Oxford: New organ for Merton College Chapel

Merton College - Wiki image

A new organ has been installed in the chapel of Merton College, Oxford, to celebrate Merton's 750th Anniversary.

The Dobson Organ was constructed and installed by the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Ltd of Lake City, Iowa, and a dedication ceremony was held on Sunday 27 April. The Anglican Bishop of Oxford Rt Rev John Pritchard attended to dedicate the organ, and read out a letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at the service.The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, Precentor of York Minster preached a sermon. A lesson was read by the Warden of Merton College, Professor Sir Martin Taylor, Professor of Pure Mathematics and Past Vice-President and Physical Secretary of the Royal Society.

Merton is notable among Oxford Colleges for having set up a choral foundation in 2008 when 18 choral scholarships were first awarded. The choir sang a range of hymns and prayers, including Herbert Howells' Magnificat.

An organ festival spanning April to November 2014 has been organised to celebrate the installation. For more information on the festival visit: www.merton.ox.ac.uk/sites/merton.ox.ac.uk/files/Merton-College-Organ-Festival-2014.pdf

For more information on the choral scholarships see: www.merton.ox.ac.uk/sites/merton.ox.ac.uk/files/attachments/Organ_Choral_Awards.pdf

For more information on the organ: www.dobsonorgan.com/html/instruments/op91_merton.html

To read more about Merton College and a calendar of events marking the 750th anniversary, see: www.merton.ox.ac.uk/

The author of this article is Luke O'Sullivan - founding editor of Quadrapheme Magazine: www.quadrapheme.com/