Organ Recital

We attended the inaugural performance on the newly-restored Ingram organ, originally in the Astoria Cinema in Corstorphine.

After various owners and subsequent rescue it was installed in the Corstorphine Astoria Centre, run by the Corstorphine Trust, where we first saw the console and many of the component parts on Doors Open Day in 2019. We then heard a demonstration played in December of that year, when most of the parts were complete.

Progress being delayed by the Covid pandemic, today was its first public performance. Well-known organist John Kitchen played a selection of pieces, from composers from the C19 to the C21, making use of the ability of the instrument, which, unlike church organs, includes sound effects - triangle, horse hooves, surf, train whistle, boat and crash - all useful when accompanying a silent film. 

John admits to having little experience on a cinema organ but provided a most entertaining afternoon, which he appeared to enjoy as much as the sell-out audience.