A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Willis, Henry
WILLIS, Henry, one of the leading English organ-builders; born April 27, 1821; was articled in 1835 to John Gray; and in 1847 took the first step in his career by re-building the organ at Gloucester Cathedral, with the then unusual compass of 29 notes in the pedals. In the Great Exhibition of 1851 he exhibited a large organ, which was much noticed, and which led to his being selected to build that for St. George's Hall, Liverpool, which under the hands of Mr. Best has become so widely known. The organ which he exhibited in the Exhibition of 1862 also procured him much fame, and became the nucleus of that at the Alexandra Palace, destroyed by fire on June 9, 1873, shortly after its completion. His next feat was the organ for the Royal Albert Hall (opened 1871), which in size, and for the efficiency of its pneumatic, mechanical and acoustic qualities, shares its high reputation with the second Alexandra Palace organ, which was constructed for the restoration of that building, and was opened in May 1875.
Mr. Willis has supplied or renewed organs to nearly half the Cathedrals of England, viz. St. Paul's (1872), Canterbury (86), Carlisle (56), Durham (77), Hereford (79), Oxford (84), Salisbury (77), Wells (57), Winchester (53), Truro, St. David's, (81), Edinburgh (79), Glasgow (79), as well as many colleges, churches, halls, etc. The award of the Council Medal to Mr. Willis in 1851 specifies his application of an improved exhausting valve to the Pneumatic lever, the application of pneumatic levers in a compound form, and the invention of a movement for facilitating the drawing of stops singly or in combination. In 1862 the Prize Medal was awarded to him for further improvements. In 1885 the Gold Medal was given him for 'excellence of tone, ingenuity of design, and perfection of execution.' His only patent is dated March 9, 1868.
Mr. Willis has always been a scientific organ-builder, and his organs are distinguished for their excellent engineering, clever contrivances, and first-rate workmanship, as much as for their brilliancy, force of tone, and orchestral character.