Barossa community restores 20-tonne pipe organ to former glory
After almost a quarter of a century of trial and error, one of the most dramatic organ transplants has taken place in the Barossa Valley.
A Hill and Son grand pipe organ will this weekend make its debut in the Tanunda Soldiers' Memorial Hall.
"It is wonderful she has been able to regain her rightful place in South Australia as an instrument of prestige," said Secretary of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia Steve Kaesler (OHTA).
"She is an instrument that really has a personality of its own."
The instrument came to Australia from England in 1875 and two years later was installed in Adelaide Town Hall.
At the time Melbourne was the only other town hall in the country with a similar pipe organ.
The instrument was painted white in keeping with fashion in the 1930s. In 1970 it was given a major overhaul in an attempt to modernise it.
The work did not improve the instrument and by 1990 it was considered to be in such a poor state that the council replaced it.
That was when Steve Kaesler and the OHTA asked to have the remains of the original organ and began the task of restoring it to its original glory.
Original design drawings and old photos used for restoration
Restoration work began with master organ builder George Stephens testing the 2,260 pipes.
Once they had been modified, repaired or replaced, volunteers rebuilt the case, bellows and structure that housed them.
Without any original design drawings, they relied on old photos and information from the Goulburn Cathedral in New South Wales where a similar organ is housed.
Every Saturday for more than 20 years, volunteers have gathered to restore and rebuild the organ.
Each original piece was stripped and cleaned and new pieces manufactured.
The restored organ weighs 20 tonnes and stands 10 metres tall.
"It represents the pinnacle of the industrialised age of the 1800s, and it's a work of art as well as a musical masterpiece," Mr Kaesler said.
The community raised about $400,000 to pay for professional work and estimated another $600,000 was supplied in-kind by donations from the community.
"It was like an enormous jigsaw," said benefactor Margaret Lehmann.
"They were told it couldn't be done and what I really like is that they took no notice of that and just kept putting one foot in front of the other."
Having been restored as a community effort, the committee believes the instrument belongs to the Barossa Valley where music is as much a part of its heritage as food and wine.
"It is not under glass, it is for everyone and especially we hope young people will be inspired," Mrs Lehmann said.
A series of concerts this weekend will mark the next stage in the musical career of the grand old instrument.
To see the story of the restoration of the Hill & Son Organ and watch it played, watch 7.30 SA on Friday on the ABC.*
