The Cathedral Organ, constructed 1791-1895

An introduction to the magnificent Cathedral organ, from the notes in Cathedral Organs, 1185-1989 by Paul Hale.

The oldest pipes of our current organ date back to an organ built by Samuel Green in 1791. This instrument was in a case centred on the screen, and consisted of 23 ranks over 3 manuals. The organ survived for over forty years, and was enlarged by William Hill in 1835. This work involved the addition of pedals and of two ranks of pipes. Hill & Son made further changes in 1865 and 1870, resulting in a 33-rank instrument, with 3 manuals and pedals.

The organ as it stood in 1875 was then moved, by J. W. Walker & Sons, into a new case designed by Gilbert Scott, which still stands today as the main body, either side of the screen. A year later, Forster & Andrews organ builders provided new pipes for the case, replacing some dummy pipes installed by Walker's firm.

Minor changes and additions occurred in the next ten years, and repairs were carried out as the organ deteriorated. After nearly ten years of persuasion, a new organ by J. W. Walker & Sons was built in 1905, incorporating several ranks from the previous instrument. This 40-rank, 3-manual organ remained without major alteration for more than 50 years.

In 1957 the organ was rebuilt by J. W. Walker & Sons, which included electrifying the action and several other alterations. These made for a very colourful instrument, but also one which was too big to maintain in such a small space. This led to a major rebuild in 1989 by Mander Organs, which involved adding a new choir organ case (in the centre on the Quire side). The mechanics were entirely new, and just over half of the pipes were new. The console's electronics were repaired and upgraded in 2006 and in 2012 the general piston memories were augmented. In the summer of 2016 further work was carried out on the organ including an overhaul of the keys and pedalboard, repairs to some collapsed bass pipes and most notably the replacement of the 1905 Swell Contra Fagotto, Trumpet and Clarion with new pipes. This work was again carried out to the highest standards by Mander Organs.

Organ specification (since 1989)

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  • 1. Double Open Diapason - 16ft - old

    2. Open Diapason - 18ft - old No. 1, rescaled two notes

    3. Open Diapason II - 8ft - old No. 3

    4. Chimney Flute - 8ft - new, old wooden base

    5. Octave - 4ft - old, rescaled two notes

    6. Principal - 4ft - old

    7. Spitzflute - 4ft - new, tapered

    8. Twelfth 2 2/3 ft - new, tapered

    9. Fifteenth - 2ft - old, rescaled two notes

    10. Recorder - 2ft - new. tapered

    11. Tierce 1 3/5 ft - new

    12. Full Mixture 15.19.22.26. - IVrks - new

    13. Sharp Mixture 19.22.26.29. - IVrks - new Tremulant

    14. Posaune 8ft

    15. Clarion 4ft

    Choir to Great

    Swell to Great

    Solo to Great

  • Stopped Diapason 8ft

    Dulciana 8ft

    Principal 4ft

    Nason Flute 4ft

    Flageolet 2ft

    Larigot 1 1/3 ft

    Sesquialtera II

    Mixture II

    Tremulant

    Swell to Choir

    Solo to Choir

  • Bourdon 16ft

    Open Diapason 8ft

    Lieblich Gedeckt 8ft

    Salicional 8ft

    Voix Celeste 8ft

    Principal 4ft

    Suabe Flute 4ft

    Fifteenth 2ft

    Mixture III-IV

    Sharp Mixture III

    Hautboy 8ft

    Tremulant Contra Fagotto 16ft

    Trumpet 8ft

    Clarion 4ft

  • (enclosed)

    1. Wald Flute - 8ft

    2. Viola 8ft

    3. Viola Celeste 8ft

    4. Flûte Harmonique 4ft

    5. Piccolo 2ft

    6. Corno di Bassetto 8ft

    7. Vox Humana 8ft

    Tremulant

    (unenclosed)

    Posaune (from Great) 8ft

    Clarion (from Great) 4ft

    Tuba 8ft

    Octave

    Sub Octave

    Unison Off

  • Subbass (rank A) 32ft

    Open Diapason Wood 16ft

    Open Diapason Metal 16ft

    Violone 16ft

    Bourdon (rank A) 16ft

    Principal 8ft

    Gemshorn 8ft

    Bass Flute (rank A) 8ft

    Fifteenth 4ft

    Flute (rank A) 4ft

    Mixture IV

    Contra Trombone (rank B) 32ft

    Ophicleide 16ft

    Trombone (rank B) 16ft

    Fagotto (from Swell) 16ft

    Trumpet 8ft

    Clarion 4ft

    Choir to Pedal

    Great to Pedal

    Swell to Pedal

    Solo to Pedal

  • 88 registers

    73 ranks

    64 speaking stops

    3808 speaking pipes

    c. 2140 new pipes, 1989

  • Eight thumb pistons to each manual department

    Eight toe pistons to Pedal Organ

    Eight toe pistons duplicating Swell thumb pistons

    Eight General thumb pistons

    Reversible thumb pistons to each inter-departmental coupler

    Reversible thumb and toe pistons to Full Organ

    One thumb piston to Swell Hautboy, cancelling other stops

    Reversible toe pistons to Great to Pedal, Swell to Great, Solo to Great Reversible toe pistons to Subbass 32ft and Contra Trombone 32ft

    One General Cancel thumb piston

    One setter thumb piston, with lock

    Two dials to select programmes 1-8 on departmental and general pistons

    Indicator lights from South door and Chapter Room

    Balanced mechanical pedal to Swell Organ (West shutters electro-pneumatic)

    Balanced mechanical pedal to Solo Organ

    'Discus' blowers and humidifier by Watkins & Watson

Find out more

Paul Hale’s study of the history of the Cathedral Organ, chamber organs and organists was published by The Friends of Rochester Cathedral in 1989. Several studies of music and individual organists at the Cathedral have featured in The Friends’ Annual Reports:

 

Cathedral Organs, 1185-1989

Paul Hale studies the history of the organs of Rochester Cathedral leading to the exceptional organ over the pulpitum taking much of its current form in 1875.

Read more

 

Chamber organs

Paul Hale discusses the two small organs in the Nave since 1959.

Read more

 

Cathedral organists, 1560-1977

Paul Hale lists the Cathedral organists from the sixteenth century.

Read more

 

Great War organists, 1900-1930

Simon Shreeve introduces the organists of Rochester Cathedral in post during the Great War: Bertram Luard-Selby, Charles Hylton Stuart and Hilda Milvain.

Read more