Pulling Out the Stops – A History of the Organ

The organ is one of the oldest and most glorious musical instruments known to man. Since the early fifteenth century, its history has been closely linked with the religious setting in which it came to reside. Visiting churches in Italy, Spain, France, Holland, Germany and Switzerland, this series looks at the work of the great organ-builders of Europe. Leading organists demonstrate the magnificent range and beauty of this complex instrument's sound, from sixteenth-century compositions to contemporary masterpieces, among them works by de Cabézon, Frescobaldi, Couperin, Sweelinck, Buxtehude, Bach, Widor and Messiaen.