Saturday, November 29, 2008

Liverpool Cathedral


picture from:http://www.die-orgelseite.de







The Organ in the Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool




The Grand Organ is the largest organ in the UK and one of the largest operational organs in the world. The famous Tuba Magna (on 50" pressure) is one of the loudest organ stops in the world. It has recently been joined by a Trompette Militaire.

The construction of the organ was begun in 1923 by Henry Willis and part of the organ was used at the consecration of the cathedral in the following year. The organ was not completed until 1926.



Most of the organ sits in two cases on opposite sides of the choir.
There are eight manual divisions: the Great, Solo, and Bombarde organs occupy the South case; the Swell, Choir, and Positif occupy the North case; the Corona organ is installed in a special gallery high up under the tower; the Central organ, to support large congregations, is in a gallery above the Rankin porch. The Pedal organ is distributed between both North and South cases in the choir.

There are two five-manual consoles: one up in a gallery under the North case and a mobile recital console. The Choir and Positif organs are played from the same keyboard, the Corona organ can be played from either the Choir or Bombarde keyboard, the Central organ can be played from either the Great or Bombarde keyboard.



Other milestones in the history of the instrument:

* 1958-60: complete overhaul and modernisation including major changes to the Choir organ, and the installation of humidifiers.

* 1965: a donation from Lady Harvey provided a two-manual mobile console to be used in the choir for accompanying small services.

* 1977: general overhaul by Harrison and Harrison.

* 1989: a donation from Victor Hutson allowed the two-manual console to be replaced by a full five-manual console suitable for recitals.

* 1998: a donation from Alan Dronsfield provided the high powered Trompette Militaire.

* 2007: a donation from the McKinley family in memory of Eleanor Wright provided the Central Space organ.



The cathedral has its own homepage.
http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=E00301#PhotoSection

stops pipes
------------------------
great 29 2257
swell 31 2375
choir 23 1764
solo 22 1459
bombarde 5 854
corona 1 61
central 6 502
pedal 35 996
-----------------------
total 152 10268

With 44 couplers the total number of registers comes to 196.





DISPOSITION



Great

Contra Violone 32
Double Open Diapason 16
Contra Tibia 16
Bourdon 16
Double Quint 10 2/3
Open Diapason no 1 8
Open Diapason no 2 8
Open Diapason no 3 8picture from:http://www.die-orgelseite.de
Open Diapason no 4 8
Open Diapason no 5 8
Tibia 8
Doppel Flöte 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Quint 5 1/3
Octave no 1 4
Octave no 2 4
Principal 4
Gemshorn 4
Flûte Couverte 4
Tenth 3
Twelfth 2 2/3
Super Octave 2
Fifteenth 2
Mixture (12.15.19.21.22)
Fourniture (19.22.24.26.29)
Double Trumpet 16 (harmonic trebles)
Trompette Harmonique 8
Trumpet 8 (harmonic trebles)
Clarion 4 (harmonic trebles)


Grand Chorus on Great



Swell (enclosed)


Contra Geigen 16 5"
Contra Salicional 16 5"
Lieblich Bourdon 16 5"
Open Diapason 8 5"
Geigen 8 5"
Tibia 8 7"
Wald Flöte 8 5"
Lieblich Gedact 8 5"
Echo Viola 8 5"
Salicional 8 5"
Vox Angelica 8 (down to FF) 5"
Octave 4 5"
Octave Geigen 4 5"
Salicet 4 5"
Lieblich Flöte 4 5"
Nazard 2 2/3 5"
Fifteenth 2 5"
Lieblich Piccolo 2 5"
Seventeenth 1 3/5 5"
Sesquialtera (10.12.17.19.22) 5"
Mixture (15.19.22.26.29) 5"
Contra Hautboy 16 7"
Hautboy 8 7"
Krummhorn 8 7"
Waldhorn 16 (harmonic)
Cornopean 8 (harmonic)
Clarion 4 (harmonic)
Double Trumpet 16 (harmonic)
Trompette Harmonique 8
Trumpet 8 (harmonic trebles)
Octave Trumpet 4 (harmonic trebles)

Tremulant 5" wind
Tremulant 7" wind


Choir - Positive


Gedact 8
Spitz principal 4
Nasât 2 2/3
Coppel 2
Terz 1 3/5
Spitzflöte 1
Cimbel (29.33.36)


Choir (enclosed)


Contra Viola 16
Violin Diapason 8
Viola 8
Claribel Flute 8
Unda Maris 8 (down to FF)
Octave Viola 4
Suabe Flöte 4
Octavin 2
Dulciana Mixture (10.12.17.19.22)
Bass Clarinet 16
Baryton 16
Corno di Bassetto 8
Cor Anglais 8
Vox Humana 8
Trumpette 8 (harmonic)
Clarion 4 (harmonic)

Tremulant


Solo (partially enclosed)


Contra Hohl Flöte 16 (unenclosed)
Hohl Flöte 8 (unenclosed)
Octave Hohl Flöte 4 (unenclosed)

Contra Viole 16
Viole d'Orchestre 8
Viole de Gambe 8
Violes Célèstes 8 (down to FF)
Flûte Harmonique 8
Octave Viole 4
Concert Flute 4 (harmonic)
Violette 2
Piccolo Harmonique 2
Cornet des Violes (10.12.15)
Cor Anglais 16
Orchestral Clarinet 8
Orchestral Oboe 8
Orchestral Bassoon 8
French Horn 8
Contra Tromba 16
Tromba Real 8 (harmonic)
Tromba 8 (harmonic)
Tromba Clarion 4 (harmonic)

Solo Trombas on Great
Tremulant


Bombarde


Grand Chorus (subunison.unison.5.8.12.
15.19.22.26.29)
Contra Tuba 16 (harmonic)
Tuba 8 (harmonic)
Tuba Clarion 4 (harmonic)
Tuba Magna 8 (harmonic, pressure 50")


Corona


Trompette Militaire 8 (pressure 50")

Corona on Bombarde
Corona on Choir


Central Space Manual


Bourdon 16
Open Diapason 8
Principal 4
Super Octave 2
Mixture (6 ranks)


Pedal


Bourdon 16


Pedal (partially enclosed)


Resultant Bass 64
Double Open Bass 32
Double Open Diapason 32
Contra Violone 32
Open Bass 16
Tibia 16
Open Diapason 16
Contra Basso 16
Geigen 16 (enclosed)
Violon 16 (enclosed)
Dolce 16
Bourdon 16
Sub Bass 16
Principal 8
Violoncello 8 (enclosed)
Violone 8
Stopped Flute 8
Open Flute 8 (enclosed)
Bass Flute 8
Fifteenth 4
Gedact 4
Flûte Triangulaire 4 (enclosed)
Octave Flute 4
Mixture (15.19.22)
Fourniture (15.19.22.26.29)
Fagotto 16 (enclosed)
Octave Bassoon 8 (enclosed)
Contra Trombone 32 (enclosed)
Trombone 16 (enclosed)
Ophicleide 16
Clarion 8
Contra Bombarde 32
Bombarde 16
Bombarde 8
Bombarde 4

Couplers
There are Octave, Sub-Octave and Unison-Off couplers on the Bombarde, Solo, Swell and Choir organs. The Corona and Central organs have Octave and Sub-Octave couplers.

Bombarde to Choir
Solo to Choir
Swell to Choir
Great to Choir

Bombarde to Great
Solo to Great
Swell to Great
Choir to Great

Solo to Swell
Great to Bombarde

Bombarde to Pedal
Solo Tenor Solo to Pedal
Solo to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Choir to Pedal






Overture to the occasional Oratorio' by G.F. Handel (arr. W.H. Goss-Custard).

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