Malta International Organ Festival
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      • Piret Aidulo
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      • Joseph Caruana
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      • Joseph Lia
      • Yaroslav Mikulkho
      • Alexandra Orlova
      • Elena Sartori
      • Christian Schmitt
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      • Andres Uibo
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
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      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Adriano Morea
      • Andres Uibo
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      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Evgenia Krivitskaia
      • George Devdariani
      • Gianluca Libertucci
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20th November till 7th December 2021

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church, Fontana Gozo

About the Organ

Picture
The organ in Fontana Parish Church, Gozo, was built by the Sicilian firm Laudani e Giudici of Palermo in 1908. The organ, situated above the main entrance to the church is enclosed in a case formed by stone walls on either side and at the back. The front part is enclosed by glass espression shutters. The façade pipes (of the Principale 8') are unenclosed.

The substantial wear-and-tear present before Robert Buhagiar’s restoration confirmed that the organ was much in use during its 90 years of existence. During this period it had never been completely restored but only maintained and ‘patched up’ as required to keep it going. However it had deteriorated so much that it had been unplayable for a few years prior to Buhagiar’s restoration.

Full restoration work on the organ started in 2002 and the organ was completely dismantled and transferred to Mr.Buhagiar’s workshop in Zabbar. Here all parts were carefully restored to original condition using reversible processes and original materials as much as possible. Parts like the 2 main spring chests (one for the treble and one for the bass), 2 pedal chests, parallel bellows with two feeders, keyboard, pedalboard, action rollerboards and other parts were meticulously restored. Unfortunately woodworm had caused great damage to the front part of the bass spring chest and this part required full reconstruction. 

Once the organ case was cleaned the restored organ parts were returned to the church and re-assembled. The organ was then voiced respecting the original voicing characteristics and tuned in equal temperament. It has a total of 714 pipes and it is very interesting to note how the various stops add colour and brightness rather than sheer volume. This interesting voicing characteristic is present in all stops, from the soft Bordone 8’ to the Tromba 8’ and Ripieno). The original voicer might have worked this way considering the relatively small size of the church. The mechanical action is by design not very precise but the organ possesses a beautiful and expressive romantic tone relative to the size of the church. 

Courtesy of Ing. Robert Buhagiar

History

Picture
Fontana is one of the smallest villages in the island of Gozo The church's  foundation stone was laid on 29 January 1893.  It was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on 29 January 1905 by Bishop Giovanni Maria Camilleri. The main altarpiece, showing the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, was crowned with a golden crown on 18 June 1993, by Bishop Nicholas J. Cauchi, on the occasion of the first centenary of the laying of the church's foundation stone. The main altarpiece is part of Giuseppe Calì's works.

The Fontana parish was established March 27, 1911 by Bishop Giovanni Maria Camilleri.

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands

Picture
  • Home
  • Register
  • Programme
    • Programme 2021
    • Programme 2020
    • Programme 2019
    • Programme 2018
    • Programme 2017
    • Programme 2016
    • Programme 2015
  • Artists
    • Artists 2020 >
      • Lisa Bini
      • David Boldrini
      • Felicitas Brunke
      • Jason Camilleri
      • Franco Cefai
      • Ansgar Gescher
      • Lukas Hasler
      • Joseph Lia
      • Elizaveta Lobanova
      • Luca Magni
      • Wayne Marshall
      • Natalia Rakhmatulina
    • Artists 2019
    • Artists 2018 >
      • Gail Archer
      • Dmitry Banaev
      • Giacomo Benedetti
      • Alesandro Bianchi
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Reggie Clews
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Dina El
      • Sandro Gori
      • Jurgen Grima
      • Petr Ilyash
      • Stefano Molardi
      • Marco Lo Muscio
      • Olga Makarina
      • Mariella Mochi
      • Sergio Orabona
      • Neils Pfeffer
      • Irina Rozanova
      • Christian Schmitt
      • Daniela Tremaroli
      • Simone Valeri
      • Petra Veenswijk
      • Kristina Vilotševa
    • Artists 2017 >
      • Brendan Ball
      • Riccardo Bianchi
      • Ka Bo Chan
      • Franco Cefai
      • Maurice Clerc
      • David Davies
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Semjon Kalinowsky
      • Luca Magni
      • Gaulitanus Choir
      • Taras Baginets
      • Martino Pòrcile
      • Giuliana Maccaroni
      • Hugo Agius Muscat
      • Julian Mallek
      • Zita Nauratyill
      • Joseph Lia
      • Wayne Marshall
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Andres Uibo
      • Mark Vassallo
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Dominika Zamara
    • Artists 2016 >
      • Piret Aidulo
      • Geoffrey Alvarez
      • Dominique Aubert
      • Heribert Breuer
      • Roberta Bugeja
      • Dion Buhagiar
      • SIlvia Di Falco
      • Giesme Choir
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Joseph Caruana
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Philippe Emmanuel Haas
      • Yfke Hoogevee
      • Joseph Lia
      • Yaroslav Mikulkho
      • Alexandra Orlova
      • Elena Sartori
      • Christian Schmitt
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Andres Uibo
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
    • Artists 2015 >
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Adriano Morea
      • Andres Uibo
      • Ciricino Micheletto
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Denis Kasparovitch
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Evgenia Krivitskaia
      • George Devdariani
      • Gianluca Libertucci
      • Gianpiero Cristaldi
      • James Ham
      • Joseph Caruana
      • John Aquilina
      • John Galea
      • Joseph Lia
      • Maria Lyudko
      • Mari-Liis Uibo
      • Olga Makarina
      • Roberto Rigo
      • Simone Vebber
      • Vladimir Suzdalevich
    • Artists 2014 >
      • Alfred Fenech
      • Anastasia Bogacheva
      • Dion Buhagiar
      • Dmitry Banaev
      • Elena Yaskunova
      • Francesca Farrugia
      • Graziella Debattista
      • Irina Rozanova
      • Malta Police Band
      • Vladimir Shliapnikov
      • Wayne Marshall
  • Venues
    • St Francis of Assisi Church, Valletta
    • Our Lady of Victories, Valletta
    • St. Paul's Anglican Pro- Cathedral, Valletta
    • Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church, Fontana Gozo
    • Annunciation of Our Lady Parish Church, Balzan
    • St. John's Co-Cathedral Oratory, Valletta
    • St. Cajetan Parish Church, Hamrun
    • St Julian's Parish Church, St Julian's
    • Gozo Cathedral, Cittadella, VIctoria, Gozo
    • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Church, Balluta
    • Jesus of Nazareth Chapel, Xagħra, Gozo
    • Annunciation Parish Church (Rotunda), Mosta
    • St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral, Mdina
    • St John of the Cross Parish Church, Ta'Xbiex
    • St. Augustine Church, Valletta
    • St Nicholas Parish Church, Siġġiewi
    • Xewkija Parish Church, Gozo
    • Our Lady of Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, Gozo
  • Masterclasses
  • Competition
    • Competition 2021
    • Competition 2019
  • Contact
  • News
  • New Page