For those of you that know me well, you'll know I'm a pipe organ aficionado, and it just so happens that Liverpool is home to not just some amazing pipe organs, but also some amazing musicians too.
And as it goes, I was lucky enough to be invited by Dr Ian Tracey to go and observe him play for Evensong a few weeks ago.
If you’ve ever been to Liverpool Cathedral, you know it’s not just a building—it’s an experience. This place is absolutely massive, one of the biggest cathedrals in the world, and walking inside feels like stepping into another era. The architecture is jaw-dropping, with soaring ceilings, intricate stained glass, and that classic Gothic-meets-modern style. But if there’s one thing that truly steals the show, it’s the organ—and not just any organ, but one of the largest and most powerful in the world.
Liverpool Cathedral’s Grand Organ isn’t just a fancy set of pipes. It's a feat of engineering. Built by Henry Willis & Sons, it has 11,000 pipes—yes, you read that right—ranging from tiny, whistle-sized pipes to absolute giants 32' tall. It’s got five keyboards, 200 stops, and enough power to make your whole body vibrate when it’s played at full blast.
This isn’t an organ that politely hums in the background. It roars. It sings. It commands attention. Whether it’s a spine-tingling Bach fugue or a dramatic film score arrangement, the sheer depth and range of sound are unreal. Imagine standing in the vast nave, hearing a deep, earth-shaking bass note roll through the stone walls—it’s like feeling music in your bones.
I was a little early to the rehearsal and as I swung open the main doors, a huge wave of sound hit me as the choir reached a particularly punchy part of "Blessed Be The God and Father", around about this moment:
I took a video as I came in that just about gives you a sense of the scale of the building and the sound, even from as far away as I was, which you can watch here (opens in Instagram). Be warned - it's loud!
I was lucky enough to not only see Ian play, but also page turn for him, wearing none other than Noel Rawsthorne's old cassock!
It's such a beautiful sound, and seeing a master at work at the console was really spectacular.
In other news, we're already on our way to our second organ lunchtime recital. Our first one, An Organ Extravaganza, went pretty well, and our next one, Heroes and Villains, looks to be a really fun medley of film music favourites. Here's the poster:
So a lot of organ-related things lately! Certainly keeping me on my toes.
On a related note, some ear-protection arrived from North West Hearing Services - what a difference! If you're with the MU, I'd really recommend looking into their subsidised hearing assessment and protection services - hearing damage is, as they 100% irreversible but 100% preventable! I've suffered with tinnitus most of my adult life, and truly, avoid it if you can!
Anyhow, hoping to see some of you at a concert at some point (maybe with some ear protection, too...!)
Myles
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