THE ORGAN IN DURHAM CATHEDRAL

'Father' Smith built an organ on the screen in 1686. After various alterations, it was dismantled in 1873; the Choir Organ case and a few pipes survive in the chapel of Durham Castle, and the west-facing case has been reconstructed in the south aisle.

In 1877 a new organ was built by Henry Willis. It was rebuilt and revoiced by Harrison & Harrison in 1905; the scheme allowed for certain additions, which were completed in 1935  (indicated as # in the specification). In 1970 the organ was restored  and further additions were made (indicated as * in the specification, the Great and Pedal Mixtures also being revised). It was overhauled in stages between 1993 and 2001.

The organ is divided on each side of the quire. The Positive, Choir and Great Organs, and the console, are on the south side; the Swell and Solo Organs on the north side; and the Pedal stops on both sides.


 PEDAL ORGAN



GREAT ORGAN










    1. Double Open Wood
32
50.
 Double Open Diapason
16
    2. Open Wood I
16
#51.
 Contra Clarabella
 (12 from 7)
 16
   #3. Open Wood II
 (from 1)
 16
#52.
 Open Diapason I
8
    4. Open Diapason
16
53.
 Open Diapason II
8
*5.
 Violone
16
54.
 Open Diapason III
8
6.
 Dulciana
 16
#55.
 Open Diapason IV
8
7.
 Bourdon
16
56.
 Gamba
8
#8.
 Contra Viola
 (from 84)
 16
57.
 Stopped Diapason
8
#9.
 Octave Wood
 (from 2)
 8
58.
 Claribel Flute
 (24 from 57)
 8
10.
 Principal
8
59.
 Octave
4
*11.
 Violoncello
 (from 5)
 8
#60.
 Principal
4
*12.
 Dulciana
 (from 6)
 8
61.
 Harmonic Flute
4
13.
 Flute
8
62.
 Octave Quint
22/3
14.
 Twelfth
 (from 5)
 51/3
63.
 Super Octave
2
#15.
 Super Octave Wood
 (from 2)
 4
64.
 Mixture
 19.22.26.29
 IV
16.
 Fifteenth
 (1996)
 4
*65.
 Scharf
 26.29.33
 III
*17.
 Twenty Second
2
66.
 Contra Posaune
16
18.
 Mixture
 19.22.26.29
 IV
67.
 Posaune
8
#19.
 Double Ophicleide
 (from 21)
 32
68
 Clarion
4
*20.
 Double Trombone
 (from 22)
 32

XI  Reeds on Choir   XII   Choir to Great
#21.
 Ophicleide
16

XIII   Swell to Great   XIV   Solo to Great
22.
 Trombone
16




#23.
 Cor Anglais
 (from 92)
 16

SWELL ORGAN

24.
 Tromba
8




*25.
 Cornett
4
69.
 Double Diapason
16

I   Choir to Pedal   II   Great to Pedal

70.
 Open Diapason I
8

III   Swell to Pedal   IV   Solo to Pedal

71.
 Open Diapason II
8





72.
 Salicional
8

POSITIVE ORGAN


73.
 Vox Angelica
 (tenor c)
 8





74.
 Lieblich Gedeckt
8
*26.
 Flûte à Cheminée
8
75.
 Principal
4
*27.
 Quintade
8
76.
 Harmonic Flute
4
*28.
 Prestant
4
77.
 Fifteenth
2
*29.
 Flûte Ouverte
4
78.
 Mixture
 12.15.17.19.22
 V
*30.
 Doublette
2
79.
 Oboe
8
*31.
 Sesquialtera
II
80.
 Vox Humana
8
*32.
 Larigot
11/3

XV   Tremulant
*33.
 Octavin
1
81.
 Double Trumpet
16
*34.
 Octave Tierce
4/5
82.
 Trumpet
8
*35.
 Cymbale
 26.29.33
 III
83.
 Clarion
4
*36.
 Dulzian
16

XVI   Solo to Swell
*37.
 Trompette
8





V   Positive on Great


SOLO ORGAN (84 - 96 enclosed)


VI   Positive on Solo










#84.
 Contra Viola
16

CHOIR ORGAN (enclosed)


#85.
 Viole d'Orchestre
8
38.
 Bourdon
16
#86.
 Viole Céleste
8
39.
 Viole d'Amour
8
#87.
 Viole Octaviante
4
40.
 Gedeckt
8
#88.
 Cornet de Violes
 10.12.15
 III
41.
 Flauto Traverso
8
89.
 Harmonic Flute
8
42.
 Gemshorn
4
90.
 Concert Flute
4
43.
 Stopped Flute
4
91.
 Harmonic Piccolo
2
44.
 Flauto Traverso
4
#92.
 Cor Anglais
16
*45.
 Nazard
22/3
93.
 Corno di Bassetto
8
46.
 Piccolo
2
94.
 Orchestral Oboe
8
*47.
 Tierce
13/5

XVII   Tremulant
#48.
 Dulciana Mixture
 15.19.22
 III
#95.
 French Horn
8
49.
 Clarinet
8
#96.
 Orchestral Tuba
8

VII   Tremulant  (2001)

97.
 Tuba
8

VIII   Swell to Choir   IX   Solo to Choir

98.
 Tuba Clarion
4

X   Bombarde Tubas on Choir


XVIII   Octave






XIX   Sub Octave






XX   Unison Off






(No 92 has an extra octave of pipes in the treble)











COMBINATION COUPLERS



XX   Generals on Swell foot pistons



XXI   Pedal to Swell pistons



XXII   Great and Pedal Combinations coupled



The drawstops of 19, 21, 97 and 98 are grouped together as the Bombarde Division








ACCESSORIES



Ten foot pistons to the Pedal Organ



Ten pistons to the Choir Organ (also controlling Positive stops)



Ten pistons to the Great Organ



Ten pistons to the Swell Organ (duplicated by foot pistons)



Ten pistons to the Solo Organ



Ten general pistons and general Cancel



Reversible pistons: I - VI, VIII, IX,  XII - XIV, XVI, XXII, XXIII; 1, 20, 22



Reversible foot pistons: II, III, XIII; 1



One piston for the Solo Orchestral Tuba (96)



One piston for Solo Tuba (97)



Reversible pistons for Full Organ I and II



Pedal Cancel foot piston



Eight general and eight divisional piston memories (1994)



Balanced  expression pedals to the Choir, Swell and Solo Organs








The manual compass is 58 notes; the pedal 30 notes



The actions are electro-pneumatic

Click here for pictures of the organ

HARRISON & HARRISON

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For further information, email Mark Venning:
h.h@btinternet.com