We are very fortunate at Llandaff to have a fairly new organ, built by Nicholson and Company of Malvern in 2010 (www.nicholsonorgans.co.uk). It consists of 4,870 pipes, 80 stops and 4 manuals. One of the criteria Nicholson’s had to meet was to fill the Cathedral with sound without having to play full organ all the time. This they achieved admirably by installing a ‘West Great’ Division to speak down the Nave and adding West shutters to the Swell Boxes which can be disabled from the console when accompanying the midweek choral services in the Quire. The case, designed by Simon Platt, is made of light American oak. It is considered to be the largest British Cathedral organ built by a British builder since the mid-1960s.
The previous organ was installed when the Cathedral was re-consecrated in 1957 following the war damage. At the time, there was a shortage of materials, skills and money and the organ served the Cathedral for fifty years but it was never a satisfactory instrument; poorly sited and inadequate for a full congregation. In 2007 the Cathedral took a direct hit from a lightning strike which damaged the electrical system and rendered the organ unusable.
A booklet entitled ‘The Organs of Llandaff Cathedral’ gives the full known history of the organs together with their specifications and pictures – it is available from the Cathedral Shop.
Please click play below to listen to a recording of Toccata in d minor, BWV 565 (J.S.Bach). This is the first track on the First Solo CD recorded at Llandaff, titled The Organ at Llandaff Cathedral played by David Geoffrey Thomas which is available from the Cathedral Shop, priced £10.00 or by post by writing to The Administration Office, Llandaff Cathedral, CARDIFF, CF5 2LA. Please make cheques payable to Llandaff Cathedral, £12.00 to cover packaging and post.
Llandaff Cathedral Organ Specification