Organ and Organists
The first record of an organ dates from 1310, with a smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, being installed in 1415. In 1620 a new organ, built by Thomas Dallam, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662, which was enlarged in 1786, and again in 1855. In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison with the best parts of old organ retained, and this has been maintained by the same company since.
The first recorded organist of Wells Cathedral was Walter Bagele (or Vageler) in 1416, and the post of organist or assistant organist has been held by over 60 individuals since then. Between 1996 and 2004 the appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers was Malcolm Archer, who was the Musical Director for the Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society at the same time.
The present organist is Matthew Owens who took up the post in 2005. Jonathan Vaughn was appointed as assistant organist in 2007, and the current organ scholars are Owain Park and William Fox.
Read more about this topic: Wells Cathedral
Famous quotes containing the word organ:
“The only power deserving the name is that of masses, and of governments while they make themselves the organ of the tendencies and instincts of masses.”
—John Stuart Mill (1806–1873)