The Wel­ling­ton Town Hall is rated amongst the top ten in the world for acous­tics [cita­tion needed], and this was a sig­ni­fic­ant argu­ment in the 1970s and 80s when the demoli­tion of the Town Hall became a pos­sib­il­ity.  The organ in the town hall is 104 or so years old and is reknowned world­wide for being one of the few Edwar­d­i­an organs in the world that has sur­vived to the present day without alter­a­tion.

organ

Once again Wel­ling­ton City Coun­cil is run­ning a free Organ Con­cert Series on Sunday after­noons fea­tur­ing our City Organ­ist, Douglas Mews, and oth­er guests. After a spell in Europe check­ing out a myri­ad of baroque instru­ments and play­ing the occa­sion­al organ recit­al, Douglas says he’ll be full of inspir­a­tion and enthu­si­asm for his con­certs on Sunday 9 August and 6 Septem­ber.

[the details after the jump]

Pro­gramme:

Sunday 14th June – Basic­ally Brit­ish – Guest Organ­ist: Mar­tin Setchell

WHOOPS MISSED THAT ONE!

Christ­ch­urch Town Hall organ cur­at­or Mar­tin Setchell enter­tains with the best of Brit­ish music – cel­eb­rat­ing the anniversar­ies of two great com­posers with Pur­cell dances, trum­pet tunes and Handel’s Over­ture to the Occa­sion­al Ora­tor­io.

Sunday 9th August – Vive la France! – Douglas Mews with Young Guest Per­former: Tom Gaynor

Col­our and vir­tu­os­ity are the fore in this French feast. Items include Gigout’s Scherzo, Franck’s Grande Piece Sym­pho­nique and Balbastre’s Vari­ations on La Mar­seil­laise. Also per­form­ing will be 18 year-old Tom Gaynor, NZSM stu­dent and Richard Pro­thero Organ Schol­ar at St Paul’s Cathed­ral.

Sunday 6th Septem­ber – Ger­mania – Douglas Mews with Young Guest Per­former: Heath­er East­ing

Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and Pre­lude to the Meister­sing­ers are bal­anced against J.S. Bach’s G major Pre­lude and Fugue BWV 541 in this dis­play of Ger­man heavy­weights. Mak­ing a spe­cial appear­ance is 17 year-old Wel­ling­ton organ­ist Heath­er East­ing, NZSM stu­dent and Dean’s Organ Schol­ar at St Paul’s Cathed­ral.

Cost: FREE