The Pipe Organ will have about 2,636 pipes. Not any two of them are identical. The largest pipe is around six meters long and 25 cm thick; the smallest is the size of a pencil. Some pipes are made of wood, while the majority are made of metal. Their sound is also very different: there are loud and quiet, high and low pipes. Some sound like delicate string instruments, others imitate woodwind and brass instruments.

The organ will be built in the style of a ‘symphonic organ’. The aim of this conceptual tonal design is to achieve an instrument that is suitable for liturgical use in the Cathedral and on which a large part of the organ literature can be performed convincingly. This requires an organ that has a rich, warm tone, a substantial palette of tonal colours and a wide dynamic range. The organ must assist in creating the correct atmosphere, ranging from solemn moments of quite introspection to festive occasions of praise and jubilation. It must have sufficient fundamental tone to ‘carry’ the congregational singing of several thousand worshippers, but also enough soft stops to provide delicate and varied accompaniments for the choir and other musicians. In addition, it should be able to render the rather slender brilliance required for some of the greatest organ compositions.

Here you will find a small typology of organ pipes.