There have been no organ sounds in the church of Odoorn for almost a year. When you enter, you hear a lot of carpentry work. There is now an organ that looks better than ever. After 126 years of loyal service, the instrument was ready for a major restoration, which is now almost completed. Almost, because making music will have to wait until September.
A year ago things looked very different. Organist Wim Boer then looked worriedly at the interior. “Look at this, that pipe no longer works. That is all uneven, and that is not the intention,” he said then.
His voice now sounds a lot more optimistic. “The lungs and the heart are back,” says Boer, pointing to the restored interior. “Here we see the two keyboards and the register buttons, and everything is connected again.”
Stability has also been addressed. The organ had literally become out of context and collapsed forward, that problem has been solved.
Jermo Tappel of Het Drentse Landschap explains: “This organ dates from 1899 and has never been completely restored. It came loose from its connection and has now been restored.”
Farmer proudly points to a black iron beam at the bottom. “They made that in to make the bottom sturdy, so that the organ can stay neatly in place again.”
The test continues below the video
