Abstract
Recent investigations have shown that xerophilic fungi may pose a biodeterioration risk by threatening objects of cultural heritage including many types of materials, including wood, paint layers, organic glues or leather and even metal. Historic—and also new built—pipe organs combine all those materials. In this study, halotolerant aspergilli and penicillia with low optimal temperatures were shown to be the most frequent invaders of pipe organs. The fungi form white mycelia on the organic components of the organs with a clear preference for the bolus paint of the wooden pipes, the leather-made hinges of the stop actions and all parts fixed by organic glue. Physiological tests showed that the strains isolated from the instruments all show a halotolerant behavior, although none was halophilic. The optimum growth temperature is below 20 °C, thus the fungi are perfectly adapted to the cool and relatively dry conditions in the churches and organs respectively. The de-novo genome sequences analyses of the strains are currently ongoing and will reveal the genomic basis for the halotolerant behavior of the fungi.
Highlights
Pipe organs are certainly one of the oldest and most complex musical instruments; several hundreds of wooden and metal pipes are selectively driven by a complex mechanical machinery directing the wind by means of different windchests, stops, trackers, pallets, valves and wires
Organ thencomponents was takenare from thesein adjoining rooms case, which has two major functions: (1)
The organ, as a complex of pipes and microclimate for the growth of fungi that is again influenced by the climate of the church in which wind-mechanics, can be regarded as a complex entity with different climatic niches
Summary
Pipe organs are certainly one of the oldest and most complex musical instruments; several hundreds of wooden and metal pipes are selectively driven by a complex mechanical machinery directing the wind by means of different windchests, stops, trackers, pallets, valves and wires.Pipe organs are an important part of sacral music and sacral liturgies. Pipe organs are certainly one of the oldest and most complex musical instruments; several hundreds of wooden and metal pipes are selectively driven by a complex mechanical machinery directing the wind by means of different windchests, stops, trackers, pallets, valves and wires. Organs still have an important function in churches and many historical organs are still in use. Organs have always been constructed with respect to the architecture and acoustics of the church or room for which it was planned [3]. This includes consideration of the indoor climate of the church, the air current, the sun exposure of the organs through windows and the location inside the church where the air steam for the organ is collected.
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