Kinoorgel Babylon

Made in 1929 to accompany silent movies, with 913 pipes and 66 registers, it was the biggest cinema organ in Germany.But the organ’s grandeur wasn’t celebrated for long. Soon after its construction, sound film took over and the Babylon’s instrument became superfluous. Now, almost a century later and thanks to a dedicated team, Kino Babylon in Berlin Mitte has become a haven for lovers of silent film.

But it takes more than outdated technical equipment to experience this fading art in an authentic way. It requires quick fingers and the ability to improvise in real-time with a myriad of keys and buttons. A rare skill – and one that Babylon has found in the organist Anna Vavilkina.

Featuring Timothy Grossman, managing director of Babylon, and the organist Anna Vavilkina. Recorded in November 2018.

Produced by Phoebe McIndoe and Marta Medevesek, 2023

Listen on Radio Atlas.