A new organ for a new century

Criteria for the new organ

The instrument has three musical functions

1. To lead the congregational singing, with the aim of giving real support to all attending, wherever they are seated in the church
2. To accompany the choir
3. To enable the playing of a reasonable selection from the organ repertoire for special services and events, inter alia weddings and funerals.

The organ screen should be simple in design so as not to detract from the chancel and altar, and to blend in with the rest of the church building. Above all the organ should sound good, feel good and look good.

The specification

The specification was prepared by Geoffrey Coffin of Principal Pipe Organs of York and a small working group comprising the organists and representatives from the PCC, advised by Dr Gillian Ward Russell, David Frostick (Diocesan Organ Advisers) and Ian Bell oversaw the project. The agreed specification is listed below and the longest pipe in each rank is listed.

Great Organ

568 pipes

Swell Organ

684 pipes

Open Diapason 8ft Open Diapason 8ft
Stopped Diapason 8ft Claribel Flute 8ft
Gemshorn 8ft Salicional 8ft
Octave 4ft Voix Celestes (C13) 8ft
Wald Flute 4ft Principal 4ft
Fifteenth 2ft Stopped Flute 4ft
Mixture (19. 22. 26) III Flageolet 2ft
Trumpet 8ft Mixture (15. 19. 22) III
Swell to Great   Contra Fagotto 16ft
Choir to Great   Cornopean 8ft
    Tremulant  
    Octave  
    Unison Off  
    Sub Octave  

Choir Organ

370 pipes

Pedal Organ

210 pipes

Gedact 8ft Violone 16ft
Viola 8ft Bourdon 16ft
Open Flute 4ft Principal 8ft
Gemshorn 2ft Bass Flute 8ft
Sesquialtera (12. 17.) (C13) II Gemshorn 4ft
Nineteenth 1.333ft Trombone 16ft
Trumpet (from Great) 8ft Shawm 4ft
Tremulant Great to Pedal
Swell to Choir Swell to Pedal
Choir to Pedal

Total number of pipes   

1832

   
Great and Pedal combinations coupled      
Compass of manuals CC-A 58 notes    
Compass of pedals CCC-F 30 notes