Rodina Organ and Chamber Music Hall

The Rodina Organ and Chamber Music Hall (Зал органной и камерной музыки «Родина») is a concert venue in the Kalininsky District of Chelyabinsk, Russia, and one of the concert halls of the Chelyabinsk State Academic Philharmonic. It occupies a building originally opened in 1950 as the Rodina cinema, which was the largest cinema in the city at the time, with a capacity of 500 seats and a neoclassical facade featuring a monumental Corinthian portico and triangular pediment. In 1975, artist K. V. Fokin added painted murals to the lobby and auditorium that had not been part of the original design. From the 1980s the cinema was the first in Chelyabinsk to show stereo films. It operated as a cinema until 2002, when the building was declared unsafe. In October 2008 the building passed into private ownership. Reconstruction began after it was announced that the organ from the Alexander Nevsky Church — which was being returned to the Russian Orthodox Church — would be moved into the former cinema. The organ had been built by the German firm Hermann Eule and installed in the church in 1987 at a cost of roughly 790,000 marks; building an equivalent instrument in 2010 would have cost about 950,000 euros. The instrument has 2,504 pipes, 37 registers, three manuals and a pedal keyboard, with mechanical key action and electromechanical stop action, and was widely regarded by performers as one of the best organs in Russia and Europe. Between 2010 and 2014 the building underwent a large-scale reconstruction. The former cinema was reconfigured specifically around the organ, with classical-style interiors, restored stucco work in the lobby, acoustic chairs in the auditorium that do not absorb sound, and eight dressing rooms for artists. The main facade was restored with its portico, pediment and entrance porch preserved. The organ was dismantled from the Alexander Nevsky Church in January 2014 and moved to the Rodina building, where it was thoroughly cleaned, acoustically modernized and fitted with a modern German combination system capable of storing more than 10,000 register combinations. The first concert took place on 24 December 2014, and the hall was officially opened on 25 December 2014. Today the hall is part of the Chelyabinsk State Academic Philharmonic and hosts organ and chamber music concerts, festivals and guest performances by Russian and international artists. Its programme includes events such as jazz on the large organ, organ recitals by performers from South Korea and elsewhere, piano trios, choral concerts and family-oriented programmes. The building is listed among the identified objects of cultural heritage of Chelyabinsk.

The building that now houses the Rodina Organ and Chamber Music Hall opened in 1950 as the Rodina cinema, the largest cinema in Chelyabinsk. It was built to a standard design in the neoclassical style, with a main facade organized as a monumental Corinthian portico topped by a triangular pediment, and a capacity of 500 spectators. In 1975, through the efforts of artist K. V. Fokin, painted murals appeared in the lobby and auditorium that had not been envisaged in the original design. From the 1980s the cinema became the first in Chelyabinsk to screen stereo films. The Rodina operated as a cinema until 2002, when the building was declared unsafe. In October 2008 the building passed into the ownership of a private organization. Restoration and reconstruction began after it was announced that the organ would be moved into the former cinema from the Alexander Nevsky Church, which was being transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. The organ had been built by the German firm Hermann Eule and installed in the church in 1987 at a cost of approximately 790,000 marks; constructing an equivalent instrument in 2010 would have cost about 950,000 euros. The church building had been adapted for the organ with special acoustic treatment, including a large ceiling chandelier to diffuse sound and prevent excessive reverberation, a vibration-resistant foundation rated for nine tonnes, and climate control to maintain constant temperature and humidity. The instrument had 2,504 pipes, 37 registers, three manuals and a pedal keyboard, with mechanical key action and electromechanical stop action, and was considered by many performers to be one of the best organs in Russia and Europe; its makers regarded it as among the best instruments internationally. In 1998 it was repaired and modernized with the participation of Hermann Eule specialists. Between 2010 and 2014 the former cinema underwent a large-scale reconstruction. The building was replanned specifically around the organ to be installed. The interiors of the lobby, vestibules and hall were executed in a classical style; lost stucco work in the lobby was restored. The auditorium was fitted with special acoustic chairs that do not absorb sound, and eight dressing rooms were created for artists. The main facade was restored while preserving the details of its external appearance, including the portico with pediment and the entrance porch. Original stucco mouldings around the perimeter of the building were restored or recreated. In January 2014 the organ was dismantled from the Alexander Nevsky Church building and transported to the Rodina cinema building. During 2014 the instrument underwent a fundamental modernization: it was cleaned and acoustically upgraded, and a modern register-combination system made in Germany was built in, with a memory bank holding more than 10,000 register combinations, which experts say allows artists to improvise and experiment. The first concert in the building of the former stereo cinema Rodina took place on 24 December 2014, and the official opening of the Rodina Organ and Chamber Music Hall followed on 25 December 2014. The hall is one of the concert halls of the Chelyabinsk State Academic Philharmonic, and the building is included in the list of identified objects of cultural heritage.

• 2014

  In January the organ is dismantled from the Alexander Nevsky Church and moved to the Rodina building; it is modernized during the year.

• 2014

  The first concert is held on 24 December and the hall officially opens on 25 December.

• 2010

  A large-scale reconstruction of the former cinema begins, lasting until 2014.

• 2008

  In October the building passes into private ownership.

• 2002

  The Rodina cinema closes after the building is declared unsafe.

• 1998

  The organ is repaired and modernized with the participation of Hermann Eule specialists.

• 1987

  A Hermann Eule organ is installed in the Alexander Nevsky Church at a cost of about 790,000 marks.

• 1980

  The cinema becomes the first in Chelyabinsk to show stereo films.

• 1975

  Artist K. V. Fokin adds painted murals to the cinema lobby and auditorium.

• 1950

  The Rodina cinema opens in Chelyabinsk as the largest cinema in the city, with 500 seats.

A state-owned, heritage-listed organ and chamber music hall in Chelyabinsk, positioned as a leading regional venue for organ and classical chamber music in Russia.

• Hermann Eule pipe organ

  A 2,504-pipe, 37-register organ with three manuals and a pedal keyboard, mechanical key action and electromechanical stop action, moved from the Alexander Nevsky Church and modernized in 2014.

• Organ and chamber music concert season

  Regular concerts featuring organ, chamber, choral and crossover programmes, including jazz on the organ and guest recitals.

1. 1Челябинская государственная академическая филармонияphilarmonia.ru
2. 2Rodina music hall — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Родина (концертный зал) — Википедияru.wikipedia.org