UQ pipe organ restored to its former glory

Looming over the eastern side of the UQ Art Museum (formally known as Mayne Hall), the University’s pipe organ has been a permanent showpiece for almost 5 decades in a building better known in recent years for its temporary world-class exhibitions.

Standing 2 storeys high and consisting of 3283 pipes, the organ has an imposing presence and an even larger sound. Yet, the instrument hasn’t been heard since 2016, when Reverend Dr Howard Munro finished his series of Friday lunchtime concerts during his tenure at St John’s College.

Having sat idle and out of tune for 8 years, those familiar haunting tones will reverberate around the UQ Art Museum once more following the organ’s restoration in March by Pierce Pipe Organ Builders.

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Historian, classical musician and UQ alum Emeritus Professor Peter Roennfeldt (Bachelor of Music (Honours) ’79) said he was thrilled to see the organ restored to its original playing condition.

“I was at Mayne Hall for the organ’s opening recital on 1 June 1976. Like many others who have heard the organ over many years, I’m delighted that the University has invested in its major cultural infrastructure so everyone can enjoy it well into the future,” he said.

Emeritus Professor Roennfeldt is the Patron of the Organ Society of Queensland and is highly regarded for his knowledge of Queensland’s musical heritage. In 2023, he published his book A Hall For All, documenting the history of UQ’s Mayne Hall, which served as a much-loved centre for performances, graduations, community and university life for decades until the early 2000s.

“Those planning UQ’s Mayne Hall in the 1960s were adamant that an organ was essential for the ceremonial aspects of the events to be held there because it could play processional music, accompany the singing of Gaudeamus igitur [the traditional university song] at graduation ceremonies, and play both solo items and works originally composed for orchestras,” Emeritus Professor Roennfeldt said.

“The budget for the building was set at $600,000 – without provision for an organ – so other sources of funding had to be found. The UQ Alumni Association, individual donors and other organisations played their parts and the money for the organ was raised before Mayne Hall was completed in 1973.”

On the basis of organ consultant Robert Boughen's recommendations regarding design and tonal choices, Sydney organ builder Roger Pogson was engaged in June 1973 to oversee the construction and installation of the instrument. A large component was manufactured in the Laukhuff workshop in Weikersheim, Germany – the wood for the pipe casework was sourced in Queensland and sent to Germany.

Assembling the organ inside the Mayne Hall in 1976. Images: UQ Archives

The organ arrived in late 1975 and was assembled inside the Mayne Hall in early 1976.

While the design brief to the Mayne Hall architect Robin Gibson clearly stated that an organ was integral to the stage and auditorium, acclaimed organist and conductor Dr Robert Boughen OBE (Doctor of Music honoris causa ’96) noted that the height of the building should be slightly raised to accommodate the instrument.

“Looking at the tallest pipes, you can see that this was necessary,” Emeritus Professor Roennfeldt said.

“The organ stood on the stage, which was 5 steps higher than the floor, so the long pipes – which could not be shortened for pitch and functional reasons – had to fit into the structure.”

Workers Assembling the organ inside the Mayne Hall in 1976.

Assembling the organ inside the Mayne Hall in 1976. Images: UQ Archives

Close up of the three keyboards and stops of the UQ pipe organ.

The opening organ recital at Mayne Hall by Robert Boughen on 1 June 1976. Image: UQ Archives

The organ officially opened with a recital on 1 June 1976 – a significant date in UQ’s history, according to Emeritus Professor Roennfeldt.

“This was the 65th anniversary of the inauguration ceremony of the University at the Exhibition Building (now the Old Museum) in 1911 for which the processional music was played by City Organist George Sampson. At the opening recital in 1976, UQ organist Robert Boughen [also the City Organist at the time] recognised this by opening his program with Elgar’s Imperial March – a historical recreation, at least in part.”

The organ was played at the vast majority of the almost 400 graduation ceremonies between 1976 and 2002, when the Mayne Hall was repurposed to become the UQ Art Museum.

An organ recital tradition quickly evolved in the late 1970s, with Dr Boughen performing the complete works of baroque composers Buxtehude and Bach, which were key events in Brisbane’s musical calendar, while the organ also featured in many of UQ’s School of Music concerts.

The opening organ recital at Mayne Hall by Robert Boughen on 1 June 1976. Image: UQ Archives

It was also the teaching instrument for a thriving cohort of organ students, who used the instruments for lessons, practice, examinations and recitals. Several of these went on to hold significant organist posts nationally and internationally.

“Fanfares for brass and organ were specially composed for conferences held in Mayne Hall, such as the ANZAAS conference in 1981,” Emeritus Professor Roennfeldt said.

“While at an infamous graduation ceremony in 1985, the organ played as part of the choral-orchestral ensemble in a piece composed by UQ staff member Dr Colin Brumby as hundreds of people protested outside Mayne Hall after the University awarded an honorary doctorate to then-Queensland premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

“So, in a way, the organ has witnessed some key events in UQ’s history.”

A close up of the horizontal pipes of the UQ pipe organ inside the UQ Art Museum.

While the organ has been around for some of UQ’s key historic moments, the instrument itself holds a unique place in Brisbane’s cultural heritage as the first large mechanical-action instrument to be installed anywhere in Queensland.

“The organ is the most complex and largest musical instrument, and its huge variety and extent of music composed for it means that for this rich history to be studied, played, heard and appreciated, the instrument must be in top working order,” Emeritus Professor said.

“As UQ alum Michael Fulcher stated during my research for A Hall For All, this type of instrument is the best training situation for a student, as it builds skills one can’t acquire on a fully electrical-action organ.

“In my role as Patron of the Organ Society of Queensland, I have a strong desire to see this instrument continue to be used and enjoyed by everyone. And as a UQ alum, the organ represents on the pinnacles of the University’s cultural achievements.”

UQ School of Music Senior Lecturer and Choral Conducting Fellow Dr Graeme Morton.

UQ School of Music Senior Lecturer and Choral Conducting Fellow Dr Graeme Morton.

UQ School of Music Senior Lecturer and Choral Conducting Fellow Dr Graeme Morton said it's important that any institution with a thriving music school – like UQ – has an organ.

“It makes a statement about who we are and how we value music and culture in the community,” he said.

“We need to attract young organists and young composers to realise the incredible array of colours and abilities that an organ has for producing sound, unlike any other instrument.”

UQ Art Museum Director Peta Rake said the organ’s continued presence in the museum is an important reminder of the longer history of this building, and its previous life as a concert hall and as a site of numerous graduations ceremonies.

"The Art Museum has a focus on art, of course, but continues the building’s role as a site for the general public to engage with the University and for students to engage with cultural materials and ideas beyond the focus of their individual studies," she said.

"The organ’s striking visual presence in the museum links these histories.

"While it's a fascinating visual object, it's meant to be heard and its restoration can only enrich the site and expand the potential to create enthralling and meaningful experiences for museum visitors.

"Artists exhibiting in the museum, including Mel O’Callaghan, Lara Merrett and Clare Milledge, have previously responded to the organ as both a visual and auditory object. The restoration will expand this potential for artistic engagement with the site-specificity of the museum.

"Furthermore, the organ’s restoration to classical performance standard will see the museum welcome new audiences attracted to organ-performances, which are expected to include both traditional repertoire and contemporary pieces."

The UQ Art Museum, alongside the UQ School of Music, is working on a range of events to activate the organ. These will include bespoke artistic commissions to honour the legacy and history of the organ, while also engaging with the instrument in innovative ways to ensure its continued relevance to contemporary and future audiences.

The organ will also be available for external hire as part of the Art Museum’s engagement strategy and its role as a unique events venue.

Contribute to the UQ Pipe Organ Commissioning Fund

If this story has inspired you, you can make a contribution to the ongoing conservation of the UQ pipe organ, and to future programs and performances that will bring the organ to life.

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