The organ of Glasgow Cathedral was originally built in 1879 by the renowned Henry ‘Father’ Willis, with input from Albert Lister Peace. It was a three-manual instrument notable for its high-quality spotted metal pipework and innovative features, such as an extended compass and unique stops like the 2’ Piccolo Harmonique. Over the next five decades, the organ was expanded and modified by subsequent generations of the Willis firm, growing into a four-manual instrument. Notably, it included distinctive stops like the enclosed Tuba Minor and a refined Tibia, which even influenced the design of the Liverpool Cathedral organ. Willis III later declared it “the finest in Scotland.”

Further rebuilds in 1971 by J.W. Walker & Sons, and in 1996 by Harrison & Harrison, sought to modernize and eventually restore the instrument closer to Willis’s original vision. The 1996 project, advised by John Turner and Philip Ledger, included comprehensive mechanical updates, restoration of wind reservoirs, and a refined internal layout. Today, much of the original Willis pipework remains, especially in the Great and Pedal divisions, while the Solo division represents a more recent creation by Harrison & Harrison. The organ remains a celebrated and historically rich instrument, integral to the musical life of Glasgow Cathedral.

Additionals: Choir/Solo manual exchange, 8 general pistons (with stepper) and 999 memory levels, 8 divisional pistons per department and 8 memory levels, Balanced expression pedals to the Choir and Swell, usual couplers, sub- and super-octave for Swell and Choir

https://www.gcfestival.com/organ
https://glasgowcathedral.org/music