Milan Digital Audio Salisbury Cathedral Willis (HAUPTWERK)

Salisbury Cathedral also houses one of Britain’s greatest and most famous organs, built in 1877 by Father Henry Willis (1821-1901). The instrument has 61 ranks and 65 stops, 4 manuals and a pedal, with two main cases on the north and south sides of the soundboard and an additional case for the 32-foot pedal pipes in the north transept. An 1898 issue of The Musical Times in a supplement titled “Portrait of Henry Willis” discussed the origin of Henry Willis’ nickname “Father” Willis. Similarities were found between Henry Willis and Father Bernard Smith, an organ builder to the king in the 17th century. The article in the publication was written as follows:

“Two hundred years ago there lived in this country a great organ maker whose instruments were a credit to their maker. Two of his nephews were connected with him in his business. Partly to distinguish him from his younger relatives, but especially as a mark of appreciation of his great ability and artistic merit, he was canonised (sic), so to speak, with the title of ‘Father’. His name is well known in the history of organ building – Father Henry Willis is assisted by a younger generation with two sons, Vincent and Henry, working with him, in whom he has great confidence and hope. It is therefore natural that he, the greatest organ builder of the Victorian era, should be known as Father Willis.

The Willis building firm also had several inventions and patents that helped pave the way for modern organ building as we know it today. Some of these include:

• Thumb pistons – patented 1851.
• Barker keyed air lever – pioneering use, 1851.
• Air stop – patented 1851. • Radial concave pedal board – invented in 1855.
• Angle stops – invented in 1855.
• Simple tubular pneumatic key – 1867.
• Tubular pneumatic key for divided organ – 1872.
• “Servo-pneumatic” or “floating” pneumatic lever with action key – patented in 1884.
• Electro-pneumatic key – innovative use, 1885.
• Fully pneumatic key mechanism with pneumatic clutch – patented in 1889.
• Fully adjustable thumb pistons – patented in 1882.