FATHER HENRY WILLIS, ORGAN BUILDER
27 APRIL 1821 - 11 FEBRUARY 1901
The Early Years
Henry Willis was a remarkable man in many ways. He was born in London on 27th April, 1821 into an artisan family.
His father (also Henry) was a builder, but was also one of the "Old Stagers" of the Cecilian Society where he was kettle-drummer, he was also a choir member.
With his musical up-bringing the young Henry soon became interested in music and began to play the organ at a very early age.
He mixed in musical circles, and before long had formed a friendship with George Cooper, who was assistant to Attwood at St. Paul's Cathedral, and later became organist of the Chapel Royal. They played the organ together and each tried to outdo the other with their pedal playing, which, according to "Father" Willis was a "neck and neck rivalry - in advance of anything of the kind in those days."
When Henry was 14 he was apprenticed to John Gray (Later Gray and Davison). Even as a young apprentice he showed his ingenuity inventing his special manual and pedal couplers which he used in organs throughout his life.
During his time with John Gray he also tuned organs, including that at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Here he met Elvey who took him under his wing.
As a teenager, Henry became organist of Christ Church, Hoxton. The position of organist for this new church had been advertised, so Henry answered the advertisement.
The committee consisted of The Reverend and Mrs. William Scott who were obviously disappointed to see such a young man, no older than their own son! However, Henry was given the post, became friends with the family, and saw their son, Clement Scott, become Dramatic Critic of The Daily Telegraph.
After his apprenticeship Henry went to live in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire where he worked for William Evans, an organ builder who also kept a music shop. Whilst living in Cheltenham, he played the double bass at the Gloucester Musical Festival in 1847.
Evans was an accomplished violinist, but he is now remembered for his free-reed instruments which he exhibited at Alfred Novello's in London.
Here, the young Henry met, and was befriended by Dr. Samuel Sebastian Wesley .
In 1847 Henry was commissioned to rebuild the organ in Gloucester Cathedral. In his own words, Henry Willis said "I received £400 for the job and was presumptuous enough to marry."
He also recalled "one Sunday at Gloucester, in 1847, Amott, then organist of the Cathedral, and I played Mendelssohn's organ sonatas (then recently published) on the pianoforte - I playing the manual and Amott the pedal part. The following day Amott came to me and said "Mendelssohn is dead." I shall never forget it."
In Hyde Park, London, in 1851 there took place The Great Exhibition.
Henry Willis' organ was erected in the West End Gallery. It had three manuals, seventy speaking stops and seven couplers.
This instrument had thumb pistons - it was the first organ to incorporate Henry's new invention.
It also had an Improved Pneumatic Action which ensured that the touch was still light even with all the stops drawn.
Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort visited the exhibition to see and hear this organ on Friday July 18th 1851, when they heard a short recital that included a piece by H.R.H. Prince Albert named "Schlaf, Schlaf, mein Kindelein", part of the overture to "La Gazza Ladra" by Rossini, and by request of the Queen, the March from Mozart's "Die Zaubeflöte".
A committee from St. George's Hall, Liverpool was due to attend the exhibition, at six o'clock one morning, to hear the instruments of three builders.
The exhibition was housed in an incredible "Glass Palace", not an ideal location for a pipe organ.
Henry's competitors tuned their instruments in the afternoon of the previous day. He tuned his at five o'clock in the morning before anyone had arrived.
W.T. Best demonstrated all three instruments, playing the same piece on each. For the other two organs he needed two assistants to register the stops for him; on the Willis organ he had no assistant - he did not need one with the new thumb pistons that were fitted.
Of course, the committee was impressed by this, and the fact that the reeds sounded wonderful, and those of his competitors were unplayable.
After a twenty minute wait it was announced that Henry Willis would be commissioned to build the organ for the St. George's Hall, Liverpool!
The exhibition organ, rebuilt on a smaller scale, was sold to Winchester Cathedral.
Henry Willis was also commissioned to build the organ for The Royal Albert Hall. No-one else was even asked to tender for the job, and Henry was given carte blanche with the design, size, specification, and cost of the instrument.
However, the committee wanted to ensure that the pitch of the organ would be correct for all the musical uses to which it would be put so called together a group of experts.
Some of the leading wind-players of the day, including Lazarus, visited Henry's Rotunda Organ Works to settle the question of the pitch of the organ.
Henry Willis recalled "They also brought a violinist... When they each began to blow into their different instruments each man had a different pitch! It was a regular pandemonium!"
Of course, that meeting had been unnecessary - Henry had already decided on the pitch, and his pitch was used!
Henry Willis sat on a large committee to decide the future of the organ at St. Paul's Cathedral.
When he was asked his views he was forthright and told the members "The placing of the organ in the position in which I think it should be involves a stupendous question -" he announced. "Namely, the removal of the statues of Lord Nelson and Lord Cornwallis."
The old organ case was unique in that it was the same, back and front.
Henry had the idea to cut the case in half and place one half of the organ on each side of the choir.
His plan also allowed the committee to move the choir closer to the dome which, to this day, means that they can be heard far better that before.
The members of the committee were plainly shocked by this idea and asked Henry to leave the room.
A few minutes later he was asked back into the meeting and questioned.
They could see merit in Henry's idea, but there was, they thought one insurmountable problem. His plan would, surely, require two organists!
Henry assured them that this would not be necessary. The committee agreed to his plans and the organ bears testament to Henry's foresight to this day.
The Musical Times, in their edition dated 1 May 1898, presented an extra supplement of "a Portrait of Mr. Henry Willis, specially taken for this paper by Messrs. Russell and Sons." to accompany an article about our founder.
The final part of the article reads..."
"FATHER" WILLIS.
Two hundred years ago there lived in this country a great organ builder whose instruments were the glory of their maker. Two of his nephews were associated with him in his business. Partly to distinguish him from his younger relatives, but more especially as a mark of high appreciation of his great abilities and artistic worth, he was canonized (sic), so to speak, with the title "Father". His name is familiar enough in the history of organ building - Father Smith. Henry Willis is also assisted by a younger generation, having two sons - Vincent and Henry - working with him, in whom he has great confidence and hopes. It is natural, therefore, that he, the greatest organ builder of the Victorian Era, will be called Father Willis."
