The Kawaii Coll organ in the Great Hall of the Conservatory regained its voice

MOSCOW. After restoration, the organ of the Moscow Conservatory returned to service.

The magnificent acoustics of the Great Hall, the first visitors to the new building of the Moscow Conservatory were able to appreciate 115 years ago. As well as the possibilities of a three-manual symphonic organ with 50 registers, mechanical structure. It was designed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, creator of the organ of Notre Dame Cathedral. The acquisition of a unique tool was made possible thanks to the financial support of the railway tycoon and philanthropist Sergei von Derviz. Entering the Directorate of the Moscow Conservatory in 1890, he donated impressive sums to this educational institution more than once, including to help poor students. One of his most generous gifts is several hundred thousand rubles of untouchable capital, the interest from which was used for the needs of the conservatory. The year before the opening of the Great Hall, the Cavailier Coll organ visited the World Exhibition in the French capital, where it received a gold medal.

Six years ago, the issue of restoration of the instrument was ripened, which in 2014 was undertaken by the Austrian company Rieger. The main task was to restore the original appearance and sound of the organ. In the process, it was possible to clarify some of the nuances regarding its authentic disposition - the absence of the Unda Maris register and the loss of part of the pipes. The original intonation of the instrument was restored by an experienced specialist from France, Dani Lacore. There is hope that the criticisms made at the beginning of the last century by the famous organist Boris Sabaneev regarding a certain sharpness of the tone of the instrument in its “new edition” have lost their relevance.

The premiere of the restored organ took place on December 17. The works of Bach, Brahms, Vjorn, Vidor were performed by the assistant professor of the conservatory Lyubov Shishkhanova, member of the expert commission for restoration, organist Konstantin Volostnov, pianist and organist Alexei Semenov.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru