Organs and organists of Chichester Cathedral

rdf:langString Organs and organists of Chichester Cathedral

rdf:langString The organs of Chichester Cathedral are the major source of instrumental music at the cathedral, being played for daily services and accompanying the choir, as well as being used for concerts and recitals. There has been organ music at Chichester Cathedral almost continuously since the medieval period, with a break in the mid-17th century during the Commonwealth period. There are now five pipe organs at Chichester Cathedral, with pipes of the main organ dating to the Restoration, the Hurdis Organ to the late 18th century and the three most recent organs dating to the late 20th century. The earliest recorded Organist of Chichester Cathedral is William Campion in 1543, and the earliest recorded Master of the Choristers is in the 1550s. The role of "Organist" has been combined with that of "Master of the Choristers" since 1801 – the first Organist and Master of the Choristers was James Target. Since the 1870s there has been an official appointment of an "Assistant Organist". Several well-known composers, including Thomas Weelkes and John Reading, have served as cathedral organist. Anne Maddocks (Assistant Organist, 1942–49) was the first woman in the country to hold such a post in a cathedral, and Sarah Baldock (Organist and Master of the Choristers, 2008–14) was the second woman, after Katherine Dienes at Guildford Cathedral, to hold the most senior musical post in a Church of England cathedral.