The Willis Organ

At the heart of St Magnus Cathedral lies one of the most powerful voices in Orkney's musical life, its great pipe organ. Built in 1925 by Henry Willis and Sons, it is now a century old.

about this project

The Voice of the Cathedral

At the heart of St Magnus Cathedral lies one of the most powerful and inspiring voices in Orkney’s musical life, its great pipe organ. For generations, the organ has filled the Cathedral with music for worship, civic occasions, concerts and moments of reflection.

The present organ was built in 1925 by the renowned English firm Henry Willis & Sons, one of the most distinguished organ-building companies in Britain. Instruments by the Willis firm are celebrated for their rich tone and craftsmanship, and the St Magnus organ is a fine example of their work.

Unlike many cathedral organs that sit high in a gallery, the instrument at St Magnus is located at floor level behind an elegant decorative screen, designed during early twentieth-century restoration work by the architect George Mackie Watson. This placement allows the sound to travel naturally through the nave and choir, filling the cathedral with a warm and resonant tone. The pipes stand where the first builders made a semi-circular apse to hold the shrine of St Magnus, so the instrument occupies the oldest sacred ground in the building.

The carved organ screen in St Magnus Cathedral — The organ screen, designed by George Mackie Watson

The organ was restored and tonally modernised in 1971, paid for by Kirkwall Town Council, and the work was carried out under the direction of Henry Willis IV, son of the instrument’s original builder, in consultation with the then organist Norman Mitchell. The chorus-work was realigned throughout, the Pedal Organ enlarged, and the old Choir Organ recast, its swell shutters removed and the division renamed Positif. The console, which had originally stood in the south choir aisle, was turned through 90 degrees so that the player now faces south. A solid state note switching and capture system was installed in 2001.

The result is an instrument able to carry all schools of organ music while keeping much of the character associated with British cathedral organs. Writing of it, the former cathedral organist David Drinkell singled out the very beautiful Rohr Flute in the Swell Organ, and the superb heavy-pressure Tromba, a particularly bright and majestic solo stop which soars over the full organ in no uncertain fashion. Its 16ft extension provides the Pedal Trombone.

Pipes of the Willis organ in St Magnus Cathedral — The pipes of the Willis organ

The instrument has been carefully maintained and restored over the years to preserve both its musical character and historic fabric. This care ensures that it continues to serve the cathedral as it has for a century, leading worship, supporting the choir, and enriching concerts and cultural events held in the building.