Harrison & Harrison Ltd

28/05/2025

Click the link to BBC Sounds to hear a short news item about our work at Bristol Cathedral. The segment starts around 50 minutes in.

A proper Bristol breakfast, waking you up with a smile every morning.

17/05/2025

Earlier this week, and as we approach the end of voicing, Bristol Beacon hosted a private event for the donors to hear a sneak preview of the restored Britton Organ.

Duncan Mathews gave a history of the organ and described the approach to restoration, while Andrew Fiddes discussed the tonal attributes and demonstrated the panoramic layout. To close, Paul Walton demonstrated the organ in a short recital for the assembled audience.

The official reopening of the organ will be in early 2026.

https://bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/anna-lapwood-organ-recital/

09/05/2025

Restoration of the Willis organ at St Augustine’s, Kilburn is the cover feature of the current issue of Choir & Organ.

📢The summer issue of Choir & Organ is here! 📢

This issue puts the spotlight on renowned choral festivals, forgotten composers and restored instruments 🎶

⭐️ The cover story looks at the meticulous restoration of the 1871 ‘Father’ Willis organ at the ‘Cathedral of North London’, St Augustine’s, Kilburn and hears from Andrew Scott about the work by Harrison & Harrison.

🎼 We meet the composer Joanna Marsh ahead of two premieres, her striking triptych for St John’s, Cambridge and her new Psalm for Chichester, and why setting sacred text is never just about tradition.

✨ In her regular column, Leah Broad explores the lesser-known choral music of Ethel Smyth as the original manuscript of Smyth’s Mass is discovered in Liverpool.

🎵 Elsewhere, as the historic Three Choirs Festival, rooted in the English choral tradition, welcomes a new chapter under CEO David Francis, we look at the ambitious 2025 Festival and plans for the future, and explore the impact of the competitive choral hub – the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

06/05/2025

Gordon Stewart returns to St Michael and All Angels Church, Houghton-le-Spring on Monday 12 May to give another much-anticipated recital on the lovely three-manual 1932 Harrison & Harrison organ. Admission free and all are welcome.

24/04/2025

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the wonderful Thomas Trotter put the newly restored organ through its paces following its clean and overhaul by our team last year.

5 Days to Go! – Celebration Organ Gala Recital 🎶

The countdown is nearly over! Just 5 days to go until we celebrate the grand restoration of our historic organ with a spectacular gala recital! 🎉

Join us this Saturday, 26th April at 7:30 PM for an unforgettable performance by the world-renowned Thomas Trotter at St John’s Upper Norwood. Expect an evening of breathtaking music in a stunning setting!

📍 St John’s Upper Norwood, SE19 2RX
🎟 FREE tickets available now!
👉 stjohnsuppernorwood.churchsuite.com/events/suwlgksw

Don't miss this incredible celebration—see you there! ✨🎶

17/04/2025

We recently returned to Stockholm City Hall to install a set of shutters in the mouth of the Fernwerk tunnel to allow the Fernwerk (Echo) division to speak out with more immediacy and to be more usable with the rest of the organ.

While the Fernwerk (the largest of its type) has its own set of conventional shutters, it was designed to speak down a 43m tunnel and its sound come out through a hole in the ceiling on the opposite side of the blue hall.

The additional shutter at the mouth of the tunnel was planned as part of our work there in 2008, but was never installed. Organists can now play the Fernwerk as originally intended, or allow it speak with more immediacy by operating a switch at the console to open the new shutters in the wall in the mouth of the tunnel.

05/03/2025

St John’s College, Cambridge

You can find out more about the project and download the organ specification by going to the following news page at St John’s College.

Chapel organ project will ‘elevate’ sacred music March 5, 2025March 5, 2025 A historic organ originally constructed by ‘Father’ Henry Willis is due to be installed in the Chapel at St John’s College, University of Cambridge. Organ music has a rich history at St John’s – an organ has be...

01/03/2025

Our work re-installing the organ at Bristol Cathedral is well underway. This is a small selection of photographs showing progress, as well as the refurbished console in the workshop.

27/02/2025

We are hiring! Our busy metalshop has vacancies for a skilled pipemaker and a trainee: see the advert below for full details.

27/02/2025

Ahead of the re-opening recital by Martin Baker on Saturday 1 March at 6.00pm, we’re pleased to share some more pictures of our restoration work on the 1871 Henry Willis organ of St Augustine's Church, Kilburn.

Full details of the recital can be found on the church's website: https://www.staugustine.london/

26/02/2025

We are sorry to announce the death of our long-standing former organ builder, George Parry. His funeral will take place at 12 noon on Wednesday, 5 March 2025 at St Giles Church, Gilesgate, Durham.

07/02/2025

While stripping the roller valves from St Dominic's Priory Newcastle, we found that old coins were used as guides for the roller valve wires. One is dated 1861 bearing Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, and the other is dated 1853 bearing Napoleon III of France.