What’s a town hall without a pipe organ. and a magnificent organ without a fine organist?
The reopening of the Christchurch Town Hall has been a momentous event for the city, and that’s included the reinstallation of its Rieger organ. After eight years of silence, City Organist and the Town Hall’s organ curator Martin Setchell was at the keys and stops during Friday and Saturday’s opening concerts.
The Rieger organ in the Christchurch Town Hall's Douglas Lilburn Auditorium has been restored and upgraded. Photo: CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL
The organ and its 4307 pipes were first installed in 1997 by famous organ makers Rieger of Austria, 25 years after the hall opened. It's ‘the peoples organ’ with about 96% of the costs, says Martin coming from public donations and bequests. In 2011, 12 new ranks of pipes were being installed when the earthquake struck. The organ suffered only minor damage and was fully restored by Rieger between November 2018 and January 2019.
Reporter Christine McKay Photo: Hawke's Bay Today
Martin Setchell believes in taking entertaining organ music to a wide audience. This year alone he will play in Singapore, Australia, Germany, Norway, as well as around New Zealand. Martin has been with the Town Hall since the organ was installed in 1997. Post-earthquake he has been giving inaugural concerts on new Christchurch church organs. In 2008 he received a Civic Award for services to music in the community, and particularly the Town Hall organ.
On Wednesday 5 March all eyes are on Martin, after the organ is officially re-opened by mayor Lianne Dalziel. Martin gives two free concerts at 1.10pm and 6pm (both to be livestreamed) of a programme called Resounding Aftershocks which Martin has already released on a CD. It features eight diverse works, including a work composed for the rebirth of the organ and dedicated to Martin by Norwegian composer Mons Leidvin Takle.
