- The historic pipe organ at St Norbert’s Catholic Church in Kommetjie will play for the first time in two years on Christmas Day.
- Bill Robson, the 81-year-old builder of the organ, will perform traditional carols and Bach’s works before and during mass.
- The organ, built in 17th-century style using tools dating back to 1735, holds special significance for Robson and the church.
Congregants and guests of St Norbets Catholic Church in Kommetjie are in for a treat this Christmas Day, as the pipe organ that remained silent and untouched for two years will once again be filling the church hall with its sweet melodies.
What makes the occasion extra special is that Bill Robson (81) who originally built the organ between 1992 and 1996, will be playing firm favourites as well as music by Bach on Christmas Day.
“I will be playing 20 minutes of Christmas music prior to mass, then during and after mass,” Robson shared with the People’s Post.
“The music will be mostly by JS Bach, including his famous Toccata in D minor at the end of mass.”
The special pipe organ, which was originally commissioned to be used primarily for concerts and mass, took three years to build back in 1992.
“It is unique in South Africa, being a baroque organ in 17th century style to replace the 1680 Belgian organ intended for the church but for which permission for export to South Africa was refused by the Belgian government at the time,” Robson explained.
With a background in electronic engineering and having played pipe organ since the age of five, it was useful in building pipe organs.
“I was born in Pretoria but then my parents moved to England where I was educated and came back as an electronic engineer,” he adds.
Robson built his first pipe organ in 1972 and his passion for building and restoring the instruments grew from there.
Explaining his connection to the organ, Robson said of all the pipe organs he has built over the years, the one at St Norbits was one of the most important.
“It’s tragic that this organ has been silent and not played for years, it is one of the most important organs I ever built.”
Recalling how the organ was originally commissioned, Robson said the church’s initial plan was to import an organ from Belgium.
“They were going to send a 17th century pipe organ from Belgium but it was declared historic and at the time not allowed to leave the country, so I was asked to build the organ.”
He further explained that he had used his grandfather’s 18th century tools to build the organ by hand.
“It is a very big organ which took three and a half years to build,” he explained. “Most of the metal pipes came from a company in Holland. Made by hand they were the most beautiful pipes which available.”
Being old fashioned, it made perfect sense to use 18th century original tools from his grandfather to build a pipe organ the way it was originally done in the 17th century.
“I have a set of tools from my grandfather I used to build that organ, some of the tools go back to the 18th century with the oldest tools dating back to 1735 which adds an extra layer of historical significance to the project,” he said.
“It is handmade although the rough work is done by machinery, everything else is hand crafted including the keyboard…it is a very special instrument.”
Robson will be playing traditional carols from 07:30 on Christmas Day, Wednesday 25 December.
“For those who used to come to the concerts, this will be a chance to hear this organ again,” he concluded.
“I hope this will kickstart the playing of this organ again as the church is currently looking for a permanent organist to play.”
