This past November, InterMarque member (and MN Citroën Club president) Michael Barone led a Pipedreams Tour* to Australia.
Though the history of organ music is pretty much centered in Europe, Australia has its own interesting indigenous organ-building tradition. Australia can boast the world’s largest mechanically operated pipe organ (Sydney Town Hall, 160 ranks of pipes), largest mechanical action pipe organ (Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, 205 ranks of pipes), and largest collection of nearly original late 19th century British pipe organs (more than at home in England)
But though the organic attractions were numerous with more than 45 instruments seen, heard, and played over 12 days, Barone’s eyes kept watch for other things. For instance, as a way of serving the considerable homeless population in Sydney, the Municipal Shower Bus, a novel idea, made it possible for people living on the streets to maintain a semblance of personal hygiene. http://www.Onevoice.org.au/mobile showers. This was, without question, the most utilitarian vehicle spotted in Australia, but it was not alone.
Both Toyota and Holden (https://www.holden.com.au/cars/ute) marketed a vehicle very similar to the Chevy El Camino/Ford Ranchero concept, in Australia. Most of these car/trucks were rather elegant, though other versions with stake-bed and even panel-van rear ends, were less photogenic.
And, of course, one hoped to see a Citroen on the road. One was spotted: a 1971 DS Safari being put to good use in the transport of a table strapped to the roof.
Some run-of-the-mill Ferraris, Lotuses, Lamborghinis, Bentley Continentals and other common exotica were spotted, too, but did not warrant photo-documentation.
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- These mobile shower buses help serve Sydney’s homeless community.
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- A Citroen DS Safari, spotted”at work¹ outside Sydney, Australia.
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- A very snazzy Holden Ute. Apparently a model still sold in Australia (well, NOS, since Holden has ceased operation as an automobile manufacturer, unfortunately).
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- Expansive, expensive worth more than $6 million today and with 160 ranks of pipes, including one that is 64-feet long this magnificent instrument in the Sydney Town Hall, built in 1890 in England by the firm of William Hill, was for a time the world¹s largest pipe organ. It remains the largest pipe organ that functions entirely by mechanical means only the blower and music desk light require electricity.
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- When new in 1890, the world¹s largest pipe organ. Sydney Town Hall.
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- Another Holden Ute, this one a 4-door!, spotted on a street in Melbourne (sorry, it was nighttime). https://www.holden.com.au/cars/ute
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- One of the world’s most identifiable and iconic architectural creations, the Sydney Opera House and Concert Hall in Australia.
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- Barone at the 5-manual console of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall organ
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- Hooded trumpets with the Sydney Opera Concert Hall organ
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- Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Pipe Organ.
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- Michael Barone and Lise Schmidt on the Opera House plaza, Sydney, Austraiia.
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* Pipedreams.org is Michael Barone’s weekly, nationally syndicated program, devoted to music of the pipe organ. It airs on Classical MPR-99.5FM from 6-8 a.m. on Sunday mornings and has been in syndication for 35 years. Pipedreams hosts a tour every year (two in 2017), and the most recent one went down under.
The next Pipedreams Tour (May 15-26, 2018) will visit Belgium. http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/tour/