From Ingenbohl to Siauliai
In 2017, the organ in Ingenbohl parish church was dismantled, packed, transported to Siauliai in Lithuania and reassembled in the parish church there.
Previous history
On November 25, 2015, the parish assembly of the Roman Catholic parish of Ingenbohl-Brunnen (SZ) decided unanimously to replace the almost 60-year-old Cäcilia organ with a new Metzler organ.
What was to happen to the three-manual organ built by Cäcilia (A. Frey) AG in 1958? The instrument with 37 stops and Rückpositiv had been overhauled several times, most recently in 2003 by the company Orgelbau Erni, Stans. Although it was still playable, it no longer met the fire protection and electrical regulations.
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The full-time church musician and organist of Ingenbohl parish church, Stefan Albrecht, here at the "old" organ at the "old" location, accompanied and documented the entire organ building project. Photo: ts
Thanks to the Eastern European aid - the international aid organization "Triumph of the Heart" explicitly collects musical instruments as well as everyday objects - the Ingenbohl organ could be transferred to Lithuania. Until then, the parish church "Mariä Empfängnis" in Siauliai had had to make do with an instrument that did not do justice to the size of the room.
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The parish church in Siauliai was consecrated in 2009. Previously, a factory hall and later empty premises of the children's hospital served as the church. Photo: ts
Dismantling in Ingenbohl
After inspecting the instrument in January 2017, Lithuanian organ builder Aloyzas Lizdenis and his team completely dismantled the organ in Ingenbohl within 10 days at the end of April 2017.
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Dismantling the case, Aloyzas Lizdenis on the right. Photo: as
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Dismantling the Rückpositiv. Photo: as
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Exposing the double floor under the console. Photo: as
Subsequently, the Metzler Orgelbau AG, Dietikonthe new one, two-manual instrument with 32 registers into the Ingenbohl church interior. This organ was inaugurated on September 10, 2017.
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New Metzler organ in Ingenbohl without a Rückpositiv. Photo: ks
Reconstruction in Siauliai
In the meantime, the old instrument was transported to Siauliai and prepared for installation in the Parish church "Mariä Empfängnis" prepared. Stefan Albrecht traveled to Siauliai himself in the summer of 2017. At that time, parts of the old Ingenbohl organ were still packed.
Over the following months, Aloyzas Lizdenis and his team assembled the individual parts, which had traveled a long way, at their new destination.
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Installation work began in the second half of 2017. Photo: ts
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The housing will soon be recognizable again. Photo: ts
The reconstruction in Siauliai was completed with the collaudation on May 13, 2018.
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The new "old" instrument in Siauliai with floral decorations at the organ dedication. Photo: ts
Pictures of the consecration of the organ in the parish church of the "Conception of the Virgin Mary" in Siauliai
The costs for dismantling, transportation and reconstruction amounted to around 25,000 Swiss francs. Osteuropahilfe was responsible for the overall project management and was able to cover the expenses with donations.
In the last twenty years, Osteuropahilfe has realized three organ projects. In addition to the one described above:
2004/2005 - Organ of the Basel Cathedral -> Catholic Cathedral in Moscow https://www.osteuropahilfe.ch/laender/russland/oekumenische-arbeit/eine-orgel-fuer-moskau
This project is also briefly mentioned in the article "Queens on the move" by Jürg Erni (Swiss Music Newspaper 11/2018, S. 10/11)
2016/2017 - Organ of the institute chapel of Menzingen -> catholic church in Resita (Romania)
