Playing the Pipe Organ: Maxine Finds Joy in Music

For more than 40 years, Resthaven Murray Bridge resident, Mrs Maxine Gogler, 86, played the pipe organ at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church at Murray Bridge. ‘The sounds you can get from it are thrilling,’ Maxine says. ‘From the softest whisper to the loudest roar, the organ lets you play with an emotion and range that not many other instruments have.’

The secret to the pipe organ’s presence is its complexity. The instrument has two keyboards, one for the melody, one to accompany, and a footboard where the bass notes are played. It also has numerous ‘stops’ which change the sound, so the organ can mimic other instruments in the orchestra.

Built by Fincham of Melbourne in 1927, the Holy Cross’ organ was originally made for the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Ballarat, Victoria, for the sum of $4,800. In 1980, the electro-pneumatic organ was purchased by Holy Cross at Murray Bridge. With little work done on it since its creation, the organ was refurbished and rebuilt in Adelaide by Mr George Stephens and a dedication ceremony was held at Holy Cross on Sunday, 21 February 1982.  

When the organ was first installed at Holy Cross, there was no one there who could play it properly – after all, the organ has over 1,000 pipes and some of the wooden ones, made from Californian Redwood, are more than 16 foot long. To properly do it justice, Maxine took it upon herself to take lessons in Adelaide with James Thiele at the Lutheran Church in Flinders Street.

‘He was an excellent organist,’ Maxine says. ‘One of the best, and he taught me so much. Playing the organ is not the same as playing piano or keyboard, you really do need to learn how to play it properly.’

Tickling the ivories

Before she found her true love in the organ, Maxine began by learning the piano. Growing up in the house next door to the Holy Cross Church, she was allowed to play the piano there.

‘My parents were very supportive,’ Maxine says.

‘I took lessons with Mrs Blake up the street for a couple of years, and then a nun at the Catholic Church and Convent would take me to practice there.’

 
A young Maxine Gogler

Over time Maxine grew to be a very accomplished pianist, keyboardist, and organist. She became the church’s regular accompanist – playing on Sundays for the service, at weddings, funerals, and christenings. She was also asked to play at major events, such as accompanying Miss Australia, Tania Versak, in the 1960s and also the Harlem Globe Trotters when they visited Australia in the 1980s. For many years she was also the accompanist for the Bridge Players, the Bridge Singers and other local plays and productions.

Maxine married her husband Keith in 1964 and the couple had three daughters. Keith worked in insurance and was prominent in the community as the chairman of the church. Sadly, he died in 2019.

‘Keith loved hearing me play,’ Maxine says.

These days, Maxine says her hands are a bit stiff, but she has enjoyed playing piano at some of the church services held at Resthaven. 

‘It’s a very good way to exercise my brain,’ Maxine says. ‘I love playing all types of music, but obviously the songs I play at church are mostly religious songs. I do think the organ really shines with this type of music. You can feel the music inside you.’

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