Best organ in the country?

[Guest]

I like Willis the best.

[ardcarp]

Yes, but which Willis?

[ilikewillis]

The unadulterated ones are the best.

[Pianorak]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reading-town-hall-organ.jpg

Reading Town Hall: A very fine Father Willis organ.

[Mr Pee]

I know very little about organs, but I know one thing- having sat up in the Organ loft at Westminster Abbey on a number of occasions when that particular instrument has been in full flow, I have to say the sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!

[ardcarp]

Yes, but which Willis

Sorry if that reply was a bit terse. I wonder if you are asking which organ builder is best, or which organ. There is, unfortunately, no answer to either question beyond purely personal preference. If one likes blood and guts (English), then we've all come across Willises and Harrisons (often an amalgam of the rwo) which are wonderfu...one thinks of Hereford and Truro Cathedrals. If one wants blood and guts (French), then one is truly spoiled for choice...why not Notre Dame? Then one has to consider the organ renaissance (mechanical action instruments harking back to the 17th and 18th centuries). Early examples from the 60s and 70s are now considered too spiky, but the whole thing has settled down a bit. Again the choice is endless. Most Oxbridge colleges,for instance, have installed their own version of the continental dream. It is interesting that Peter Hurgford picked on an instrument in a previously unheard of Australian grammar school to do much of his IMO unrivalled complete Bach organ works.

I'm afraid one can only say 'what is my favouirite organ' (and that's very hard), not 'which is the best'.

[BBMmk2]

At Farnborough Abbey, they have a magnificient Cavaille-Coll organ! Lovely sound. Possibly the best organ builders!

[ahinton]

For me, Westminster Cathedral, the Church of St. Mary Redcilffe, Bristol and Westminster Abbey, in no particular order - and yes, Hereford Cathedral, too, except for the fact that it has short compass manuals and pedals even though it's had major refurbishments in recent times.

[Vile Consort]

Best organ for what? Buxtehude? Titelouze? Reger? Howells? Vierne? Sweelinck? Bach? Eben? Tomkins? Accompanying Anglican services? Teaching? A cathedral? A concert hall? A cinema? A small parish church? A house?

[MrGongGong]

This is my favourite French Organ

http://www.orgue-a-feu.com/pictures_en_04.html

[ahinton]

Best organ for what? Buxtehude? Titelouze? Reger? Howells? Vierne? Sweelinck? Bach? Eben? Tomkins? Accompanying Anglican services? Teaching? A cathedral? A concert hall? A cinema? A small parish church? A house?

Can't argue with your questioning here; it does, of course, have at least in part to come down to matters of personal preference. That said, I do believe (again, only as a matter of personal opinion) that those which I mentioned above pretty much cut the mustard in all except the last three categories that you mention (even though they are obviously not situated in concert halls). The acoustical properties of the buildings in which medium to large scale pipe organs are situated is another major consideration in the overall assessment of their usability and suitability for this repertoire and that; St. Mary Redcliffe in Bristol seems to me little short of perfect in that respect, whereas Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is pretty dire, notwithstanding its magnificent instrument. The more elaborately textured music of Reger and works such as the three organ symphonies of Sorabji do not easily lend themselves to good presentation in overly resonant acoustical spaces, however suitable the instruments themselves might be.

[BBMmk2]

I do love 'Grand Orgue de la Cathedrale, St Pierre de Beauvais

[Cellini]

CH thinks he has the best one.

[Magnificat]

I believe the Duke of Marlborough has one of the biggest organs around. I don't know if it's the best though!

[MrGongGong]

The RFH will have one of the best once its all back in place