- Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison are a firm of
pipe organ builders in the UK, examples of whose work can also be found in many other countries.Thomas Harrison established an organ building company in
1861 inRochdale , then moved toDurham in1872 , where he was joined by his brother James. The company was moderately successful but did not achieve real success until 1896 when Thomas's sons Arthur and Harry took over. Harry designed the organs and Arthur proved to be a particularly gifted voicer, resulting in commissions for rebuilds of several great organs includingDurham Cathedral , theRoyal Albert Hall and new commissions includingWestminster Abbey .Arthur Harrison died in 1936 and Harry retired in 1946. The company passed to Harry's son Cuthbert. Since 1973, the firm has been led by Mark Venning.
In the postwar period Harrisons contributed to the renaissance of classical organ building, producing organs more like the 18th Century German instruments and less like the more orchestral Victorian pattern. Notable examples included the
Royal Festival Hall instrument, designed in close collaboration withRalph Downes , and the organ atSt Albans Abbey , forPeter Hurford .Harrisons are still based in Durham and are still active in organ building and rebuilding.
External links
* [http://www.harrison-organs.co.uk/ Harrison & Harrison]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
