EDINGTON, home to an international music festival, played host to a small group of Estonians who had come to pack up the church’s 1905 Henry Jones organ last weekend.
The organ is a gift from Edington PCC to the Gustav Adolfi School in Talinn, made possible by a successful fundraising campaign for a new organ in the Priory Church.
The operation was overseen by Ago Tint who will be rebuilding the instrument in time for it to make its debut performance on 6th June at the school’s Founders Day celebrations. Robin Wilson, the chairman of the Edington Organ Liaison Group, will be asked to unveil the instrument.
Hendrik Agur, the headteacher of the school was in charge of packing up the various parts of the organ prior to loading in the lorry. For two days, a small group of local volunteers helped to dismantle the organ, but by Sunday more muscle power was needed and extra villagers were recruited to help lift the two main bellows – which needed eight people to get them into the lorry.
Anu Tali, an international conductor, acted as interpreter and helped her Estonian colleagues.
Local people provided accommodation and hospitality over the weekend and supplied wonderful soups and cheeses to help sustain the workers during the day, supplementing Estonian black bread.
The weekend was rounded off with a celebratory drink or two in the Three Daggers where new friendships were formed and knowledge of life in Estonia greatly improved. The Estonians were surprised and greatly impressed by the help and kindness shown to them by everybody.
The Priory Church now awaits the arrival of its new Harrison and Harrison organ – a gift from Edington Music Festival Association. Installation is expected to be complete by Easter.
