Renowned violinist helps organ fund
An internationally-acclaimed violinist will give a weekend of performances at Shrewsbury Abbey to help raise funds for the completion and the restoration of its Hill organ.
The organ at Shrewsbury Abbey was commissioned from the organ-builders William Hill and Sons and was inaugurated in 1911, although the original specification was never completed.
The Church Council have been advised restoration costs will be in the region of £500,000 and will involve the instrument being completely dismantled and rebuilt. There will also be ongoing maintenance of
the structure, mechanics and action of the instrument until such time as funding is sufficient to commence the restoration.
Earlier this year, violinist Rupert Marshall-Luck visited the Abbey and was struck by its architectural beauty as well as by its fine acoustics. Upon learning of the Abbey’s project to restore the organ, he offered to perform two concerts, between them presenting the complete Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin of J.S. Bach, over a single weekend in September.
The cycle of JS Bach’s solo-violin music will take place on the evenings of September 2-3 and all proceeds from the concerts will be donated to the Organ Restoration Fund. It will complement the Abbey’s ongoing schemes such as ‘Sponsor an Abbey Pipe’.
In addition Rupert will be at the Abbey at 1pm on Wednesday for the regular ‘Wednesday-at-one’ concerts.
Rupert said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to help Shrewsbury Abbey realise its goal of restoring a first-class instrument to the heart of cultural life of Shrewsbury and the wider Shropshire communities. For a long time I have wished to perform the solo Sonatas and Partitas of JS Bach as a cycle; and it is marvellous to be able to do so in the magnificent setting of the Abbey whilst at the same time making a contribution to this important and far-reaching project.”
Tickets cost £15 for each recital or £25 for both recitals. These are available online from the website of Shrewsbury Abbey at www.shrewsburyabbey.com or from the Abbey shop.
