The Organ

The action is electro-pneumatic. Unusually, all the pipework except the Choir Organ and the Tuba is enclosed in swell boxes. Compton’s work was based on the use of unit chests of the sort pioneered by Robert Hope-Jones. At Wakefield, the Great, Solo, Bombarde and Pedal divisions retain these unit chests, one for each rank, with substantial extension. The Swell and Choir divisions are on conventional chests, without extension. Wind pressures are relatively high, especially for the Great and Solo reeds – approximately 10” and 15” respectively. The Pedal ‘Contrabass’ – also on high pressure is in fact a ‘Diaphone’ with wooden tubes.

The large number of low-pitched stops reflects the particular acoustic of Wakefield Cathedral, where the lower pitches do not carry well through the building. This is particularly true when there is a large congregation. While Wakefield Cathedral Organ is unmistakably English in character, well-suited to accompanying both choir and congregation, it is also remarkably versatile for recital work. We often feel it sounds better in the building than its designs suggests it should! This is largely due to the sensitive rebuilding by Mr David Wood in 1985.