Description
In this two volume book (sold as a pair), Dr William McVicker explores the fascinating interplay between English organ design and its repertoire, revealing how instrument and music shaped each other over centuries. Introducing the concept of tonal massing—the dynamic balance of stops—he shows how builders and composers collaborated, consciously or not, to create distinctive sounds and expressive possibilities.
From the Restoration to the Victorian era, French, Brabant, and continental influences transformed English organs, while innovations by builders such as J. C. Bishop and the adoption of graded choruses shaped performance practice. The book traces these developments through the Organ Reform Movement and the rise of the neo-Romantic organ, highlighting debates over historic fingering, pedalling, and tonal balance.
Accessible, richly illustrated, yet deeply informed, this book is essential reading for musicians, historians, and organ enthusiasts, offering a unique insight into one of the world’s most complex and expressive instruments—and the music it inspired. It is presently available only through the BIOS webstore and is priced at £100 (excluding of post and packing), as opposed to the £145 book store retail price.
