The Organ of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
The cathedral’s Grand Organ was designed and made in 1984 by Kenneth Jones and Associates of Bray, county Wicklow, Ireland. It was commissioned to complement the major restoration of the building which had been completed in 1982. Seeming to fl oat in space, the organ stands on a compact base on the fl oor of the north transept under the arch of the central tower. It is nearly 45ft/14m tall. The key action is exclusively tracker, including a separate action to the soundboard of the large scale Open Wood 16ft which is housed within the base. The stop action is mechanical throughout but there is also an electric combination system in parallel with and driving the mechanical stop-action. The organ has three 56-note manual departments and a pedal department of 30 notes, 50-51 ranks with a total of 2482 pipes and 39 speaking stops.

In 2003/2004, the organ was dismantled, thoroughly cleaned, and restored, by Wells-Kennedy Partnership, Lisburn. Concurrently, some of the pipework was revoiced by Flentrop Orgelbouw B.V., Zaandam, in order to give a greater tonal spectrum and presence of sound throughout the cathedral. In addition, the specification of the organ was revised, most significantly by the provision of the 32’ Contra Trombone. The piston system was also radically updated and improved.

This instrument has been described as the most significant new Irish cathedral organ in history, and it has gained an impressive international reputation particularly through its central role in the Pipeworks International Organ and Choral Festival. Its fl exibility and comprehensive specifi cation enable the performance of a wide range of repertoire as well as the fulfi lment of an active role within the cathedral liturgy. One of its major achievements is its competence in the music of different periods and styles of the past 500 years without any sense of compromise - not because it represents a conglomeration of styles but because it has its own character, strength and musical logic.

Tristan Russcher B.A. (Oxon) F.R.C.O.
Born in Perth, Western Australia, Tristan Russcher has been playing the piano since he was three years old. At the age of 14, at the time the youngest ever in Western Australia, he was awarded his Associate Diploma in Music (A.Mus.A), along with the Australian Music Education Board award for outstanding piano recital and best A.Mus.A performance. In 1996 he began to study the organ with Ian Hockley and in 1997 obtained a full music scholarship to study at Ampleforth College, York, where he gained his ALevels. In October 1999 he gained an unconditional entry to Worcester College, Oxford to take up the position as Organ Scholar, where he studied the organ with David Goode and was tutored by Robert Saxton. He graduated in 2003 with a BA in Music. Tristan was awarded the Organ Scholarship at Christ Church Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin for the period 2003-2005. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and has an active recital program around Dublin. In 2005 Tristan was runner-up in the Pipeworks International Organ Competition.

All tracks were recorded with the assistance
of equipment donated by the
Friends of Christ Church Cathedral.

Sound Engineer: Tristan Russcher,
Artwork and Design: Kaz productions.

All tracks on this CD were recorded live in services or concerts between December 2005 and June 2006. Various elements have been re-recorded due to excessive background noise.

it is illegal to copy or broadcast this disc in whole or part for any purpose whatsoever without permission from the copyright holder, Christ Church Cathedral Publications Ltd.

Copyright © Christ Church Cathedral Publications 2006