Gasteig renovation sends 6,000 organ pipes into storage

More than 6,000 pipes from the organ in Munich’s Gasteig cultural centre must be removed ahead of a planned renovation, BR reports. The 12-by-12-metre instrument stands in the Philharmonie concert hall and will be stored for at least seven years.

Organ builder Lars Sonius and nine colleagues from the Bonn-based Klais company are taking the pipes out one by one. They range from a few millimetres to between three and 10 metres long. Workers are packing them in wooden crates padded with wood wool and foam sheeting.

The pipes must be kept dry, as excess moisture can cause the wooden ones to develop mould. Metal pipes made from a tin-lead alloy must be stored upright where possible to prevent them from losing their round shape. The crates will be taken to a climate-controlled warehouse in Cologne for the duration of the renovation.

Hans Gerd Klais built the organ, which was inaugurated when the Gasteig opened in 1985. His son and successor, Philipp Klais, is overseeing its removal. He said it felt strange to dismantle an instrument that builders hope will last for centuries, but added that it was one of the few objects in the centre expected to return almost unchanged.

Organist Friedemann Winklhofer, 75, kept the instrument ready to play for 20 years. He described his relationship with it as a love affair, recalling the many hours he practised and the concerts he played to full audiences.

Every pipe and component must be carefully documented so the organ can be reassembled correctly. Munich’s city council is due to decide on the Gasteig’s full renovation in February 2027. If approved, the organ is expected to be reinstalled and playable by 2034.