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LLANDAFF  CATHEDRAL

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THE CATHEDRAL ORGAN APPEAL
Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales


The Dean and Chapter of Llandaff Cathedral has launched a £1.5 million appeal for a replacement organ.

This gives an opportunity to leave a lasting mark for the future and to enhance greatly this historic cathedral, its work and worship in the present.

"It is unthinkable for a Cathedral with the history and tradition of Llandaff not to have a suitably prestigious instrument to help fulfil its role in religious and civic life".

Llandaff Cathedral stands on one of the oldest  Christian sites in Britain with the present building dating back to 1107.

The organ, which originated from about 1900, was modified in 1914 and 1924 and in 1937 there was a complete rebuild, costing £1,600.  The benefits  were short-lived when a German landmine devastated the building - and  the organ - in January 1941.  The cost of rebuilding was massive and when it came to the organ, the War Damage Commission and the Board of Trade refused to finance a new instrument.  The result was a 'make do and mend' restoration.

Old organ - now demolished

 

New Organ - mirror-image cases

 

Latterly, there has been general consensus that the organ was something of a 'hotchpotch' and that one day it would cease working altogether.  A lightning strike in February 2007 caused extensive damage and assessors agree that further repair is not cost-effective.

For the time being the Cathedral has continued to hire a digital electrical organ.

Llandaff, a premier choral foundation, is the only Anglican Cathedral in Wales with its own Choir School.  It is unthinkable for a Cathedral with the history and tradition of Llandaff not to have a suitably prestigious instrument to help fulfil its role in religious and civic life.

After extensive research, the contract for a new organ was awarded to Nicholson & Co., the world-renowned Malvern firm of organ builders.  Founded by John Nicholson in 1841, they have a long history of building organs and have an unequalled reputation for quality.  Examples of their work are to be found in Worcester, Gloucester, Portsmouth and Birmingham Cathedrals, more recently at Great Malvern and Bridlington Priories and as far afield as Madrid, Hong Kong and Long Island, USA.

The replacement Llandaff organ, consisting of 4,870 pipes, will be the largest entirely new organ to have been commissioned in a British Cathedral since that of Coventry in the early 1960's.  It will take almost three years to build and install this 'King of Instruments', which will be a huge feat of artistry, craftsmanship and engineering. 

The problem of raising the necessary money in these difficult financial times means that the completion date for the full replacement organ has been extended beyond Easter 2010.  However, the organ that will be in place at Easter next year will be uncompromised in quality with preparations in place for the installation of the Solo Organ when funds are in place.

You - whether an individual or organisation - can play your part in this unique and exciting project.

Will you help?

  • By considering planned giving by way of a Direct Debit

  • By making your donation by way of Gift Aid, which is Tax Efficient and maximises the benefit to the Organ Appeal

  • By sponsoring an organ pipe

  • By making a one-off donation

Please click here for details of how you might make your donation



COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGES

The following images have been produced to simulate how the replacement organ will appear from the Nave and from the South Aisle.

View from Nave towards North Aisle

View from Nave towards South Aisle

View from South Aisle

 


THE ORGAN APPEAL COMMITTEE

Our efforts are being co-ordinated by an Appeal Committee made up of the following:-

Jeffrey Morgan   Chairman  (029) 2075 2443
Michael Turk Secretary and Administrator   (029) 2056 4554
Alan Williams Treasurer (029) 2062 7936
Canon Graham Holcombe   (029) 2056 4554
Richard Moorhouse      (029) 2057 5218
David Jones   (029) 2055 5431
Dr Peter Davies   (029) 2075 1473
Charles Parsley   (029) 2039 8421

Four working parties have been formed to target the following groups:

Trusts and Grant Making Bodies  Dr Peter Davies
The Business Community  David Jones
Parishioners and Cathedral people Alan Williams
Musical Events Canon Graham Holcombe and
Richard Moorhouse

 


VOLUNTEERS  REQUIRED

We have made an excellent start to raising the vast sum that is needed to purchase and build a new organ and preserve the very precious musical heritage of Llandaff Cathedral for future generations. To achieve our goals the appeal now has to be widened not only to the general public but to the commercial and industrial communities in Cardiff. In addition we wish to involve the larger quoted companies with particular emphasis on companies with Welsh interests. As an example we received support for the launch from McCarthy & Stone which is a group engaged in the development, design and construction of retirement apartments and which has recently completed the building of Pritchard Court on the site of the old Hendre in Cardiff Road.

Before embarking on this next phase a great deal of research will need to be done and this is the area where your help will be greatly needed, valued and appreciated. Research is an interesting occupation and there are several tools at our disposal where the information that is needed can be obtained. Public Libraries, Telephone Directories, Electoral Rolls, Companies House and of course the internet are some of the sources.

WE NEED YOUR HELP and volunteers of all ages are required.
The older generation will bring their expertise and experience, while families may wish to take on one of the smaller projects which might give an educational benefit to the younger members. The work will be interesting and you will have the great satisfaction of having played an important role in this exciting and challenging project.

If you are interested please contact me on 2055 5431 or Michael Turk at the Cathedral Office.

David N Jones
Llandaff Cathedral Organ Appeal


Cathedral Office

Cathedral Website - this page last updated: 03/03/2010 13:34

 

 

The Organ Appeal Committee


FUND RAISING
Forthcoming Events


MAKE A DONATION?


PROGRESS REPORT
 February 2010

ORGAN BUILD
New Images
1st January 2010

APPEAL NEWS
Visit to Nicholson's

Organ Specification


Appeal Launch
Presentations

Computer Generated Images

 

 

Volunteers Required

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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