Yangang Xing had never heard of organ-tuning books, but his colleague Andrew Knight often played the pipe organ at churches as a teenager. “Quite often, the only thing to look at between services was this little red book that sat in the corner.”Xing realised organ-tuning books were troves of data that might span decades. View image in fullscreen Organ tuners make brief records of their visits and often jot down observations in the books. The average summer temperature for urban churches in the sample was 17.2C during the late 1960s. While many churches are large, difficult-to-heat stone buildings – making them refuges for some during heatwaves – hot summer weather can still trouble an organ.

Source: The Guardian December 23, 2025 21:49 UTC