the merry organ

Back working across the road, I popped into St Mary's Cathedral in order to take (by kind request) some interior shots.

The organ is the work of the famous Henry Willis built in 1879 with four manuals, pedals and mechanical action at a cost of £2,500. It's noted for the quality of pipe work and resulting beauty of sound from all the stops.

I'm a pipe organ devotee. If you are technically interested, here is the specification.

I first heard Dr Dennis Townhill play when I was a student in Edinburgh in the late 60's. He was recognised as one of the great organists of his generation. He had come to be Organist at the Cathedral from Lincoln - and his autobiography written at the end of his career was titled "The Imp and the Thistle" - the icons of his two cities. He was awarded the OBE. In course of time we became friends.

He died in 2008, and the Times said: The death of Dr Dennis Townhill, OBE, has robbed the musical world of one of its venerable elder statesmen. Organist, composer, teacher, examiner, administrator, lecturer, adjudicator and noted choral conductor, as one of Scotland's favourite adopted sons, he enriched music far beyond the confines of the organ loft and, in the process, nurtured generations of aspiring musicians.

Dennis caused widespread controversy - even anger - when he became the first Cathedral organist in the UK to introduce girls' voices into the choir!