Architecture | The music hall's organs were supposed to be moderate, but now they are “wow” – This is how the architect commented on the turnaround

Helsinki The music house's new concert organ sounds wonderful. The implementation has been a complete success.

Part of the attention has been given to the showiness of the organ. The tubes that carry air to the whistles are usually hidden inside the instrument, but now they were made into a visual wow effect that changes the look of the entire concert hall.

The new technology allowed wild twisting of the 3d-printed wood composite pipes.

Separately, it was said that the pipes have a gnarled pine shape sketched also a composer who donated a million euros from his inheritance to the organ project Kaija Saariaho.

The end result even feels like a startling departure from the original aesthetics of the Musiikkitalo's architecture.

The music house the design competition was once won by a proposal called a mezza voce, loosely translated as “half voice”.

The restrained and controlled plan was made by Arkitehtitoimisto LPR Ola Laiho, Mikko Pulkkinen and gradually took the main responsibility for the implementation Marko Kivistö.

When the house was finished, it felt purposeful in contrast to wau architecture. However, the organ is very wau.

What does the original architect Marko Kivistö think about it?

The concert hall was almost ready in May 2011. The stage was made lighter so that the eye would focus on the performance, not on the purposely dark hall. The organ was empty for more than 12 years. Picture: Outi Pyhäranta HS

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Architect Marko Kivistö during the finishing works of the Musiikkitalo in spring 2011. Picture: Sirpa Räihä

“Oops, was my first thought when I saw the drawings of the new organ”, admits Kivistö.

Originally, the architects wanted the hall to have a dark look and calmness as a counterbalance to the commotion of Mannerheimintie next door.

“Instead of a shoe box model, a vineyard model was chosen, and we wanted a blocky effect for the hall. At the same time, we sought the atmosphere of a campfire circle, because the audience is on all sides of the stage”, Kivistö recalls.

The organ was part of the plan from the beginning, but after the openin
g of the Musiikkitalo in August 2011, it took more than 12 years before the organ plan came to fruition.

“The original plan was a metal mesh behind which the organ would shine,” he recalls.

Eventually Saariaho's donation of one million euros and the resulting activation of other financiers made it possible to build a bigger organ than expected. In addition to the larger external dimensions, they also weigh more than twice as much as the estimate of the original plan, i.e. 40,000 kilograms.

Kivistö had changed architects in the meantime, and was planning the changes on behalf of LPR Pauno Larjus. He remembers being surprised by the proposals of the organ working group, but after “melting” he adapted to their enthusiasm.

The same happened to Kivistö, with whom Larjus was in contact during the renovations.

“Pretty soon I liked and got excited about these changes. I am extremely happy with the end result”, says Kivistö.

in Finland is used to the fact that, for example Alvar Aalton the architecture must not be touched, even if the changes would improve the acoustics of the halls.

In the end, there were no such restrictions in the music hall. The organ could be made completely different from the original plan.

Based on the first impression, the solid mass of the organ has brought a little more load-bearing capacity to the acoustics of the hall as well.

“Art is not subordinate to architectural expression, but the opposite”, Kivistö sees.

Kivistö currently works in the architectural group of the new concert hall in Turku. He emphasizes that he was a bystander in the Musiikkitalo's new organ project, and a very satisfied one.

“Now the organ is a piece of art that stands out like a beautiful shiny piece of jewelry in a dark velvet evening dress.”