WORLD renowned organists are to help a school community celebrate an important moment in the history of its chapel.
Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Anna Lapwood and organist at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, William Fox will be playing the historic Henry ‘Father’ Willis organ in a 90-minute performance at Barnard Castle School Chapel on February 5 at 7pm.
They will also play the brand new digital organ acquired by the school to encourage young people to take up learning the instrument.
The chapel organ was originally assembled in 1860 by the celebrated builder Henry Willis, a 26 stop, three manual and pedal instrument, with an ornate case said to have been shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
It was built for the home of Willis’ chief patron Sir James Tyler, of Hertford, who died in 1890 when the organ then became a stop gap for the local church. It was then stored at Hertford Castle until 1911 when it was bought by Darlington coal-mining manager, music teacher and organist Frederick Jennings.
Too large to fit in his house, he had a new home built to accommodate the instrument at which time it was also enlarged by 11 stops. When he died his son Arthur, an Old Barnardian, sold it to the school.
It was said to ‘lack wind’ because it was designed for a house and was unsuited to the chapel acoustics, proving too quiet to accompany a large school hymn sing.
In 1956 the school governors considered replacing it with an electronic version but instead rebuilt it at a cost of £2,770.
In 1983 a major overhaul was carried out by organ builder Nigel Church, of Stamfordham, incorporating the Willis pipework and restoring the ornate casework. In 2008 more work was carried out by Principal Pipe Organs, of York. The case pipes were repainted gold, the organ console restored and worn parts replaced leading to a huge improvement in sound quality.
Anna and William will be playing:
Gower’s An Occasional Trumpet Voluntary; Tomkins’ A Fancy for Two to Play; J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in C; Reece-Trapp’s In Paradisum; Cocker’s Tuba Tune; Arakelyan’s Star Fantasy; Moore’s Fantasy on Greensleeves; Schumann’s Allegretto from Four Studies for Pedal Piano; Widor’s Andante Sostenuto from Symphonie Gothique; and Verdi’s transcribed Giuseppe Canneti Finale a due Organi nell'opera Aida.
For Barnard Castle students it will be an opportunity to experience some of the best organ recitals in the world.
Anna Forbes, 17, of Crook, said: “To have musicians of this calibre playing our school organ will be absolutely amazing.
“It is an incredible instrument to play. It resonates through your body and you can feel its power.”
Tom Chisman, 12, of Wolsingham, said: “We look up at the organ every day so being given the chance to actually play it is incredible.”
Bleddyn Davies, 18, of Barnard Castle, added: “Playing the organ is completely different to other keyboards. It is more subtle and requires a delicate touch and it responds in kind. You can make it sound completely different using the stops and we are all really looking forward to the concert to see how it sounds under the touch of world renowned musicians.”
Tickets are available through Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/centenary-organ-recital-anna-lapwood-and-william-fox-tickets-239943837477?aff=erelpanelorg.