On April 7, 2025, the Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences hosted a professional seminar dedicated to a unique and highly engaging topic – the research of pipe organs. The event also served as a beautiful example of the intersection between science, engineering, and music.

The main speaker was our colleague Dr. Andrej Štafura from the affiliated research workplace INOVAL in Žiar nad Hronom, who has been devoted to studying the acoustic properties of organ pipes for many years. In his lecture, he focused on current challenges in the field of organology – particularly on preserving the original sound of historical pipe organs and exploring the use of modern materials in the construction of new instruments.

One of the key topics discussed was the need to find more corrosion-resistant and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditionally used lead, which poses health risks. Dr. Štafura also presented specific outcomes of his research, including methodologies for measuring the acoustic properties of organ pipes and the physical-acoustic characteristics of the materials used.

This area of research is crucial not only for musicology but also for materials engineering and the preservation of cultural heritage. The goal is to safeguard the authentic sound and craftsmanship of historical pipe organs, while also developing sustainable, technical, and ecological methods for their restoration for future generations.

We thank all participants for their engaging and fruitful discussions and look forward to more inspiring expert events in the future.
 
text and photo : S. Múčková