Photo: Martin Doering / www.die-orgelseite.de
The Organ in the nave
With the inauguration of the organ in the nave on the 29th of June 1998 finally ended the unsatisfactory sound situation in Cologne Cathedral, which had lasted from the end of the second world war until then. The organ is placed at the beginning of the nave (seen from the east), a favourable spot for organs in the interior of a Gothic cathedral. Put on the northern wall of the nave it resembles a swallow's nest.
Cologne Cathedral architect Arnold Wolff planned and built the organ in cooperation with Klais, a famous organ builder firm from Bonn. It consists of a "Rückpositiv", a "Hauptwerk",a "Schwellwerk" and a pedal. 3963 pipes can be played on 53 stops.
The majestic Te Deum of Jeanne Demessieux,recorded in 1980 by the cathedral organist, Josef Zimmermann. The instrument is the IV/86 Transept Organ, built in 1948 by Klais & updated & expanded intermittently over the following 12 years. In the late 1990's the organ was "re-organized" (no pun intended) & raised about 2 meters to project more sound into this immense room. And in 1998, a III/53 "swallow's nest" organ was installed in the nave -- turning a superb instrument into an amazing one that can generate a virtual avalanche of sound.
DISPOSITION
I. Positiv 17 (13)
Gedacktpommer 16
Metallflöte 8
Rohrflöte 8
Salicet 8
Principal 4
Spitzflöte 4
Nasard 2 2/3Waldflöte 2
Terz 1 3/5
Sifflöte 1 1/3
Mixtur IV-V 1 1/3
Dulcian 16
Trompete 8
+ Tremulant (incl. Solo)
Photo: Martin Doering / www.die-orgelseite.de
II. Hauptwerk 32 (20)
Principal 16
Bordun 16
Principal 8
Octave 8
Offenflöte 8
Gedackt 8
Gemshorn 8
Rohrquinte 5 1/3
Octave 4
Rohrflöte 4
Terz 3 1/5
Septime 2 2/7
Superoctave 2
Weitflöte 2
Großmixtur IV 4
Rauschpfeife III 2 2/3
Mixtur VI-VIII 2
Trompete 16 volle Länge
Trompete 8
Kopftrompete 4
III. Schwellwerk 21 (17)
Großgedackt 16
Principal 8
Holzflöte 8
Gamba 8
Vox coelestis I-II 8
Octave 4
Querflöte 4
Nasard 2 2/3
Schwegel 2
Terz 1 3/5
Nachthorn 1
Mixtur IV 2 2/3
Fagott 16
Trompete 8
Oboe 8
Vox humana 8
Trompete 4
+ Schweller
+ Tremulant
IV. Solowerk 15 (7)
Metallflöte 8 Tr. Pos.
Rohrflöte 8 Tr. Pos.
Quintade 8
Principal 4 Tr. Pos.
Koppelflöte 4
Nasard 2 2/3 Tr. Pos.
Waldflöte 2 Tr. Pos.
Sifflöte 1 1/3 Tr. Pos.
Septime 1 1/7
None 8/9
Nonenkornett IV 1 3/5
Mixtur IV-V Tr. Pos.
Aliquot II-III 1
Terzcymbel III-IV 1/3
Dulcian 16 Tr. Pos.
Trompete 8 Tr. Pos.
+ Röhrenglocken
+ Cymbelstern
+ Tremulant (incl. Pos.)
Pedal 24 (16)
Vox Balanae 64 akust. *
Principalbass 32
Untersatz 32
Principalbass 16 Ext.
Contrabass 16
Subbass 16
Zartbass 16 Tr. Schw.
Octavbass 8
Flötenbass 8
Gedacktbass 8
Choralbass 4
Bassflöte 4
Principal 2
Hintersatz VI 2 2/3
Mixtur IV 1 1/3
Contraposaune 32 volle Länge
Posaune 16
Fagott 16 Tr. Schw.
Basstrompete 8
Clarine 4
