THE invitation to play the accompaniment at a concert by Guisborough Choral Society came out of the blue for the rector of a small Anglican parish in East Cleveland.

But someone was clearly in the know about the Rev Dr Graeme Drewery's hobby and expertise when it comes to harmoniums.

The choir will sing Rossini's Petite Messe solonelle as the main piece in the concert at St Nicholas' Parish Church, Guisborough, on Saturday, October 11 (7.30pm).

The work is unusual in that it was written for piano and harmonium, and the opportunity to hear it as the composer intended occurs but rarely, full orchestra or church organ being more the norm nowadays.

Dr Drewery, rector of St Margaret's Church, Brotton Parva, was the obvious man to turn to, however, since his hobby is repairing these now shunned instruments, which were once the mainstay of many a village chapel or hamlet church, and he has been used to playing them for about 20 years.

At present he has no fewer than six Victorian harmoniums in various rooms in the rectory plus a couple in the garage. Over the years, he has rebuilt somewhere between 30 and 40 of them.

"I used to be able to repair them and pass them on, but no-one seems to want them these days,"

he said. "They are something of an acquired taste as the sound is rather nasal, and they are too big for modern houses.

"There is no real interest in large orchestral instruments, and electronic ones are much better than they used to be."

Dr Drewery, 41, who is harmonium adviser to the Diocese of York, has been at Brotton Parva for three years, and before that was at St John's in Middlesbrough.

His career as a clergyman, however, has included posts at Peterborough, Cambridge and Hull, and moving has always meant lock, stock and harmoniums.

A firm of piano removers has been booked to convey one of his harmoniums to Guisborough. The instrument he will play was made in 1868 - just one year before Rossini wrote the Petite Messe solonelle.

"The society's intention was to be as authentic as possible, so this is a lucky coincidence," said Dr Drewery, who is no stranger to public performance, as he gives organ recitals and plays for choir concerts at St Margaret's.

Piano parts will be played by Olwen Cameron, who also conducts, and Margaret Heaton.

Soloists are Rachel Dyson, soprano, Lucy Appleyard, contralto, John Pierce, tenor, and Ian Gifford, bass.

Tickets costs £9, concessions £8 and under-19 £1, and are available from Guisborough Book Shop, Greensleeves Music Shop, Chaloner Street, Guisborough, or ring 01642-724270.