22Nd Annual UK Organ Tour Led by Leslie Peart Janice Feher
22nd Annual UK Organ Tour Led by Leslie Peart Janice Feher
The 2010 Peart UK organ tour participants after the sung Eucharist at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
obert Noehren impressed me with The 121-rank 1855 “Father” Willis organ R his concern that organists should in St. George’s Hall, Liverpool spend more time listening to music. I think he would have approved of the Leslie Peart organ tour of 2010 that in- cluded organ concerts, an evening at the BBC Proms, and choral services. We heard some impressive sacred and Last “Father” Willis organ, St. Bees secular music in Scotland and England, Priory as well as sharing memorable meals of representative local cuisine. The 2010 Scotland and England or- gan tour—July 13–26—began with a welcome luncheon at the Ramada Mt. Royal Hotel in Edinburgh. This hotel is located on Princes Street, above shop- ping and restaurants, and it provided a great base for visiting the varied organs of Edinburgh. We began by playing the 1989 Collins organ at the Greyfriars Church, followed by the fi ne Willis or- gan at the Episcopal Cathedral. That evening we enjoyed a generous amount 1989 Collins organ, Greyfriars Church, of time playing on the wonderful 1992 Edinburgh St. Giles Cathedral organ, built by The largest organ in England today, the Rieger Orgelbau of Austria. 1926 Willis organ in Liverpool Anglican The next day, Scottish rain and chill Cathedral failed to dampen our spirits as we ex- plored Queen Elizabeth’s yacht, Royal Brittannia. We were treated to lunch at St. Mary’s Metropolitan Catholic Ca- thedral, where concert organist Simon Nieminski is music director. Afterward, we played the large 2007 Copley organ in the church. Next we visited historic St. Cuthbert Church, which has a large organ by Lewis organ enlarged by Harrison & Robert Hope-Jones, dating from 1899. Harrison, Ripon Cathedral The 93-register organ was extensively reconstructed in 1997–98 by J.W. Walk- We toured the Willis organ factory, er & Sons Ltd. of Brandon, Suffolk. We where we were impressed with the qual- found an unexpected treat in the Free- ity of their current instruments and the masons’ Hall of Edinburgh, where historic Rolls-Royce that David Wyld, there is a 1913 vintage Bridley & Foster the new owner of the company, had pipe organ that has been preserved in driven to work that day. Our Liverpool original condition by Forth Pipe Organs adventures were capped by an evening of Edinburgh. The day concluded with visit to the dramatic Metropolitan Ca- a memorable organ recital at St. Giles, 1901 T. C. Lewis organ, Kelvingrove thedral of Christ the King, where a One-half of the split-case Kenneth Tick- played by the cathedral’s director of Museum, Glasgow 1967 Walker organ is installed. ell organ (2004) in Worcester Cathedral music, Michael Harris. The last few days fl ew by with visits An early arrival before the public at for Brideshead Revisited, where we to play many organs, including those at lows manual control of timing; slideshow the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow played the organ in the castle’s beauti- Coventry Cathedral; Rugby School, is automatic. Locations are identifi ed gave us time to see and play the historic ful chapel. where the game of rugby originated; above or below the pictures.) Lewis organ from the 1901 International Our host in Liverpool was concert art- Worcester Cathedral, with its wonder- The twenty-third annual England Exhibition. Later, we joined the public ist Ian Tracey, who helped us discover ful 2008 organ by Kenneth Tickell; and Choral, Castle, and Organ Tour will be for the lunchtime concert played by our the impressive Willis organs of Liver- the military academy, Sandhurst. July 12–25, with four days in London, fellow tour members, Bob MacDonald pool. “Father” Henry Willis founded his On our way to London, we realized we three at the Southern Cathedrals Festi- and Dene Barnard. pipe organ fi rm in 1845 in Liverpool. He had visited a total of 28 instruments in val at Winchester Cathedral, and many Notable experiences in northern Eng- contributed much to the science and art England and Scotland! other organs and castles along the south land included visiting Keswick in the of organbuilding, and he was regarded as A special memory of our London visit shore of England. For more information, beautiful Lake District, where we stayed the leading English organbuilder of the was the sung Eucharist at St. Paul’s Ca- go to
20 THE DIAPASON
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