Town Hall Organ

The organ at the Adelaide Town Hall was built in Brandon, Suffolk, England at J.W. Walker and Sons. It was installed in the Auditorium in 1989.

ATTR_TOWNHALL_ORGAN_PIPES.JPGThe Organ is the largest mechanical-action instrument to have been built in the United Kingdom for 100 years. It has 61 stops distributed over four manuals and pedals and 4500 pipes, each made by hand.

» Download the Organ Stop List (PDF, 20Kb)

The Organ is designed to cover a wide range of musical styles but its forte is the English and French repertoire of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, although the clarity of its 'voicing' is well suited to the contrapuntal styles commonly associated with Bach and his contemporaries.

The key action of the Organ is mechanical, however, it is assisted by an electrical system that couples the keyboards and uses micro-chip technology to program elaborate combinations of stops and effects.

» Download the Registration Aids (PDF, 53Kb)

Another innovation allows the player to pre-select pistons and memorise stored stop combinations which can be operated by a hand-held key pad.

The organ is ornately designed and features contrasting shades of light (maple) and dark
(American red oak) timber. The red silk-backed 'pipe shades' are all hand carved and use
Australian native flora as motifs - the wattle, native hibiscus and Sturt Desert Pea.

The Organ Advisory Panel

This panel consults and decides on the annual recital program and maintenance of the Town Hall Organ. It consists of five experienced and knowledgeable panellists including the Organ Curator, Mr Andrew Baghurst.

If you would like to be part of our Organ Recital series, please email or post your resume along with a recent recording of your playing to the address below.

Ms Karen Shelton
Venue Manager
Adelaide Town Hall
GPO Box 2252, Adelaide SA 5001
Email: k.shelton@adelaidecitycouncil.com

» View the Organ Recital Program 

CD Recordings

The following recordings have been made at the Adelaide Town Hall on the JW Walker Organ:

French Organ Concertos (Poulenc, Guilmant, Dupre)
Organist: Simon Preston with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite
ABC Classics 432529-2 (1990)

Pipe Organs of Adelaide, Volume 2
Organist: Harold Fabrikant
Academy Music AMCD9672 (1996)

Pipe Organs of Adelaide, Volume 3
Organist: Harold Fabrikant
Academy Music AMCD9673 (1996)

The Colours of the Grand Organ
Organist: Terry Norman
Black Wattle Music / Academy Music BWCD001 (1997)

These CDs are not available at the Town Hall. Please contact your local music store for more information.