Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Bridgewater Hall Marcussen organ

This handsome picture, featuring organist Jonathan Scott and organ builder David Wood, celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Marcussen organ in Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.

Centrepiece of the hall's 2,400 seat auditorium, the organ was built in 1996, as a symphonic concert instrument with 76 stops and a battery of trompettes en chamade.

It was the largest of its kind to be installed in Britain for almost a century – and it has been in the care of Wood Organ Builders since then.

It weighs 22 tons and contains over 5,500 pipes ranging in length from a few inches to 32 feet. The organ is playable from two four-manual and pedal consoles. One is an integral mechanical console; the other is a mobile recital console, connected to the pipes by an optic-cable.

Associate Artist Jonathan Scott returned to present a special anniversary season of his popular lunchtime organ concerts with a variety of masterpieces.

It included Jongen’s Toccata from Symphonie Concertante, Robert Burns’ A Red, Red Rose and Verdi’s Force of Destiny Overture.