Restored Historic Harmonium Sounds Again at St. Petersburg Synagogue New Year Reception

On September 17, the St. Petersburg Jewish Community held a festive reception at the Grand Choral Synagogue to mark the beginning of the Jewish year 5787.

The event brought together members of the Jewish community, representatives of government, business, culture and academia. The program included blessings for the New Year and a presentation of the Synagogue’s key projects.

One of the highlights of the evening was the sound of the Synagogue’s restored pre-revolutionary harmonium - a unique historic instrument that had stood silent for decades.

A Historic Instrument Returns to Life

The Story & Clark «Cathedral» harmonium was manufactured in Chicago around the turn of the 20th century and arrived at the St. Petersburg Synagogue before the Revolution. The exact circumstances of its acquisition remain unknown.

Instrumental music is not traditionally used in synagogue services. However, in the 19th and early 20th centuries organs and harmoniums appeared in a number of European synagogues influenced by the ideas of the Jewish Enlightenment and by contemporary European musical culture.

For more than 120 years, the harmonium stood in the choir gallery of the Synagogue, attracting the attention of visitors who happened to see it. There is no evidence that the instrument was actually used before the Revolution, and during the Soviet period its use was out of the question.

Over the decades, the instrument fell into complete disrepair. Some of its parts were lost, while both the wooden case and the musical mechanism required major restoration.

The Jewish community had long hoped to restore the harmonium, and this year the complex and costly project was finally completed with the support of donors and specialists.

As part of the restoration, an electric compressor was added to supply air to the bellows. Originally, the airflow had to be produced manually, either by the musician or by an assistant.

At the September 17 reception, Russian organist Alexander Novoselov performed Jewish melodies and classical works on the restored instrument.

Mark Grubarg, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Jewish Community, said:

«We are very pleased that this historic instrument has been restored. According to Halakha, Jewish law, it cannot be used during Shabbat or holiday services in our Orthodox community, but we will find other ways to make the harmonium part of the life of the Synagogue.»

The restored harmonium is expected to be used in future concerts, educational programs and cultural events.