Already in 1734 the final completion of the church was made prior to Gottfried Silbermann, the contract for which Ponitz church to build an organ. In September of that year signed contract are already indications about the future organ contain accurate. This certificate was signed by Carl August from the Planitz, Dorothea of Schönburg born of Zehmen and Christiana Sibylla of the Planitz born of Zehmen than the customer as well as by Gottfried Silbermann. The original of this document is now untraceable. The detailed content of the contract, however, is evident from a contemporary copy. Only in 1996 discovered the handwritten copy of contract at an auction in London. Today this document is located in the Saxon State Library, one copy exists in the Ponitz parish archive. With the discovery of this copy was the first time clearly that the organ was enlarged with the treaty of 1737.
Great musicians such as Bach, Handel etc. wrote their music for the organ as an expression of their faith.
They express:
You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Psalms 118:28 NKJ
May you, as you listen to these magnificent instruments, in thought be transported to also glorify your maker.
Soli Deo Gloria
Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
Chorale Prelude "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir"
Chorale Prelude "Vater unser im Himmelreich"
Wim van Beek at the Arp Schnitger organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen
Georg Böhm (1661-1733) Partita "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele"
Wim van Beek at the Arp Schnitger organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen
Georg Böhm (1661-1733) Partita "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele"
Wim van Beek at the Arp Schnitger organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen
Organ builder Jürgen Ahrend discusses his restoration of the Arp Schnitger pipe organ at the Martinikerk, Groningen, Netherlands. Musical improvisation by Sietze de Vries.
Celebrated performers like Marie-Claire Alain, Ton Koopman, Gustav Leonhardt, Michael Radulescu, Wim van Beek and Harald Vogel have played the organ in recent years and consider it to be one of the finest instruments in the world both because of its excellent playability (mechanics by Jürgen Ahrend) and its wonderfull sound, in the individual stops (some dating back to the 15th century) as well as in the majestic full organ.
Johann Ludwig Krebs: Von Gott will ich nicht lassen. Played by Liga Vilmane (Latvia)
The organ is the only instrument in the world that still possesses orginal 32-foot prestant pipes originally manufactured by the great Arp Schnitger in the years 1690/91.
HISTORY
The Martinikerk organ in Groningen can look back on a long and eventful history. The church itself acquired its present form in the early 16th century. The original three-aisled cruciform basilica dates from around 1220 and was enlarged in around 1425 with the addition of a high Gothic chancel. Some twenty-five years later the nave was rebuilt, resulting in the Gothic hall church that we know today. A Renaissance chapel was added next to the north tympanum at the beginning of the 16th century. Meanwhile, the tower had been struck by lightning in 1465 and collapsed. Rebuilding work on it was not completed until 1550. Ninety-six metres high, this Martinitoren is the pride of the town.
The Martinikerk's first organ dates from around 1450. This instrument was rebuilt in around 1482, probably by Johan ten Damme. Expert advice was provided by the famous humanist Rudolph Agricola, who was Groningen's town clerk at this time. It must have been a particularly fine organ as the present instrument still contains a number of pipes dating from 1482, attesting to their exceptional quality This Gothic organ was altered, enlarged and rebuilt in the Renaissance style in 1542 by an unknown builder. It was further rebuilt and enlarged by Anthoni Verbeeck in 1627/8, by Jan Helman in 1685-90, by Arp Schnitger in 1691/2, by Frans Caspar Schnitger and Albertus Anthoni Hinsz in 1729/30 and again by Hinsz in 1740.
Marie-Claire Alain plays extracts from Fantasy and Fugue in G minor BWV 542 at the Schnitger organ in Martinikerk (Groningen) and she speaks about Johann Sebastian Bach.
Jan Helman was still working on the instrument when he died in 1690, and it was left to Arp Schnitger - arguably the most famous organ builder of his day - to sort out the resultant problems. Schnitger needed three whole days to draw up a plan fur restoring the organ to working condition. This plan was submitted to the town council on 9 June 1691. Schnitger's assistants started work in July and the instrument was formally handed over in February 1692. That same month a new contract was drawn up with Schnitger for two large pedal towers that were to include a new 32' Prinzipal in addition to the existing pedal pipes. This commission, too, was energetically taken in hand and by December 1692 the enlarged instrument was finished. The cases for the new pedal towers were the work of the cabinet maker Allart Meijer, who often collaborated with Schnitger in Groningen. The Martinikerk now boasted a large Baroque organ in the north German style.
In 1728 a new organist was appointed in the person of Jacob Wilhelm Lustig. A native of Hamburg, he was to remain the Martinikerk's organist until 1796. And it was he who expressed the wish that the instrument should be restored and enlarged, a task entrusted to Arp Schnitger's son, Frans Caspar, in 1728. The work involved not only repairing and renovating the instrument but, above all, adding a new Rückpositiv, installing new slider-chests for the main manual and replacing parts of the Pedal. Frans Caspar died in March 1729 and the work was completed by his master journeyman Albertus Anthoni Hinsz. Hinsz was also responsible for repairs in 1740, when the opportunity was taken to add seven new stops to the Rückpositiv, space having already been left for them at the time of the rebuilding work of 1729-30. The result was a sizeable instrument of 47 stops.
In the course of the 19th century, the instrument was repeatedly repaired, rebuilt and enlarged. By 1854/5 the organ had 52 stops, but of these only 27 dated from the period before 1740. The instrument suffered appallingly at the hands of a whole series of builders during the first half of the 20th century, with the result that it was now felt to be more or less beyond rescue and scarcely worth regarding any longer as a valuable historic organ.
In 1971 the organ was removed while the church itself was restored and the question inevitably arose as to whether a restoration or reconstruction was still possible or meaningful. After detailed surveys a plan was drawn up that envisaged restoring the instrument to its 1740 state, while retaining a number of later changes, at least to the extent that these could be incorporated into the design in a sensible and harmonious way.
Many doubted whether this plan was feasible, but, acting in consultation with the organ expert Cornelius H. Edskes, the master organ builder Jürgen Ahrend succeeded in transforming this ruin back into an exceptional instrument. The work was carried out in two stages, with the Rückpositiv and Oberwerk being restored in 1976/7 after extensive preparatory work. Only when it had been established that the result was a success were the main manual and Pedal restored in 1983/4. By the time that the instrument was again playable in mid-1984, there was unanimous agreement that the Martinikerk organ had risen like a phoenix from its own ashes. by Paul Peeters and translation Stewart Spencer
OVERVIEW
1450
Building of a great organ
1482
Rebuilding of the existing Gothic organ, presumably by Johan then Damme (with Rudolf Agricola as his adviser)
1542
Alteration in Renaissance style
1564
Enlargement by Andreas de Mare
1627-28
Enlargement by Anthoni and Adam Verbeeck
1685-90
Alteration by Jan Helman
1691-92
Rebuilding and enlargement (32'-pedal towers) by Arp Schnitger
1728-30
Alteration and enlargement (new Rugpositief) by Frans Caspar Schnitger and Albertus Anthonie Hinsz
1740
Large-scale repairs after subsidence, and enlargement with seven new stops by Hinsz
1808-1912
Numerous modifications by Lohman, van Oeckelen and Doornbos
1938-39
Alteration (electrical action and re-voicing) by J. de Kof
1971
Disassembly because of restoration
1976-84
Restoration, partial reconstruction by Jürgen Ahrend from Leer/Loga (based on the 1740 situation). Adviser was Cor H. Edskes.
The organ builder Christian Müller and the sculptor Jan van Logteren, both of Amsterdam, built the instrument in 1735 -1738. With its sixty-four stops and imposing 32 foot pedal towers it was for many years the largest organ in the world.
Soon after its completion the organ became a tourist attraction with international fame and it still is. It was played by G.F. Händel in 1740 and ’50, who travelled to Haarlem especially for this purpose, and in 1766 the ten-year-old Mozart was on the organ.
Dietrich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707) Praeludium in d-dur BuxWV 139
Piet Kee at the Christian Müller organ of the St. Bavokerk in Haarlem
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries considarable alterations were made according to the dictates of the time. The purpose of the major restoration of 1959 -1961 by Marcussen & Son was to restore the organ as far as possible to its original state. In the years 1987 - 2000 Flentrop Orgelbouw worked on the voicing of the instrument.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)Toccata in F major BWV 540
Marie-Claire Alain at the Christian Müller organ of St. Bavokerk in Haarlem (Holland)
Wachet Auf, J.S.Bach
MOZART ON ST. BAVO
Fantasie In Fa-mineur of W.A. Mozart ,performed by Bernhard Bartelink.
HISTORY
With the organ of Haarlem its maker, Christiaan Müller, a German by origin, has placed himself among the great organ builders not only of his time, but of all times. Although it has been radically restored several times – the last big restoration was carried out in 1959-60 by the Danish company Marcussen – the organ has retained its original concept with yet about 90% of the pipes. During the past years the organ building company Flentrop from Zaandam, that is maintaining the organ, has carried out a number of retunings, through which the sound again closely approaches the original. The sound can be described as broad, prominent, and despite the countless nuances exceptionally homogeneous. Famous is the Cornet, the register that is placed to enable strengthening of the melody of the psalm, and the Vox Humana, or imitation of the human voice, with which Händel was very charmed, as we know. Of course, the superb acoustics of the church contributes to the beauty of the instrument's sound. Händel, Mozart and Mendelssohn number along the many celebrated visitors who have travelled far to play the instrument.
Some technical data: The organ counts more than 5000 pipes, divided over 64 stops, with three manuals and a pedal. The case is made of pinewood and painted in mahogany; all pipes are made of metal (an alloy of lead and tin), the play-register action is mechanical tracker (renewed in 1960). The tuning is even, which is a concession to the present concert practice, in which not only Baroque music, but also music from all style periods is performed. The Müller organ is played mainly in the summer period at the mentioned city concerts and during the church services on Sundays. In the summer the city organ concerts attract many visitors each week.
Buxtehude Prelude and Fugue in D
J.S. Bach - Choral Prelude - BWV 622
"O Mensch Bewein Dein Sunde Gross"
STOPLIST
Hoofdwerk
Praestant 1,2 st.16'
Bourdon 16'
Octaaf 1,2 st. 8'
Roerfluit 8'
Viola di Gamba (conisch) 8' 1
Roerquint 6'
Octaaf 4'
Gemshorn 4'
Quint-praesant 3'
Woudfluit 2'
Tertiaan 2 st. 2'
Mixtuur 4-10 st. 2-8'
Scherp 6,7,8 st. 1 1/2' 1
Trompet 16'
Trompet 8'
Hautbois 8'
Trompet 4'
Rugpositief
Praestant 2 st. 8'
Quintadena 8' 1
Holpijp 8'
Octaaf 4'
Fluit Douce 4'
Speelfluit 3'
Super Octaaf 2'
Sesquialter 2, 3, 4 st.
Cornet 4 st. discant
Mixtuur 6, 8 st. 1'
Cymbaal 3 st. 1
Fagot 16'
Trompet 8'
Trechter regaal 8' 1
Tremulant
1) Newly made in 1961
2) Added to the disposition in 1961
All pipes of all stops (64) are made of metal.
Works by Charpentier,Boyce and Derx.
Bist du bei mir J.S.Bach and an improvisation on
YOU CAN LISTEN TO ANY (OR ALL) OF THE FOLLOWING RECORDINGS OF THE ST. BAVO ORGAN BY CLICKING ON A LINK BELOW: TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE AFTER LISTENING, CLICK "BACK" ON YOUR BROWSER.
J.S.Bach - Dies sind die heil'gen zehn gebot, BWV 678, MATTEO IMBRUNO
The organ and Sweelinck, a famous 16th century organist on this organ.
Matteo Imbruno plays Sweelinck's Ballo del Granduca
at the Vater-Muller organ of the Oude Kerk of Amsterdam (NL)
The Old Church has a long tradition of having excellent organs and organists. Even during the fifteenth century, an organ was hanging on the west wall (tower wall) of the nave. In 1539, the church acquired a new instrument that was played between 1577 and 1621 by a famous organist by the name of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.
The transept organ, restored to its seventeenth-century composition in 1965, was recently regiven a mean tone temperament, making it one of the best instruments imaginable, to perform the organ music of the Amsterdam 'Orpheus'.
The great organ
The large organ is constructed by Christiaan Vater (1724-1726) of Hannover and is restored by Johan Caspar Muller (the St Bavo-church in the city of Haarlem, NH). Shortly after the completion of the organ the church-tower began to sink (1738-1742). The entire organ needed to be dismantled, and Caspar Muller was chosen to rebuild the organ and to add nine new stops and to double the principals in the treble. In 1869-1870 the organ was revoiced to conform to contemporary taste by C.F.G. Witte
On the original organ (built in 1539 by Hans van Coelen and Hendrick Niehoff) Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) made his first musical compositions.
In 1724, the church wardens of the Old Church commissioned Christian Vater, the Hamburg organ builder, to build an entirely new organ to replace the old one. Vater completed this organ in 1726 and the churchwardens were very pleased: the instrument was “absolutely perfect in every way”. In 1738, the tower began to subside. For restoration activities, the organ had to be dismantled. Once the tower had been restored, Caspar Müller was commissioned to re-install the organ. Not only did Müller put it back, but he made major changes as well, his belief being that after its renovation, the organ ‘should speak promptly and forcefully and should be heard during the singing’. The Vater-Müller organ would remain largely unchanged until 1869 when G.F.H. Witte updated it to accommodate contemporary tastes requiring a sound that was less sharp and more rounded. Although Witte changed the sound, hardly a piece of the original material was lost. Since Witte’s renovation, the organ has remained unchanged.
Allegro Organ Concert nr 10
by Georg Friederich
Händel (1685-1759)
Feike Asma plays a toccata on by J. Zwart on the organ of the oude kerk in Amsterdam
The Old Church Organ has always been admired. It was once mentioned in the famous 18th-century travelogue written by Charles Burney. Even today, it attracts organ enthusiasts – both listeners and players – from all over the world.
The case for the organ was designed by Jurriaan Westerman. Above the organ are the old city seal of Amsterdam with the cargo ship and the city’s coat of arms with the three Andreas crosses.
The small (or transept) organ
This organ was built in 1658 by the famous organ maker Hans Wolff Schonat. In building it, he used some of the pipes taken from another organ at this location that had been built by Hendrik Niehoff.
The small or transept organ of the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam has two blinds with paintings representing musical instruments. These paintings are made by Cornelis Brizé and were completed in 1658 at the time the original organ was ready.
Dutch/Italian organist Matteo Imbruno plays Scheidemann's "Alleluja" at the Transept organ
The instrument was used for concerts commissioned by the city’s administration. During the 18th century, it was used less and less frequently so that when an organ had to be built for the Zuiderkerk in 1821, the pipes from the small organ in the Old Church were used. The case, however, remained behind. In 1964 and 1965, a new organ was built for the old organ case by organ makers Ahrend & Brunzema from the East Friesian town of Loga near Leer. Its disposition was taken from the famous collection of dispositions of Joachim Hess, an organist from Gouda, and dates from 1774. It has become a beautiful instrument with great artistic eloquence and was even enlarged after being retuned in 2001 to a 17th-century mean-tone tuning.
The cabinet organ
The cabinet organ was built in 1767 by Amsterdam organ maker Deetlef Onderhorst, supposedly for a private client. In 1946, the organ was repaired by organ builder A. Blik who also replaced its manual wind chest with an electronic system. In 1977, the organ was completely restored by Adema's Kerkorgelbouw. The restoration included having the cabinet restored and completed and removing the white coat of paint that had been added in 1953.
JOSEF RHEINBERGER: Introduction & Passacaglia, from Sonata No. 8 in e, Op. 132
FANNIE DILLON: Woodland Flute Call
CÉSAR FRANCK: Pièce heroïque
Part II
ERIC DeLAMARTER: You raise the flute to your lips, from Four Eclogues.
PAUL DRAYTON: Pavan.
PETER HURFORD: Paean –Samuel Soria
(2003 Dobson/Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, CA) Delos CD 3343
Part III
GEORGE BAKER: Berceuse-Paraphrase
HEALEY WILLAN: Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue in e-flat
FREDERICK SWANN: 2 Encores (Allegro after Corelli; Trumpet Tune)
Filler–DILLON
DISPOSITION
I. Positive 21 (18)
Quintaton 16
Principal 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Gedackt 8
Gambe 8
Unda maris 8
Octave 4
Hohlflöte 4
Nasard 2 2/3
Super Octave 2
Waldflöte 2
Tierce 1 3/5
Larigot 1 1/3
Mixture IV 1 1/3
Llamada 16 Tr. Llam.
Cor anglais 16
Llamada 8 Tr. Llam.
Trompeta de L.A. 8 Tr. Llam.
Trompette 8
Cromorne 8
Llamada 4 Tr. Llam.
Clairon 4
+ Schweller
+ Tremolo
II. Great 36 (18)
Grand Bourdon 32 Ext., result.
Violonbasse 32 Tr. Ped.
Praestant 16
Bourdon 16 Tr. Ped. Sb.
Violonbasse 16 Ext.
Principal 8
Diapason à pavillon 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Chimney Flute 8
Violoncelle 8 Ext.
Grand Nasard 5 1/3
Octave 4
Spire Flute 4
Grande Tierce 3 1/5
Octave Quinte 2 2/3
Super Octave 2
Corneta magna VII
Grande Fourniture II-III 2 2/3
Mixture VIII 2
Cymbale IV 1
Contre Basson 32 Ext., Fac.
Basson 16
Trompeta de L.A. 8 Tr. Llam.
Basson 8
Basson 4
III. Swell 24 (20)
Bourdon 16
Diapason 8
Flûte traversière 8
Bourdon 8
Viole de gambe 8
Voix céleste 8 CC
Dulciane doux 8
Voix angélique 8 TC
Principal 4
Flûte octaviante 4
Nasard 2 2/3
Octavin 2
Tierce 1 3/5
Piccolo 1
Plein Jeu harmonique III-V 2 2/3
Bombarde 16
Llamada 8 Tr. Llam.
Trompeta de L.A. 8 Tr. Llam.
Trompette 8
Hautbois 8
Voix humaine 8
Clairon 4
+ Schweller
+ Tremolo fast
+ Tremolo slow
Flûte 32
Violonbasse 32 Facade
Praestant 16 Tr. Great
Subbass 16
Bourdon 16 Tr. Swell
Violonbasse 16 Tr. Great
Grosse Quinte 10 2/3
Octave 8
Flûte 8 Ext.
Bourdon 8 Ext. Subb.
Violoncelle 8 Tr. Great
Super Octave 4
Flûte 4 Ext.
Mixture V 5 1/3
Contre Bombarde 32 Ext.
Contre Basson 32 Tr. Great
Grande Bombarde 16
Bombardon 16 Tr. Llam.
Basson 16 Tr. Great
Trompeta (armonica) 8 Tr. Llam.
Basson 8 Tr. Great
Clarín (armonico) 4 Tr. Llam.
Basson 4 Tr. Great
Gustav Leonhardt plays Johannes Speth (1664-c1720) - Toccata Nr. 1 d-moll
The Abbey
Klosterneuburg is the 26th district of Vienna. The abbey is a Roman Catholic Augustinian monastery established on a hill rising directly from the banks of the Danube. An abbey, in the German-speaking world, is frequently called a Stift because often its foundation was made possible by a generous benefactor.
It was founded in 1114 (first documented mention 1108) by Saint Leopold III, Margrave of Austria and his wife, Agnes. Leopold was a Babenberger and is the patron saint of Austria. The abbey was given over, in 1133, to the Augustinian Canons. The donation included impressive buildings on vast area, comprising the abbey facilities and the collegiate Romanesque church (3-aisled, transept with regular crossing), built between 1114-36.
The towers were built in 1394 and 1638 respectively. Jakob Prandtauer drew the plans for a Baroque enlargement of the abbey in 1706. In 1730, Donato Felice d'Allio began to draw his plan for a new building, significantly influenced by Joseph Emmanuel Fischer von Erlach, commissioned by Emperor Karl VI, who wanted to make Klosterneuburg his official residence ("Austrian Escorial"). In 1776, this plan had to be simplified by D. Kaselikand, between 1836-1842, J. Kornhäusl carried out the first quarter of the plan, the rest was not realised.
The decorations and furnishings in their present Early Baroque form date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are due to transformation of aisles into chapels, the building of a western gallery and stucco work, High Baroque frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr and stuccoes by Santino Bussi (1680-1723).
The exterior was extensively restored by Frederich von Schmidt, in the 19th century (Neo-Gothic western towers, 1887-92). Other additions include the Freisinger or Wehinger chapel (1394, restored 1869-1881); auxiliary altars (from 1700 with paintings by Paul Strudel and sculptures by the Spät brothers); remarkable choir stalls by Matthias Steinl (1723); the high altar (1728); the Leopold chapel (former chapter hall with Gothic windows dating from 13th and 15th centuries), adaptated between 1677-1680 which contains the famous Verdun altar (Margrave Leopold's tomb), a marvellous winged altarpiece made from enamel panels by Nikolaus von Verdun (1181), in 1331 transformed into a winged altarpiece with painted panels.
The Organ
The organ in Klosterneuburg is from the 17th century. It was built between 1636 and 1642 by the young organ builder Johannes Freundt, from Passau. The organ was exclusively installed for solistic organ playing on high feasts.
Over the next centuries, adaptations took place several times, but fortunately these were only minor. A complete restoration was planned for 1942 but the war made it impossible. The action was moved to Vienna to be repaired, but was destroyed in a bombing attack.
After the war, the political situation made it very difficult to restore the organ to its original glory. It wasn’t until 1983 and 1990 that a complete restoration according to historical principles could be performed by the Kuhn company (Männedorf, Switzerland) that brought back this unique piece of art to its original conditions.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Choral Prelude "Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten"
The Johann Woeckerl Organ in the Cathedral-Church of Saint-George in Sopron, Hungary, was built in 1633, but the pipes of its Holzflöte 8 stop were made in 1580. Among the church's congregation was Vitus "Veit" Bach, a miller whose great-great grandson Johann Sebastian Bach would compose the most celebrated organ music in the world.
Domenico Zipoli: Versetto
Specification:
Holzflöte 8'
Gedact 8'
Principal 4'
Spitzflöte 4'
Superoctave 2'
Quint 1 1/3'
Mixture III
Pedal:
Subbas 16'
Bassföte 8'
The first part of this choral prelude is played on Holzflöte 8' from the year of 1580 (!).
