10 Facts You May... or May Not Know About The Auckland Town Hall
From the peak political and cultural hub of Auckland to the coolest and most rockin’ gig and classical music spot in Auckland today - the Auckland Town Hall is one of Auckland’s longest standing building both in stature and history. To celebrate the return of the Auckland Town Hall Tours here’s 10 facts you may or may not know about this iconic music venue.
- The Auckland Town Hall is home to the largest musical instrument in New Zealand, a 111-year-old pipe organ and is a ‘protected object’ by New Zealand Law.
- Like the Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton, London, its building style is imperial Baroque, a highly ornate style of architecture that flourished in 17th and 18th century Europe.
- The great four-sided clock that rests in the building’s iconic tower was a welcome donation from former Auckland mayor and Member of Parliament, Sir Arthur Myers and the construction was championed by him before and during his time as mayor between 1905 -1909.
- The Great Hall is modelled off the Gewandhaus concert hall in Leipzig, Germany and can seat 1,673 people.
- The Auckland Town Hall is considered to have some of the finest town hall acoustics in the world.
- Auckland Choral has performed Handel’s Messiah every year in the Great Hall since 1911.
- The Auckland Town Hall organ was originally built by English firm Norman & Beard in 1911 but was re-built in 2010 with some of the original parts.
- The Auckland Town Hall organ boasts 114 stops and more than 5,000 pipes and blowers with the strength of 10 horsepower.
- Two other organ’s stops replicate the sound of the Māori kōauau (flute) and pūkāea (trumpet).
- In 1969 – 1970 the Auckland Town Hall Organ was extensively remodeled when the organ reform movement reached New Zealand. The remodel significantly altered and reduced its original Romanic-era power, discarding many parts of the original, and adding new ones to produce a then-fashionable Baroque sound.
