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Complete description of the selected organ
Source: Chester Cathedral.

Source: Chester Cathedral

Chester (UK), United Kingdom (Cheshire) - Cathedral Church of Saint Werburgh
Municipal: Chester
Address: Saint Werburgh Street, CH1 2DY, Chester
Website: http://www.chestercathedral.com/

Description nr.: 2000068.

Built by: Gray & Davison (1844)

YearBuilderOpusActivity
1844 Gray & Davison  new organ
1876 Whiteley Brothers  enlargement
1910 William Hill & Sons  restoration
1970 Rushworth & Dreaper  restoration

  • Het orgel in Chester Cathedral is gebouwd in 1844 door Gray & Davison als een orgel met 37 stemmen op drie manualen en pedaal. Het was bij oplevering na het orgel in York Minster het grootste orgel van Engeland. In 1876 is het vergroot door Whiteley Brothers tot een vierklaviers werk met 63 stemmen. Er werd een nieuwe orgelkas gemaakt door Sit Gilbert Scott. De oude kas is gebruikt voor de bouw van een orgel in de St. Pauls Anglican Cathedral in Valetta op Malta. William Hill & Son restaureerde het orgel in 1910 en vernieuwde de tongwerken.
  • Een uitgebreide restauratie werd in 1970 afgesloten met een inwijdingsconcert door Maurice Duruflé en zijn vrouw. De restauratie was uitgevoerd door de firma Rushworth & Dreaper. Adviseurs waren kathedraalorganist Roger Fisher en sir John Dykes Bower.

Technical data
Number of stops per division
- Great Organ17
- Swell Organ15
- Choir Organ12
- Solo Organ12
- Pedal Organ14
Total number of stops70
Key actionElectropneumatic
Stop actionElectropneumatic
Windchest(s)Cone chests

Specification
Great Organ (C-c''''): Double Diapason 16', Open Diapason I 8', Open Diapason II 8', Open Diapason III 8', Flute à Pavillon 8', Hohlflöte 8', Octave 4', Principal 4', Harmonic Flute 4', Fifteenth 2', Open Flute 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Mixture 5 ranks (15.19.22.26.29), Sharp Mixture 2 ranks (29.33), Contra Posaune 16', Trumpet 8', Clarion 4'.
Swell Organ (C-c''''): Open Diapason 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Salicional 8', Vox Angelica 8' (T.C.), Principal 4', Suabe Flute 4', Fifteenth 2', Mixture 4 ranks (19.22.26.29), Sharp Mixture 3 ranks (26.29.33), Bassoon 16', Double Trumpet 16', Horn 8', Trumpet 8', Oboe 8', Clarion 4'.
Choir Organ (C-c''''): Double Dulciana 16', Open Diapason 8', Viola 8', Dulciana 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Principal 4', Gemshorn 4', Stopped Flute 4', Stopped Flute 2', Fifteenth 2', Mixture 2 ranks (22.26), Clarinet 8', Tremulant.
Solo Organ (C-c''''): Viola 8', Celeste 8' (T.C.), Bourdon 8', Koppelflöte 4', Nazard 2 2/3', Blockflöte 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Larigot 1 1/3', Cymbel 2 ranks (29.33), Vox Humana 16' (T.C.), Regal 8', Clarinet 8', Tremulant, Tuba 8', Zymbelstern.
Pedal Organ (C-g'): Double Open Wood 32' - gecombineerd met Open Wood 16', Open Diapason 16', Open Wood 16', Violone 16', Bourdon 16', Dulciana 16' - transmissie van Choir, Principal 8' - transmissie, Violoncello 8' - gecombineerd met Violone 16', Bass Flute 8' - gecombineerd met Bourdon 16', Fifteenth 4', Mixture 4 ranks (19.22.26.29), Contra Trombone 32', Trombone 16', Trumpet 8'.
Couplers: Choir to Pedal, Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal, Solo to Pedal, Choir to Great, Swell to Great, Solo to Great, Swell to Choir, Solo to Choir, Great to Choir, Swell Octave, Solo Octave, Solo Sub-octave, Solo Unison off.
Accessories: Diverse vrije en vaste combinaties, General Crescendo-pedaal met vier geheugens.

Other specifications
Different specifications
  • De dispositie uit 1844 was:
    Great Organ (C-f'''): Double Diapason 16' (B/D), Open Diapason, large 8', Open Diapason, small 8', Stopped Diapason Bass and Clarabella Flute 8', Fifth (stopped) 5 1/3', Principal 4', Flute 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Fifteenth 2', Sesquialtera 3 ranks, Mixture 2 ranks, Furniture 2 ranks, Trumpet 8', Clairon 4'.
    Choir Organ (GG-f'''): Open Diapason 8', Dulciana 8', Stopped Diapason 8' (B/D), Principal 4', Flute 4', Fifteenth 2', Clarionet 8' (in a swell).
    Swell Organ (f°-f'''): Double Diapason 16' (B/D), Open Diapason 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Principal 4', Fifteenth 2', Sesquialtera 3 ranks, Cornopean 8', Hautboy 8', Clarion 4'.
    Pedal Organ (C-d'''): Open Diapason 16', Stopped Diapason 16', Principal 8', Fifteenth 4', Tierce 3 1/5', Sesquialtera 2 ranks, Trombnone 16'.
    Couplers: Choir to Great, Swell to Great, Swell to Choir, Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal.

  • In 1876 luidde de dispositie:
    Great Organ: Double Open Diapason 16', Bourdon 16', Open Diapason major 8', Open Diapason minor 8', Gamba 8', Flute à Pavillon 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Harmonic Flute 8', Principal 4', Harmonic Flute 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Fifteenth 2', Fourniture 5 ranks, Mixture 4 ranks, Contra Posaune 16', Tromba 8', Clarion 4'.
    Choir Organ: Double Dulciana 16', Open Diapason 8', Clarabella 8', Principal 4', Stopped Flute 4', Piccolo 2', Clarinet 8'.
    Choir Organ (on the Choir Screen): Pierced Gamba 8', Dulciana 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Gemshorn 4', Hohl Flute 4'.
    Swell Organ (enclosed): Bourdon 16', Open Diapason 8', Viola da Gamba 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Principal 4', Suabe Flute 4', Fifteenth 2', Mixture 4-5 ranks, Contra Fagotto 16', Cornopean 8', Trumpet 8', Oboe 8', Clarion 4', Tremulant to Swell Reeds.
    Echo Organ (enclosed): Lieblich Bourdon 16', Viola 8', Lieblich Gedact 8', Vox Angelica 8', Lieblich Flute 4', Flautina 2', Vox Humana 8', Tremulant..
    Solo Organ: Harmonic Diapason 8', Harmonic Flute 4', Orchestral Oboe 8', Tuba Mirabilis 8'.
    Pedal Organ: Double Open Diapason 32', Open Diapason 16', Violone 16', Sub Bass 16', Octave 8', Violoncello 8', Fifteenth 4', Mixture 2 ranks, Trombone 16', Bombarde 8'.
    Pneumatische tractuur. Manuaalomvang C-a''', Pedaalomvang C-f'.

  • In 1910 luidde de dispositie:
    Great Organ: Double Open Diapason 16', Bourdon 16', Open Diapason no.1 8', Open Diapason no.2 8', Open Diapason no.3 8', Flute à Pavillon 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Harmonic Flute 8', Principal 4', Octave 4', Harmonic Flute 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Fifteenth 2', Mixture 5 ranks, Contra Posaune 16', Trumpet 8', Clarion 4'.
    Choir Organ: Double Dulciana 16', Open Diapason 8', Viola 8', Dulciana 8', Clarabella 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Gemshorn 4', Principal 4', Hohl Flute 4', Stopped Flute 4', Piccolo 2', Clarinet 8'.
    Swell Organ (enclosed): Bourdon 16', Open Diapason 8', Echo Gamba 8', Voix Celeste (B Flat) 8', Stopped Diapason 8', Principal 4', Suabe Flute 4', Fifteenth 2', Mixture 4 ranks, Contra Fagotto 16', Horn 8', Trumpet 8', Oboe 8', Clarion 4', Tremulant.
    Solo Organ (enclosed): Viola (T.C.) 8', Vox Angelica (T.C.) 8', Lieblich Gedackt 8', Harmonic Flute (unenclosed) 8', Harmonic Flute (unenclosed) 4', Contra Bassoon (B Flat) 16', Orchestral Oboe 8', Vox Humana 8', Tuba (unenclosed) 8', Tremulant.
    Pedal Organ: Double Open Diapason 32', Open Diapason (wood) 16', Open Diapason 16' (metal), Violone 16', Bourdon 16', Principal 8', Bass Flute 8', Violoncello 8', Contra Trombone 32', Trombone 16', Bombarde 8'.
    Pneumatische tractuur. Manuaalomvang C-c'''', Pedaalomvang C-f'.

Literature
  • Notizen über Englands Orgelbau (Fortsetzung) / Ldt. - In: Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau, 19. Jahrg., No. 32, 11. August 1899.
  • The organs of Chester Cathedral / John T. Belcher. - Chester : Chester Cathedral, 1970.
  • Orgelnieuws uit Engeland / Jan Poelman jnr. - In: De Orgelvriend, jrg. 13 nr. 5, mei 1971.
  • Chester Cathedral organ. - Chester : W.H. Evans & Sons, 1992. - Brochure, 3p.
Recordings
  • J.S. Bach from Chester / Philip Rushforth. - Priory Records PRCD 1198 (CD). - 2019.
  • Roger Fisher plays Edward Elgar / Roger Fisher. - Motette 11501 (CD). - 1994.
  • The Organ Works of Basil Harwood (volume 1) / Roger Fisher. - Mirabilis MRCD 906 (CD). - 1993.
  • Mendelssohn Organ Works / Roger Fisher. - Decca SOL 350/1 (LP). - 1980.
  • Joseph Rheinberger - Organ Sonatas Vols. 6 & 7 / Robert Munns, Roger Fisher, Timothy Farrell. - MHS 4295 (2LP). - 1980. - Opgenomen in Norwich, Chester and Westminster Abbey.
  • Rheinberger Organ Sonatas nos. 4 & 13 / Conrad Eden, Roger Fisher. - Vista VPS 1018 (LP). - 1975. - (The complete Rheinberger Organ Sonatas ; volume 8).
  • Rheinberger : Organ Sonata No. 7, Op. 127 Organ Sonata no. 8, Op. 132 / Roger Fisher. - EMI HMV (LP).
  • The organ of Chester Cathedral / Roger Fisher. - RCA VICS 1644 (LP). - 1972.
Links https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_and_organists_of_Chester_Cathedral

Photo: Joep van Koert. Date: 10 september 2015.
Photo: Joep van Koert
Source: Chester Cathedral.
Source: Chester Cathedral
Photo: Piet Bron. Date: 11 augustus 2009.
Photo: Piet Bron
Photo: Piet Bron. Date: 11 augustus 2009.
Photo: Piet Bron