I (Dominic) have always picked April 1st as the birthday of the firm, a thoroughly appropriate day. It is actually about halfway between the date in 1980 when Martin and I started our first project, and the date when both of us started full time. I think we have achieved a lot since then, but we will not celebrate until these eery and difficult times are over, or at least over the worst.
At least G&G will be back in business after the gap or gaps in production. Our thoughts go out to all the self-employed organ builders and tuners, to self-employed organists and other musicians, especially our friends in the Early Music world, and around Europe and the world, and self-employed craftsmen everywhere. Their sitework, concerts, shows, gallery outlets, etc. etc. have been closed overnight. I trust that they will be able to receive assistance from the government (and governments worldwide), but I can imagine that not all of them will, and that there will be difficult times ahead. Much of their work is badly paid, especially when you think of the wonderful skills involved, and some at least will not have the funds to keep them going.
In the meantime it is heart-warming to witness people’s ingenuity and skill displayed online… One of my favourites is still the Rotterdam Philharmonic playing Schiller’s and Beethoven’s great hymn to human solidarity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eXT60rbBVk
