York Minster Grand Organ to play again after £2m repair

Robert Sharpe, York Minster's director of music, said he was "delighted" to have the organ back

One of the UK's largest cathedral organs is ready to play again after a "once in a century" refurbishment which took more than two years to complete.

The 5,400 pipes of York Minster's Grand Organ were dismantled, cleaned and repaired in the £2m project.

Before it is used in Sunday's Eucharist service, a blessing will be carried out on the instrument.

Minster director of music Robert Sharpe said the work had protected the organ's "unique sound".

He added: "Work has included bringing many of the 102 case pipes which have been silent since 1903 back into use and restoring the grander, imposing qualities of the instrument which were altered during work in the 1960s."

The case pipes are highly decorated and date back to the building of the organ in the 1830s.

During the refurbishment, 30 of the original case pipes were found to be beyond economic repair and were replaced, with the originals auctioned to help raise funds to support the project.

The organ's 5,400 pipes were dismantled and sent to specialists for cleaning, repair and replacement

Work on the instrument, which weighs approximately 20 tonnes, was completed by Durham-based specialists Harrison and Harrison.

The firm's experts "voiced" the organ in a process which involved making sure the thousands of pipes, which range from the size of a pencil to 33ft (10m), play the correct note, pitch and volume.

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Mr Sharpe said the organ would be dedicated by the Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, in a special ceremony on Easter Day.

"Organ music has played a central role in worship at York Minster for nearly 1,000 years and we hope this project will help ensure that tradition continues throughout the 21st Century and beyond," he added.

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