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National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaNational Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive

Man and An Organ: Sydney Opera House

1981

Man and An Organ: Sydney Opera House

1981

  • NFSA IDFH8Y7TYA
  • TypeFilm
  • MediumMoving Image
  • FormDocumentary
  • Year1981

Ronald Sharp and others worked painstakingly for 10 years to build the Grand Organ for the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

It consists of 10,244 individual pipes and is the world's largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ. British organist and composer Peter Hurford is shown playing the instrument.

Like the Opera House itself, the organ was steeped in controversy over its budget (A$1.2 million) and the time it took to build and voice.

The first recital was performed on 7 June 1979, almost six years after the opening of the Opera House.

This is an excerpt from Man and An Organ, 1981 – Film Australia Collection © NFSA.

You can see more about the organ in this Eyewitness News story about its early stage of construction.

Notes by Beth Taylor

Ronald Sharp and others worked painstakingly for 10 years to build the Grand Organ for the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

It consists of 10,244 individual pipes and is the world's largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ. British organist and composer Peter Hurford is shown playing the instrument.

Like the Opera House itself, the organ was steeped in controversy over its budget (A$1.2 million) and the time it took to build and voice.

The first recital was performed on 7 June 1979, almost six years after the opening of the Opera House.

This is an excerpt from Man and An Organ, 1981 – Film Australia Collection © NFSA.

You can see more about the organ in this Eyewitness News story about its early stage of construction.

Notes by Beth Taylor

  • Director
    Peter Johnson
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