bernard Schmidt. Rebuilt by Willis. 5 manuals, 76 speaking stops, 26 other stops, 4,822 pipes.
Organist and Director of the Music: Sir George Clement Martin, M.V.O., MVS. DOC. OXON ET CANTUAR, F.R.C.O., HON. R.A.M.

Built 1897 by Lewis. 4 manuals, 13 pedal stops, including three of 32ft. Fine solo organ, 40 combination key touches. Electric action throughout.
Organist: Edgar S. Cook, F.R.C.O., L.R.A.M.

Built 1895 by Hill. 5 manuals and pedal, 78 speaking stops, 22 couplers, 10 pneumatic combination pedals, 10 combination pistons, 3 crescendo pedals, 3 tremulants.
Organist: Sir Frederick Bridge, C.V.O., M.A., MUS. DOC. OXON.

Built 1871 by Hill. Presented by Sir William Houldsworth, Bart. Rebuilt 1910 by Hill. 5 manuals, 66 speaking stops, 20 other stops. Tubular pneumatic action through- out. There is a second organ in the " Ely Chapel," built by Father Smith in 1680. 1 manual and pedal, 7 sounding stops.
Organist : Sydney H. Nicholson.

Built 1882 by Lewis. Reconstructed and enlarged 1911 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 75 speaking stops, 22 couplers, 8 combination pedals, 29 combination pistons, 4 reversible pistons, 1 reversible pedal, 2 reversible foot pistons for tremulants, 3 balanced crescendo pedals. Electro-pneumatic action throughout. Blown by 2 electric motors Of 7 and 5 h.p. respectively, and 2 large feeder-bellows with 10 feeders.
Organist: J. E. Jeffries, F.R.C.O.

Built 1889 by Norman & Beard. 5 manuals. 64 speaking stops, 14 couplers, 4,148 pipes. Tubular pneumatic action applied to whole organ excepting Echo organ, which is con- trolled by the latest electro-pneumatic connection. Splendid tone Of diapasons, and fine Echo organ.
Organist : Frank Bates, MUS. DOC.
Sub-Organist: R. J. Maddern-Williams, A.R.C.O.

Rebuilt 1884 and 1910 by Willis. 4 manuals, 40 speaking stops, 10 couplers, 7 composition pedals, 10 pneumatic pistons.
Organist : Henry George Ley.

. Built by Gray & Davison, and Binns. 4 manuals, 50 stops.
Organist : John Varley Roberts, MUS. DOC., F.R.C.O.

Built 1894 by Hill. 4 manuals, 68 speaking stops, 13 other stops, 4,917 pipes. Organist: Haydon Keeton, DOC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Built 1878 by Lewis. Restored 1902 by Hill. 4 manuals, 52 speaking stops, 11 couplers. Solo organ of 6 stops prepared for. Organ originally built by Father Smith. Rebuilt 1912 by Harrison, when all reeds were re-voiced and mitred, the flue work re-scaled and re-voiced, the Solo organ of 6 stops added, and the Choir organ boxed and placed on North side Of the Choir, and blowing apparatus transferred to the crypt. Blown by gas engine.
Organist : Charles Harry Moody.

Built 1791 by Green. Rebuilt 1905 by Walker. Opened by Sir F. Bridge. 3 manuals, 41 speaking stops, 6 other stops.
Organist : Bertram Luard-Se1by.

Built 1861 by Hill. Restored and enlarged 1907 by Abbott and Smith. Expense entirely borne by Lord Aldenham. 4 manuals, 49 speaking Stops, 12 couplers, 7 composition pedals, 13 composition pistons, one Great to pedal, 3 Swell pedals.
Organist : W. L. Luttman, M.A., MUS. BAC. CANTAB., F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M.

Restored 1898 by Hill. 4 manuals, 42 speaking stops, 9 couplers, 7 composition pedals.
Organist and Master of the Choristers: W. E. Belcher, M.A. CANTAB., F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M.

Built 1882 by Willis. 3 manuals, 34 speaking stops, 7 couplers.
Organist : Herbert C. Morris, M.A. CANTAB., F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M., L.R.A.M.

Built 1876 by Willis. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 11 couplers.
Organist : Charles T. South.

Built 1892 by Bishop. opened by present organist. 4 manuals, 54 speaking stops, 11 other stops, 3,000 pipes, I I combination pistons. Tremulant. Tubular pneumatic action throughout. Spotted metal pipes. Blown by gas engine.
Organist : R. W. Liddle, HON. VICE-PRESIDENT G.O.

Rebuilt and enlarged 1874 by Willis. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 9 other stops, 3, 130 pipes. Blown by hand.
Organist : Norman C. Woods, M.A., MUS. BAC. CANTAB.

Built 1887 by Willis. 4 manuals, 55 stops. Pneumatic action, hydraulic engines for blowing.
Organist : M. J. Monk, MUS. DOC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Rebuilt 1664 by Robert Taunton; 1786 by Green ; 1857 (and restored 1891) by Willis ; rebuilt and considerably enlarged 1909 by Harrison. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 21 couplers, 2 tremulants, 6 combination pedals, 20 combination pistons, 2 reversible pistons, 2 balanced crescendo pedals. Tubular pneumatic action throughout, except the manual to pedal couplers, which are mechanical. Blown by 3 hydraulic engines.
Organist : Rev. Thomas Henry Davis, B.A., MUS. DOC., F.R.C.O.

Built 1895 by Hill. 5 manuals and pedal, 78 speaking stops, 22 couplers, 10 pneumatic combination pedals, 10 combination pistons, 3 crescendo pedals, 3 tremulants.
Organist : Sir Frederick Bridge, C.V.O., M.A., MUS. DOC. OXON.

4 manuals, 69 stops. Built by Willis, for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and bought by the Dean on the advice Of Dr. S. S. Wesley, organist of the Cathedral. Set of diapasons added by Hele, 1905.
Organist : William Prendergast, MCS. DOC. OXON.

Built 1681 by Renatus Harris; re- paired 1804 by Green; entirely rebuilt 1875 by Bishop; enlarged later by Hill; rebuilt 1909 by Norman & Beard.
Organist: E. T. Sweeting, MUS. DOC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Built 1896 by Hope Jones. 4 manuals, 55 speaking stops, 25 other stops. Organ divided into 3 sections, console behind stalls, North aisle Of church is connected with various parts of organ by single flexible cable. Wind supplied by Kinetic blower.
Organist : Ivor Atkins, HON, R.A.M., MUS. BAC. OXON., F.R.C.O.

Built 1829 by Elliott & Hill. Improved 1860 by Hill. Entirely rebuilt 1903 by Walker. 4 manuals, 70 speaking stops, 13 couplers, 2 tremulants, 21 electric pneumatic combination pistons, 14 electric pneumatic combination pedals. Blown by 4 hydraulic engines. Console on south side.
Organist : T. Tertius Noble, F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M.