Passau is in southeastern Bavaria,
at the intersection of 3 rivers: the Inn, the Danube, and the Ilz
at the intersection of 3 rivers: the Inn, the Danube, and the Ilz
Passau stakes claim to being "The largest organ outside the U.S." In any event, it's huge: 18000 pipes.
It's actually 5 instruments situated at various places around the building: 357 ranks, all playable from a central 5-manual console in the gallery.
HISTORY AND DISPOSITION:
5 Manuals, 326 Ranks, 229 Registers, 17.974 Pipes.
Already in the Middle Ages the Passau Cathedral had a large organ, of which the details have been lost. This organ was destroyed in a 1662 fire in the cathedral.
1682 In this year a new organ was built with 23 registers by Leopold Freundt (Passau); and later enlarged to 28 registers.
1715 Construction of two Swallows-nest-organs with 10 registers to the Vierungs pillars by Johann Ignaz Egedacher.
1731 Construction of the main organ with about 40 registers on 3 manuals by Ignatz Egedacher (Case of Josef Matthias Götz preserved)
1733 Expansion to 49 registers by Egedacher.
1824 major repairs on the main organ by Georg Adam Ehrlich (Wiesentfelser).
1857-1858 Implementation of Swallows-nest-organs on the two side galleries (Epistle and Gospel side), presumably by Ehrlich.
1886 New construction of the main organ with 73 registers and 5,237 pipes in the existing case by Martin Hechenberger (successor of Ehrlich), and by the end of the 19th Century a further extension to 75 registers by Hechenberger.
1924 start of organ building in the existing cases by Steinmeyer.
1924-1928 built by G.F. Steinmeyer (Oettingen) using the old main organ case of 1731 (JM Götz).
1977-1981 extensive restoration of 55 (partially reworked) registers of the Steinmeyer organ by Louis Eisenbarth (Passau).
1993 renovation of the Fernorgel (new case) containing the re-worked pipes by Eisenbarth.
The complete pipework of the 5 individual organs, is re-organized and made playable jointly on the 5-manual main console. Each manuals disposition data is accessible from the main console, and also mechanically on its own console.
Until the 1990's, the Passau Domorgan was the largest church organ in the world. Presently it is "only" the largest Domorgan (and third largest church organ) of the World.
The main organ’s 76 registers (120 Ranks) marked * are optionally also playable from its own mechanical 4-manual console. A rebuilding plan has been prepared, but as of 2008 has not been scheduled.
ORGAN DISPOSITIONS (5 ORGANS):
HAUPT ORGAN
I. Hauptwerk 44 (26)
Grand Bourdon 32 ab c
Großpraestant 16 *
Gedacktpommer 16
Principal major 8
Principal minor 8 *
Flûte traversière 8
Gedackt 8 *
Viola da Gamba 8 *
Octave 4 *
Spitzflöte 4 *
Fugara 4
Terz 3 1/5
Quinte 2 2/3 *
Kleinoctave 2 *
Nachthorn 2
Superoctave 1 *
Cornet V ab f, *
Mixtura major VII-VIII 2, *
Mixtura minor V 1 1/3
Cymbel V 1, *
Chamade 16 D
Trompete 16 *
Chamade 8
Trompete 8 *
Chamade 4
Trompete 4
Chamade 2 B
+ Cymbelstern 6 Glocken
II. Positiv 33 (23)
Rohrflöte 16
Praestant 8 *
Bordun 8 *
Flauto amabile 8
Gambe conique 8 *
Unda maris 8 ab c
Principal 4 *
Koppelflöte 4 *
Gemshorn 4
Nasard 2 2/3 *
Octave 2
Waldflöte 2 *
Terzflöte 1 3/5 *
Kleinquinte 1 1/3 *
Octävlein 1 *
Nonenflöte *
Cornettino IV 4
Mixtur V 1 1/3, *
Acuta IV 1, *
Fagott 16
Corno di caccia 8
Vox humana 8 *
Rohrschalmei 4 *
+ Tremulant regelbar
III. Bombardewerk 40 (29)
Stillgedackt 16 *
Gamba 16
Principal 8 *
Nachthorngedackt 8 *
Photo: Martin Doering / www.die-orgelseite.de
Flûte harmonique 8
Tibia clausa 8
Jubalflöte 8
Salicional 8 *
Vox caelestis II 8, ab c
Octave 4 *
Traversflöte 4
Quintade 4 *
Viola d'amour 4
Spitzquinte 2 2/3 *
Doublette 2 *
Schweizerpfeife 2
Salicet 2
Gemsterz 1 3/5 *
Larigot 1 1/3 *
Septime 1 1/7
Sifflet 1 *
Großmixtur V-VII 2 2/3, *
Tintinabulum II 1, *
Quintcymbel IV
Bombarde 16
Trompette harmonique 8
Hautbois 8 *
Euphon-Clarinette 8
Clairon 4 *
+ Celesta
+ Schweller
+ Tremulant regelbar
IV. Brustwerk 22 (16)
Holzprincipal 8 *
Lieblich Gedackt 8 *
Quintade 8 *
Praestant 4 *
Rohrflöte 4 *
Principal 2 *
Holzblockflöte 2 *
Superquinte 1 1/3 *
Hohlpfeife 1 *
Sesquialtera II 2 2/3, *
Scharff IV 2/3, *
Terzcymbel III 1/6, *
Dulcian 16 *
Cromorne 8 *
Bärpfeife 8 *
Geigend Regal 4 *
+ Carillon *
+ Tremulant regelbar
Pedal 41 (29)
Contraprincipalbass 32 *
Untersatz 32
Principalbass 16 *
Majorbass 16
Subbass 16 *
Gemshorn 16 *
Violon 16
Quintbass 10 2/3
Octavbass 8 *
Flûte 8
Gedackt 8 *
Viola alta 8
Terzbass 6 2/5
Nasard 5 1/3
Septime 4 4/7
Trichterflöte 4
Pommer 4 *
Bauernpfeife 2 *
Blockflöte 1 *
Principal-Piffaro II 4 + 2, *
Rauschpfeife V 4, *
Obertöne IV 3 1/5
Mixtur V 2 2/3, *
Contrabombarde 32 (full length)
Posaune 16
Bombarde 16 *
Trompetenbass 8 *
Feldtrompete 4 *
Zink 2 *
+ Tremulant (Kleinped.) regelbar
EVANGELIEN ORGAN
HAUPTWERK 33 (22)
Cor de Nuit 16
Grand Principal 8
Rohrgedackt 8
Bifara 8
Holzgeige 8
Grosse Quinte 5 1/3
Octave 4
Flûte allemande 4
Flûte de Vienne 4
Vox angélique II 4
Grosse Tierce 3 1/5
Nasard 2 2/3
Septième 2 2/7
Flageolet 2
Piccolo 1
Harmonica aetherea IV 2 2/3
Fourniture VII 2
Tercian II 1 3/5
Trompette 16
Trompette 8
Saxophone 8
Trompette 4
+ Schweller
+ Tremulant regelbar
PEDAL 3 (3)
Principal 16
Montre 8
Prestant 4
EPISTEL ORGAN
Hauptwerk 14 (9)
Principale 8
Piffaro 8 ab c
Amorosa 8
Ottava 4
Alba 4
XII 2 2/3
Flauto in XV 2
Ripieno VI 2
Tromba 8
+ Tremulant
Positive 10 (10)
Flauto a camino 8
Principalino 4
Divinare 4
Ottavino 2
XII 1 1/3
XV 1
XVII 05-Apr
XIX 03-Feb
XXII 02-Jan
Tromboncini 16
+ Tremulant
Pedal
Contrabassi 16
Subbassi 16
Principale 8
Pileata 8
Ottava III 4 + 2 + 1
Buccina 16
CHOIR ORGAN
Hauptwerk 16 (10)
Quintade 16
Principal 8
Rohrflöte 8
Octave 4
Spitzflöte 4
Quinte 2 2/3
Superoctave 2
Mixtur V-VII 1 1/3
Trompete 16
Trompete 8
Oberwerk 14 (10)
Nachthorngedackt 8
Violflöte 8
Principal 4
Blockflöte 4
Rohrpfeife 2
Nachthorn 1
Sesquialtera II 2 2/3
Scharff IV 1
Rankett 16
Krummhorn 8
+ Schweller
+ Tremulant
Positief 8 (6)
Barem 8
Rohrflöte 4
Principal 2
Nasat 1 1/3
Cymbel III
Vox humana 8
+ Tremulant
Pedal 15 (12)
Principal 16
Subbass 16
Praestant 8
Holzoctave 8
Gedackt 8
Octave 4
Sifflöte 2
Rauschpfeife IV 2 2/3
Posaune 16
Dulcian 16
Trompete 8
Singend Kornett 2
FERN ORGAN (in ceiling)
HAUPTWERK 21 (14)
Salicional 16
Principal 8
Rohrgedackt 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Philomela 8
Viola 8
Viola celeste 8 ab c
Geigend Principal 4
Hohlflöte 4
Octavin 2
Progressio III-V 2 2/3
Harmonica aethera IV 2
Trompete 8
Vox humana 8
+ Glocken E - g1
+ Tremulant
PEDAL 4 (4)
Kontrabass 16
Subbass 16
Principal 8
Posaune 16