If you appreciate music that soars to the heavens and are interested in the city’s history, go and listen to the organ. There are plenty of places in Vilnius to visit when liturgical services are not taking place where you can immerse yourself in the chimes of this king of instruments.
Vilnius, known as the city of churches and monasteries, has always been famous for organ music. However, fires, wars, occupations, economic booms, and modernisations have changed the look and sound of the city’s organs.
The first mention in written sources of the organ in our region dates back to 1408. This was when Ulrich von Jungingen, who was Grand Master of the German Teutonic Knights and fought the Lithuanians (the Grand Duchy) at the Battle of Grunwald (also known as Žalgiris or Tannenberg), sent a portative organ (organetto) and a clavichord as gifts to Ona, the wife of Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania.
The golden age of the Vilnius organ is known as the Baroque period, especially in its late period (18th century). Most of the organs from this period, or rather their facades, have been preserved in the churches of the Old Town. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the modernisation of organs began, but it only involved replacing, extending, or rebuilding the instrument itself – the old facades were kept the same or, in some cases, enlarged. As a result, it is often possible to find a later instrument, for example, in the Romantic style, behind a Baroque facade.
The face of the Vilnius organ has not only been changed by modernisation but also by the occupation of the city. After the uprisings of 1831 and 1863, monasteries were closed en masse, and churches were turned into Orthodox churches. Some of the instruments were destroyed during that period, while others were moved to other churches. After the Second World War, only a few churches remained open in Vilnius. Others were looted and vandalised and turned into museums, warehouses or gyms. Their instruments were broken and taken away, recycled into stained-glass frames or lures for fish.
The face of the Vilnius organ has not only been changed by modernisation but also by the occupation of the city. After the uprisings of 1831 and 1863, monasteries were closed en masse, and churches were turned into Orthodox churches. Some of the instruments were destroyed during that period, while others were moved to other churches. After the Second World War, only a few churches remained open in Vilnius. Others were looted and vandalised and turned into museums, warehouses or gyms. Their instruments were broken and taken away, recycled into stained-glass frames or lures for fish.
With the restoration of independence and the return of churches to the faithful, some organs have been restored, but many are still waiting for better times. In most churches, the instruments are used only for the liturgy and are not capable of conveying a complex musical repertoire.
