Andrew Lucas at St Paul's Cathedral, London

[@colinsmith6789]

This remains arguably the finest actual recording of the famous instrument to date. It caught every aspect of the massive instrument superbly -including the west Royal Trumpets - yet the reproduced sound is immediately recognisable as this organ actually sounded back then within its unique but notoriously difficult acoustic. A really superb production! I have been fortunate to have the cd amongst my collection from the day it was released. My copy is actually signed by Andrew Lucas as I was a regular attendee at St Paul's during the glorious John Scott/Andrew Lucas era. I also bought several copies at that time to give as Christmas gifts that year.

[@organist12345]

I live next to St Pauls and I have heard absolutely FULL ORGAN with the Royal fanfare trumpets at the west end and the TROMPETTE MILITAIRE. It blows out your ear drums!

[@patrickswan4537]

Wow. In the name of all that's holy, just wow... I was in bits by the end of this. Very privileged to have sat under the dome on Easter Sunday a few years back. It would move even the most stubborn heart.

[@smike09100]

I feel incredibly lucky that Andrew Lucas is currently Director of Music at my local - St Albans Abbey. We get treated to his absolutely excellent young choir as a matter of course. Gripping stuff is is, too! :)

[@5858koba]

I liked the sound of the organ so much that I looked for a CD to buy. It is a CD produced by Mirabilis Records with the number "MRCD 905". After searching the Internet, I could not find it in Japan, but I found a used CD for sale in the UK and was able to buy it. It took me a few weeks to import it to Japan. I was able to listen to it in very good sound, not only because of the performance but also because of the excellent recording.

[@cabbagepatch8947]

Such a good performance of a great piece of music.

[@steamwally]

Just fabulous! A couple of years ago now not long after the new west end trumpets had been installed I came here with the IBO for one of their meetings. We had a demonstration of the organ after evensong and the sound was just incredible, such a grand instrument.

[@williameddy3895]

I have heard this organ in person a number of times. Sends chills up my spine. Over 7000 pipes.

[@Chris9017]

WOW! What a magnificent pipe Organ.

[@pipeup1]

I absolutely love how he uses the reverb in the cathedral as part of the instrument/piece!Wonderful stuff.

[@colinminton9190]

Majestic! Bravo Andrew

[@JimmyPie23]

i gotta say this is the best i've heard so far.

[@mr.booker9263]

Manders have done some work in the US...perhaps most notably at Princeton University Chapel which turned out superbly. This recording is priceless...the best performance of this piece that I've heard. Bravo to all!

[@bbinchi]

There is a wonderful Mander organ in the church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York. And I agree about Mr. Lucas's performance of this piece; it's quite stunning. I had the pleasure of attending services at St. Paul's Cathedral on Easter Sunday, 1995. John Scott was directing the choir and Andrew Lucas played the organ. I will never forget the experience, which nothing has ever come close to in terms of liturgical musical nirvana. Mr. Lucas's playing of 'Easter Hymn' took my breath away and I became emotional to the point that I couldn't sing. Basically I was wrecked. :)

[@Trinkdenschabau]

What a mighty musical message of God, Martin Luther and St.Pauls to us sinners to improve our life.

[@1963mathetes]

WOW! If I ever make it to the UK, St. Paul's is *definitely* on my itenerary. That full-organ chord at the end will probably shake your fillings loose if you heard it live, I just hope that the "restoration" hasn't ruined it. Nice toccata by Edmundson too. Thanks, JFSnail!

[@59Mrfreeze]

I remember being in a procession of banners for the Mothers Union service and the trumpet stop sent shivers down my spine it was so loud

[@JFSnail]

The photo shows the current Organist and assistant Director of Music Simon Johnson. He is standing in the Chancel Pedal department, you can see the solo swell box at the back against a pillar. This division is hidden behind the choir stalls on the north side.

[@4candles]

This is great! I've never heard this toccata before. Thanks for enlightening me.

[@georgemurphy2579]

Five years later hearing this. Steven eill be performing soon in the New York area. He is not only a supervisor musician, but a genuine person as well.

[@williamlewis4318]

Beautiful!! So powerful, yet it can be so subtle!

[@williamlewis4318]

My favourite stop is the Contra Bombarde.

[@robris72]

Very impressive piece!!

[@hughcreighton9384]

One of the great organs of the world !!! I t's smaller cousin across the bridge at Southwark Cathedral is wonderful

[@Arjunai]

Really von Himmel Hoch.... :-)))) Amazing...

[@TheMysticalOrgan]

Actually, ER here on another account, I have since seen the state the Dome reeds were in. I also forgot there were the chorus reeds 16/8 as well as the Tubas and TM - but all, TM apart (and that's NOT en chamade I believe), were in a simply appalling state and had been heavily modified, plus the resonators were collapsing. The new Mander ones aim to recreate the sound described when they were new and speak on the same pressure (and the same chests) as the old ones. They're certainly effective.

[@tombarloworganist]

@stormkingfan That is the organist of St. Pauls Cathedral (Simon Johnson) That is the Solo Box

[@nickoicool]

The heavenly reverb :)

[@Samuel-lu1gc]

Very impressive performance!

[@a55b47]

Amazing !! What a beast !! (And I mean that in a positive sense ;-). Great new pix, too; it's the first shot I've seen of the new console, & there were almost none of the old console, that I'm aware of.

[@AnOrganCornucopia]

If you get in to pray, they direct you to a side chapel in the northwest corner of the building. You don't get to access any other part of the cathedral. Organ recitals and services are the best time to get in.

[@ivanortegaramirez8670]

exelente con ganas de estar ahi

[@daveharries]

When it comes to irgan music this piece ranks (no pun intended!) as one of my all time favourites and has done since I heard it at Bristol Cathedral a few years ago. Superb organ and perfomance. Bravo! 👏👏

[@Pipedreams89]

This piece also ranks as one of my favorites. Greetings from N.H.

[@marsvltor2]

Wonderful instrument - and don't forget the organ cases - by the incomparable Grinling Gibbons...

[@robertgift]

Thank you, SF, for posting this and your interesting information. Much appreciated. How strange thathe tuba metal resonators wereplaced. Originals not thick enough? Glad they kept them. What a spectacular place and live acoustics. Reger would sound magnificent, here. Thank you. RWG Denver, Colorado, USA

[@martinashwoodsmith7674]

Possibly one of the greatest cathedral 32ft (reed) stops in existence: the 32ft Double Ophicleide in St. Paul's... "firing" horizontally (from the quarter-dome chambers) into the dome. This, along with the other big pedal stops, is shatteringly effective in this (somewhat rare) and wonderful toccata. FYI: the first time I ever heard this toccata was a 1973 (RCA?) LP of the organ of Beverly Minster, by the late organist Alan Spedding. Worth seeking out! -MAS

[@martinashwoodsmith7674]

I've just been corrected on my earlier post re the large 32ft reed. I was mistaken: the stop is actually a 32ft Contra Bombarde. It would probably help if I had double-checked this organ's specs before posting!

[@Andersen22915]

Contra bombarde ;)

[@SirReginaldBlomfield1234]

You say Ophicleide I say Bombard, Ophicleide Bombarde, Bombarde Ophicleide, Lets call the whole thing off ! 😁

[@TheMysticalOrgan]

Mirabilis was run by the current Managing Director of Willis Organs, David Wyld. He might have some copies or a master from which a reprint could be made.

[@pipeup1]

Many thanks, will definately attend if I'm in the area :-)

[@TheMysticalOrgan]

JF, that's the South Choir. I forget which side it's on but the Solo is in one of the main cases.

[@wingonut1]

Epic!

[@garyg6000]

Very nice recording. Sounds are clear. When I've heard it in person the sound seemed garbled and unclear. May have just been the guest organists that were unfamiliar with how to register in such a large cathedral with so much reverb.

[@EccentricRichard]

@railfanatic844 - AFAIK they are. There just isn't the height, considering that you can't see any pipes from the floor under the dome... unfortunately, the old Willis tubas were removed in 2008 and much brasher, brassier ones added (a real pity) - but, luckily, the old Willis tubas have been stored and can be reinstated (and hopefully will be before long). There's also a Trompette Militiaire that I forgot... and a 16ft/8ft Contra Posaune (two independent stops).

[@JFSnail]

Sadly no, the CD was recorded by the Mirabilis label that ceased trading many years ago. The St Pauls cathedral shop might have a copy, failing that the artist might have one to spare...

[@EccentricRichard]

@GJmusique - if I'm not greatly mistaken, the Choir organ is hidden behind the stalls at ground level, and that staircase is up to the main console, atop the stalls... I may be wrong, though.

[@AnOrganCornucopia]

Sorry, I was thinking of the Contra Gamba which IS in the Swell. However, the South Choir was formerly enclosed, only becoming unenclosed when Mander rebuilt the organ in the 70s (which is also when it lost such vital ranks as the Chancel Open Wood and the Solo Orchestral Oboe, alas).

[@mrstevebournias]

The Willis tubas belong where they were; if you want other ones then add them to the Southeast Quarter Gallery where the previous Grand Chorus by TC Lewis once stood. There is no shortage of space in those dome galleries for 1000's of additional pipes....

[@williamlewis4318]

True :)

[@hudsonbailey674]

I'm LIFTED! What with a three-tier universe, I favor height.

[@gert.ronner]

@JFSnail How typically british. Even inside the organ it seems necessary to have a stylish stairway :)

[@Elhombresombra]

Time 3:06 : afterburners kicking in... O_O

[@JFSnail]

You can get in free if its for purposes of prayer or for a service, otherwise they will charge. Sadly it costs a fortune to keep such a building maintained, but current prices are £12 for individual, which is a bit excessive IMHO.

[@bryanhardy3311]

As with organs throughout the world, one plays the building acoustic, not the organ. Its echoes must be taken into account and the music tempo altered accordingly for the full effect of the piece to "come off"......soft .....or...loud.. I played this remarkable instrument in the 1990's; as a guest of the British Organ Society. I shall ever remember the occasion. Chris Thors-Smith Australia..

[@tolick01]

Jhr. Humphrey. Beautiful/Great

[@TheMysticalOrgan]

That's not what John Mander, who has maintained this organ for the last 40+ years, told me. The Solo is in one of the chancel cases and the South Choir is behind the stalls. Apart from anything, that lower portion of the South Choir case is only about 6ft high - and the 16ft Bourdon will be about 9 feet in physical length - and the Contra Viola more like 18ft. As I understand it, there's nothing in the South Choir chair case but a void where a console formerly existed.

[@contraposaune]

TheMysticalOrgan The space formally occupied by the Willis consoles is now home to the "north" choir - which is a rather silly collection of "baroque" fluework. St Paul's is great if you disregard the Mander "improvements".

[@XY_Dude]

grown men don't tear up... grown men don't tear up... grown men don't tear up... But I can't see my monitor!

[@Elhombresombra]

You too?... I thought I was the only one who needs to stay away from other people while listening organ music...

[@EccentricRichard]

@railfanatic844 - en chamade 32/16ft Violone unit, 32ft/16ft Contra Bombarde, independent 16ft, 8ft and 4ft Tubas.

[@mrstevebournias]

u r mistaken greatly; the 32 reed in the dome is INDEPENDENT and was added in 1960...violone 32 is likewise independent and added in 1930...so much for more misinformation mr harold

[@pjdonagh]

Thanks for this ....very enjoyable. Informative notes as well. One small query....was Lucas ever an organ scholar at a Cambridge College. I have a distinct memory of a recital at Kings sometime in the early 80's and assumed that he was a scholar there or at St Johns or perhaps he was just passing through......!!

[@michaelwhytock]

Anyone know where I can get the sheet music for this?

[@stormkingfan]

Question: at 3:32, there's a photo of A. Lucas(?) on the stairway by some pipework. Is this the Great division?

[@EccentricRichard]

@JFSnail - yeah, but if you go in for private prayer, you're led through cordons into a small side-chapel. The rest of the cathedral is strictly off-limits to non-payers. It's stupid, they'd get more visitors if there was no entrance fee and they'd make just as much money (if not more) in donations.

[@KCMDButcher42]

Think they'd let me in free, if I told them I'm a Willis (of H. Willis and Sons)?

[@AnOrganCornucopia]

Swell facade pipes?! If it's on the Swell it's IN the Swell!

[@radketim]

Wow, he really runs with that Von Himmel Hoch theme eh?

[@mattbod]

Mander's have always been a controversial builder. An organist friend of mine says they have spoilt every organ they have dealt with. I can't remember my local organ (Rochester Cathedral) pre Mander but I am told it was a finer organ than now even though then it was only a three manual with no 32ft reed. The Willis stops should be returned from gathering dust.

[@mrstevebournias]

controversial or vadals which?

[@smike09100]

Sorry - gripping stuff IT is. D'uuh

[@johnsilverton639]

This is such a boring piece