The Organ
The Alexandra Palace Organ Appeal
Registered Charity No.:285222, London N22 7AY
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Chronology
1873
1875
1926
1929
1930
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1980 Fire
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The 1873 Instrument

Henry Willis III wrote, in his March 1930 Rotunda article, the following note:

"Following the tremendous success of the Royal Albert Hall organ my grandfather was commissioned to build an instrument, upon very similar lines, for the old Alexandra Palace Company in the Great Hall. Sir Michael Costa was called into consultation with "Father" Willis, but, as at the Albert Hall, there can be no doubt that my grandfather was left to have his own way, the specification and general design being entirely his. This first organ was completed and ready for the opening of the Palace in May, 1873. A bare three weeks had elapsed after the opening when the Palace and the organ were completely destroyed by fire. My grandfather was in the Palace at the time and, in his eagerness to save some of the pipework, very narrowly escaped serious injury from the crashing falls of red-hot glass. No time was lost and the story goes that the order for a replica instrument was placed "before the molten pipe metal was cold." "

SPECIFICATION OF ORGAN
For The
ALEXANDRA PALACE COMPANY LIMITED
Built by Mr. Henry Willis
(The builder of the celebrated organ in St George’s Hall Liverpool)

Four Manuals from CC to A 58 notes
Two octaves and a half of Pedals CCC to F 30 notes
Pedale
16 stops
 
1. Double Diapason Open wood   32
2. Double Diapason Open metal 32
3. Sub Bourdon 32
4. Open Diapason Wood 16
5. Violon Metal 16
6. Bourdon 16
7. Contra Basso Open Wood 16
8. Octave 8
9. Octave 8
10. Super Octave 4
11. Sesquialtera III
12. Mixture III
13. Bombarde 32
14. Trombone 16
15. Ophicleide 16
16. Clarion 8
Choir Organ
17 stops, unenclosed
 
1. Contra Gamba 16
2. Viol de Gamba 8
3. Salicional 8
4. Claribel 8
5. Flute Harmonique 8
6. Lieblich Gedact 8
7. Vox Angelica 8
8. Flute Octaviante 4
9. Gemshorn 4
10. Viola 4
11. Lieblich Flute 4
12. Flageolet 2
13. Mixture III
14. Corno di Bassetto 8
15. Trompette Harmonique 8
16. Cor Anglais (prepared for)  8
17. Clarion 4
Great Organ
20 stops
 
1. Double Diapason 16
2. Bourdon 16
3. Open Diapason 8
4. Open Diapason 8
5. Open Diapason 8
6. Viol Di Gamba 8
7. Claribel 8
8. Quint 6
9. Principal 8
10. Flute Transversiere   4
11. Quinte Octaviante 3
12. Super Octave 2
13. Piccolo 2
14. Sesquialtra V
15. Mixture III
16. Trombone 16
17. Bombarde 8
18. Trumpet 8
19. Posaune 8
20. Clarion 4
Swell Organ
21 stops
 
1. Double Diapason 16
2. Bourdon 16
3. Open Diapason 8
4. Open Diapason 8
5. Salicional 8
6. Lieblich Gedact 8
7. Flute Harmonique  8
8. Flute Octaivante 4
9. Flauto Traverso 4
10. Principal 4
11. Twelfth 3
12. Fifteenth 2
13. Sesquialtera III
14. Mixture V
15. Contra Posaune 16
16. Contra Fagotto 16
17. Cornopean 8
18. Trumpet 8
19. Hautboy 8
20. Vox Humaine 8
21. Clarion 4
Solo Organ
14 stops, unenclosed
 
1. Violoncello (imitative) 8
2. Viola (imitative) 4
3. Flute Harmonique 8
4. Flute Octaviante 4
5. Concert Flute (imitative)  4
6. Piccolo 2
7. Claribel 8
8. Bombardon 16
9. Trumpet (harmonic) 8
10. Ophicleide 8
11. Bassoon 8
12. Oboe (Orchestral) 8
13. Clarionette (Orchestral) 8
14. Clarion 4
Accessories
14 stops
 
1. Solo to Great Organ
2. Solo Sub Octave on itself
3. Solo Super Octave ditto
4. Solo to Choir
5. Swell to Great Unison
6. Swell to Great Sub Octave
7. Swell to Great Super Octave
8. Choir to Great
9. Pedale in Octaves on Nos. 14, 15 and 16
10. Pedale in Octaves on Nos. 10, 11 and 12
11. Solo to Pedals
12. Swell to Pedals
13. Great to Pedals
14. Choir to Pedals