The Keller brothers

The organ building workshop of the brothers A (ndreas) and M (ichael) Keller was based in Limburg ( Duchy of Nassau ) from 1871 to 1894/1895 and was headed by master organ builder Michael Keller († September 4, 1894).

Biographical

The Keller brothers come from the town of Horbach near Kirchähr. There, on September 24, 1841, an Andreas Keller and on November 22, 1843 a Michael Keller were born as sons of the carpenter Johann Keller and Anna Maria Katharina (née Wolf). Unfortunately, it is not known when and from whom the brothers learned the organ building trade and the younger brother (Michael Keller) made “his master”. According to the registry office of the city of Limburg, the Keller family lived south of the train station in the street "(Im) Schlenkert No. 11" since 1876; The workshop was probably also in this street (a special company address has not been passed down), although it was probably a larger building complex, since in 1896 8 other families lived here in addition to the organ builder's family (perhaps even the former employees of the Organ workshop).

After the older brother Andreas died very early, Michael Keller also died at the age of 51 in Sindlingen from a stroke: “Far from the circle of his family, which he left in full health on Thursday morning, he became the same in the evening Day in Sindlingen, where he had gone in business of his profession, was overtaken by death. He stayed there in the inn where he wanted to spend the night in the company of some acquaintances. When they wanted to separate around 10 o'clock, Mr. Keller suddenly sank unconscious into the arms of his friends after a stroke, and soon afterwards, after St. Oelung had been donated, he was divorced. ”The verdict on Michael Keller's performance was clear:“ As a representative of his subject, he was well known for his excellent work, even beyond the borders of his home province Nassau! (...) Now the relentless death set an abrupt goal for the industrious work of the professional man. "After the death of Michael Keller, the widow and her family continued to live on the area of ​​the (former) with her family, according to the address book of the city of Limburg from 1896. Organ building workshop.

History of the organ building workshop

Recommendation of the organ building workshop Keller in the Episcopal Official Gazette Limburg 1871

Play cabinet of the cellar organ in the former Johannisberg monastery (1894?) With M. Keller company sign

In the official gazette of the Limburg diocese of 1871, the brothers Andreas and Michael Keller were officially recommended to pastors and church councils for new organs and for any maintenance work on old organs. At the same time, this note also contains a reference to what was probably the first organ (or one of the first) that the organ building workshop built (for the motherhouse of the poor servants of Christ in Dernbach). The older of the brothers, Andreas Keller, gifted, must have died a long time before Michael Keller, so that from then on Michael Keller continued to run the business on his own.

The workshop area was probably (next to the organ builder's apartment) also “[Im] Schlenkert 11” (the buildings from the end of the 19th century are no longer available here or across the street) and there are indications that at least some of the employees Kellers (such as his successor in Limburg, Carl Horn) lived directly opposite the workshop (on the opposite side of the street).

Andreas and (later only) Michael Keller built a total of 71 organs - mainly for Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Limburg and the Duchy of Nassau, but also some instruments in Austria and Romania (sic!) Were among them (according to the obituary). Keller built the smallest instruments (I / P / 6) for Niederjosbach (1886) and possibly for Kelkheim-Hornau (1894). The most important or largest organ (newly) built by Keller (here actually more of a reconstruction) was the one for Limburg Cathedral (III / P / 38, 1872–1877). The last organ that Michael Keller completed immediately before his death was the instrument built in 1894 for the St. Antonius Church in Rödelheim (II / P / 20, op. 68).

When the workshop manager Michael Keller died on September 6, 1894, the three unfinished organs for Dehrn, Schierstein and Wehrheim / Taunus (I / P / 7) were still in the company's workshop and for one other instrument (Rauenthal) there was only that one Contract signed but construction work has not yet started. The organ building company Johannes Klais from Bonn took over the workshop, otherwise no buyer could be found who had the necessary capital to be able to buy the stored building materials, tools, etc. She then completed the three organ works that had already been started in the name of Michael Keller - the last was that for the St. Michaels Church in Wehrheim (I / P / 7) as op. 71 - and that previously only planned by Keller own name. The new organ building contract that had been negotiated with Michael Keller for St. Martin's Church in Bingen no longer came about (the factory was built by Schlimbach / Würzburg instead ). The fact that the family of the deceased master organ builder stayed on the workshop area, the remaining stocks were worked off under the direction of master organ builder Johannes Klais from Bonn and that Michael Keller's business was finally extinguished with the purchase by Klais could be the cause, why Carl Horn , the "successor" of Michael Keller in Limburg, who may have been an employee of the brothers or at least took over organ building contracts for them in 1894, was not in the same building, but "his" nearby a few times later “Opened my own organ building workshop.

Construction of the instruments

At least the Klais organ building company in Bonn, which had taken over the remainder of the Keller organ building workshop, no longer has any documents on the general construction of Keller, as all files were destroyed together with Klais' own holdings in 1944. The same applies to the files that may have passed to Michael Keller's successor, Carl Horn: These files, which were stored in Limburg, were also completely cremated by a bomb during the Second World War. However, the restoration report of the Oberlinger (Windesheim) organ building company for the Keller organ in Kransberg (1876) contains some important information, at least about the early organ buildings of the Keller brothers.

Organ sizes

Regarding the organ sizes, it was common practice at the Keller organ workshop to build instruments with up to 11 registers with a single manual and pedal and to equip all of them with at least a 16 'sub-bass in the pedal. The organs in Niederjosbach and possibly Hornau received 6, those in Wehrheim, Dehrn, Stephanshausen and possibly Usingen 7, the organ in Hellenhahn 8, the instruments in Becheln and Weißkirchen (Taunus) 9 and those in Idstein and possibly Dahlheim 11 Register. With two instruments (Dahlheim, Laufenselden) the original number of stops is uncertain due to later extensions. The two-manual organs with the following register numbers also predominate at the organ building workshop Keller, as with its successor Carl Horn:

Kransberg cellar organ: View from below of the hanging valve box for the manuals

Kransberg cellar organ: View from below of the hanging valve drawer for the pedal

• 12 (Holler, Irmtraud [?], Oberbruch [?])
• 14 (Rauenthal)
• 15 (Easter Spai)
• 16 (Kransberg, Oberweyer)
• 17 (Weilbach, Bornheim, Niederhadamar)
• 19 (Thalheim)
• 20 (Villmar, Rödelheim)
• 27 (Montabaur)

system

The Keller brothers built their organs with mechanical cone chests. At least the early organs (cf. e.g. Kransberg 1876) show some modifications of this organ system:

• They have a very rare wind chest system, the so-called "hanging valve chest", which are similar to the so-called "Hundeck's chest"; the difference to the "Hundeckschen Ark" is that the Kellersche hanging valve drawer consists of individual chambers that are located next to each other at small intervals (about 1 cm for the manuals and about 15 cm for the pedal). This system means that the registers of the manuals - similar to the so-called "pushed-through drawer" can be set up alternately on a single wind chest. This has the advantage of considerable functional reliability and durability, but also the disadvantage of great weather-related susceptibility, since even the smallest weather-related changes in the mechanical action can be noticed in summer by "howling" and in winter by "failure".

Kransberg cellar organ: View of the console with pneumatic filing system (blue tubes)

• Regarding the stop action, the organs of Michael Keller showed a very early application of pneumatics, which could be an in-house development: the connection from the register wind chest in the console to the associated bellows under the respective register chamber is not (yet) made by lead pipes ( as later, for example, with Carl Horn), but made of cardboard tubes as thick as a thumb.

Console of the cellar organ in Kransberg (II / P / 16)

At least for medium-sized and large organs, Michael Keller has created free-standing gaming tables with a view of the altar (see Kransberg, Thalheim) despite the complicated action management. These gaming tables (see e.g. Kransberg) also have special features:

• the side cheeks of the gaming tables are ornate in the lower area;
• the keyboard cheeks are straight;
• the keyboards (lower keys with ivory covering) are designed as follows: manuals C – f ³ , the pedal C – d ¹ ;
• the register manubria are positioned in a row directly above the top keyboard, which enables relatively quick re-registration, but also the risk of accidental contact when playing the second man. brings with it; the registers are arranged in two groups of eight registers each (cf. Kransberg) (from left to right): pedal register (3, descending numbers of feet), register of II. Man. (4, increasing number of feet), register of I. Man. (9 ascending numbers of feet, with the principal 8 'on the far right); This arrangement means that the high-pitched footnote registers are located in the middle of the console, which enables comfortable up (crescendo) and down (decrescendo) registration; on all Manubrien Porzellanschildchen are glued in the middle the register name in Gothic type and including the Fußzahl or (in mixture and Cornett call), the fold indication; the font color of the individual works differs for better differentiation: in Kransberg z. B. carry the stops for the pedal (left and middle) and for the I. Man. (right) blue lettering, which for the II. Man. (Middle left) black;

Keller organ Kransberg: registers of the II. Man. with black letters

• the proportions of the gaming tables are narrow, and the distance between the manuals and the pedal board is small.

The smaller instruments also have organs with play cabinets attached to the side of the case (e.g. Stephanshausen and possibly Usingen).

Kransberg cellar organ: wavy board at the back of the brochure for the manuals

Disposition and pipework

First of all, the smallest (Niederjosbach) and - besides the Limburg Cathedral - the largest (Montabaur) of the organ workshop Keller are cited:

Niederjosbach:

I Manual C – f 3 Principal 8th' Salicional 8th' Dumped 8th' Octave 4 ′ mixture 2–3 times

Pedal C – d 1 Sub bass 16 ′

Montabaur:

I Manual C – f 3 Principal 8th' Bourdon 16 ′ Hollow flute 8th' Reed flute 8th' Gamba 8th' Octave 4 ′ Fugara 4 ′ Flute 4 ′ Fifth 2 2 / 3 ' Octave 2 ′ Mixture IV 2 2 / 3 ' Cornett III from c 1 Trumpet 8th'

II Manual C – f 3 Violin principal 8th' Salicional 8th' Flauto dolce 8th' Dumped 8th' Slack travers 4 ′ Gemshorn 4 ′ Flageolet 2 ′ clarinet 8th'

Pedal C – d 1 Principal bass 16 ′ Sub bass 16 ′ violoncello 8th' Trombone bass 16 ′

If you have the last disposition in I. Man. around a (unspecified) flute 8 ' (or Flaut major 8' ), a (unspecified) flute 4 ' (or Flaut minor 4' ) and a reed flute 4 ' , the II. Man. A Lieblichgedackt 8 ′ , a Portunal Flute 4 ′ , a Flute 4 ′ ( pointed flute 4 ′ ), a Dolce 8 ′ and a Vox coelestis 8 ′ as well as the pedal with a violon bass 16 ′ and a principal bass 8 ′ are added, the maximum disposition is obtained Keller's 35 registers (the organ in Limburg Cathedral with 39 registers must not be taken into account because Michael Keller built his own registers here, but also reused almost the entire pipework from Köhler's predecessor organ).

Keller-Organ Kransberg (1876): View into the pipework of the manual drawer (front part)

The following peculiarities should be noted with regard to Michael Keller's dispositions:

• the principal choir in the I. Man. is also optionally up in the 2'-position ( 'Octave 2 including) fifth 2 ² / ₃ ' expanded, which (see also Voigt Rassmann or D.F..) can be described as a strong early-romantic inheritance; the mixtures still repeat (cf. e.g. Carl Horn on the other hand), the cornets built from c ¹ do not; Principal parts can only be found in the first man - apart from the violin principal 8 ′ , which occasionally occurs in Michael Keller's organs . or in the pedal (see e.g. Carl Horn); in all of the mentioned register names, a “c” still stands for the later customary “k” (e.g. Octave 4 ′ instead of Octave 4 ′, as for example in Carl Horn);
• in I. Man. Keller is initially in the 8 'position, but with larger organs also in the 4' position, the tendency to have at least one representative from each register group should be observed; for this reason we find e.g. B. in Montabaur next to a Gedacktflöte 4 ' and the obligatory Octave 4' also a Fugara 4 ' ;
• also the II. Man. At least the large organ in Montabaur has been extended up to the 2´ position ( Flageolet 2 ′ ) - this, too, can still be described as an early romantic legacy (cf. D. Rassmann);
• the disposition of the pedal with only 16 'and 8' registers (which then makes at least a pedal coupler unavoidable) shows that Keller is also slowly moving away from the baroque legacy that still had an influence in the early romantic period (cf. z. BD Rassmann), adopted; at the same time, however, by dispensing with so-called “echo shapes” such as Dolcebass 16 ′ or Salicetbass 16 ′ (cf. e.g. Carl Horn), the late romantic end goal has not yet been reached;
• Among the string voices, the Salicional 8 ′ stands out with its slightly conical tin-lead pipes (cf. Kransberg); on the 'Salicional 8 acting Vox coelestis 8' Keller built only once (Oberweyer);
• The organ workshop Keller builds only very little tongue voices: mostly the trumpet 8 ′ in the 1st man., Then the trombone bass 16 ′ and finally (only in one case - Montabaur - documented) a clarinet 8 ′ in the 2nd man .; this practice corresponds e.g. B. already the one who z. B. his successor in Limburg, Carl Horn, will continue;
• For the 8 ' and 16' registers (also for Gamba 8 ' and Salicional 8' ), Keller likes to use wood (especially softwood, but also oak) as the material (in Kransberg, for example, all three registers are made entirely of wooden pipes ); the major octave of the 8 'flutes ( hollow flute 8' , flauto dolce 8 ' ) is covered; at the organ in Kransberg z. B. 296 of the 981 pipes are made of wood (= 30.17%);
• In the case of single-manual organs, it can be seen that Michael Keller always builds a sound crown ( mixture or cornett ) (the only exception is Wehrheim) that he even uses the larger examples of these instruments with a Bourdon 16 ′ (see e.g. Idstein, Dahlheim) in the Man. and that the second string part in the manual (besides the gamba 8 ' ) is not a Salicional 8' but a Dolce 8 ' (cf. Becheln, Idstein, Laufenselden).

Kransberg cellar organ: View of the pedal mechanism made entirely of wooden pipes

Michael Keller only built the I. Man belt for the early instruments. (Hauptwerk) on pedal, the manual coupler II / I and a tutti pull; with them, the playing aids are implemented as steps to hook in and they work mechanically.

Overall, Keller's disposition corresponds to that of other contemporary organ builders (cf. for example the organ by August Ratzmann - Gelnhausen - from 1865 in Seulberg or the organs by Gustav Rassmann and others). There is still an early Romantic legacy and (especially in the II. Man.) Not yet the dominance of the basic voices of the late Romanticism, even if one can already feel the tendency in Keller (and his contemporaries) that the II. Man. with the more subtle flute and string parts (cf. Kransberg) already clearly in the direction of a “secondary” or even “delicate work”. Overall, however, Keller largely adhered to the register selection customary at the time and the practice of assigning certain registers only to certain works: gamba 8 ' and hollow flute 8' z. B. belong in the I. Man., Gedackt 8 ' and Salicional 8' in the II. Manual.

Overall, at least the early organs of Michael Keller (especially as far as flute parts and strings are concerned) have an even milder sound than the organ works of the early romantic period (see e.g. BD Rassmann). Finally, a tabular overview based on the organ in Kransberg (II / P / 16), how he built which stops.

register	image	Kransberg design	Sound description
Principal 8 ′		C – E softwood (open), prospect pipes made of 78% tin, the rest tin / lead
Octave 4 ′		Prospect pipes made of 78% tin, the rest tin / lead
Octave 2 ′		Tin / lead
Mixture 2 ′ (4-fold)		Tin / lead, repetition of fifths on c °, c 1 , c 2 and c 3
Cornett 2 2 / 3 '(3-fold)		Tin / lead, no repetition, from c 1
Principal bass 8 ′		Softwood
Bourdon 16 ′		Coniferous wood, covered
Hollow flute 8 ′		C – H softwood (covered!), C ° –f 2 softwood (open), remainder tin / lead open
Gedackt 8 ′		C – h ° softwood and oak, c 1 –f 3 tin / lead with oak plugs
Flauto dolce 8 ′		C – H softwood (covered!), C ° –f 2 softwood (open), remainder tin / lead open
Reed flute 4 ′		with long tubes	very "lean" sound
Flute 4 ′		C – H softwood open, c 1 –f 3 tin / lead conical and open
Subbass 16 ′		Softwood
Gamba 8 ′		C – H softwood open, c ° –f 3 tin / lead
Salicional 8 ′		C – h ° Softwood open, c 1 –f 3 tin / lead conical and open
Violon bass 16 ′		Softwood (the pipes form the rear wall of the case)

Wind turbine

Wind system of the cellar organ in Kransberg (II / P / 16): magazine and scoop bellows

Wind system of the cellar organ in Kransberg (II / P / 16): Kalkantentritt

The wind system of the organs of the organ building workshop in basement consist of a large magazine bellows and a scoop bellows underneath. The wind tunnels are made of wood. If the entire wind turbine is located in the organ case (see e.g. Kransberg), the calcareous step on the organ case is also positioned either at the front of the prospectus (e.g. Kransberg) or on the side (e.g. Usingen?).

Brochures and housings

The organ workshop Keller built neo-Romanesque (see e.g. Limburg Cathedral) and especially neo-Gothic (see e.g. Kransberg, Hallgarten, Bornheim, Stephanshausen) prospectuses, whereby these can take different forms: high central tower with crowning flower and two each lateral, straight pipe fields (e.g. Kransberg) or two high side towers, each with a crowning flower and three pointed arched pipe fields in between (e.g. Thalheim). In the prospectus is the principal 8 ′ of the I. Man. and possibly also a few large pipes from the Octave 4 ′ . The labia of the prospect pipes that Keller built in tin (prospect pipes in zinc-aluminum alloy were possibly installed during the First World War because tin was needed for war purposes) are not at the same level. The cases are open at the top and back (where e.g. the pipes of the violon bass '16' form the back wall in Kransberg ), have (on the prospectus) lower parts with frames and panels and are made of softwood and (see Kransberg) If necessary, the side panels can be removed so that the inside of the organ can be easily accessed from the outside.

Works

New organs

year	place	building	image	Manuals	register	Op.	Remarks
1871	Dernbach	Mother House of the Poor Maidservants of Christ		?	?	1(?)	Canceled in 1962; possibly the first instrument of the organ building workshop; 1962 New building by Klais / Bonn.
1872-1877	Limburg	Limburg Cathedral		III / P	38		Canceled in 1911; Reconstruction of the previous organ by J. Chr. Köhler, installation of a neo-Romanesque prospectus, re-use of almost the entire pipework (Köhler); 1911 new building by Johannes Klais / Bonn.
1876	Weilbach (Flörsheim)	Catholic Church of the Assumption		II / P	17th		Canceled in 1982; It took a full 8 weeks to build the work (only one manual was playable until Whitsun 1876), costs: M 4,500; 1950 Conversion and extension of the work to three manuals by F. Katzer, Bleidenstadt; New building in 1982 by Mayer, Heusweiler.
1876	Kransberg	Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist		II / P	16		original preserved ("organ-architectural rarity"); 1917 Expansion of the prospect pipes by Carl Horn / Limburg (later replaced in zinc); 1995 restoration by the Oberlinger / Windsheim brothers; 2013 restoration by Hardt-Orgelbau / Möttau.
1877	Hallgarten	Catholic Church of the Assumption of Mary		II / P	14th		Canceled in 1969; neo-Gothic housing, costs: 1,391 Thaler, 2 dispositions handed down; 1917 handing over of the prospectus whistle; New building in 1969 by E. Wagenbach / Limburg.
1877	Hadamar	Catholic Church of St. Johannes Nepomuk		II / P	22nd		Canceled in 1970; New building in 1970 by Klais / Bonn.
1878	Kronberg	Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul		?	?		Canceled in 1980; 1903 remodeling; 1952 renovation; New building in 1980 by Bosch / Kassel.
1879	Eltville	Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul		?	?		Canceled in 1963; New construction in 1963 by Förster and Nicolaus / Lich, including old organ parts from 1843 (Fernwerk).
1880	Frankfurt-Bornheim	St. Joseph's Church		II / P	17 or 18		Canceled in 1970; mechanical cone chest, neo-Gothic case; Transferred to the rebuilt church in 1932; Renewed in 1966; New building in 1970 by Gebrüder Hindelang / Ebenhofen (reconstruction in 1989 by Mayer / Heusweiler).
1880	Argenthal	Catholic Church		I.	5		Canceled in 1957; mechanical cone tray; 1957 New building by Gebr. Oberlinger / Windesheim.
around 1880	Becheln	Ev. church		I / P	9		Sold in 1955; New building by the Walcker / Ludwigsburg company.
1881	Usingen	old cath. Church of St. Laurentius (1876–1959)	---	I / P	7th		Canceled in 1959; Cost: 1,800 M; Consecration on September 25, 1881 by the Rev. Overhage commissioned for this purpose; The work was dismantled in April 1959 in the course of the new church building by the organ builder Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg and probably taken in payment to reduce the cost of building the new organ (consecration on May 28, 1961).
1882	Niederwalluf	Catholic Church of St. John		I / P	13		Canceled in 1978; New building in 1978 by Förster and Nicolaus / Lich.
1883	Montabaur	Catholic Church of St. Peter in chains		II / P	25th		Canceled in 1904; New construction contract with Keller dated January 14, 1883; Cost: M 5,286; The factory was demolished in 1904 in favor of a new building by Joh. Klais, which has now been replaced by a new building by the Mühleisen company.
1883	Niederhadamar	Catholic Church of St. Peter in chains		II / P	17th		Canceled in 1981; 1950 by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg, the sound and the electric cone chest were converted; New building in 1981 by Fischer and Krämer / Endingen.
1883-1887	Osterspai	Catholic Church of St. Martin		II / P	15th		Canceled in 1981; built behind the prospectus of the previous organ (1795); Contract concluded on January 14, 1883, acceptance on September 10, 1887; New building in 1981 by Mayer / Heusweiler.
1885	Villmar	Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul		II / P	20th		Canceled in 1976; Cost: M 5,000; Consecrated August 15, 1886; 1931 reconstruction by Klais / Bonn; New building in 1976 by Klais / Bonn.
1885	Weisskirchen (Taunus)	Catholic Church of St. Crutzen		I / P	9		Canceled in 1985; Disposition proposal dated March 8, 1885; 1958 rearrangement by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg; New building in 1985 by Mayer / Heusweiler.
1886	Oberweyer	Catholic Church of St. Leonhard		II / P	16		Status unknown; mechanical action; Conversion to electropneumatic action, among others by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg.
1886	Niederjosbach	Catholic Church of St. Michael		I / P	6th		Status unknown; Conversion by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg.
1886	Neu-Isenburg	Catholic Church					Status unknown.
1888	Idstein	old cath. Church or castle chapel (?)		I / P	11		around 1962 sold to Wörsdorf.
1888	Erbach	Catholic Church of St. Mark					not received; Modification.
1889	Thalheim	Catholic Church of St. Stephen		II / P	19th	Op. 49	receive; 1958 general overhaul by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg; 1979 Restoration by Schäfer / Frankfurt (acceptance on February 29, 1980).
1889	Holler	Catholic St. Margaretha		II / P	12		Canceled in 2000; pneumatic conversion (?), which is why a super-paddock II / I and a super-paddock I could later be available; New building in 2000 by the Göckel / Malsch company (near Heidelberg).
1890	Welgesheim	Catholic Church of All Saints		I / P	6th		Status unknown.
around 1890 (1891)	Irmtraut	Catholic Church of St. Mary		II / P	12 (?)		Status unknown.
1890	Break over	Catholic Church of the Holy Seven Brothers		II / P	10 (12?)		Canceled in 1975; New building in 1975 by Walcker / Murrhardt.
1889	Ober-Wöllstadt	Catholic Church of St. Stephen		II / P	12		Status unclear.
1892-1894	Frankfurt-Rödelheim	Catholic Antoniuskirche		II / P	20th	68	Canceled in 1984; last completed organ in the cellar; New building in 1984 by Hugo Mayer / Heusweiler.
1893	Berod near Wallmerod	Catholic Church of St. Giles		II / P	12	op.64	Canceled in 1978; mechanical cone chest, acceptance by seminar teacher Schmetz / Montabaur; 1899 Outsourcing of the pewter and wooden pipes because of the new church building; 1900 (May 11th) Destruction of the pipework by fire; 1901 reconstruction of the instrument by Carl Horn / Limburg (behind the prospectus of the previous organ, J. Chr. Schöler?), 1922 expansion by Carl Horn / Limburg; 1964 inoperable; 1975 in "bad" condition; 1978 New building by Peter Wagenbach / Limburg, reusing five of Horn's registers.
1893	Dahlheim	Catholic Church of St. James		I / P	14th	65	Canceled in 1972; op. 65, mechanical cone drawer, stood on the upper gallery; 1945 (March 24th) Damage to the organ (due to the church ceiling falling from American shell fire), 1948 Installation of a new fan (on the church granary) by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg, 1959 (September) Reconstruction and renovation of the organ by the company Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg (cf. disposition at Bösken), 1972 total failure of the organ (condensation caused by air humidity and temperature on the church reservoir damages wind tunnels and pipes) and demolition; since then two electronic organs (1972, 2003).
1893	Wiesbaden	Catholic city church St. Bonifatius					not received; Extension.
1893	Dietkirchen	Catholic Church of St. Lubentius					not received; Modification.
1894	Hellenhahn			I / P	8th		preserved (in the former Johannisberg monastery) ???; then around 1926 demolition of the organ in Hellenhahn-Schellenberg, storage of the instrument (Orgelbauanstalt C. Horn, Limburg?), around 1928 transfer with modification of two registers to the Johannisberg monastery.
1894	Flomborn						Status unknown.
1894	Hornau			I / P	6 (?)		Canceled in 1952.
1894	Laufenselden	Catholic Church of St. Philip and James		I / P	12 (?)		Canceled in 1978; New building in 1978 by Seifert / Kevelaer.
1895	Dehrn	Saint Nicholas Chapel		I / P	7th	69 or 70	probably demolished around 1930 (when the chapel was converted into a kindergarten); Completion by Johannes Klais / Bonn.
1895	Schierstein					69 or 70	Canceled in 1942; Completion by Johannes Klais / Bonn.
1895	Wehrheim	St. Michael		I / P	7th	71	Canceled in 1974; pneumatic pocket drawer; Completion by Johannes Klais / Bonn; 1955 Sound conversion by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg and relocation to a new west gallery; 1974 New building by Fischer & Krämer / Endingen, partially reusing the old pipework.
1894-1899	Rauenthal	St. Antonius Eremita		II / P	14th		Canceled in 1977; 1894 contract concluded with Michael Keller, completion of the work by Johannes Klais / Bonn, 1899 (November 1st), acceptance by seminar teacher Carl Walter / Montabaur; 1954 sound modification by Eduard Wagenbach / Limburg; New building in 1978 by Oberlinger / Windesheim.

Much of the demolition dates could be clarified through a list of new organs and rebuilding of the diocese for the period from 1948 to 1991.

Undated cellar organ structures

year	place	building	image	Manuals	register	Opuus	Remarks
?	Stephanshausen	Catholic Church of St. Michael		I / P	7th		Status unknown; Game table on the side of the case, bears a company sign for the Keller brothers, formerly neo-Gothic prospect; later installation of a baroque prospectus taken from Niederselters (F. Wang / Hadamar [?]).

Repairs, voting contracts, etc.

The following repair work by Michael Keller on organs from other master organ builders and the following voting contracts had to be determined so far:

• 1885: Post-intonation and tuning of the Voigt organ in Oberreifenberg;
• 1886, 1888, 1892 and 1894: tuning of the Voigt organ in Oberreifenberg;
• 1896 (probably carried out by Johannes / Bonn): Repair and tuning of the Voigt organ in Oberreifenberg;
• 1899: Repair of the organ in Erbes-Büdesheim (contract concluded on July 10, 1889);
• (undated): Keller adds "some soft voices" to the organ built by Voigt in 1847 in St. Kasimir Seelenberg.

literature

• Franz Bösken : Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. (=  Contributions to the music history of the Middle Rhine . Volume 6 ). tape 1 : Mainz and suburbs - Rheinhessen - Worms and suburbs . Schott, Mainz 1967, ISBN 3-7957-1306-4 .
• Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. (=  Contributions to the music history of the Middle Rhine . Volume 7.2 ). tape 2 : The area of ​​the former administrative district of Wiesbaden. Part 1: A-K . Schott, Mainz 1975, ISBN 3-7957-1307-2 .
• Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. (=  Contributions to the music history of the Middle Rhine . Volume 7.2 ). tape 2 : The area of ​​the former administrative district of Wiesbaden. Part 2: L-Z . Schott, Mainz 1975, ISBN 3-7957-1370-6 .
• Hermann Fischer : 100 years of the Association of German Organ Builders 1891–1991 . Rensch, Lauffen am Neckar 1991, ISBN 3-921848-18-0 .
• Hans Klotz : The book of the organ . 10th edition. Bärenreiter, Kassel 1988, ISBN 3-7618-0826-7 .
• Theodor Peine: Organ building in Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area from the beginning to the present. Frankfurt am Main 1956, pp. 174f.
• Catholic parish of St. Stephanus Thalheim (Ed.): 100 years of St. Stephanus Thalheim 1889–1989 . Thalheim 1989.
• Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, pp. 52-66.
• Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau (ZfI) . tape 14, 1893-1894 . Paul de Wit, Leipzig, urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb00004240-6 .
• Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau (ZfI) . tape 16, 1895-1896 . Paul de Wit, Leipzig, urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb00004242-7 .
• Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau (ZfI) . tape 25, 1904-1905 . Paul de Wit, Leipzig, urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb00004251-7 .
• Hermann Fischer, Theodor Wohnhaas : Lexicon of southern German organ builders (=  pocket books on musicology . Volume 116 ). Noetzel, Wilhelmshaven 1994, ISBN 3-7959-0598-2 .

Web links

• Cellar organ of the parish church of St. John the Baptist, Kransberg on kath-kirche-kransberg.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ See Bernhard Hemmerle : Organ building in the Limburg-Weilburg district. P. 4. ( kirchenmusik.bistumlimburg.de ).
2. ^ Message from the Limburg Diocesan Archives. March 18, 2015.
3. ^ Message from the Limburg City Archives. March 18, 2015 according to the address book of the city of Limburg from 1896.
4. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. Volume 14, 1893-94, p. 901; the date of death is through the death book of the cath. Parish Limburg confirmed, although here an age of 49½ years is given (cf. the death register entry in the Catholic church book Limburg with the signature Lim K 20, 1894, No. 63 - death; communicated by the diocesan archive in Limburg on March 18 2015), and also through relevant literature (see: Horst Hodick: Johannes Klais (1852–1925): A Rhenish organ builder and his work. Musikverlag Katzbichler, 2001, ISBN 3-87397-139-9 , p. 555. books. google.de and Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, pp. 33, 171; Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 719).
5. ↑ ^{a b} magazine for instrument making. Volume 14, 1893-94, p. 901.
6. ^ Communication from the Limburg City Archives of March 18, 2015.
7. ↑ See the Official Gazette of the Diocese of Limburg. 1871, No. 21, November 29, 1871, p. 119; see. Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 (the Keller brothers set up their own business in 1871).
8. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 114, should be added accordingly.
9. ↑ See the communication from the Limburg City Archives of March 18, 2015 on Carl Horn's residential address in 1887 ("[Im] Schlenkert No. 20") according to the relevant civil status register (signature: StA Limburg II / 655).
10. ↑ Fischer / Kohlhaas: p. 190 speak of "around 70"
11. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. (ZfI), Volume 14, 1893-94, p. 901 .; see. Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 920.
12. ↑ See Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 655, and Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: A – K. 1975, p. 486.
13. ↑ See Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 586 f.
14. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. Volume 14, 1893-94, p. 901; see. also: Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau. Volume 25, 1904-05, p. 303.
15. ↑ See: Horst Hodick: Johannes Klais (1852–1925): A Rhenish organ builder and his work. Musikverlag Katzbichler, 2001, ISBN 3-87397-139-9 , p. 555. books.google.de and Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 719.
16. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. (ZfI), 16. Vol. 1895-96, p. 303; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
17. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. Volume 25, 1904-05, p. 303.
18. ↑ Horst Hodick: Johannes Klais (1852-1925): A Rhenish organ builder and his work. Musikverlag Katzbichler, 2001, ISBN 3-87397-139-9 , p. 555. books.google.de .
19. ↑ Cf. Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 1, 1967, p. 256.
20. ↑ Journal for Instrument Making. Volume 16, 1895-96, p. 303.
21. ↑ According to information from the Klais organ building company in Bonn (May 2014).
22. ↑ See the communication from the Limburg City Archives from 2007.
23. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} cf. recently (but heavily abbreviated): Historical organs - restorations - built in 1876. seen on Oberlinger's website on June 1st, 2014.
24. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 920.
25. ↑ Hans Klotz: The book of the organ. Kassel 10/1988, pp. 24-26.
26. ^ Hermann Fischer: 100 Years of the Association of German Organ Builders 1891–1991. Lauffen am Neckar 1991, p. 113 (cross-sectional drawing).
27. ↑ See the following v. a. Bösken, p. 655; The sound of the organ has since been rebuilt and expanded by E. Wagenbach.
28. ↑ See the following v. a. Bösken, p. 625; Work was canceled in 1904.
29. ↑ See Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 920.
30. ↑ See Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2, p. 753.
31. ^ Official Journal of the Diocese of Limburg, 1871, No. 21, November 29, 1871, p. 119; the information given by Franz Bösken ( sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1 [AK], 1975, p. 114) should be supplemented accordingly; Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 114.
32. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 586 f .; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
33. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 795 f .; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190; Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.), 25 years Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966-1991, Frankfurt 1991, p. 61.
34. ↑ Historical organ in Kransberg from the organ building workshop of the brothers A. and M. Keller ; see. Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 520 (without details of the organ builder).
35. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 412; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.), 25 years Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966-1991, Frankfurt 1991, p. 56.
36. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 56.
37. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 531; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 61.
38. ^ Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 54.
39. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 216, cf. St. Josefs Church (Frankfurt-Bornheim) (as seen on June 4th 2014); Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190, gives 18 registers; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt a Main 1991, p. 56; Peine: p. 174f. (Organ builder Keller has the wrong first name here!) In 1955/1956 not only communicated the disposition, the system (mechanical cone chest) and the shape of the prospectus (neo-Gothic), which was later mentioned by Bösken, but also describes the sound of the organ as "very powerful, yes even hard ”, which reminds me of organs from Westphalia or Central Germany from that time. What is interesting about the disposition of this organ is the fact that the trumpet stops in the I. Man. Lieblich Gedackt in the II. Man. have a bass and a treble slide and the distant flute in the II. Man. only sounds in the treble (cf. Peine / Bösken).
40. ^ Franz Bösken, Herbert Fischer, Matthias Thömmes: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 4, Part 1: A – K. 2005, p. 105; here the somewhat peculiar disposition of this organ (without pedal) is communicated: Principal 8 ′, Covered 8 ′, Salicional 8 ′, Dolce 4 ′, Euphone 8 ′ ′.
41. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 71.
42. ↑ Parish and church chronicle of the cath. Parish of Usingen, created by Rev. Kriegsmann in 1844 (until 1967), without page number, years 1876–1881, 1959 and 1961; see. Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 782, names 7 registers. According to eyewitnesses, the organ stood on a wooden gallery in the west of the church, the play cabinet was on the left, the calcane on the right side of the organ case.
43. ^ Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 61.
44. ↑ Cf. Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 625, as well as: Orgel in Montabaur ( Memento of the original from January 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the website of Orgelbau Mühleisen; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 mention 1877 as the year the organ was built. 
45. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 654; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 61.
46. ↑ Cf. St. Martin's Catholic Parish Church in Osterspai (viewed on June 4, 2014); Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 711 .; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 (construction date 1883); Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.) (Ed.): 25 years of Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 61.
47. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 783; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 name 1886 as the year of construction; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 59.
48. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 815; see. Church of St. Crutzen (as seen on June 4, 2014); Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 65.
49. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 705; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
50. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 655; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
51. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 471; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190.
52. ↑ Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190.
53. ^ With Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 770, the organ is wrongly attributed to Carl Horn, but this cannot be correct, if only because of the fact that Carl Horn, as the successor to the Keller brothers in Limburg, did not start work until 1896 at the earliest (information from the Limburg City Archives [January 2007 ]); Information from: Parish St. Stephanus, Thalheim (ed.): 100 years of St. Stephanus Thalheim 1889–1989. P. 41 (color photo), p. 75 f.
54. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 449; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190; see. "St. Margaretha" in Holler ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (as of June 4, 2014). 
55. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine . Volume 1, 1967, p. 459; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190.
56. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 474; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190, name 1891 as the year of construction.
57. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 681; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190, mentions II / 10; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 59
58. ↑ Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190 names 1890 as the year of construction; see. Franz Bösken, Hermann Fischer: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 3, Part 2: M – Z. 1975, p. 749.
59. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 320 .; Fischer / Wohnhaas, p. 190; see. Antoniuskirche (Rödelheim) (as seen on June 4, 2014); Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 65.
60. ↑ See Bösken: p. 76; Survey form of the RKM Hadamar 2014/2015 (according to this source, the registers that are reused are the following: Bourdon 16 ′, Octave 4 ′, Covered 8 ′, Salicional 8 ′ and Subbass 16 ′ ); see. Instrument making magazine. (ZfI), Volume 25, 1904-05, p. 301.
61. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 110; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; 175 years of St. Jakobus the Elder Dahlheim. Dahlheim 2015, pp. 4, 6, 7, 12, 13.
62. ↑ The original disposition of the little work should originally have looked like this: Principal 8 ', Salicional 8' (now: Waldflöte 2 '), Dolce 8', Gedackt 8 ', Octave 4', Flute 4 ', Cornett (?, Now Mixtur 1 '2-fold rep.), Subbass 16', pedal coupler . The photo was made available by the organ expert of the diocese (June 2016). See also Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 424; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
63. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 486; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
64. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 548; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 59.
65. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 1: A – K. 1975, p. 113; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 .; see. dehrn.net (June 3, 2016).
66. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 889; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190.
67. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 794; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190 (year of construction: 1894); Communication from Wehrheim (2013); Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 59.
68. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 719; Fischer / Wohnhaas: p. 190; Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.): 25 years of Department for Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, p. 59.
69. ^ Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg (ed.) (Ed.): 25 years of Department of Church Music in the Diocese of Limburg 1966–1991. Frankfurt am Main 1991, pp. 54-65.
70. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 759; Bösken suspects that the organ was built in 1862 ("new consecration" according to HBLbg56), but this cannot be true, as the Keller brothers only went into business in Limburg in 1871.
71. ↑ ^{a b c} Parish council of the parish of St. Georg Oberreifenberg / Taunus (Ed.): The parish church of St. Georg zu Oberreifenberg. 1977, p. 76.
72. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 1, 1967, p. 292.
73. ^ Franz Bösken: Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine. Volume 2, Part 2: L – Z. 1975, p. 750, with which v. a. the Dolce 8´ register, which is available next to the Salicional 8´ , is meant.