Following the occupation of the Baltic States in 1940, the Soviet Union continued the destruction of national cultures, with Latvia suffering particularly severe consequences. As a result of the deportations of 1941 and 1949, as well as state-supported immigration, the proportion of ethnic Latvians fell to around 60 percent of the republic’s population.

After 1945, dozens of churches and their artistic treasures were closed and deliberately destroyed. The organ-building and organ-restoration sector was devastated as well. Nearly one fifth of the instruments in Latvian churches were destroyed. At the same time, the occupation regime sought to present itself as progressive in the eyes of Western Europe. In a number of churches from which congregations had been expelled, historic organs were preserved. Organ concerts were organised in specially constructed concert halls in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, and elsewhere, featuring the remaining organ builders.

An organ workshop for a greater goal

Against this backdrop, an 18-year-old Jānis Kalniņš dreamed in 1982 of becoming an organ builder. Kalniņš first encountered the unique organ of Ugāle while still a student, accompanying Ojārs Spārītis on a tour of cultural heritage sites. The encounter left a profound impression on the musically gifted young man. The sight and sound of the original instrument sparked both admiration and a desire to explore the richness and spirit of this Baroque “musical machine.”

In his vision, the pinnacle of his future career would be the restoration of the three-manual Baroque organ in Lestene. Built between 1707 and 1709 by organ builder Cornelius Rhaneus, the instrument had been destroyed during the Soviet era. Following Latvia’s restoration of independence and after completing his theological studies, Jānis Kalniņš was appointed pastor of the Ugāle congregation in 1992. To pursue his life’s goal, he established an organ-building workshop in the outbuildings of the former parish house. Funding for the workshop’s development came from the United Courland Foundations and was used to purchase woodworking machinery.

Kalniņš learned the fundamentals of organ building from Gunārs Dālmanis, organ master at Riga Cathedral, and Rimantas Gučas, head of the organ-building workshop in Vilnius. A decisive milestone came in 1993 when he met Swedish organ expert Göran Grahn and organ restorer Mads Kjersgaard. During the 1990s, Swedish organ builders were regarded as leading specialists in the restoration of authentic historic organs. This collaboration culminated in 1998, when the Ugāle workshop under Kalniņš’ leadership became a member of the International Society of Organbuilders (ISO). His internationally recognised expertise and the workshop’s technical capabilities enabled the complete restoration of the two-manual, 28-stop Baroque organ built between 1697 and 1701 in the church of Ugāle.

two-manual Baroque organ with 28 stops in the church in Ugāle (Photo: Jānis Kalniņš)

International recognition

Today, SIA Ugāles ērģeļbūves darbnīca is the largest organ-building company in the Baltic States. Under the leadership of Jānis Kalniņš, the workshop carries out the majority of organ construction, repair, restoration, and maintenance projects in Latvian churches. Through its work on instruments dating from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, it contributes significantly to preserving Latvia’s rich organ-building tradition. Over the course of its 34-year history, the workshop has restored approximately 80 instruments in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, and Poland. During the same period, 42 completely new organs have been built, finding homes not only in Latvia but also in Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Finland, and Italy. In cooperation with the German company Johannes Klais Orgelbau GmbH & Co. KG, work was completed in 2019 on a monumental instrument for the concert hall Latvija in Ventspils. The workshop’s most recent completed instrument can be found in Cedry Wielkie, near Gdańsk in Poland.

A monumental organ built in 2019 by the Ugāle Organ Workshop near Gdańsk, Poland (Photo: Jānis Kalniņš)

…And a dream yet to be fulfilled

Since 2025, the long-awaited restoration and reconstruction of the organ in the church of Lestene has finally been underway. The project aims to restore both the expressive early eighteenth-century Baroque organ case and the instrument’s three manuals with 33 stops by 2028. If successful, Kalniņš’ lifelong dream will become reality 46 years after it first took shape and 36 years after he began pursuing it professionally. The achievements of the Ugāle Organ Workshop have been recognised with national honours in Latvia. For his outstanding contribution to organ restoration and organ building, Jānis Kalniņš – managing director and driving force behind the workshop – was awarded Latvia’s highest state honour, the Order of the Three Stars. In 2005, he also received Latvia’s Cultural Heritage Award for the restoration of the organ in the Church of Ugāle.

Written by Jānis Kalniņš and Ojārs Spārītis. Ojārs Spārītis has been a highly committed member of the International Advisory Board of denkmal for many years.

Parts of the organ at the church in Lestene that are still scheduled for restoration (Photo: Jānis Kalniņš)