"Restoration - Phase 1"

In April, 2004, having called for tenders world-wide, we announced that restoration would be carried out by M. Yves Cabourdin, organ builder of Carcès, Var, France. Yves Cabourdin’s website is at<http://www.nanou.com.au/mporgues/>
David Rumsey, Australian organist based in Basel, Switzerland, was the Consultant for the first phase. On 11 January, 2005, all the restorable components of the 1890 organ left Australia for France, to arrive at the end of February.

Dismantling of the Organ at Kincoppal Rose-Bay

 

Finding the Musical Pipes

When the organ arrived in France, Yves Cabourdin discovered that some of the inside caps of the 36 pipes had musical engravings – This was a most unusual discovery because it revealed that Eugène Puget had used metal used to print sheet music in the interior of the pipes. In all probability, this unique discovery would never have been made had the organ not required a full restoration.
These musically engraved pipes are available for sponsorship at $500 each and approximately 20 have been sponsored.
Yves Cabourdin has completed all the restoration of the pipes and most of the casework, and now the second phase is under way.