In the last 40 years, the revival of interest in organ case design has almost equalled the glorious flourishing of the art in the late seventeenth century. This recent development in which the battle between Modernism and Tradition remains quite unresolved is fully assessed in John Norman’s comprehensive historical survey. Lavishly illustrated, the volume features 250 photographs and line drawings, in colour and black and white.

As probably the largest piece of furniture in a building, any organ case has an architectural dimension, and its design remains a living and very public art form. For this reason, The Box of Whistles serves not only to entertain but also to inform and animate open discussion.