88-643: The Grand Organ (described by its builder as The Voice of Jupiter ) situated in the Royal Albert Hall in London is the second largest pipe organ in the United Kingdom, after the Liverpool Cathedral Grand Organ . It was originally built by Henry "Father" Willis and most recently rebuilt by Mander Organs . It has 147 stops and, since the 2004 restoration, 9,999 pipes. The original organ
176-578: A Fuzz Factory , a fuzz distortion effect. He has touch-controlled MIDI controllers built into guitars, which control Kaoss Pad effects processors; the Guardian described Bellamy "undoubtedly the Kaoss rock star". Since the early 2000s, Bellamy has worked with Manson Guitar Works , based in Devon, to create his electric guitars. They have released several "M-series" signature models . In 2019, Bellamy purchased
264-473: A colour bar in place at the Hall, preventing black boxers from fighting there, between 1923 and 1932. Greats of British boxing such as Frank Bruno , Prince Naseem Hamed , Henry Cooper and Lennox Lewis have all appeared at the venue. The hall's storied boxing history was halted in 1999 when it lost its licence to hold boxing and wrestling matches after complaints from residents about noise levels. In 2011, after
352-543: A tenor vocal range. Many Muse songs are recognisable by Bellamy's use of vibrato , falsetto , and melismatic phrasing , influenced by the American songwriter Jeff Buckley . Bellamy said he did not believe his high-pitched singing would be suitable for rock music until he heard Buckley's 1994 album Grace . Bellamy's earliest guitar influences were Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix ; he admired their "element of chaos, an element of being slightly out of control". His playing
440-528: A border that follows the oval curve of the building. Between 2002 and 2004, there was a major rebuilding of the great organ (known as the Voice of Jupiter), built by "Father" Henry Willis in 1871 and rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison in 1924 and 1933. The rebuilding was performed by Mander Organs , and it is now the second-largest pipe organ in the British Isles with 9,997 pipes in 147 stops. The largest
528-527: A comfort that maybe human beings somewhere, even if they're evil, are in control, when in fact the truth is far more frightening – there are no humans in control and it's all a bunch of chaos". Bellamy is vaccinated against COVID-19 and supported masking during the COVID-19 pandemic . Bellamy expressed discomfort when the lyrics of Muse's 2009 album The Resistance were adopted by the rightwing Fox News anchor Glenn Beck , and when their song " Uprising "
616-636: A few years the organ was once again the largest in the UK, until in 2007 the distinction passed to the organ in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral (10,268 pipes). The organ was re-opened at a gala concert on the evening of 26 June 2004 with David Briggs , John Scott and Thomas Trotter playing, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Richard Hickox . The organ featured prominently in the 2004 BBC Proms series. The first recordings on
704-424: A four-week period in 2000 using steel supports allowing more space underneath for two new bars; 1,534 unique pivoting seats were laid – with an addition of 180 prime seats. The Choirs were rebuilt at the same time. The whole building was redecorated in a style that reinforces its Victorian identity. 43,000 sq ft (4,000 m ) of new carpets were laid in the rooms, stairs, and corridors – specially woven with
792-478: A landmark. In 1949, the canvas awning was removed and replaced with fluted aluminium panels below the glass roof, in a new attempt to cure the echo; but the acoustics were not properly tackled until 1969 when large fibreglass acoustic diffusing discs (commonly referred to as "mushrooms" or "flying saucers") were installed below the ceiling. In 1968, the Hall hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 which
880-490: A legal battle, the licence to host boxing and wrestling events was restored and boxing events resumed in 2012, taking place regularly until 2021. In 2019 Nicola Adams won the WBO Flyweight title which was the first fight for a world title at the venue since Marco Antonio Barrera took on Paul Lloyd in 1999. One notable event was a Pink Floyd concert held on 26 June 1969, the night they were banned from ever playing at
968-1248: A majority stake in Manson. In 2020, he purchased the Fender Telecaster used by Buckley for Grace. Bellamy used it to record a song with the Jaded Hearts Club, and said he planned to use it when next recording with Muse. As a pianist, Bellamy often uses arpeggios . His compositions often suggest or quote late classical and romantic era composers such as Sergei Rachmaninov (in " Space Dementia " and " Butterflies and Hurricanes "), Camille Saint-Saëns (in "I Belong to You (Mon Coeur S'ouvre À Ta Voix)"), Johann Sebastian Bach (Prelude No. 1 in C in Sunburn intro) and Frédéric Chopin (in " United States of Eurasia "). Bellamy's lyrics incorporate political and dystopian themes. Books that have influenced lyrical themes in his songs include Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell , Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins , Hyperspace by Michio Kaku , The 12th Planet by Zecharia Sitchin and Trance Formation of America by Cathy O'Brien . Bellamy co-wrote
SECTION 10
#17328723662301056-589: A memorial was proposed for Hyde Park, with a Great Hall opposite. The proposal was approved, and the site was purchased with some of the profits from the Exhibition. The Hall was designed by civil engineers Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y. D. Scott of the Royal Engineers and built by Lucas Brothers . The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatres but had also been exposed to
1144-452: A new Café Bar on the ground floor, a new Box Office with shop counters and additional toilets. The design and construction were carried out by contractor 8Build. Upon opening it was renamed 'The Zvi and Ofra Meitar Porch and Foyer.' owing to a large donation from the couple. In Autumn 2013, work began on replacing the Victorian steam heating system over three years and improving cooling across
1232-565: A new south porch, named The Meitar Foyer after a significant donation from Mr & Mrs Meitar. The porch was built on a similar scale and style to the three pre-existing porches at Door 3, 6 and 9: these works were undertaken by Taylor Woodrow Construction. On 4 June 2004, the project received the Europa Nostra Award for remarkable achievement. The East (Door 3) and West (Door 9) porches were glazed and new bars opened along with ramps to improve disabled access. The Stalls were rebuilt in
1320-671: A second period, finally reopening to full capacity in July 2021. On 11 November 2023, before the Festival of Remembrance , King Charles III and Queen Camilla unveiled two bronze statues of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , as part of the Hall's 150th anniversary. The Hall, a Grade I listed building , is an ellipse in plan, with its external major and minor axes of 272 and 236 feet (83 and 72 meters), and its internal minor and major axis of 185 and 219 feet (56 and 67 m). The great glass and wrought-iron dome roofing
1408-448: A series of events at other venues across the United Kingdom. In 2009, the total number of concerts reached 100 for the first time. Jiří Bělohlávek described The Proms as "the world's largest and most democratic musical festival" of all such events in the world of classical music festivals. Proms (short for promenade concerts ) is a term which arose from the original practice of the audience promenading, or strolling, in some areas during
1496-405: A track, "Autumn '68", features band member Richard Wright playing the organ in 1969. The recording was made on the afternoon before a Pink Floyd concert at the hall. "Rick asked could he have a go on this great big pipe organ that was built in. So we set him up, set up a couple of mics up and recorded him playing, just jamming away on his own", fellow band member David Gilmour later recalled. In
1584-513: A venue he dubbed a 'helluva hall'), and Eric Clapton (who has played the venue over 200 times), among others, who were viewed as "key players" in the building's history. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , restrictions meant the Hall was closed in March 2020 for the first time since the Second World War. During winter 2020 it reopened for three socially distanced performances but was then closed for
1672-725: Is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington , London , England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage. It is the venue for the BBC Proms concerts, which have been held there every summer since 1941. It is host to more than 390 shows in the main auditorium annually, including classical, rock and pop concerts, ballet, opera, film screenings with live orchestral accompaniment, sports, awards ceremonies, school and community events, and charity performances and banquets. A further 400 events are held each year in
1760-437: Is also influenced by Latin and Spanish guitar music, which "opened up a world of different harmonies and making music and a different sort of passion". He described Spanish guitar music as "very heavy music" that does not use a distortion pedal. As a guitarist, Bellamy often uses the arpeggiator and pitch-shift effects to create a more "electronic" sound, citing Hendrix and Tom Morello as influences. Bellamy often uses
1848-875: Is an English singer, songwriter and producer. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and lyricist for the English rock band Muse . He is recognised for his eccentric stage persona, wide tenor vocal range and musicianship. Bellamy has released solo compositions, and released a compilation of his solo tracks, Cryosleep , in 2021. He plays bass in the supergroup the Jaded Hearts Club , and produced their debut album, You've Always Been Here (2020). With Muse, Bellamy has won two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album , for The Resistance (2009) and Drones (2015); two Brit Awards for Best British Live Act; five MTV Europe Music Awards ; and eight NME Awards . Muse have sold over 30 million albums worldwide. In 2012, they received
SECTION 20
#17328723662301936-624: Is the Grand Organ in Liverpool Cathedral which has 10,268 pipes. During the first half of 2011, changes were made to the backstage areas to relocate and increase the size of crew catering areas under the South Steps away from the stage and create additional dressing rooms nearer to the stage. From January to May 2013, the Box Office area at Door 12 underwent further modernisation to include
2024-659: The Central Hall of Arts and Sciences , but the name was changed to the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences by Queen Victoria upon laying the Hall's foundation stone in 1867, in memory of her husband, Prince Albert , who had died six years earlier. It forms the practical part of a memorial to the Prince Consort; the decorative part is the Albert Memorial directly to the north in Kensington Gardens , now separated from
2112-647: The Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors . Matthew James Bellamy was born on 9 June 1978 in Cambridge , Cambridgeshire. He has an older brother named Paul. His father, George Bellamy, was the rhythm guitarist of the 1960s pop group the Tornados , whose 1962 single " Telstar " was the first US number one by an English band. His mother, Marilyn,
2200-577: The Queen's Hall in an air raid , the Hall was chosen as the new venue for the Proms. In 1944 with increased danger to the Hall, part of the Proms season was held in the Bedford Corn Exchange . Following the end of World War II the Proms continued being held in the Hall and have done so annually every summer since. The event was founded in 1895, and now each season consists of over 70 concerts, in addition to
2288-580: The 'Einstein Meeting' at the hall for the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics, a British charity. In 1936, the Hall was the scene of a giant rally celebrating the British Empire on the occasion of the centenary of Joseph Chamberlain 's birth. In October 1942, the Hall suffered minor damage during World War II bombing, but in general was left mostly untouched as German pilots used the distinctive structure as
2376-519: The 13th-greatest riff. In 2008, Gigwise named Bellamy the 19th-greatest guitarist ever. In April 2005, Kerrang! named Bellamy the 28th-sexiest person in rock. Cosmopolitan also chose him as the sexiest rocker of 2003 and 2004. NME named him the 14th-greatest "rock 'n' roll hero", ahead of John Lennon and Bob Dylan . Bellamy also won the Sexiest Male Award at the 2007 NME Awards . He won again in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and
2464-452: The 1970s, Harrisons refurbished the console and replaced the switchgear in the action, made minor changes to the voicing and added a roof in an unsuccessful attempt to project the sound forward. Composer Wendy Carlos featured the organ during the closing title sequence of the 1982 Disney science fiction film Tron , performed by organist Martin Neary . By the end of the 20th century, the organ
2552-501: The 9th greatest lead singer of all time. In 2010, a BBC Radio 6 survey named Bellamy the third-best guitarist of the last 30 years. Bellamy describes himself as a " left-leaning libertarian " and "in the realm of" Noam Chomsky . He supports the abolition of the British monarchy , the abolition of the House of Lords , decentralised government, decarbonisation , land value tax and limits on
2640-419: The British composer Ilan Eshkeri , Bellamy wrote the score for a 2024 audiobook adaptation of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four for Audible . The score was performed by a 60-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios . The Guardian said the score "brims with melodrama and menace". In 2017, Bellamy cofounded a supergroup , the Jaded Hearts Club, to perform covers of Beatles songs. The other members include
2728-619: The Hall again after shooting cannons, nailing things to the stage, and having a man in a gorilla suit roam the audience. At one point, Rick Wright went to the pipe organ and began to play "The End of the Beginning", the final part of "Saucerful of Secrets", joined by the brass section of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (led by the conductor, Norman Smith) and the ladies of the Ealing Central Amateur Choir. A portion of
Royal Albert Hall Organ - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-601: The Hall by Kensington Gore . In 1851 the Great Exhibition , organised by Prince Albert, the Prince Consort , was held in Hyde Park , London. The Exhibition was a success and led Prince Albert to propose the creation of a group of permanent facilities for the public benefit, which came to be known as Albertopolis . The Exhibition's Royal Commission bought Gore House , but it was slow to act, and in 1861 Prince Albert died without having seen his ideas come to fruition. However,
2904-430: The Hall contained a special system by which thousands of gas jets were lit within ten seconds. Though it was demonstrated as early as 1873 in the Hall, full electric lighting was not installed until 1888. During an early trial when a partial installation was made, one disgruntled patron wrote to The Times , declaring it to be "a very ghastly and unpleasant innovation". In May 1877, Richard Wagner himself conducted
2992-527: The Hall hosted the 100th-anniversary performance of the Royal Variety Performance , attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , with boy-band One Direction among the performers. The Royal Variety Performance has since returned to the Hall in 2015 and every year since 2021. In 2017 the Hall hosted the 70th British Academy Film Awards , often referred to as the BAFTAs , for
3080-490: The Hall hosted the annual National Television Awards all of which were hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald , and the Classic Brit Awards were hosted annually at the Hall from 2000 to 2013, and again in 2018. The Institute of Directors ' Annual Convention was synonymous with the Hall for over 50 years, taking place most years between 1961 and 2016. The Royal Choral Society is the longest-running regular performance at
3168-468: The Hall is 135 ft (41 m) high. The Hall was originally designed with a capacity for 8,000 people and has accommodated as many as 12,000 (although present-day safety restrictions mean the maximum permitted capacity is now 5,272 including standing in the Gallery). Around the outside of the building is 800-foot–long terracotta mosaic frieze, depicting "The Triumph of Arts and Sciences", in reference to
3256-557: The Hall on 4 August 1874, after large quantities of cask wine were found in the cellars. A series of lunches were held to publicise the wines, and General Henry Scott proposed a co-operative company to buy and sell wines. In 1906, Elsie Fogerty founded the Central School of Speech and Drama at the Hall, using its West Theatre, now the Elgar Room, as the school's theatre. The school moved to Swiss Cottage in north London in 1957. Whilst
3344-511: The Hall staged the 25th-anniversary performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber 's The Phantom of the Opera , which was broadcast live to cinemas across the world and filmed for DVD . Lloyd Webber, the original London cast including Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford , and four previous actors of the titular character, among others, were in attendance – Brightman and the previous Phantoms (aside from Crawford) performed an encore. On 19 November 2012,
3432-491: The Hall was that it reminded her of the British constitution ". The composer, organist, and choir conductor William Carter founded and directed a choir specifically for the opening of Royal Albert Hall. In the concert that followed, the Hall's acoustic problems immediately became apparent. Engineers first tried to remove the strong echo by suspending a canvas awning below the dome. This helped and also sheltered concert-goers from
3520-427: The Hall's dedication. Proceeding counter-clockwise from the north side the sixteen subjects of the frieze are: Above the frieze is an inscription in 12-inch-high (30 cm) terracotta letters that combine historical fact and Biblical quotations: This hall was erected for the advancement of the arts and sciences and works of industry of all nations in fulfilment of the intention of Albert Prince Consort. The site
3608-482: The Hall, having given its first performance as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society on 8 May 1872. From 1876, it established the annual Good Friday performance of Handel's Messiah . The BBC Sir Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, known as " The Proms ", is a popular annual eight-week summer season of daily classical music concerts and other events at the Hall. In 1941, following the destruction of
Royal Albert Hall Organ - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-447: The Hall, whilst since the early 1970s promoter Raymond Gubbay has brought a range of events to the Hall including opera, ballet and classical music. Some events include classical and rock concerts, conferences, banquets, ballroom dancing, poetry recitals, educational talks, motor shows, ballet, opera, film screenings and circus shows. It has hosted many sporting events, including boxing, squash, table tennis, basketball, wrestling including
3784-607: The People ", and " Kill or Be Killed ". Muse have won numerous awards , including two Grammy Awards , winning the Grammys for Best Rock Album for The Resistance and Drones , two Brit Awards , winning Best British Live Act twice, five MTV Europe Music Awards and eight NME Awards . In 2012, the band received the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors . Muse have sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Bellamy has
3872-583: The Queen visited a few weeks beforehand to inspect. The official opening ceremony of the Hall was on 29 March 1871. This had originally been scheduled for 1 May, the twentieth anniversary of the opening of the Great Exhibition, but was brought forward at the request of Queen Victoria. A welcoming speech was given by Edward, the Prince of Wales because the Queen was too overcome to speak; "her only recorded comment on
3960-474: The RAH: Saltimbanco (1996, 1997 and 2003), Alegría (1998, 1999, 2006 and 2007), Dralion (2004 and 2005), Varekai (2008 and 2010), Quidam (2009 and 2014), Totem (2011, 2012 and 2019), Koozå (2013 and 2015), Amaluna (2016 and 2017), OVO (2018), Luzia (2020 and 2022), Kurios (2023), Alegría: In a New Light (2024) and Corteo (2025). Alegria's 2024 return was a revamped and updated version of
4048-527: The Throne , a 2019 compilation album of music inspired by the TV series Game of Thrones . In May 2020, Bellamy released his second solo composition, "Tomorrow's World", inspired by life under lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic . In June, he released an acoustic version of the 1999 Muse song " Unintended ". Bellamy released a compilation of his solo work, Cryosleep , on 16 July 2021 for Record Store Day . With
4136-474: The actions was also failing. In 2002, the organ was taken out of commission for an extensive rebuild by Mander Organs . Some consideration was given to restoring the organ to its original Willis specification, but the subsequent alterations and enlargements had made this impractical and it was felt that it should remain essentially as-is. The dryness of the Hall had damaged the soundboards, so these were replaced and new and larger wind trunks provided. The roof
4224-477: The architecture and engineering firm BDP without disrupting events. These projects included improved ventilation to the auditorium, more bars and restaurants, improved seating, better technical facilities, and improved backstage areas. Internally, the Circle seating was rebuilt during June 1996 to provide more legroom, better access, and improved sightlines. The largest project of the ongoing renovation and development
4312-461: The building. This work followed the summer Proms season during which temperatures were unusually high. Further heatwaves led to a rebuild of the Rausing Circle level in 2021 with air-cooling ventilation installed, significantly decreasing heat there during hot weather. In 2017 work began on a two-story 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m ) basement extension for use as backstage and archival space to
4400-443: The concert. Proms concert-goers, particularly those who stand, are sometimes described as "Promenaders", but are most commonly referred to as "Prommers". Cirque du Soleil has performed annually, with a show being staged at the start of most years since 1996. Cirque has had to adapt many of their touring shows to perform at the venue, modifying the set, usually built for arenas or big top tents instead. The following shows have played
4488-510: The earth is Thine. The wise and their works are in the hand of God. Glory be to God on high and on earth peace. Below the Arena floor there is room for two 4,000 gallon water tanks, which are used for shows that flood the arena like Madame Butterfly . The Hall has been affectionately titled "The Nation's Village Hall". The first concert was Arthur Sullivan 's cantata On Shore and Sea , performed on 1 May 1871. Many events are promoted by
SECTION 50
#17328723662304576-549: The end credits for the 2009 film The International . He wrote the song "Soaked", which appears on Adam Lambert 's debut album, For Your Entertainment (2009). Bellamy appears as a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero 5 , along with the Muse song " Plug In Baby ". He contributed to the second album by the New Zealand artist Kimbra , The Golden Echo (2014). Bellamy composed his first solo release, "Pray", for For
4664-563: The first sumo wrestling tournament to be held in London as well as UFC 38 (the first UFC event to be held in the UK), tennis, and even a marathon. Tennis was first played at the Hall in March 1970, and the ATP Champions Tour Masters was played annually from 1997 to 2021. The hall first hosted boxing in 1918, when it hosted a tournament between British and American servicemen. There was
4752-544: The first band to sell out the newly built Wembley Stadium in London. Muse released their debut album, Showbiz , in 1999, showcasing Bellamy's falsetto and a melancholic alternative rock style. Their second album, Origin of Symmetry (2001), expanded their sound, incorporating wider instrumentation and romantic classical influences, and earned them a reputation for energetic live performances. Absolution (2003) saw further classical influence, with orchestra on tracks such as " Butterflies and Hurricanes ", and became
4840-467: The first half of each of the eight concerts which made up the Grand Wagner Festival. After his turn with the baton, he handed it over to conductor Hans Richter and sat in a large armchair on the corner of the stage for the rest of each concert. Wagner's wife Cosima , the daughter of Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer Franz Liszt , was among the audience. The Wine Society was founded at
4928-569: The first music DVD to surpass sales of one million in the USA since Eagles ' Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne in 2005 ( Garth Brooks ' The Ultimate Hits sold one million copies in 2007, but was a CD/DVD combination). The live version of " Set Fire to the Rain " taken from her performance won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013. On 2 October 2011,
5016-444: The first of seven consecutive UK number-one albums . Black Holes and Revelations (2006) incorporated electronic and pop elements, influenced by 1980s groups such as Depeche Mode , displayed in singles such as " Supermassive Black Hole ". The album brought Muse wider international success. The Resistance (2009) and The 2nd Law (2012) explored themes of government oppression and civil uprising and cemented Muse as one of
5104-685: The first time in 20 years, replacing the Royal Opera House at which the event had been held since 2008. The BAFTAs were held regularly at the venue until moving to the Royal Festival Hall in 2023. The Olivier Awards also moved to the Albert Hall in 2017 and remain there as of 2024. Former regular events include Classical Spectacular , a Raymond Gubbay production, which performed at the Hall from 1989 to 2022. It combined popular classical music, lights and special effects. Between 1996 and 2008,
5192-626: The former home of the tennis player Pete Sampras , a 6,900-square-foot (640 m ) estate in Brentwood , Los Angeles, for $ 6.9 million. In February 2015, Bellamy began dating the American model Elle Evans . They announced their engagement in December 2017 and married on 10 August 2019. Their daughter, Lovella, was born in June 2020. Evans gave birth to their second child, George, in May 2024. As of 2022, Bellamy
5280-640: The future, it does give you genuine hope that a lot of the biggest issues we're facing could be solved." Earlier in his career, Bellamy expressed interest in conspiracy theories , including the theory that the 9/11 attacks were an "inside job" . He disowned conspiracy theories in later years, saying they had been "hijacked" by rightwing politics, and that he had "become far more rational and empirical and I've managed to focus on slightly more realistic, tangible things". In 2022, he described conspiracy theories as quackery , saying they were attractive because they were distractions from pressing issues and that "there's
5368-536: The ideas of Gottfried Semper while he was working at the South Kensington Museum . The recently opened Cirque d'Hiver in Paris was seen in the contemporary press as the design to outdo. The Hall was constructed mainly of Fareham Red brick, with terra cotta block decoration made by Gibbs and Canning of Tamworth . The dome (designed by Rowland Mason Ordish ) was made of wrought iron and glazed. There
SECTION 60
#17328723662305456-461: The kind of music that ended up becoming Muse over the course of decades in terms of the evolution of rock, going back to where it first started." The band's repertoire grew to include songs by other acts. The Jaded Hearts Club released an album, You've Always Been Here , in 2020, produced by Bellamy. In 2004, Total Guitar readers voted Bellamy the 29th-greatest guitarist and his " Plug in Baby " riff
5544-568: The newly rebuilt instrument were by Dame Gillian Weir . The instrument has been used by progressive rock band Muse when playing Megalomania , originally recorded on another Willis organ, at the church of Saint Mary in Bathwick . During a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall on the 12 April 2008, Muse's frontman, Matt Bellamy , had commented that "since we're here, it would be rude not to play this beast". Organist Anna Lapwood played
5632-429: The non-auditorium spaces. Over its 153-year history, the hall has hosted people from various fields, including meetings held by suffragettes , speeches from Winston Churchill , Charles de Gaulle , and Albert Einstein , fights by Lennox Lewis , exhibition bouts by Muhammad Ali , and concerts from regular performers at the venue such as Eric Clapton and Shirley Bassey . The hall was originally to have been called
5720-408: The organ during live performances by Bonobo and Aurora and a show by the Ministry of Sound . In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdowns , the organ was sampled by a recording team led by film composer James Everingham. Microphones were placed around the auditorium, including a binaural microphone placed inside the royal box. These recordings were then edited and developed such that composers can play
5808-447: The original, titled Alegria: In a New Light . Classic FM hold a popular concert twice a year with a regularly changing lineup. The concert in September 2013 had to be cancelled due to a fire alert in the Hall's basement leading to an evacuation of the building The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance is held annually the day before Remembrance Sunday . Matt Bellamy Matthew James Bellamy (born 9 June 1978)
5896-421: The pipe organ recording is included on Pink Floyd's album The Endless River . In 1983, Siouxsie and the Banshees performed two sold out concerts at the hall at the time their line up featured the Cure 's guitarist Robert Smith . The shows were recorded and filmed for the live album and DVD Nocturne . On 22 September 2011, Adele performed a one-night-only concert as part of her tour . The concert
5984-430: The pre-registered organ as a virtual instrument within a digital audio workstation , using the Native Instruments Kontakt platform. Royal Albert Hall Organ was publicly released on 5 April 2022. Reed stops are in boldface. 51°30′2.59″N 0°10′38.53″W / 51.5007194°N 0.1773694°W / 51.5007194; -0.1773694 Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall
6072-491: The school was based at the Royal Albert Hall, students who graduated from its classes included Judi Dench , Vanessa Redgrave , Lynn Redgrave , Harold Pinter , Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft . In 1911, Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff performed as a part of the London Ballad Concert. The recital included his ' Prelude in C-sharp minor ' and 'Elegie in E-flat minor' (both from Morceaux de Fantaisie ). In 1933, German physicist Albert Einstein led
6160-411: The school's "Battle of the Bands" which led them to take the band more seriously, and changed their name to Muse. Muse have gone on to worldwide success. Muse blends alternative , art rock , experimental rock , progressive rock , classical music, electronica and many other styles. The band is also well known for its energetic and visually dazzling live performances. On 16–17 June 2007, Muse became
6248-413: The singer Miles Kane , the Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin , and the drummer Sean Payne. Bellamy plays bass; he said, "It's nice being the lukewarm water in the background rather than have to be up the front there." He said of the covers: "Obviously, I know the Beatles, but I couldn't name a lot of their album tracks. It was such a different area of music to explore for me ... the development of where
6336-494: The size of corporations. In 2022, Bellamy used the term "meta-centrism" to describe his political views, calling it "an oscillation between liberal , libertarian values for individuals ... but then more socialist on things like land ownership, nature and energy distribution". He invests in startups in Silicon Valley focusing on clean energy . He said: "That has given me optimism. When you hear their ideas and their vision for
6424-585: The south-west quadrant of the building. The project is nicknamed the "Great Excavation", in reference to the Great Exhibition of 1851. A new archive space opened in the extension on 12 October 2023. In 2018 a Walk of Fame was unveiled at the Hall, with the first eleven recipients of a star including the Suffragettes (who held meetings at the Hall), Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein (both of whom delivered speeches here), Muhammad Ali (who had exhibition events at
6512-433: The sun, but the problem was not solved: it used to be jokingly said the Hall was "the only place where a British composer could be sure of hearing his work twice". In July 1871, French organist Camille Saint-Saëns performed Church Scene from Faust by Charles Gounod ; The Orchestra described his performance as "an exceptional and distinguished performer ... the effect was most marvellous." Initially lit by gas ,
6600-418: The world's major stadium acts. Their seventh album, Drones (2015), was a concept album about drone warfare and returned to a harder rock sound. Their eighth album, Simulation Theory (2018), featuring a retro 1980s style, was released on 9 November 2018. Their ninth album, Will of The People , was released on 26 August 2022, preceded by the singles, " Won't Stand Down ", " Compliance ", " Will of
6688-498: Was a trial assembly of the dome's iron framework in Manchester ; then it was taken apart again and transported to London by horse and cart. When the time came for the supporting structure to be removed from the dome after reassembly in situ , only volunteers remained on site in case the structure collapsed. It did drop – but only by five-sixteenths of an inch (7.9 mm). The Hall was scheduled to be completed by Christmas Day 1870, and
6776-427: Was again in a state of disrepair, with a number of stops unusable due to leaks in the wind system, cracks in the soundboards, and other problems. By 2002, it was maintained only through "heroic efforts" on the part of Harrisons and could not be used at all without their staff present, in case of mishap. The wind chests and pipes were leaking noisily and wind pressure was insufficient to support full use. The leatherwork in
6864-515: Was born in Belfast and moved to England in the 1970s. On her first day in England, she met Bellamy's father, who was working as a taxi driver in London at the time. The couple moved to Cambridge and in the mid-1980s to Teignmouth , Devon. After his parents divorced, Bellamy lived with his mother and brother. He started playing the piano at the age of six and guitar when he was 11. His first musical performance
6952-582: Was broadcast on television live in colour for the first time, and from 1969 to 1988 the Miss World contest was staged in the venue. From 1996 until 2004, the Hall underwent a programme of renovation and development supported by a £20 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £20m from Arts Council England to enable it to meet the demands of the next century of events and performances. Thirty "discreet projects" were designed and supervised by
7040-517: Was built by Henry Willis & Sons in 1871. It had four manuals and 111 stops and at that time it was the largest in the world. The Durham firm of Harrison & Harrison rebuilt the organ in two stages in 1924 and 1933. The organ was extended to 146 stops (including three percussion stops) and converted to electro-pneumatic action . It was still the largest organ in Britain at that time. The 2014 Pink Floyd album The Endless River , includes
7128-478: Was filmed for DVD and screened at cinemas in 26 cities around the world. Her performance debuted at number one in the United States with 96,000 copies sold, the highest one-week tally for a music DVD in four years. After one week, it became the best-selling music DVD of 2011. As of 28 November 2012, it had surpassed sales of one million copies in the United States and sales of three million copies worldwide and makes
7216-430: Was in June 1991, aged 12, playing piano in front of his school at Teignmouth Community School . At Teignmouth Community School , Devon, Bellamy played in a number of bands, including Carnage Mayhem and Gothic Plague with drummer Dominic Howard . When members of Gothic Plague left because of other interests, Bellamy and Howard asked bassist Chris Wolstenholme to join. In 1994, using the name Rocket Baby Dolls, they won
7304-642: Was named "Guitarist of the Decade" and was proclaimed to be "the Hendrix of his generation". In the Guinness Book of World Records 2010 , Bellamy is credited as holding the world record for most guitars smashed on a tour . His record, 140, was set during the Absolution Tour. In April 2010, Bellamy was named the eighth best front man of all time by the readers of Q . In December 2010, MusicRadar readers voted Bellamy
7392-578: Was nominated in 2012. Bellamy, however, declared himself "too short to be sexy" (he is 5' 7"), and said the award should have gone to Dominic Howard , Muse's drummer. Bellamy also won the "Hero of the Year" award at the 2012 NME Awards. On 26 September 2008, the University of Plymouth awarded the members of Muse an honorary doctorate degree for their work in music. In the January 2010 edition of Total Guitar , Bellamy
7480-459: Was purchased with the proceeds of the Great Exhibition of the year MDCCCLI . The first stone of the Hall was laid by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the twentieth day of May MDCCCLXVII and it was opened by Her Majesty the Twenty Ninth of March in the year MDCCCLXXI . Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. For all that is in the heaven and in
7568-515: Was removed, and the reed stops in the Great division were restored to their 1924 wind pressures. The 1970s split of the Great Organ (allowing two independent Great Organs to be registered and played simultaneously on different manuals) was rationalised, effectively offering separate Willis and Harrison choruses; also a Fourniture IV was added, bringing the total to 147 stops and 9,997 speaking pipes. For
7656-469: Was the building of a new south porch – door 12, accommodating a first-floor restaurant, new ground floor box office and subterranean loading bay. Although the exterior of the building was largely unchanged, the south steps leading down to Prince Consort Road were demolished to allow construction of underground vehicle access and a loading bay with accommodation for three HGVs carrying all the equipment brought by shows. The steps were then reconstructed around
7744-520: Was used in YouTube videos advocating for conspiracy theories. Muse refused requests from American politicians to use "Uprising" in their rallies. Bellamy began dating the American actress Kate Hudson in mid-2010. They became engaged in April 2011. Their son, Bingham, was born in July 2011. In December 2014, Bellamy and Hudson announced that they had ended their engagement. In February 2017, Bellamy bought
#229770