Historic CD player

Automatically stored draft

Even today, the flute secretary gives listeners a special musical treat.(Bild: Imre Antal)

The oldest "CD player" in Austria is turned on by Abbot Pius Maurer in Lilienfeld Abbey for the greater glory of God. It is a gem of technological and musical history known as the flute secretary.

"Our flute secretary is signed Johann Weys 1821, who was a gifted Viennese organ builder," says the benevolent and artistic Abbot Pius of the venerable Cistercian monastery in Lilienfeld. Pius has the following to preach to Krone readers across the country: "A flute secretary is a kind of precursor to a CD player. However, the sound carriers are much larger than those of its modern successor, which has already been replaced by new playback tools - namely rolls each about 50 centimeters long, with a diameter of about 10 centimeters."

Neuhauser once carefully restored the precious flute secretary for Pius Maurer. He still watches over the instrument's special "heavenly sound".(Bild: Imre Antal)

What the Alpenvorland Abbey is carefully guarding is certainly a treasure. Because the complete work for eternity consists of seven rolls of this flute secretary. "I usually play the grooves with the music 'Overture from Egmont' composed by Beethoven," the high clergyman lets us know during our inspection.

Rollers and cogwheels - ingeniously assembled - are at the heart of this CD precursor, which still sounds fine today.(Bild: Imre Antal)

"The case is very finely crafted. It is made of walnut, fire-gilded bronze fittings and gilded carvings," reveals restorer Mark Neuhauser from Hainfeld, who carefully rescued the sounding gem from a short eternity on earth and advises Abbot Pius on the correct treatment of the highly sensitive instrument from the first quarter of the 19th century. Pius with a prayer to the heavens: "May the flute secretary continue to resound for a long time to the greater glory of God!"