Minster organ to play again on Sunday - for first time in two years

A prayer will be said for the organ during a live-streamed Eucharist service at 11am, before it is played at services throughout Lent and is then dedicated by the Archbishop of York at Evensong on Easter Day, Sunday April 4.

A programme of events to celebrate the organ’s return will be announced later this year.

The instrument was last played during worship in October 2018 before work began to remove it, including nearly all of its 5,000 plus pipes, and take it to organ specialists in Durham for cleaning, repair and replacement.

The organ dates from the early 1830s and is one of the largest cathedral organs in the country, weighing approximately 20,000kg.

The work by Durham-based organ specialists Harrison and Harrison has included bringing the majority of the 102 decorative case pipes back into use, which have been silent since the last major refurbishment in 1903.

Robert Sharpe, York Minster’s Director of Music, said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring the Grand Organ back into regular use at the heart of worship at the cathedral. It will be a gentle return in March due to the solemnity of the season of Lent, but building to a celebration on Easter Day.”

He said the refurbishment preserved the unique sound of the organ whilst renewing its mechanism. “Organ music has played a central role in worship at York Minster for nearly 1,000 years and we hope this project will help ensure that tradition continues throughout the 21st century and beyond,” he added.

Sunday services at 11am and 4pm are live-streamed via www.yorkminster.org and will reopen for public and private worship from Sunday, March 14.