Thursday 19 September 2024
Thursday 19 September 2024
On Thursday evening, The Friends of Wells Cathedral held a unique event ‘ for the many supporters of their Grand Organ Appeal in the Quire of the Cathedral as they approach the first £1 million raised towards the project.
The event was attended by the Friends of Wells Cathedral, as well as members of the congregation, supporters of the appeal, and a number of local dignitaries. Everyone present agreed that it was a wonderful and informative evening.
The event set out to showcase the many different ways in which the organ is used within the Cathedral to underpin most of its musical occasions.
Those present heard the organ first as a solo instrument with two organ voluntaries and an organ duet. Then the organ was used as an accompanying instrument first with two young trumpet soloists from Wells Cathedral School, then the Chamber Choir, and finally it accompanied everyone present as they sang Jerusalem.
With a range of music old and new eminating from the organ, the evening gave listeners an opportunity to discover the great variety of the instrument and its significance through a range of services and events today.
The night also gave the audience the opportunity to meet the recently-arrived new musical team at the Cathedral: Timothy Parsons (Director of Music), Carolyn Craig (Assistant Director of Music) and Edward Marshall (Organ Scholar). Together, they will be making their own contributions to the musical tradition of this awe-inspiring place.
However, it is increasingly apparent that the organ they have at their disposal is failing and that there is much uncertainty about its future.
We are now facing the possibility that the organ may fail altogether. In May 2020, one of the wind reservoirs in the organ suffered a catastrophic failure and two entire divisions of the organ—the Choir and the Positive—are no longer functioning. There is no quick fix for this and so it is unlikely that the sounds—about a third of the organ’s stops—will be heard again until the restoration project is completed.
This experience has given all those at the Cathedral a warning as to the very fragile state of the instrument, and the real possibility that more parts of the organ might unexpectedly fail. Sticking notes, hissing sounds, mechanical malfunctions on particular stops and delays in the reaction to the keyboards are all regular occurrences which the Cathedral organists try their best to disguise.
So many people have already generously supported The Friends of Wells Cathedral Grand Organ Appeal. As announced at the event, the funds raised to date are only £50,000 short of achieving the £1million towards the overall £2million appeal target. A big push is now needed to reach this important half-way point by Christmas 2024.
As The Reverend Toby Wright, Dean of Wells has written:
“We now stand at a crossroads, where the past and future of our music meet.
“The organ must be restored to its full glory, and we ask for your help in making this possible.
“Please join us in ensuring that the music of Wells Cathedral continues to inspire and uplift for centuries to come. Your support is the key to preserving this cherished legacy.”
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any more information about the appeal or wish to make a donation:
William Newton Newey, Secretary to the Friends of Wells Cathedral
email: secretary@wellsfriends.org
website: wellsfriends.org / www.wellsgrandorganappeal.org.uk
The Positive division (above) inside the organ is one of two sets of pipes are no longer functional. The Friends’ Grand Organ Appeal aims to raise at least £2m for the refurbishment and renovation of the Cathedral’s Organ.
The Event was attended by local dignitaries, including the Mayor of Wells (above) and the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Somerset (below right)
The Friends of Wells Cathedral paid for the current Organ case (above) as part of the 1974 refurbishment of the Organ. This beautiful work will remain unaltered.