Welcome to the Guildhall, the historic heart of Derry ...meetings.derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com/documents...industrialisation and advances in technology, it became common for organs

Welcome to the Guildhall, the historic heart of Derry~Londonderry. We hope you enjoy our series of free lunch time performances to

celebrate the launch of our upcoming Organ Festival, 19th – 21st October

August from 1pm-3pm Wednesday 16th, Thursday 24th & Thursday 31st

September from 1pm-3pm Thursday 14th & Thursday 28th

The pipes now appear sky blue in colour with a deeper band of blue surrounding the gilded mouths, highlighted with chevrons of Italian gold leaf, creating a glorious collection of organ pipes, ready to burst into sound.

The Guildhall OrganFirst opened in 1890 the Guildhall is home to the Mayor’s Parlour and the Council chamber, where Derry City and Strabane District Council meet. In the mid-19th century with increasing industrialisation and advances in technology, it became common for organs to be installed in civic halls such as this for the musical entertainment of the citizens.

History of the Organ

1891 Organ built by Conacher of Huddersfield. Funded by public donations.

1908 Organ destroyed by a fire in the Guildhall.

1912 Guildhall re-opened.

Designs for a new organ case produced by Mathew Alexander Robinson, architect of the new building.

Specifications drawn up by consultant Sir Walter Parratt, organist of St Georges Chapel Windsor.

1914 New organ built by William Hill & Son at a cost of £897.

1972 Bomb in the Guildhall - the organ sustained serious damage; 600 pipes were blown from their holes.

1978 Organ restored by Hill Norman & Beard at a cost of £68,000.

1989 Storm damage which led to further repairs by Wells-Kennedy Organ Builders, Lisburn.

2013 Guildhall £9.5m restoration project. Organ repairs by Wells-Kennedy, including replacement of some damaged pipes and repairs to the electrical wiring.

Ruth Bothwell, Painting & Guildings Conservator;

Organ Facts › The organ has over 3,132 pipes (3,013 speaking);

› The size of the pipes range from:

- 16 feet high providing the lowest bass notes resonating at 32Hz; to

- Pencil-sized pipes with speaking length of less than half an inch (12 mm!) providing the highest note resonating at approx 16,565Hz.

› There are three manual keyboards & pedals;

› 48 speaking stops arranged in divisions behind the magnificent oak case - Great & Choir to left, Swell to right and Positive in the centre.

The lunch time performances are delivered by 2 local organists Louis Fields and Nicky Morton. Louis Fields was recently an organ scholar in Glasgow University under Kevin Bowyer. Nicky Morton is the Assistant Organist of St Columb’s Cathedral and has just graduated with a First Class Honours from his music degree. Both are beginning a Masters in Music at University of Ulster, Magee College, Derry.

Dates for your diary

Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st

October 2017th

The festival is supported by the Royal College of Organists in association with Derry City & Strabane District Council, The Honourable the Irish Society and Viscount Organs.

For more information and further details of the Organ Festival Tel 028 71 376 510 | Email [email protected] | Facebook Guildhall

This booklet has been produced with contributions by Stewart Smith, David McElderry (Wells-Kennedy Organ Builders, Lisburn), Desmond Hunter – Stanford Complete Organ Sonatas CD Booklet.

Thursday 19th OctoberPrimary schools workshop – a large scale, audio-visual show set to wow local pupils with music, physics, engineering and art.

Lunch time recital in St Columb’s Cathedral. Free entry – no booking necessary.

Evening Concert by Catherine Ennis and local organist Stewart Smith. Tickets available from Guildhall in early September.

Friday 20th OctoberSecondary schools workshops. Pupils will learn the history of what Mozart called the ‘King of instruments’ as well as having the opportunity to play the Guildhall organ.

Lunch time recital in St Columb’s Cathedral. Free entry – no booking necessary.

Battle of the Organs Gala Evening Concert featuring Catherine Ennis, Daniel Moult & Roger Gifford. Tickets available from Guildhall in early September.

Saturday 21st OctoberOrgan masterclass, covering technique, hymn-playing and music for Advent and Christmas. Booking essential via Royal College of Organists website.

Masterclass Concert & Presentation of Certificates 3pm - 4pm. Free entry – no booking necessary.

Evening Concert. Showcasing the Guildhall organ and traditional Irish music. Featuring Catherine Ennis, Neil Martin & Friends. Tickets available from Guildhall in early September.

Our first Guildhall Organ Festival will be an opportunity for everyone to come along and enjoy all this magnificent instrument has to offer.