Extract from ABC News
More than 1,000 individual pipes make up the St Luke's Anglican Church organ in Toowoomba. (ABC Southern Qld: Aisling Brennan)
In short:
St Luke's Anglican Church in Toowoomba has completed a three-and-a-half-year restoration project of its historic pipe organ.
The 119-year-old Norman and Beard instrument has had upgrades to its electronics and electro-magnetics with protective felt also added to its more than 1,000 pipes.
What's next?
Brisbane organist Phillip Gearing will play a recital for the Toowoomba community on May 30.
The sound of baritone to whistle-like notes resonates off the walls of a church in regional Queensland.
For parishioner John Standley it is the sound of a completed musical restoration and the first time a pipe organ has been heard inside Toowoomba's St Luke's Anglican Church in almost four years.
"I was rather enthusiastic about this, and all it's accomplished," Dr Standley said.
It has been a passion project for the St Luke's parishioner that included multiple specialists and a widespread fundraising effort.
John Standley plays an organ pipe, removed from its resting place in the church. (ABC Southern Qld: Aisling Brennan)
"We asked [an organ builder] from Brisbane what needed to be done to keep the organ in good working order … and he gave us a list," he said.
The more than century-old wind instrument was pulled apart pipe-by-pipe and transported the 120 kilometres to Brisbane for repairs.
Its three sections, its great, swell, and pedal organs, were repaired with digital upgrades to its transmissions and electro-magnets.
Hear the 119-year-old pipe organ being played after its restoration.
Future-proofing work was also done, including added felt seals to prevent air leaks due to heat swelling and moisture.
"Imagine you have little felt seals in different shapes, 2,156 of them, two for each pipe," Dr Standley said.
"It was a really fiddly job."
Second generation organ repairer Imogen Pierce said instruments generally get health check-ups every six months.
But the St Luke's restoration project was a major undertaking.
"They're just a thing you don't see anymore and they are quite valued in their communities," Ms Pierce said.
"It's really nice to see that they have historic value."
Parishioners have documented each stage of the organ's restoration for visitors. (ABC Southern Queensland: Kemii Maguire)
She said five repairers at a time were sent to St Luke's who used a disused ambulance to transport the pipes to and from Brisbane.
"Purely for size. We can get six of our full-sized pipes in there," she said.
Pierce Pipe Organs repair worker Andy Granger ensures every pipe is carefully removed from St Luke's Anglican Church. (ABC Southern Qld: Aisling Brennan)
David Bailey from Pierce Pipe Organs said its sound was also affected in different climates.
"We [made] some improvements to the slider action to make sure the organ can continue to play well throughout the changing seasons," Mr Bailey said.
History restored
Former St Luke's music director Phillip Gearing said the instrument, which arrived from England in 1907, was a significant example of a pipe organ in Australia.
"There were two other organs [made] at about the same time by Norman and Beard, who were one of the most famous and well-respected organ builders in the world," Dr Gearing said.
"One sits at Newcastle Cathedral in New South Wales and the other at St John's Cathedral in Brisbane.
"This one is the smallest. But even though it's not a very large instrument the quality of the sound is absolutely magnificent."
The pipe organ is made of three seperate parts, and is played across the church floor from where the main pipes sit. (ABC Southern Queensland: Kemii Maguire)
When asked why it was worth the trouble to restore the instrument, Dr Standley was quick to answer.
"The original plans [for St Luke's] in about 1894 had this building almost like a cathedral," he said.
"If you have a very large civic building, you really need a powerful pipe organ to provide enough sound for a full church.
"It is really a remarkable feat of engineering, and I keep thinking this mechanism dates back to 1907 and it's still working really well."
The first notes played by Dr Phillip Gearing filled the large church in a practice session on Monday. (ABC Southern Queensland: Kemii Maguire)
The completed project will be recognised with a recital by Dr Gearing.
The now organist for Brisbane's Cathedral of St Stephen said it was a pleasure to return.
"When I was director of music here at St Luke's it was always a joy to play this organ," Dr Gearing said.
"It's a joy to play it again.
"A lot of the action work has made it a lot more responsive to play, and that makes music-making very, very satisfying."
Bill footed by community
Dr Standley said the organ's reconstruction was a community effort and it would serve the Toowoomba community for major choral and philharmonic events.
The final cost for the restoration reached about $150,000.
"The parish was behind us, the community was behind us,"he said.
The majority of the cost was raised from community donations and fundraising events.
St Luke's Church has been a popular stop for visitors and locals, situated in the Garden City's CBD. (ABC Southern Qld: Dan McCray)
"Two thirds of the community [donors] are actually not parishioners from St Luke's," he said.
"There's one gentleman from Miles who heard about the organ, and then the Organ Society of Queensland is backing us from Brisbane."
Dr Standley said the restored organ will serve the Toowoomba community for major choral and philharmonic events.
"Hopefully it will be used more as the city expands," he said.
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