new zealand Rieger in Christchurch Town Hall re-opening at last!

[churchmouse]

Dear Listers,

apologies for my absence in these discussions for many moons. But I've got 2 little items for you.

1. Many of you who have supported, encouraged and seen us through the last 8 dark years of rebuild after the earthquakes will be probably interested to know you can also 'take part' in the re-opening concerts of the Rieger in the Christchurch Town hall on Wednesday March 6th. Both concerts, played by Martin Setchell, will be streamed live via a website link; the time in New Zealand will be 1.10pm and 6pm, so I suggest to find the correct time for you,  get Google to see what time it is where you are in comparison with New Zealand. The concerts will be an hour and are the same programme. Anyway you can read all about this and the programme on either www.nzorgan.com and www.pipelinepress.com . 

2. As soon as Rieger had finished their job of restoring, repairing and finishing the additions (14 new ranks) to the Christchurch town hall organ, Martin recorded a celebration CD called "Resounding Aftershocks". This will be released on the day of the re-opening concert. But if any of you are keen to read more and buy at a discounted price before then, go to https://www.pipelinepress.com/resounding-aftershocks-pre-release.html .  Sorry if this sounds like too much overt publicity, but it has been a massive and joyous step for so many people. We can hardly believe it is happening. 

Cheerful noises,

churchmouse

March 6th-Organ concert flyer-for distribution2.pdf

[Vox Humana]

This is tremendous news. It's been a long wait!  I'm so pleased for you all out there and will definitely make a point of listening.  Clearly Mrs Humana and I visited NZ a year too early.  It's 11 months since I was in Christchurch and it really was rather saddening to see what a wreck the city still was, even seven years after the various earthquakes, despite all the building work going on.  It's great that the decision was taken to save the town hall. It says a lot for Rieger's work that the organ fared better than the building. 

The recitals will be at 00.10 a.m. and 5 a.m. UK time. 

(By the way, your attachment is showing as unavailable.)

[churchmouse]

Oh thanks Vox.

Hmmm - I can see the attachments. Funny. Oh well. 

Part of the reason that the organ fared so well was that because it was up high, seated on what used to be choir stalls in tiers, so it was cushioned. When the massive vertical thrust struck in February, it joggled up and down as if on a trampoline. Had it been down on the floor height, it would have gone the way of everything else such as the 2 grand pianos and chamber organ and all service conduits etc and been submerged in liquefaction. So yes, it was very lucky.

[OrganistOnTheHill]

I lived in NZ for five years! Excellent news to hear!

[Cornet IV]

On 04/03/2019 at 16:33, OrganistOnTheHill said:

I lived in NZ for five years! Excellent news to hear!

I lived there for a little longer than that but long before anyone had thought of the Rieger, so  I missed that treat. I was stuck with the post-Victorian (from memory) Hill in the Cathedral (before the en chamade rank) on which I spent a few of my musically formative years - I was educated locally. By this time I had begun an appreciation of the Barok for which this instrument was far from ideal. As a "thank you" to my mentors who had so patiently nurtured me - perhaps Churchmouse remembers Robert Field-Dodgson -  my last  appearance there was in 1957 with the Buxtehude F major Toccata.. But I should have so liked to have done this on the Rieger. 

I'm delighted that ChCh is "Phoenixing" from the rubble. As an aside of little consequence, about five years ago I rang Plain Bob Triples in a band which included a girl who had been in Christchurch when the 'quake hit. She became almost hysterical when the tower began to wobble and dashed for the outside world. I suspect the nightmare of the earthquake will be with her forever.