CTH Organ Opening Events 1997
Collated records of the Christchurch Town Hall Organ including photos and programmes from opening week can be found here.
1997 Inaugural Festivities
We have collated photos and programmes of the period up to and including the inaugural opening of the Christchurch Town Hall Organ in our efforts to conserve this important history.
Rehearsals
May 13th and 14th 1997. Rehearsals!
Opening Night!
May 15th 1997. Opening night has finally arrived!
Inauguration of the Rieger organ, Town Hall, Christchurch, New Zealand
Inauguration of organ including Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S.Bach, played by Christopher Herrick
Opening Night Programme
With organists
Martin Setchell
David Childs
Graham Hollobon
and the massed Christchurch choirs
Strings of Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
Trustbank Woolston Brass
Conductor: Brian Law
Martin Setchell
David Childs
Graham Hollobon
and the massed Christchurch choirs
Strings of Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
Trustbank Woolston Brass
Conductor: Brian Law
| Programme | |
|---|---|
| There let the pealing organ blow | Ritchie |
| Kiwi Fireworks | Spicer |
| Grand Choeur Dialogue | Gigout |
| Organ Concerto No.2 in B flat | Handel |
| Panis Angelicus | Franck |
| Pie Jesu | Lloyd Webber |
| Toccata | Widor |
| Trumpet Tune in A | David Johnson |
| Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah | Handel |
| Jerusalem | Parry |
Concerts for Schools
May 16th 1997.
With Russell Kent (Schools Music Advisor) and Martin Setchell (City Organ Curator)
11.25am Juniors - hosted by TV presenter Jason Gunn
1.25pm Seniors.
11.25am Juniors - hosted by TV presenter Jason Gunn
1.25pm Seniors.
Both sessions were fully booked, with students from 62 local schools taking part - an estimated total of 4500 children. Delegates to the 1997 National Organists Congress being held in Christchurch during the weekend of the inaugural festival attended the 1.25pm session. Music examples to demonstrate the organ included extracts from:
- Toccata in F (Widor)
- Toccata in F (Bach)
- Capriol Suite (Warlock)
- Badinerie from the Flute Suite (Bach)
- 'New World' Symphony (Dvorak)
- Dialogue I (Peter Hurford)
- 'Nessun dorma' (Puccini)
- 'Organ' Symphony (Saint-Saëns)
- Radetsky March (Strauss)
May 16th 1997, 6pm Concert, with Organist Christopher Herrick
| Programme | |
|---|---|
| Fantasia in F min K608 | Mozart |
| Prelude & Fugue on B.A.C.H. | Liszt |
| Fantasia & Fugue in G min | Bach |
| Sonata No.3 | Guilmant |
| Seven Allegorical Pictures | Eftestøl |
| Choral No.1 | Franck |
| Rakoczi March | Berlioz |
May 17th 1997, 8pm Concert with Choir and Orchestra
Organists: Christopher Herrick and Martin Setchell
| Programme | |
|---|---|
| Ecce sacerdos magnus | Bruckner |
| O Clap Your Hands - Christchurch City Choir with organist Martin Setchell | Vaughan-Williams |
| Organ Concerto | Poulenc |
| Symphony No.3 (organ) - Organist: Christopher Herrick | Saint-Saëns |
Finally, after all the shouting and tumult dies...
Wendelin Eberle of Rieger Orgelbau can't resist the temptation to give the front pipes one more polish before leaving for Austria and saying farewell to the instrument Rieger have worked on for 6 and a half years.
