“Bah! Humbug!”
Scrooge’s famous response to the festive season is the theme of an organ recital being held tonight at the historic inner city Wellington church.
“There will definitely be no seasonal music,” says St Peter’s director of music and church organist Dianne Halliday. “For an hour people will be able to escape from the almost omnipresent barrage of Christmas songs and carols.”
The recital will also mark the 132nd anniversary of the current St Peter’s church building, consecrated as a place of worship on December 21, 1879.
It was designed by Thomas Turnbull to replace the first St Peter’s built in 1848. Turnbull had originally proposed a brick structure, however church officials were unconvinced. They were mindful of the severe earthquake in October 1848, a month after the first church opened. The wooden building survived when neighbouring brick buildings collapsed and for several weeks acted as a shelter for many residents left homeless. Turnbull eventually capitulated and the current wooden building was constructed, and it’s lasted well.
Halliday has been director of music at St Peter’s since 1997. She is the first woman to hold the position, although she says early records mention a Mrs Askin who played the organ at St Peter’s in 1861. Halliday says organ music has always played an important role at St Peter’s. The original organ, built by English maker William Hill and Son, was transferred from the first St Peter’s into the 1879 building. In 1886 a bequest enabled the purchase of a larger organ from Hill and Son, and it’s still going strong. However, Halliday says this nearly wasn’t the case after an arsonist’s attack on the church in 2008.
“The fire of 2008 nearly finished the organ. The sprinkler system saved the church but water damaged the instrument.”
Insurance, Lotteries Commission funds and parish fundraising enabled the organ to be restored and last February the refurbished organ was again accompanying worship at St Peter’s.
“The dismantling of the organ for restoration also offered the chance to return the instrument more to its original character. Over the years modifications were made, not always wisely, and there was general wear and tear. Now we have an instrument that’s better than before the fire and we’ve got people queuing up to play it.”
Proceeds from a koha entry to today’s Bah! Humbug! Recital will raise funds for the organ fund. Halliday says she will play Bach, Jewish organ music, and compositions by Samuel Adler and Charles Stanford.
“It will give people a breather from the Christmas rush and the shops will still be open when we finish.
Bah! Humbug! Organ recital, St Peter’s Church on Willis, 6pm, December 21.
- Niels Reinsborg
Have Your Say
0 Comments
No comments.