There is no intention to change the character of the organ at all - on the contrary I am well aware of its fabulous integrated character and wish to preserve that at all costs.
But the truth is that the organ is now 40 years old and was last cleaned 15 years ago, so it is mechanically worn. The speech of the pipes is getting quite uneven due to dirt and age.
In order to allow it to be the focal point for the International Organ Festival and to be reliable and in good working order it needs a thorough restoration of the actions and soundboards.
St Albans has never been a wealthy Cathedral so some of the work done in 1962 was done to a very tight budget (for example the casework was altered in a very inexpensive way - and certainly looks like it). We would like to address this.
Later on, in the 1970s, a few stops were altered (mainly the manual Mixtures pitches were raised) and some of these alterations create a problem with blend. We would like to restore these stops to their original style and voicing (fortunately Downes left copious notes, of course, and there are many examples of similar styles and balances for us to make good comparisons, not least at the RFH).
Finally, the organ does have a few weaknesses - chiefly a Fanfare Trumpet which tries (and fails) to be both part of the Great chorus as well as a fanfare/solo reed. The sensible option would be to provide proper balanced chorus reeds and leave the Fanfare Trumpet to do what it does best.
The Pedal organ is very good as far as it goes, but in the longest nave in England it does sound like there is something missing in the tutti combinations, rather like not having timpani in a performance of "The Messiah". The full organ sound can sound as if it isn't really 'grounded'. We believe that a suitably scaled and voiced 32' reed is what is needed. Our advisor (and organ builders) tell us that there is room within the organ to add such a rank without compromise.
Peter Hurford, one of the orginal designers, also thinks these additions would be suitable enhancement of what is still a great organ. Unlike the RFH organ it sings into an acoustically sympathetic building which is partly why it sounds so good.