JOHANNESBURG CITY HALL

Norman & Beard

The organ was designed by Herbert Norman for H.H. Martyn, with the tubular pneumatic actions and setting out designed by E.W. Norman, who had to depart from orthodox lines because of the size of the organ and the altitude of Johannesburg. It was constructed by Norman & Beard of Norwich and Hollins tested and demonstrated the instrument before it was dismantled and shipped. It weighed 54 tons and was shipped to South Africa in 71 cases. Installation took 11 months. The blind organist, Hollins, was accompanied from Cape Town by Cooper and met in Johannesburg by Tomkins. Hollins played at its public opening on 4 March 1916 and included some of his own compositions. 

Henry Willis IV came out to overhaul the Johannesburg City Hall organ in 1974 and his rebuild was not a great success. He went to other places in the country. He had a son, Henry V who helped him with the Johannesburg organ, and the city council complained about his service. Henry Willis IV came out and sacked him on the spot. 

Musically, this organ had a very Edwardian, romantic sound. Willis decided to make it more classical and baroque. He took out the biggest pipes and doctored the smaller ranks, giving them squeaky voices, leaving the organ without the lovely fullness of the original scaling. ‘Willis removed ten-metre wooden pipes (the 32’ Wood Open) and used the timber for bookcases. Bottom CCCC was 5.5m long, about 400mm square, of timber 50mm thick, weighing 450kg. Now the organ has no 32 ft wooden pipes. These would cost thousands to replace, R10 000 – R15 000 each, and he took out 12 of them! There was a committee of six people, which was supposed to exercise oversight. The city council won’t spend anything on it now, so these sounds will never be restored. There are records of it and pictures. Now audiences will not travel into town for concerts and the city hall has been sold to the Gauteng Provincial Administration. The hall was very good for organ music but less suited for speech. Concerts are now usually held at the Linder Auditorium, Parktown which is a pity.

Centenary of the Organ Builders, Anne Taylor and James Riadore, 2002