Town hall organ tries its pipes

JASON OXENHAM

FORMER GLORY: Auckland Town Hall Organ Trust chairman Stephen Hamilton, left, and Auckland mayor John Banks discuss the newly refurbished organ.

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Auckland's musical splendour will hit the high notes this Sunday to celebrate the major refurbishment of the town hall's organ.

The 40-tonne instrument was recently shipped to Germany to be restored by organ specialists Orgelbau Klais.

A special civic inauguration will showcase the intricate work that took two years to achieve.

The organ, complete with 5291 pipes, was altered in the 1970s, and lost its grand romantic style and power.

Concerns about the less-than-optimal sound prompted a $3.5 million restoration in 2007.

Auckland Town Hall Organ Trust chairman Stephen Hamilton says the organ has made a lasting impression on many people over the years.

The trust is working to raise $500,000 for the work to complement the Auckland City Council's $3m contribution and earlier this week handed over $300,000 to the council.

Mr Hamilton says the largest organ pipes, which stretch nearly 10 metres high, weren't shipped to Germany, but everything else was.

It is a third bigger than any other organ in the country and its wooden features are made from spruce, oak, pear, birch and kauri trees.

The historic instrument was first installed in 1911 for the opening of the town hall and was donated by former mayor Henry Brett, who stipulated there must always be free concerts.

Mayor John Banks says the restoration is a tribute to everything great about Edwardian buildings.

"It's a celebration of everything, especially musical Auckland and its heritage."

He says the restored organ is more than a replica of the original because it is now a 21st-century instrument in the tradition of the finest concert hall organs and combines the best of old and new technology.

"My thanks and praise to the unrelenting toil and tenacity," he says of the trust and the German firm that restored it.

"They have delivered at every step."

Mr Banks says the organ should have been refurbished during the 1997 town hall restoration.

"But as always we ran out of cash."

Sunday kicks off a week of organ events, including two organ concerto concerts on March 25 and 27.

This Sunday's free concert is already fully booked, but another free non-ticketed event is being held at 2.30pm on March 28. Go online to aucklandorgan.org.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News