Conference Program
Organ details (eg. 2/25) refer to manuals/speaking stops. “Electric” refers to either electro-pneumatic or electro-magnetic actions..
2005 OHTA CONFERENCE BOOK
Copies of the 148-page conference book (from which the information linked to this program has been taken) are available at a cost of $17.50 (inclusive of postage and packing within Australia) from OHTA, GPO Box 676, Sydney, NSW 2001; cheques payable to Organ Historical Trust of Australia. The book includes historical and technical details of the organs visited, many accompanied by line drawings from Graeme Rushworth, together with the programmes of the various recitals and events. A mine of information on NSW organs..
Any enquiries can be directed to Kelvin Hastie
Website photographs supplied by François Lipinski (Paris), Adrian Chong (Singapore), Pastor de Lasala and Mark Quarmby (Sydney) © 2005
Notes on the organs were supplied by Dr Kelvin Hastie and Pastor de Lasala and are © OHTA 2005.
Friday 30 September
1.10 pm ST ANDREW’S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL SYDNEY
Hill & Son 1866, William Davidson 1899, Hill Norman & Beard 1952, Orgues Létourneau 1998 (4/53 mechanical & electric)
Pre-conference recital by Heather Moen-Boyd (not sponsored by OHTA).
Saturday 1 October
9.00 am ST MARY’S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, College Street
CRYPT (REGISTRATION)
Bellsham Organs, Perth, 1986 (2/9 mechanical)
9.30 am ST MARY’S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, College St
Orgues Létourneau 2000 (4/46 mechanical & electric),
Ronald Sharp 1960 (2/26 electric) and Whitehouse Bros. 1942 (2/27 electric)
The organs will be demonstrated by pupils of the Cathedral Organist,
Peter Kneeshaw:
Michael Butterfield (St Mary's Cathedral College)
Gershom Dacoco (St Mary's Cathedral College)
Jonathan Chan (St Aloysius)
10.40 am Walk along College Street to Grammar School (10 minutes)
10.50 am SYDNEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, cnr College and Stanley Streets
Morning Tea
11.10 am Demonstration of Mander 2004 (2/20 mechanical)
The organ will be played by Grammar pupils of Robert Wagner:
Tim Durack, Henry Lee, Fraser Brown, Sam Allchurch, Harrison Jones and Sam Payne.
11.45 am Walk to Sydney Town Hall (15 minutes)
12.00 noon SYDNEY TOWN HALL, cnr George and Druitt Streets
Hill & Son 1886-89 (5/127 tubular-pneumatic/Barker lever).
Official Opening of Conference by the Lord Mayor of Sydney,
Ald. Clover Moore
Organ recital by Robert Ampt
(Sydney City Organist and OHTA Patron)
1.00 pm LUNCH (own arrangements).
2.10 pm PITT STREET UNITING (Congregational) CHURCH, 264 Pitt Street
Hill & Son 1910 (3/31 tubular pneumatic)
The organ will be demonstrated by Mark Quarmby (St Andrew’s Cathedral) and Huw Belling (Sydney Conservatorium)
3.00 pm Pitt Street Uniting Church. OHTA Annual General Meeting
3.45 pm Break in program for 30 minutes
4.30 pm Depart Town Hall station Platform 3 for train to Milsons Point.
(Trains at 5-10 minute intervals) Return ticket - $4.40 Adult, $2.20 Concession
4.45 pm Walk from Milsons Point to St Aloysius College, 47 Upper Pitt St
(10 minutes)
5.00 pm ST ALOYSIUS’ CATHOLIC COLLEGE, MILSONS POINT,
47 Upper Pitt Street, Milsons Point
Social gathering in staffroom, with sunset views to city/harbour
5.30 pm Speaker: Hugh Mackay. Topic: “What kind of society are we becoming?”
6.30 pm Dinner
7.15 pm ST ALOYSIUS’ COLLEGE, MILSONS POINT. CHAPEL.
Orgues Létourneau 1989, installed 2002 ex Edmonton, Canada
(2/20 mechanical)
Organ recital by James Goldrick, James Scott and James Dixon
8.00 pm Depart College for city. Later trains every 10 minutes or so.
Remainder of evening free.
Sunday 2 October
Morning free Registrants may choose to attend a church service in the city and then make their own way to Parramatta for the afternoon program, or go to Parramatta first. Transport options below.
Sunday Morning Church Services in the City area
| Anglican
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| St Andrew’s Cathedral
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8.30 am
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Morning Prayer (BCP)
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| cnr Bathurst and
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10.30 am
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Morning Prayer (Cathedral Singers)
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| George Streets
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| St James’, King St
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7.45 am
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Eucharist
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| Queen Square
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9.00 am
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Sung Eucharist
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11.00 am
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Choral Eucharist
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| Christ Church St Laurence
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7.30 am
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Said Mass
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| George St, Railway Square
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9.00 am
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Sung Mass
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10.30 am
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Choral Mass
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| St Philip’s, Church Hill
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8.00 am
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Holy Communion (BCP)
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| cnr York, Jamison and
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10.00 am
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Holy Communion (BCP)
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| Clarence Streets
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| Catholic
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| St Mary’s Cathedral
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7.00 am
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Mass
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| College St
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9.00 am
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Mass
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10.30 am
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Solemn Sung Mass
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| St Patrick’s, Church Hill
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7.00 am
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Mass every hour on the hour
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| cnr Grosvenor and
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| Gloucester Streets
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| St Peter Julian
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9.30 am
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Mass
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| (Blessed Sacrament)
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11.30am
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Mass
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| 641 George St, Haymarket
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| Uniting Church
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| St Stephen’s
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10.00 am
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Morning Service
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| 197 Macquarie St
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| Pitt Street Uniting
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10.00 am
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Eucharist
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| 264 Pitt St
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| Wesley Centre
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10.30 am
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Morning Worship
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| 220 Pitt St
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| Lutheran
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| St Paul’s
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10.30 am
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(organ not always used)
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| 3 Stanley Street
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| German Lutheran
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11.00 am
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Gottesdienst auf Deutsch
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| 90 Goulburn St
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| Baptist
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| Central Baptist
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11.00 am
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Morning Worship
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| 619 George Street
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| Presbyterian
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| St Peter’s, North Sydney
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10.00 am
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Morning Service
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| cnr Blue’s Point Rd,
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| William and Blue St
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| Church services in the Parramatta area
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| Anglican
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| St John’s Pro-Cathedral
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8.00 am
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AAPB Holy Communion
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| Church St
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9.30 am
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Contemporary Family Service
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11.00 am
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BCP or AAPB Morning Prayer
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| All Saints’,
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8.00 am
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BCP Holy Communion
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| North Parramatta
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10.00 am
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Family Service
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| cnr Elisabeth St and
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| Victoria Rd
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| Catholic
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| St Patrick’s Cathedral
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8.00 am
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Mass
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| cnr Marsden St and
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9.30 am
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Mass
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| Victoria Rd
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11.00 am
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Mass
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| Uniting Church
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| Leigh Memorial Church
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9.45am
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Morning Service
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| 119 Macquarie St
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11.00 am RiverCat departs from Wharf 5 at Circular Quay (other ones are at 8.00, 9.00, 10.00 am, 12 noon and 1.00 pm) – some registrants may wish to go later - if leaving at 1.00 pm, lunch should be purchased in Sydney). 50 minutes travel time. Train to Circular Quay: $2.20 Adult, $1.10 Concession.
RiverCat: $7.40 Adult, $3.70 Concession.
Trains leave the city regularly (about every 15 minutes) for Parramatta Station (close to St John’s Cathedral) taking about 30 minutes depending on the number of stops and any weekend track maintenance which may be scheduled for today. Single ticket $4.40 Adult, $2.20 Concession.
11.50 am Arrive Parramatta (if leaving at 11.00 am). Lunch – own arrangements.
Suggested activities: Walk in Parramatta Park (own arrangements, or have a guide) and visit Old Government House (opens 10.30 am) or Elizabeth Farm (about 20 minutes’ walk east to Rosehill – opens 10 am). Old Government House and Elizabeth Farm have entry fees of $7.00 (with $5.00 concession)
2.15 pm ST JOHN’S ANGLICAN PRO-CATHEDRAL, PARRAMATTA, Church St
J.W. Walker 1863 (2/20 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by David Osborne (Organist, St John’s)
3.05 pm Walk to Leigh Memorial Uniting Church (about 10 minutes)
3.15 pm LEIGH MEMORIAL UNITING (Methodist) CHURCH, Macquarie Street
William Davidson 1878, Charles Richardson 1905, S.T. Noad & Son 1961, Peter D.G. Jewkes 2000 (2/27 electric)
Organ demonstration by Tim Clark (Shore School, North Sydney)
3.55 pm Walk (15 minutes) to ST PATRICK’S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL PARRAMATTA: HALL, cnr Marist Place and Victoria Roads
4.20 pm Lecture by Barbara Owen on
“The influence of the past on the future in North America”.
5.10 pm Forum: “The Future of the Organ in Australia”
6.10 pm ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, PARRAMATTA: HALL
Dinner
7.15 pm ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, PARRAMATTA.
Norman & Beard 1898, installed 2005 from St Saviour’s Walton Place, London. (3/37 electric)
Organ recital by Peter Guy
(Assistant Director of Music, Wesley Uniting Church, Canberra)
8.15 pm Bus to city
9.15 pm Bus drops off registrants at bottom of Macquarie Street for visit to
Opera House. Those wishing to return to hotel can do so, with bus arriving at 9.30 pm
9.30 pm CONCERT HALL, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE.
Ronald Sharp 1979 (5/132 mechanical & electric)
Organ recital by Sarah Kim (Organ Scholar, St James’, King St)
Please note this is a private recital and not open to the public. Owing to strict security measures, only a limited number of conference registrants will be allowed to attend. Priority will be given to those from overseas and interstate. For this reason, Sarah Kim will be repeating works she played last year at the organ’s 25th birthday concert which have already been heard by local organists.
10.00 pm Registrants make their own way back to Castlereagh Inn – taxis, train from Circular Quay to Town Hall or walk straight there – 30 minutes total
Monday 3 October (Labour Day Holiday)
Combined Organ Ramble with the Organ Music Society of Sydney
9.00 am Bus departs Castlereagh Inn for Balmain
9.25 am Bus arrives at Congregational Church, Balmain
9.30 am ST ANDREW’S CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BALMAIN,
cnr Darling Street and Curtis Road
J.W. Walker 1867 (2/16 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Nathaniel Kong (Trinity Grammar School)
10.20 am Walk to Balmain Presbyterian Church (5 minutes)
10.30 am BALMAIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Campbell Street
Charles Richardson 1893 (2/17 mechanical and tubular-pneumatic)
Organ demonstration by Sarah Gentle (Abbotsleigh Girls’ School)
Morning Tea
11.30 am Walk to St Augustine’s Catholic Church (10 minutes)
11.45 am ST AUGUSTINE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, BALMAIN, Eaton Street
Hill & Son, 1886 (3/21 mechanical)
Organ recital by Daniel Canaris (Redfield College)
12.45 pm LUNCH IN BALMAIN (own arrangements).
1.45 pm Bus returns to Congregational Church and collects OHTA group only
2.00 pm ST THOMAS’ ANGLICAN CHURCH, ROZELLE,
cnr Darling Street and Victoria Road
Henry Jones, London 1884 (2/12 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Peter Guy (Canberra)
2.35 pm St Thomas’ Rozelle. Lecture by Barbara Owen on
“The Rescue and Restoration of 20th Century Organs”.
3.25 pm Bus departs Rozelle for Annandale
3.45 pm HUNTER BAILLIE MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ANNANDALE, cnr Johnston and Collins Streets
Hill & Son 1890 (3/25 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Pastór de Lasala
(Organist, Sacred Heart, Mosman, NSW OHTA Committee)
4.45 pm Bus departs Annandale for Burwood.
5.10 pm ST PAUL’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, BURWOOD, 207 Burwood Road
William Davidson, 1891 (3/28 mechanical & tubular-pneumatic).
Brief lectures on the restoration–
Kelvin Hastie (consultant)
Peter Jewkes (restorer)
Marc Nobel (artist for the stencilled façade work)
Organ recital by Andrej Kouznetsov (Organ Scholar, St Paul’s Burwood)
6.20 pm Walk to Burwood RSL, 96 Shaftesbury Road, Burwood
6.30 pm Dinner at Burwood Returned Services League Club
7.30 pm Bus returns to city, arrives 8.00 pm.
Tuesday 4 October
8.15 am Depart Castlereagh Inn by taxi, bus or train for Central Station
It is advised that participants settle their bills at the Castlereagh Inn on Monday night, in order to avoid queues when they check out. It is recommended that departure from the Castlereagh Inn take place no later than 8.15 am. Travel to Central (Country Platforms) for the Newcastle train can either be by train from Town Hall, or by taxi. Tickets to Newcastle can be purchased at either station at a window, or from a vending machine.
9.15 am Newcastle train departs Central Railway Station, Sydney
Single tickets: Adult $17.00, Concession $8.50, Pensioner $2.50
(Concession and Pensioner fares for NSW residents only)
12.00 noon Train arrives Newcastle
12.05 pm Meet bus at Newcastle station - Load bus with luggage
12.20 pm Bus departs for St Andrew’s Presbyterian
12.30 pm ST ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEWCASTLE
cnr Auckland and Laman Streets
Hill & Son 1890 (3/23 mechanical)
Lunch
1.20 pm Lecture by Ann Henderson, “Putting the ‘Fun’ into Fund-Raising”
A light-hearted look at raising money….seriously
2.00 pm OHTA Council Recital -
Christopher Cook (Assistant DOM, St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane)
Hugh Knight (Organist, Strathfield Uniting)
Mark Quarmby (Assistant Organist, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney)
2.40 pm Afternoon Tea at St Andrew’s
3.00 pm Bus departs for Cooks Hill
3.10 pm ST JOHN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, COOKS HILL,
cnr Parry and Darby Streets
J.W. Walker 1866 (2/11 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Christopher Wrench (Brisbane)
4.00 pm Bus departs for Christ Church Cathedral
4.15 pm CHRIST CHURCH ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL NEWCASTLE, Church St
Norman & Beard 1906, J.W. Walker & Sons 1963 (3/58 electric)
Lecture by John Maidment “The work of Norman & Beard in Australia”
A brief overview
4.30 pm Organ recital by Sueng Youn Choi (Organist, St Michael’s, Vaucluse)
5.00 pm Break in program – tower visit with vast views over sand dunes and beaches of Stockton Bight to the north, mouth of Hunter River, etc.
5.30 pm Evensong with the Cathedral choir directed by Philip Matthias
(Organist, Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle)
Canticles.......... Blair in B minor
Anthem............ I said to the Lord (Gordon Jacob)
6.15 pm Bus departs for Madison Motel, 109 Madison Drive, Charlestown
6.30 pm Unload and check-in
7.30 pm Madison Motel Dining Room. Conference Dinner
Wednesday 5 October
8.30 am Bus departs Madison Motel for Morpeth (approx. 36km)
9.20 am ST JAMES’ ANGLICAN CHURCH, MORPETH,
Tank Street
William Davidson 1877 (1/8 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by John Hargraves (NZ)
10.10 am Panel Discussion 2: “The Future of the Organ in Australia”. Plenary session.
11.00 am Bus departs for Lochinvar (20 km)
11.20 am ST JOSEPH’S CONVENT CHAPEL, LOCHINVAR,
New England Hwy
Roger H. Pogson, 1974 (2/7 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Staffan Thuringer (Melbourne)
12.30 pm Bus departs for Dalwood (14 km)
1.00 pm Lunch at Wyndham Estate Winery, Dalwood
2.20 pm Bus departs for Singleton (30 km)
2.45 pm CONVENT OF MERCY, SINGLETON, Queen Street
Builder unknown. Incorporating components by
J. Wheildon, London, c.1850 (1/5 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Peter Newey (Newcastle)
3.40 pm ALL SAINTS’ ANGLICAN CHURCH, SINGLETON,
High Street
Griffin & Leggo, Sydney, 1912
S.T. Noad & Son, 1969
Brown & Associates 1995 (2/22 electric)
Organ demonstration by Adrian Chong (Singapore)
4.30 pm ST ANDREW’S UNITING (Presbyterian) CHURCH, SINGLETON,
Church Street
Charles Richardson 1891 (3/15 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Barbara Owen (USA)
5.20 pm Bus departs for Cessnock (approx 44 km)
6.00 pm Dinner at service club, Cessnock.
6.50 pm Bus departs for Madison Motel, Charlestown.
Thursday 6 October
8.30 am Load luggage into bus
8.40 am Bus departs Madison Motor Inn for East Maitland (35 km)
9.30 am ST PETER’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, EAST MAITLAND, William Street
Henry Willis 1876 (2/12 mechanical)
Organ recital by Rhys Arvidson
(Organ Scholar, Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle)
10.20 am St Peter’s East Maitland – Morning Tea
10.40 am Bus departs for St Stephen’s, East Maitland
10.50 am ST STEPHEN’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, EAST MAITLAND,
George Street
Charles Richardson 1897 (2/10 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Christopher Cook
(Assistant Director of Music, St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane)
11.35 am Bus departs for Maitland
11.45 am SCOTS’ PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MAITLAND, Free Church Street
Charles Richardson 1906, Brown & Associates 1995 (2/16 electric)
Organ demonstration by Keith Asboe (Sydney)
12.35 pm Walk to St Mary’s Dominican Convent (5 minutes)
12.45 pm ST MARY’S DOMINICAN CONVENT, Grant Street
Bishop & Son 1883 (2/10 mechanical)
Organ demonstration by Peter Jewkes
(Organist, Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney)
1.30 pm Walk to Mansfield’s Restaurant, 315 High Street Maitland (5 minutes)
1.35 pm Lunch at Mansfield’s Restaurant
2.30 pm Bus departs Maitland for Broadmeadow Station (34 km)
3.15 pm Bus arrives Broadmeadow station and unloads passengers wishing to return to Sydney on 3.37 pm train.
Train arrives at Sydney Central Station approximately at 6.10 pm.
Single ticket: Adult $17.00, Concession $8.50, Pensioner $2.50
(Concession and Pensioner fares for NSW residents only)
3.30 pm Bus departs for Madison Motel
(only if sufficient participants indicate they are staying there the extra night): arrives approx. 3.50 pm.
Friday 7 October
1.10 pm ST ANDREW’S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL SYDNEY
Hill & Son 1866, William Davidson 1899, Hill Norman & Beard 1952, Orgues Létourneau 1998 (4/53 mechanical & electric)
Post-conference recital by Pastór de Lasala with Kurt Ison
(not sponsored by OHTA).
All organ recitals in Sydney can be found listed in the Concert Diary section of the Organ Music Society of Sydney website: www.sydneyorgan.com
Abstracts of Papers
Hugh Mackay – What kind of Society are we becoming?
OHTA is honoured that Hugh Mackay has been able to make time in his busy schedule to present our keynote lecture: What kind of Society are we becoming? This will provide an excellent social context for our conference deliberations, assisting us to understand attitudes which underpin responses to issues of culture, heritage and knowledge which confront us now and will doubtless remain as issues well into the future.
Hugh Mackay is a psychologist, social researcher and author. He has made a life-long study of the attitudes and behaviour of the Australian community and for 23 years published his findings in the quarterly research series The Mackay Report and latterly in The Ipsos Mackay Report. He has written ten books, including four bestsellers in the field of social psychology and four novels. His latest book is titled Right and Wrong: how to decide for yourself.
Hugh is a former Deputy Chairman of the Australia Council, a former Chairman of Trustees of Sydney Grammar School and is currently Chairman of the ACT Government’s Community Inclusion Board, and Chairman of the Board of Management of the Constable Education Program for the NSW Police.
Hugh is a graduate of the University of Sydney and Macquarie University, and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. In recognition of his pioneering work in social research, he has been awarded honorary doctorates by New South Wales, Macquarie and Charles Sturt Universities.
John maidment oam – The work of Norman & Beard in Australia
A brief overview
The firm of Norman & Beard Ltd, a partnership of brothers Ernest and Herbert Norman with George Wales Beard, traced its origins back to the late 1860s. By the early 20th century it had become the largest firm of organbuilders in Britain, securing contracts for major organs throughout the British Empire. The firm achieved particular distinction for its heroic concert instruments, meticulous design, craftsmanship, exhaust pneumatic actions and progressive voicing. A total of 12 instruments was sent to Australia before the firm's amalgamation with Hill & Son in 1916; these could be found in four of the six Australian States, including cathedral organs for Brisbane and Newcastle. Sadly, only one remains intact although several others retain the majority of their pipework, windchests and casework. The paper will examine how many of the instruments were sacrificed on the altar of fashion owing to their distinctive symphonic style, and how superbly crafted mechanisms were wilfully allowed to deteriorate.
Ann Henderson – Putting the ‘Fun’ into Fund-Raising
A light-hearted look at raising money….seriously
Ann Henderson is President of The Chapel Society of Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart in Sydney. When the decision was made to restore the 1890 French Puget Organ, the Committee faced raising $300,000. Ann will talk about some of the ways and means this is being achieved, and her experience in finding ways of presenting organ and other concerts which appeal to all music lovers.
In January 2005, the Puget organ was dismantled and sent by sea to France for full restoration by French organbuilder and restorer, Yves Cabourdin. It will return in September 2006.
St Paul’s Burwood Organ Restoration
Peter Jewkes (organbuilder)
Kelvin Hastie (consultant)
Marc Nobel (façade pipe artist)
The 1891 William Davidson organ at St Paul’s Burwood is of national significance as the largest Australian-made organ with mechanical action surviving from the 19th century: it is also the largest Davidson extant. The organ contains components from the church’s earlier two-manual Davidson, as well as a small number of other components. Cramped into a chancel chamber, access to the instrument has always been difficult and aspects of its layout are not ideal. In spite of this, and a history of constant use, the instrument was still usable, albeit in deteriorated condition, at the time of its recent dismantling. During the restoration program, a sensitive approach based on the Pipe Organ Conservation and Maintenance Guide (OHTA and the NSW Heritage Office, 1998) has been coupled with the practical need to remake or redesign those components worn beyond effective re-use.
Peter Jewkes will discuss some of the issues confronting the restoration team, while Kelvin Hastie will reflect on various philosophical and historical aspects of the project. Marc Nobel will conclude the joint lecture by discussing some of the problems encountered during the process of restoring the original façade pipe designs and colours.
Barbara Owen – The Influence of the Past on the Future in
North America
As in most countries, the history of the organ in North America was largely one of development and innovation from its beginnings in the 18th century through the early decades of the 20th century. In the years immediately preceding World War II, there were a few “modernised” hints of historical influence evident in efforts to get organs back out in the open and experiments with mixtures and baroque reed stops. But the so-called “American classic” organ was little more than just another innovative phase. Following World War II, however, young American and Canadian organists and budding organbuilders were spending more time in Europe, and coming into contact with historic European organs, particularly in Germany and France. The organists began to recognise the symbiotic relationship of the historic sounds to the earlier organ literature, and the builders were exercising their inquisitiveness with regard to older techniques of construction and voicing. The result, beginning in the 1960s, was the re-introduction of tracker action, slider chests and more historically-based tonal work by some of the younger builders, who were encouraged by certain of the younger organists. This led in the 1970s and 1980s to a number of organs in specific historic styles – at first classic French and North German, later branching into other periods and national styles, from 17th century Italian to 18th century English, 19th century French and even early 19th and 20th century American. What was learned by both builders and organists in this period has led to a historically-informed eclectic style which has emerged in the last decades of the 20th century, and in which certain seemingly incompatible elements have been made to work together effectively. In a sense, it is a new and enriched “American classic” style for the 21st century.
Barbara Owen – The Rescue and Restoration of
20th Century Organs
The Organ Historical Society was founded in the middle of the 20th century, and one of its stated objectives from the outset was the preservation of 19th century American organs threatened by destruction or “modernisation.” To this end, the citation program was instituted, along with what eventually became the Organ Clearing House, and only 19th century organs were featured at early OHS conventions. Toward the end of the 20th century, however, it was becoming evident that some early 20th century organs also had historical importance, and that many of these were also endangered. Thus worthy examples of 20th century organs began to be featured at OHS conventions and to appear in the Organ Clearing House listings. As with the earlier organs, “period” authenticity, both tonally and mechanically, was of prime importance, since so many of these organs had already been significantly altered. Just as organists interested in earlier organs and music had supported the preservation of 19th century tracker-action organs, so too have organists whose specialities lie in 20th century music and transcriptions rallied around the cause of early 20th century electric-action organs. These organs, often large, are found not only in churches but in auditoriums, theatres, and residences, and some have survived only through sheer neglect. The American Theatre Organ Society was probably the first actively to promote restoration of theatre organs. But just as some builders had started specialising in the restoration old tracker-action organs in the 1960s and 1970s, so did a different group begin to specialise in restoring electric-action organs in churches and concert halls during the 1980s and 1990s. As a result, an impressive number of these organs has recently been renewed (some rather literally “raised from the dead”) and restored to regular use for a new generation of listeners, while others have been carefully placed in storage awaiting new homes.
Barbara Owen, who visited Australia for the 1994 OHTA Conference, is well-known to many members for her long career as an organist (training at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, the North German Organ Academy and the Academy of Italian Organ music), and as co-founder of the Organ Historical Society in 1956. She also worked as an organbuilder with C.B. Fisk between 1961 and 1979, specialising in voicing.
Barbara Owen has also been a prominent influence on organ research and conservation in North America through a prolific output of writing, including the editing of organ and choral scores, 10 books, numerous dictionary articles and dozens of journal articles. She is best known in Australia for her books on E. Power Biggs, the organs of New England and the registration of Baroque organ music, as well as significant collaboration with English scholar, Prof. Peter Williams, for the entries in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
In July this year, the Organ Historical Society presented her with Litterae Organi: Essays in honor of Barbara Owen, in celebration of the OHS 50th anniversary and her significant contribution to the organisation since its inception.
Panel: Future Directions for the Pipe Organ in Australia
(Moderator: Dr Kelvin Hastie)
Speakers with a professional background in the organ/church music fields have been selected to initiate debate on what future the organ has in Australia and what practical steps can be undertaken to promote the instrument and its music. Two sessions will be held: the second (at Morpeth) will attempt to draw some conclusions. Local contributors will include Christopher Wrench (organist and teacher, Brisbane), James Dixon (student, Sydney Conservatorium), Peter Guy (organist and Assistant Director, Wesley Music Centre, Canberra), Peter Jewkes (organist and organbuilder, Sydney), Heather Moen-Boyd (organist and music teacher), Philip Swanton (Lecturer in organ, Sydney Conservatorium), Ariel Valent (Arts Project Officer, Melbourne). Three international guests (Adrian Chong – Singapore, Dr David Knight – UK and Barbara Owen –USA) have been invited to contribute to the second session by making observations in the context of a broader perspective.
2005 OHTA CONFERENCE BOOK
Copies of the 148-page conference book (from which the information linked to this program has been taken) are available at a cost of $17.50 (inclusive of postage and packing within Australia) from OHTA, GPO Box 676, Sydney, NSW 2001; cheques payable to Organ Historical Trust of Australia. The book includes historical and technical details of the organs visited, many accompanied by line drawings from Graeme Rushworth, together with the programmes of the various recitals and events. A mine of information on NSW organs..
Any enquiries can be directed to Kelvin Hastie
Website photographs supplied by François Lipinski (Paris), Adrian Chong (Singapore), Pastor de Lasala and Mark Quarmby (Sydney) © 2005
Notes on the organs were supplied by Dr Kelvin Hastie and Pastor de Lasala and are © OHTA 2005.