"A taste of Waldkirch" at Amersham 12 April 08
As iMODers will know, in June this year the 9th International Organ Festival will be held in the town of Waldkirch in the Black Forest area of Germany. Although only a small town, for over 100 years Waldkirch was a major centre of mechanical organ building, home of the famous Ruth factory and various companies operated by members of the Bruder family over several generations. In the early 1900s Gavioli (and later Limonaire) had an agency in the town. Waldkirch was also the home of famous music markers Carl Frei Senior, who recommenced trading there after the second world war, and Gustav Bruder who was the organist at the town's church. In tribute to Waldkirch and as a curtain raiser to the forthcoming organ festival the Amersham Fair Organ Museum Trust are arranging a Taste of Waldkirch event at their Plantation Road premises. This will include a programmed concert on this season's guest organ: the newly-imported Model 36b Ruth organ of Paul & Alison Kirrage supported by other Waldkirch-made instruments in the home collection, the Wilhelm Bruder Söhne 46-keyless and the Weber Unika piano orchestrion. In addition, a German-themed wine and finger buffet will be served in keeping with the music on this occasion. The event, which is planned for 12 April 2008, is due to last from 4pm to 8pm. Admission is by programme only (to include the price of the refreshments) and these are on sale now by post only from Kevin Meayers, the secretary of the Trust, at £10.00 per person. Programmes are limited to 80 persons and all bookings should be received by Monday 7th April. This will be the last opportunity to see and hear the Ruth at Amersham before it is fitted into its new travelling truck and goes on tour. The organisers are very grateful to Paul for the loan of this magnificent instrument for the 2007-8 season and for his generosity in sponsoring the catering at this special event, which is in aid of Trust funds. Send your orders to Kevin Meayers, Amersham Fair Organ Museum. Unit 1, 28 Plantation Road, Amersham, BUCKS. HP6 6HJ (cheques made payable to 'Amersham Fair Organ Museum').

Waldkirch night in Amersham
Hello everyone! I thought I'd post an update on the forthcoming event at the Amersham Fair Organ Museum. Plans are now well advanced for what I hope will be a very enjoyable occasion, food and wine, plus the rare opportunity (in England at least!) to hear a Model 36 Ruth Organ play a concerted programme of music, both light and classical. We are limited in our seating capacity so if anyone is serious about attending from long distance, I urge you in that famous phrase to book early "to avoid disappointment". Due to generous sponsorship of Paul Kirrage and others, all proceeds from the evening are being donated to the upkeep of the home collection. We look forward to seeing you.

Thank you
Thank you to all those who attended the "Taste of Waldkirch" event at Amersham on Saturday. It will certainly go down in the history of the collection as one of our most memorable occasions ever held at Plantation Road. Thanks to the generosity of the 50 persons who attended - and to our volunteers and sponsors who put in a lot of work behind the scenes - we raised nearly £700 for the upkeep of the home collection, all of which is most appreciated.

As one of the visitors on Saturday, I would like to offer a huge vote of thanks to everyone involved in making the evening such a success. Anyone who calls themselves a German (or more specifically a Ruth) organ enthusiast really should have been there, as where else would you have a chance to hear a programme of almost exclusively factory-arranged songs, galops, waltzes, overtures and operetta selections (with honourable appearances by Gustav Bruder, Kevin Meayers and Carl Frei)? Special thanks have to be made to Paul and Alison Kirrage for sponsoring the magnificent buffet and allowing the organ one final performance at Amersham before it goes on the road, Jory and Kevin Meayers for compiling the programmes, Jory and Paul Davies as MCs the evening and the other museum Trustees and helpers for their hard word before, during and after the event. A final vote of thanks should be made to Doug Charlett for the loan of some books from his Bruder for the evening. I would urge everybody to book tickets for the next special event at Amersham when it is announced - you won't be disappointed! Jeremy.