Winchester Cathedral Clerestory Route to the Ringing Chamber - Organ Accompanying

A Sunday morning treat. Before the service, as we ascended to the ringing chamber via the clerestory, the magnificent organ was practicing. Any clues on the piece - could it be Widor? The organ here at Winchester Cathedral was built by Henry ‘Father’ Willis for the great Exhibition of 1851. In the opening ceremony, the organ thundered forth with the National Anthem played by none other than Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Organist and Master of the Choristers of Winchester Cathedral. Remembered for his rich compositions and a penchant for angling when he really ought to have been playing the organ, it was Wesley who persuaded the Dean and Chapter to purchase the organ from the Great Exhibition, seeing it installed in the Cathedral in 1854. Queen Victoria herself contributed £150 towards the costs. (Ref. Winchester Cathedral website). It features nearly 5,000 pipes and 79 speaking stops and was recently completely dismantled, cleaned and refurbished so now belts out in its original glory for services and concerts every week. There are still some dates in the Organ Festival programme for 2026 : https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.... #winchester #summer #england #organ #churchmusic #cathedral