Editing Lincoln Cathedral (section)

== Music ==

=== Choir and organists ===

{{See also|List of musicians at English cathedrals}}
[[File:Lincoln-038.jpg|thumb|upright|Aisle at the east end]]
The choir is currently formed of adult singers (who are either lay vicars or choral scholars), and teams of about 20 girls and 20 boys. The cathedral accepted female choristers in 1995. Lincoln was the second cathedral in the country to adopt a separate girls' choir (after [[Salisbury Cathedral]]) and remains one of few which provides the same musical opportunities and equal weekly singing duties to both girls and boys. The choristers can now attend any school and are currently drawn from over ten local schools.

The Master of the Choristers ([[Music director|director of music]]) is Aric Prentice, who conducts the choir of boys and men; the Cathedral Organist and assistant director of music is Jeffrey Makinson, who conducts the choir of girls and men. The organist emeritus is Colin Walsh, previously organist and master of the choristers and then organist laureate.

The records of cathedral organists at Lincoln are continuous from 1439 when John Ingleton was the incumbent. Notable organists have included the [[Renaissance Music|Renaissance]] composers [[William Byrd]] and [[John Reading (composer and organist)|John Reading]] and the biographer of [[Mendelssohn]], [[William Thomas Freemantle]].

=== Organ ===
One of the best examples of the work of "Father" [[Henry Willis]], and the last he designed before his death, the cathedral organ dates from 1898. Willis had completed the design by 1885 but a shortfall in funding delayed construction and installation. This was made possible in 1898, after a donation of £1,000 ({{Inflation|UK|4675|1898|r=-4|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}){{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} from Alfred Shuttleworth, an engineer and later chairman of [[Clayton & Shuttleworth]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Alfred_Shuttleworth|title=Alfred Shuttleworth|publisher=Grace's Guide to British Industrial History|access-date=30 November 2022}}</ref> This, together with other private gifts and a public subscription, allowed work to progress. On [[Hugh of Lincoln|St Hugh's Day]], 17 November 1898, the organ was inaugurated at a service attended by 4,700 people. Willis had intended that the organ be electrically powered, the first organ in an English cathedral to be powered in this way. As the [[Lincoln power stations|Brayford Wharf Power Station]] had not yet been completed,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1920_Institution_of_Mechanical_Engineers:_Visits_to_Works#Lincoln_Power_Station|title=Lincoln Power Station|publisher=Grace's Guide to British Industrial History|access-date=30 November 2022}}</ref> manual power was instead provided by infantrymen from the [[Royal Lincolnshire Regiment|Lincolnshire Regiment]].<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url= https://lincolncathedral.com/worship-music/organ/|title=Father Willis Organ|publisher=Lincoln Cathedral|access-date=30 November 2022}}</ref>

The organ has been restored twice, in 1960 and in 1998. On both occasions the work was undertaken by [[Harrison & Harrison]]. It is one of only two Willis organs in English cathedrals with its original tonal scheme.<ref name="auto" /> The organ specification is held on the [[British Institute of Organ Studies#National Pipe Organ Register|National Pipe Organ Register]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://npor.org.uk/survey/N14308|title=The National Pipe Organ Register — NPOR|publisher=npor.org.uk|access-date=15 February 2025}}</ref>