The new organ for Linz's landmark, the Pöstlingberg Church, should be ready by early 2023 at the latest. The Freiburg organ building site in Späth is building the instrument; the diocese surprisingly won the Linz-born media and performance artist VALIE EXPORT for the artistic design. The project was presented on Tuesday.
Image: APA
VALIE EXPORT, who celebrated her 80th birthday last year, said in an APA birthday interview that she had thought for a long time whether she should come up with a concept for the organ. Ultimately, she decided to go for it because as a child she loved the Pöstlingberg and the basilica so much: “The memory of it seduced me. Giving the organ pipes an environment is an exciting task.”
Only plans show what this environment will look like. As part of the design, she chose the words “Whoever understands has wings”. With this sentence she ties in “both the level of understanding and belief”, according to the press. The veil boards are also reminiscent of grand pianos – they cover the empty space between the organ pipes and the frame of the organ. “The church interior and the instrument thus become a place that is at home with our thinking and our thoughts, but at the same time also elevate us”, was quoted VALIE EXPORT, who did not come to the presentation on the Pöstlingberg in person due to the corona.
The old organ from 1943 was no longer playable, an inexpensive digital instrument for the late Baroque landmark of Linz, the second largest pilgrimage church in Austria, unsuitable, said Siegfried Adlberger, organ and bell speaker of the diocese of Linz. The Späth organ building workshop was commissioned with an adequate organ. Except for a fan and the lighting on the gaming table, the new one will also be operated purely mechanically. “It is an instrument with three manuals and a pedal, the basic disposition of which is baroque. A small swell extends the musical possibilities in the direction of romanticism and serves as an optimized choir accompaniment”, explained Tilmann Späth.
The parish wants to raise the necessary 700,000 euros for the new acquisition with the support of the diocese, city, country and donation campaigns. So far, 430,000 euros have been collected. Benefit concerts such as on October 12th with the Florian Boys' Choir are also planned.
