Historic Hill organ returns to Prenzlau – a musical miracle!

Historic Hill organ returns to Prenzlau – a musical miracle!

Great things are being achieved in Prenzlau today. In St. Mary's Church, craftsmen work diligently on the design of the access to the gallery. A special highlight is the Hill organ, which was previously stored in the Nikolai Church and is now being installed in this venerable church. This historic organ dates from 1904 and was built by the renowned organ building company William Hill & Son in the West Parish Church in Kilbarchan, Scotland. District cantor Hannes Ludwig, who has been in Prenzlau since 2007, had the vision early on of breathing new life into St. Mary's Church through music and an organ. Uckermark courier reports that Ludwig came across the organ while visiting Scotland and recognized the potential of bringing this fascinating instrument to Germany.

A long road to rebirth

Dismantling the organ in Scotland proved to be a challenge. It took the experts three weeks to carefully dismantle the complex instrument. The transport to Brandenburg took place with a 40-ton truck, with volunteers in Prenzlau actively assisting with the unloading. The restoration was carried out in an organ building workshop in Eberswalde. While the enthusiasm otherwise remains unbroken, the corona pandemic took its toll on the project: supply chain problems and a lack of materials led to delays, so that the project is now five years behind schedule.

Despite these setbacks, the team is optimistic. Installation of the Hill organ is currently underway and the gallery is almost complete. The planned commissioning of the organ is scheduled for Ascension Day 2026. The project is financed through federal support as well as donations and the sale of an old community center. In order to restore the organ to its original condition and to ensure harmonious integration into the church interior, the work is planned particularly carefully.

The importance of organs

But what makes the organ so special? This “Queen of Instruments” produces millions of tones and is for many a central element in churches and concert halls. Each organ is a unique work of art that is acoustically and visually adapted to its location. The registers of the organ are different in their design and timbre, so that the sounds of the individual pipes can even be reminiscent of the sounds of violins or flutes.

Loud Monument preservation Organs are not only complex musical instruments, but also important cultural heritages, which in most cases have a very strong connection to their environment and the people who play them.

So let's be excited to see how St. Mary's Church will be brought back to life with the Hill organ. It proves once again that heritage conservation initiatives can have a big impact, even on a small scale. And who knows – perhaps an old legend will come to life again in this place and attract visitors and music lovers from near and far.