Plan for the Restoration the Goršič Pipe Organ in St. Michael’s Church in Mengeš

Organistica responded to the invitation of the Mengeš parish organ committee and participated in the planning of the restoration of the Goršič organ in the church of St. Michael in Mengeš (Op. 54, 1890).

The organ is to be completely restored, with the primary aim of preserving the organ in its original condition, while the restoration work is to achieve perfect functioning and a more complete sound image of the instrument, and at the same time to prolong the life of the organ.

In June 2023, the Močnik Organ Workshop dismantled the organ in the church into its smallest parts and transported it to their workshop, where it will undergo cleaning and restoration, protection against pests, repair of cracks, straightening and soldering of metal pipes if necessary, and replacement of all unusable and worn parts with materials matching the original ones. Upon completion of the restoration, the organ will be restored to its original condition as it was when it left the hands of Master Goršič in 1890.

Estimated scope of renovation

Pipes

The original Goršič pipes have been preserved in the Mengeš organ. Out of a total of 1176 pipes, 869 are made of tin and 307 are made of wood, mainly spruce.

All pipes must be dismantled from the organ case, thoroughly cleaned, and restored according to established procedures. The metal pipes need to be straightened, the feet, which have collapsed due to the weight, have to be strengthened and the edges of the smaller pipes, which have been damaged during tuning, have to be soldered.

The wooden pipes appear worm-eaten, and the larger ones, in particular, are badly cracked from drying. In some places, the glue on the joints has also loosened. Some of the wooden pipes have higher regulating slots on the mouth due to later interventions. If they cannot be restored to a suitable acoustic position, new pipes will have to be made with original regulating slot heights (e.g. the Gedeckt 8′ from Manual I is a striking example).

In addition to crack repair and glueing, all pipes shall have their preforms unscrewed, cleaned, slots aligned and rusted screws mechanically cleaned. The covers on the covered pipes should be renewed (modification of sealing with felt). Hardened leather should be replaced with new leather and the covers readjusted. Pipes in the façade shall be polished by hand or by machine to their original gloss when restored.

The Bordun 16′ and Hohlflöte 8′ have, judging by the inspection of the pipe foot holes, reduced airflow.

Principal 8′, Octav 4′ and Mixtur IV-V 2 2/3′ (row I 2 2/3′ and row II 2′) have, judging by the inspection of the pipe foot holes, an increased airflow.

Pipes of inappropriate dimensions have replaced some of the metal pipes during previous interventions on the organ (replacement by pipes without a regulating slot, replacement of conical pipes by cylindrical pipes, and replacement pipes without the correct foot height). Such pipes should be replaced by suitable replicas.

Intonation

All registers will be intonated and tuned again, with special attention to preserving the original character of Goršič intonation.

Windchests

All the windchests must be carefully removed from the organ case and completely restored in the organ builder’s workshop. After dismantling the pipes, the pipe boards should be dismantled and cleaned. The boards must be properly strengthened and protected against wood parasites. Cracks and other possible damage to the register compartments (cancella) should also be properly repaired. The sealing on the cones should be checked separately after cleaning and the leather should be replaced if necessary. The threads on the wires shall be cleaned and all cone valves realigned.

The register cancellas and the undersides of the pipe boards should be checked on dismantling if they have been accidentally twisted and should therefore be straightened. The register cancellas have been drilled out of the organ in previous inappropriate interventions.

When removing the windchest and wind channel of the second manual, it is necessary to check if the original bellows for the additional register Salicional 8′ Pianissimo were in this place. If this is the case, the bellows should be reconstructed and connected to the existing mechanical pull in the case and the console.

When reconstructing, it is necessary to ensure adequate access to the second manual pipes.

When rebuilding the windchests, special attention should be paid to their supporting structure. This has been modified several times in the past. As a result, the windchests are sagging (markedly the windchest of manual I). The sagging is most pronounced at the longitudinal joints of the register cancellas, which are visibly widened. Of course, when the cancellas are restored, they must be returned to their original state.

Manual action

The manual action is sensitive to climatic changes and only its precise control ensures adequate response. The whole action should be inspected and any damaged parts repaired or replaced with a suitable replica. Particular attention should be paid to the wooden angles and other angular gears. Long pull rails which are guided only in the guides shall (at the discretion of the operator) be additionally ‘hung’ to improve responsiveness.

All rollerboards shall be inspected and those wooden axle bearings (bearings) which are worn or deteriorated shall be replaced. All replacement parts shall be made as copies of the original.

Abstracts between the rollerboard and the pedal keyboard in the console shall be replaced with new ones, if the existing ones are badly damaged and destroyed. Damaged and deteriorated wire shall be replaced on the wooden pull-rails as necessary. The threads on the wires shall be cleaned and the wooden nuts replaced if they are loose. The entire manual action shall be realigned.

Stop action

All airlocks containing register opening/closing valves shall be opened and resealed. The hard leather on the sealing surfaces of the register valves shall be replaced with new softer leather, in several layers if necessary. The entire action, from the console to the valves, should be realigned, with particular attention being paid to the synchronous operation of the fixed combinations and couplers.

The register valves shall be mechanically guided by steel nails. These are corroded and consequently prevent the register valves from closing. When dismantled, these nails shall be replaced with new stainless steel ones.

Console

The console is originally placed in front of the organ so that the organist faces the altar. The drawstops are arranged to the left and right sides of the manual keyboards. The fixed combinations are engaged by foot pedals.

Manual keyboards: 54 tones, C-f³

The white bone lining on the manual keyboards must be cleaned and badly damaged linings must be replaced with new ones after prior consultation. On all keys, the worn leather (‘Schweizertuch’) on the guide grooves shall be replaced and the keyboards re-tuned. The backing strips at the rear of the keyboards, on which the keys rest, shall be straightened and strengthened.

Pedal keyboard: 27 tones, C-d¹

The pedal keyboard should be cleaned, the felt and leather in the guides replaced, the springs replaced if necessary, and the keyboard re-tuned. Pedals that are worm-eaten or badly damaged shall be replaced with new ones. The pedals must be coated with a resistant oil to protect them from dirt.

All threaded wires in the console must be cleaned or replaced as necessary to allow reliable and easy adjustment of all mechanical couplers. All couplers must be readjusted and rebalanced. Wooden nuts which are loose or unreliable shall be replaced with new ones. When the console is dismantled, the Suboctav Copel coupler should be checked, as it now functions as a super-octave, and if it is not suitable, it should be replaced by a replica of the original. The register valve guides shall be redone in stainless steel.

There are traces of active mould in the console. It shall be suppressed by appropriate means during the restoration.

The pedal light shall be replaced by a new one and the electrical installation shall be arranged accordingly inside the console. The lighting of the music desk shall be agreed upon at a later date. The new organ switch shall also be agreed upon as to where it will be located.

It is proposed to make a copy of Goršič’s original bench with an adjustable mechanism (an example is at the Ljubljana Ursuline church, Op. 56, 1891). The inscription plates added later should be replaced by a new copy of the original plates (example of the Ljubljana Ursuline church, Op. 56, 1891). The register numbers applied later above the original inscription plates on the console should also be removed.

Wind system

The organ has the electric blower Aug. Laukhuff – Weikersheim 12 82, 14 m3/min, 120 mmWS, 0,75 H.P., 2800 rpm. The existing blower is to be replaced by a stored (in the choir room) blower made by H. MEIDINGER & CIE BASEL (SCHWEIZ), type NTK 60, serial number M305/4, 1430 rpm. The electric blower shall be cleaned, reconditioned if necessary and maintained. The sound insulation of the electric motor shall be properly arranged. Arrangements shall be made for the installation of an air filter.

The air inlet to the main double bellows shall be re-arranged to minimise the audibility of air noise. The manual bellows drive system shall be retained and suitably renewed. This shall include the re-coating with leather of the bellows. All bellows shall be opened, cleaned and sealed or the worn leather completely replaced (at the folds, especially internally). The windchest’s air intake ducts shall be cleaned, inspected and, if necessary, further sealed. Any concussion bellows attached to the ducts and inlets shall also be renewed.

Organ case

The restoration of the organ case exterior is subject to the opinion of the Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

All load-bearing structures must be checked for strength and the correct orientation of the growth of the timber beams. The doors opening on the organ latch or hinge shall be suitably arranged at the time of renovation. The inadequate electrification of the organ case and the console shall be removed. The proper electrification (lighting inside and outside) shall be arranged. In addition, the case shall be thoroughly cleaned inside and outside.

When the organ is rebuilt, the accesses, especially to the manual II pipes, shall be properly arranged.

Others

In addition to the renovation works mentioned above, the following should be provided:

• security at the choir, in particular:
  • appropriate crossing ways
  • installation of CO₂ fire extinguishers
• adequate lighting of the choir
• heating in the choir for both the singers and the organist
• appropriate floor covering (stone or wood)
• the installation and suitable arrangement of the choir stalls