ORGAN OF THE MONTH 105: March 2011
Christ's
Hospital School Dining Hall, Horsham |
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There can't be many schools in the country (or, indeed, in the world) that have four pipe-organs on site. But how many, I wonder, can boast of a working "Father" Willis in their Dining Hall?! One of the venues visited during the 2010 IAO Congress was Christ's Hospital in Horsham, West Sussex, and as delegates were ushered in the school's Dining Hall for morning coffee we were greeted by the exceptional (unique?) sight of such an organ standing in the corner surrounded by dining tables and trays.
Director of Music Adrian Bawtree welcomed us
by demonstrating this small, but unmolested, Willis - a joy to hear - before
playing a recital on the five-manual Rushworth & Dreaper in the
school chapel.
The "Father" Willis organ was originally installed in Christ's
Hospital Girls School, which was then at Hertford. It was moved (by Hill Norman
& Beard) to the Music School at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, in 1985, and
then moved to its present location in the dining-hall during 2002 by Pat Christian.