Editing Gloucester Cathedral (section)

==Music==
===Choir===
In medieval times, daily worship was sung by boys and monks from the abbey. The cathedral's current choir was established by King [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1539, and at present is composed of 18 boy and 20 girl choristers, as well as 12 adult singers. The choristers attend the [[King's School, Gloucester|King's School]], which was also founded by Henry VIII. The choir sings regularly during term time and at major religious festivals such as [[Christmas]] or [[Easter]]. It also takes part in concerts and has been featured in [[Choral Evensong (BBC)|choral evensong]] on [[BBC Radio 3]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gloucester Cathedral {{!}} Cathedral Choir |url= https://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/music/cathedral-choir/ |website=www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk |access-date=2020-05-08 |archive-date=2021-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503120344/https://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/music/cathedral-choir/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Organ===
The cathedral's first organ was built by Thomas Harris in 1666. Its original case remains complete, the only such surviving example from the 17th century in England. The pipes displayed on the front of the case are still functional. Over the following four centuries many of the major English organ builders have made contributions to the organ, including modifications in 1847 and a complete rebuild in 1888–1889 by [[Henry Willis|Henry "Father" Willis]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N07430 |title=The National Pipe Organ Register |website=Npor.org.uk |access-date=8 May 2020 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503120357/https://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N07430 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N07431 |title=The National Pipe Organ Register |website=Npor.org.uk |access-date=8 May 2020 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503120403/https://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N07431 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Harrison & Harrison]] undertook a further reconstruction in 1920.<ref name=organ>{{cite web |url=http://gloucestercathedral.org.uk/music/organ/|title=Gloucester Cathedral – Organ|website=Gloucestercathedral.org.uk|access-date=12 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220203736/http://gloucestercathedral.org.uk/music/organ/|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1971 [[William Hill & Son & Norman & Beard Ltd.|Hill, Norman and Beard]], working with the cathedral's organist John Sanders, and a consultant, Ralph Downes, completely redesigned the instrument, which was again overhauled in 1999 by [[Nicholson & Co Ltd|Nicholson & Co]]. In 2010 Nicholson's added a Trompette Harmonique solo reed.<ref name=organ/> As of 2023, the organ is out of commission, but the cathedral has contracted with Nicholsons for the latest reconstruction to be completed by the time of the next Three Choirs' Festival in 2026.<ref name=organ/>

===Organists===
{{See also|List of musicians at English cathedrals}}
In 1582, Robert Lichfield is recorded as the organist of Gloucester Cathedral. Notable among the organists are composers and choral conductors of the [[Three Choirs Festival]], [[Herbert Brewer]], [[Herbert Sumsion]] and [[John Sanders (musician)|John Sanders]]. [[Herbert Howells]], who was a pupil of Brewer, composed a [[Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Gloucester)|Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for Gloucester Cathedral]]

===Three Choirs Festival===
An annual musical festival, the [[Three Choirs Festival]], is hosted by turns in this cathedral and those of [[Worcester Cathedral|Worcester]] and [[Hereford Cathedral|Hereford]] in rotation.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.3choirs.org/|title= Three Choirs Festival|access-date= 16 January 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/19990418010114/http://www.3choirs.org/|archive-date= 1999-04-18|url-status= dead}}</ref> The Three Choirs is the oldest annual musical festival in the world.