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‘The voice of the Cathedral’
Built by Nicholson and Company of Malvern (www.nicholsonorgans.co.uk) and consisting of 4 manuals, 80 speaking stops, and 4,870 pipes, the Cathedral Organ is the largest entirely new cathedral instrument to be built in the UK by a British builder since that of Coventry Cathedral in the 1960’s.
The previous organ was installed when the Cathedral was re-consecrated in 1957 following its devastation during the Second World War. The huge cost of restoring the cathedral, combined with a shortage of materials and skills meant that many low quality and second hand parts were used to rebuild the instrument, and much of the pipework was damaged before installation. Despite serving the Cathedral for fifty years, the organ never a satisfactory instrument; poorly sited and inadequate to support a full congregation. In 2007 the Cathedral took a direct hit from a lightning strike which damaged the electrical systems, finally rendering the organ unusable.
Plans for the construction of a new organ, which had been discussed for nearly 30 years, were accelerated. Eventually, Nicholson’s were awarded the contract, delivering an instrument of the highest quality, versatility, colour, and power. The organ can be heard every day accompanying our pattern of regular worship and has undoubtedly become the voice of the Cathedral. The instrument was built in two stages, with the Swell, Great, and Choir divisions, as well as the majority of the Pedal division, being installed in 2010. The instrument was completed in 2013 with the installation of the colourful Solo division, as well as the powerful Pedal reeds. Keen to avoid the limitations of the past, the organ committee charged Nicholson’s with creating an instrument capable of filling the Cathedral with sound without having to use its full resources constantly. This they achieved admirably by installing a ‘West Great’ Division to speak down the Nave and adding west-facing shutters to the Swell and Solo Boxes which allow the sound of the enclosed divisions to travel directly into the Nave. The case, designed by Simon Platt, is made of light American oak, and is split across the north and south sides of the Cathedral.
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