RECITAL ON OLD ORGAN TO BE HELD AT MUSEUM TOMORROW

Wanganui Chronicle, 14 April 1949, Page 4

RECITAL ON OLD ORGAN TO BE HELD AT MUSEUM TOMORROW

The oid pipe organ at the Wanganui Museum will he played tomorrow afternoon (Good Friday) between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. This will be the first occasion on which the organ has been played for the public since the beginning of World War 11. Built in London, the organ was first of all used in a parish church in a small English village. The parishioners heard of the need of church organs in New Zealand and it was forwarder to the new colony as a gilt to the Rev. Henry Williams. When the organ arrived in 1823 it was used in a little church at Paihia in the Bay of Islands. It was found that the organ was not one which the parishioners had subscribed to buy, but a gift to the Rev. Henry Williams and it was forwarded to him, the organ bought by the church arriving on the next boat. The organ was in the possession of different members of the Williams family until 40 years ago when it was presented to the Wanganui Museum. Since than it has been a popular exhibit in the museum and has attracted much interest among music lovers. With pipes of lead and wood, the organ has no keys, but is played by perforated rolls somewhat like those used ii) player pianos. The museum has three rolls and on each there are 10 tunes. To play the instrument i, is necessary to turn a handle ana operate the pedals. Before the outbreak of war, the organ was played regularly, Mr. Gordon Lindsay usually being the operator. It was not played during the war years, but recently the museum authorities have received many requests fo r a recital. In response to them it was decided to revert to the practice of giving a recital on Good Fridays. The organ will be played at intervals tomorrow afternoon between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., the hours during which the museum will be open to the public. The Wanganui Museum trustees have endeavoured from time to time to secure information regarding the maker of the instrument bdt their efforts have not been successful. It is not known whether the firm still makes organs today, the craft having been handed down from one generation to another in the common prtvtice of many old English trades.