Most beautiful/finest organ cases in the UK

[Guest]

Not interested in what they sound like for now. Just what they look like for that special oh ah factor.
I offer you Gloucester Cathedral and the splendid case in St Mary's Edinburgh because of the colour of the wood. What do you think?

[Keraulophone]

Exeter Cathedral has a most ineffectual organ inside a lovely case, inscribed 'John Loosemore made this organ 1665', beautifully prortioned within an exceptionally fine interior.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidnoble/6895376604/

A less well known but unexpectedly magnificent case is to be found in All Saints, Carshalton, Surrey. The Willis IIIP 37 occupies a highly decorated west gallery by Sir Ninian Comper, who was a friend of Fr Corbould, the Rector from 1919. A visit to this 12th C church can be followed by a pint of Young's Special at the Greyhound, a fine coaching inn virtually next door, opposite ponds which are the source of the River Wandle, on which Youngs Ram brewerey is located further downstream before joining the Thames.

http://www.carshaltonallsaints.org.uk/Pics/ScottBrawn/Screen.jpg

[Pianorak]

Don't know about most beautiful, but rather impressive:

http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/collections/social-history/father-willis-organ/

[ardcarp]

Exeter Cathedral has a most ineffectual organ inside a lovely case, inscribed 'John Loosemore'

....er, in what way 'ineffectual' ???

[Roger Judd]

Yes, I too would question the use of 'ineffectual' to describe the Exeter Cathedral instrument. Be that as it may, the Loosemore case is undeniably fabulous. To the list I would add, in no particular order, King's Cambridge, Gloucester Cathedral, the new cases at Worcester Cathedral, St Laurence Ludlow, my old Cambridge college Pembroke, Old Radnor, the 'Milton' organ case at Tewkesbury Abbey and Chichester Cathedral. That'll do for starters!
RJ

[Pegasus]

Most beautiful: the striking David Graebe case on the Walker (1993) instrument in St Chad's Metropolitan Cathedral, Birmingham.

Most humorous: the "Monkey Face" East case on the Nicholson (1861, 1994 & 2001) organ in Portsmouth Cathedral.

[Old Grumpy]

Simple, but elegant - the Phelps organ at Hexham Abbey

I heard Thomas Trotter there last week - an excellent recital. A screen was placed below the organ at the crossing projecting a video image of the manuals and pedals. Sitting at the back of the nave one could see both the organ and loft in their glory, but also the screen below - it was most effective and added to the experience.

OG

[ardcarp]

Come on, Keraulophone, tell us why you think Exeter is ineffectual. I'm dying to weigh in!

[Bullock in D]

Wymondham Abbey in Norfolk is fantastic. There is a fine recording by Andrew Millington on Priory which I suspect is now unobtainable. But it's a gorgeous case, in the right place in a gallery in the West End. And looks marvellous.

[Bullock in D]

Oh and the wonder that is Bath Abbey. A most beautifully symmetrical case and one which the builders must have toiled over as it is so confined. A work of art.

[AmpH]

Wymondham Abbey in Norfolk is fantastic. There is a fine recording by Andrew Millington on Priory which I suspect is now unobtainable. But it's a gorgeous case, in the right place in a gallery in the West End. And looks marvellous.

Is this the recording you are referring to B in D ?

http://www.prioryrecords.co.uk/item.php?code=PRCD268

[Keraulophone]

Come on, Keraulophone, tell us why you think Exeter is ineffectual. I'm dying to weigh in!

When the choirs of Exeter and Truro were singing the Langlais Messe Solennelle, the organ could hardly be heard (in the quire). It does have some nice colours, but little impact, IMHO of course. I'm always disappointed in situ, as its visual magnificence is not matched by what I'm hearing. (Time to have ears syringed, perhaps.)

[ardcarp]

I suppose organ facades fall into several different categories:

1. Little attempt at casework, such as at Coventry Cathedral or the RFH.

2. A solid screen of pipes, sometimes including dummies, which hides all the gubbins within. This would include the typical town-hall organ (Birmingham for instance) and the church organ built into a chamber with pipes filling up arches.

3. An open-sided box (usually in a cathedral) perched atop a screen where the casework is often a thing of beauty, but which often has no particular tonal advantage and has the dilemma of which point of the compass to project its sound at; the nave? the choir?

4. The classic werk-prinzip case where each division of the organ is contaiend within its own tonal cabinet. This can be free-standing, but is seen and heard at its best high up at a west end.

Perhaps this thread ought to be awarding prizes (or not) in each of these categories. And has anyone mentioned pipe-shades?

http://www.lymeregisorganappeal.com/display.asp?pid=10&t=The%20New%20Organ&sc=introload&pn=1

[bach736]

Wymondham Abbey in Norfolk is a gorgeous case, in the right place in a gallery in the West End. And looks marvellous.

Played a funeral there last year - large HN&B three decker with an 18C case by James Davis. OK if you're into gothic mahogany but you're right, the stone framing makes it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47739389@N00/1499927670/

Looking east though, the Ninian Comper gilded altar screen rather outshines the west end.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dryasadingo/255873927/