Restoring number three

As the restoration of the Rieger organ nears completion, it's a perfect time to reflect on its fascinating history. While reading, spare a thought for those who endured the tuning process - it has been quite an experience!

Given that St Giles’ is now over 900 years old, it might seem surprising that the first organ installed in St Giles’ was in 1883 by Ingram & Co This organ was enlarged in 1890 and refurbished in 1909 Rev Charles Warr once described it: “The huge cumbrous case, an enormous semicircular bulge of massive woodwork and metal pipes, completely obstructed the lovely vista from the Moray aisle to the west door and the Thistle Chapel antechapel.” By 1938, the organ was in poor condition, prompting the commissioning of a new one by Henry Willis and Sons Designed by a young congregation member and future Cathedral architect, Esme Gordon, the new organ was unveiled in 1940, despite the challenges posed by the Second World War. Its significantly reduced profile was a delight to Rev. Warr.

Jumping ahead to the late 1980s, the Willis organ itself needed repair or replacement. A replacement was made possible by the generosity of the late Alastair Salvesen. The Austrian firm Rieger was chosen to install the new instrument, with a design by Douglas Laird ultimately selected In a lovely parallel to Esme Gordon, a young Graham Tristram, who was part of Laird’s team, would later become the Cathedral’s architect. Photos of the installation can now be seen for the first time by many, thanks to Peter Backhouse's efforts to digitise them. The current organ is a unique blend of Austrian and British organ building, combining traditional British wooden pipes from the old Willis organ with Rieger’s Austrian style

By the time of publication, the result of two months of hard work by Rieger’s craftspeople will have been heard in St Giles’, once again filling the Kirk with organ music

When looking at the photos, pay special attention to the window behind the organ, designed by Christian Shaw There are few, if any, other photos of this window, now hidden by the organ If any readers have photos of this window or the Willis organ, please send them in.

Stephen Preston, Deputy Head of Heritage