Organ of the Evangelical Reformed Church (Weener)

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Organ of the Evangelical Reformed Church (Weener)
Weener Ref Organ.jpg
General
alternative name Schnitger organ of the Georgskirche (Weener)
place Evangelical Reformed Church (Weener)
Organ builder Arp Schnitger
Construction year 1710
Last renovation / restoration 1978–1983 by Jürgen Ahrend
epoch Baroque
Organ landscape Ostfriesland
Technical specifications
Number of registers 29
Number of rows of pipes 42
Number of manuals 2
Tone tract Mechanically
Register action Mechanically
Schnitger organ in Weener (console)

The organ of the Evangelical Reformed Church (Georgskirche) in Weener is a late work by Arp Schnitger (1710), on which his sons already participated. Johann Friedrich Wenthin added the curved pedal towers in 1782. The organ, which has been rebuilt several times, now has 29 registers on two manuals and one pedal .

Building history

Chalk inscription by Arp Schnitger the Younger: This organ was built by Arp (?) Schnitger in 1710 Zu Neuenfelde

New building by Schnitger in 1710

It is not certain whether the Georgskirche had a predecessor instrument. A small round arched breakthrough about three meters high on the north choir wall and a niche directly below the vault approach were interpreted by Harald Vogel as a Gothic swallow's nest organ in the choir . Only in 1666 is there talk of a will from the merchant Geerd Rösingh and his wife Trientje Harmens, who bequeathed 500 guilders to the community for a new organ.

The Reformed congregation decided a new organ on February 15, 1709 "dat het byzonder dead Siraet van onze Wehniger Kerke zoude streeken can, as mede dead defoliation van het Kerkengezang en alzo dead bevorderinge van de openbaeren Godesdienst" (she particularly an ornament of our Weeneraner Church as well as to support the congregation singing and thus to promote public worship). In 1709/1710 the organ with main work , Rückpositiv and attached pedal was built. A chalk inscription in the central tower indicates that the case was probably built by Schnitger's son Arp in Neuenfelde (see picture opposite). Arp Schnitger the Elder J. married Maria Margarete de Courgelon on October 29, 1710 in Weener Gloda. Arp Schnitger's journeyman Niclaes Stoever married her sister Marta Barbara de Courgelon on November 6, 1710, daughter of the respected and wealthy stable master Simon de Courgelon. A breastwork was prepared in the main housing for later expansion. According to the inscription, the pipework comes from Schnitger's workshop in Hamburg-Neuenfelde. Arp Schnitger the Elder J. and Stoever placed the organ on the Gothic rood screen . The total cost was 3,459.75 guilders.

From 1716 to 1726 Stoever carried out several repairs. In 1745 Johann Friedrich Constabel repaired the organ, in 1753 Johann Caspar Struve and in 1763/1764 Dirk Lohman . Wenthin documented the disposition in 1779, which corresponds to Uithuizen in the Rückpositiv and shows the same tongue disposition in the main work:

I Rückpositiv
Principal 04 ′
Gedact 08th'
Quintadena 08th'
Flute 04 ′
Octava 02 ′
Forest flute 02 ′
Quinta 1 1 ⁄ 2  ′
Sesquialtra II0
Sharp IV
Dulcian 08th'
Tremulant
II major work
Principal 08th'
Quintadena 16 ′
Gedact 08th'
Viol de Gamba 08th'
Octava 04 ′
Nassat 03 ′
Octava 02 ′
Spitz flute 02 ′ [originally 4 ′]
Rausch whistle II0
Mixture IV-VI
Trumpet 08th'
Voxhomana 08th'

Extension by Wenthin in 1782

Crowning of the pedal towers with the year of construction 1782

Between 1779 and 1782, after the Gothic rood screen was demolished , Johann Friedrich Wenthin moved the organ to a new wooden gallery in front of the choir, repaired it and added free pedal towers and a chest so that it now had 37 registers and three manuals. The curved pedal towers were connected to the main mechanism housing by flat panels with blind pipes (replaced by latticework since 1951). In 1786, Wenthin carried out repairs to the bellows. As a result of the expansion, the instrument in Weener had become the third largest organ in East Friesland.

The organ seems to be the last example of free-standing pedal towers in East Friesland. The external appearance is unusual due to the strict Schnitger design in the two manual works on the one hand and the curved pedal towers as well as the rococo-style gallery balustrade on the other. The prospectus of the Hauptwerk and Rückpositiv has five axes with a raised polygonal central tower and pointed towers on the side. Two-storey flat fields, separated by transom strips, mediate between the towers. Side towers and flat panels of the two manual work housings stand under a common cornice. All pipe fields are finished with openwork veils at the top and bottom. Due to Wenthin's modifications, Schnitger's carved blind wings could no longer be used. A blind wing and a hanging carving of the Rückpositiv are preserved in the Organeum Weener. The veil boards and the crowning structures of the manual housing are similar to those of the organ in Sneek . The registers for the Rückpositiv are located in the Rückpositiv housing.

Later work

In the years 1826 to 1828 and 1838, Herman Eberhard Freytag and in 1857 Johann Gottfried Rohlfs carried out various repairs and smaller jobs. In 1864, the seminar inspector Wilhelm Gerdes issued a damning report on the organ. It is full of "screamers and quickers", the breastwork is worthless and a new building is inevitable.

The Rohlfing Brothers ( Osnabrück ) carried out a major renovation from 1872 to 1877 and reduced it to two manual works, whereby the pipe work of the Rückpositiv was placed as the rear work and the breastwork was removed. All wind chests were replaced by new or used ones and contained an enlarged scope (in manuals C – f 3 , in pedal C – d 1 ). According to an inscription, the pedal drawers come from the Osnabrück organ by Jacob Courtain (1788). The organ only had 23 registers in total.

In 1906/1907, Rohlfing exchanged eight other old registers for new ones.

In 1917 146 prospect pipes had to be handed in for war purposes, as Schnitger organs were not under monument protection at the time .

Restorations

In 1927 and 1928 the organ was restored under the influence of the organ movement .

Alfred Führer ( Wilhelmshaven ) made the Rückpositiv sound again at the instigation of the organ expert and cantor Rolf Hallensleben in 1951/1952 as part of a comprehensive restoration and restored the disposition of the 18th century using pipe material from the 19th and 20th centuries. Führer connected the housing of the main mechanism and the pedal mechanism with a latticework, which was also attached to the breastwork doors.

The cases from the 18th century are still in their original condition. In 1972, the magnificent red mahogany imitation from 1782 was restored. From 1972 to 1978, the Vierdag company ( Enschede / NL) carried out various restoration work and manufactured new wind chests , a magazine bellows and a new game and register mechanism , without always strictly following historical construction methods. The Steffani pipe maker ( Herten ) reconstructed the lost registers based on the lengths of the Schnitger organ in Uithuizen . Some registers from the organ builder Carl Haupt ( Ostercappeln ) from the organ in Gildehaus Bad Bentheim (1864–1866) were used in the pedal .

Jürgen Ahrend ( Leer-Loga ) completed the restoration 1978–1983. He reconstructed the manual reeds (trumpet according to Stade / St. Cosmae , Dulciaan and Vox Humana according to Uithuizen), some labial registers, the main movement action , the pedal keyboard , a tremulant and finished the intonation . The Courtain wind chests in the pedal have been retained.

Due to the renovations in the 19th century and the adjustments to the taste of the time, a large part of the pipe material of the 18th century was lost. The very good manual keyboards by Rohlfing from 1877 with the large range (C – f 3 ) were retained during the restoration. The six original Schnitger registers are in very good condition and have hardly any core stitches. In addition, there is a small inventory of Schnitger pipes in the high registers of the Rückpositiv, which was important for the reconstruction of the scaling. In the pedal, the throats, heads and tongues from the 19th century are still preserved from the three reed registers; the cups are new.

The restoration was not about the reconstruction of the state from the 18th century, but a restoration of the old sound conditions using the historical material. It was only through Jürgen Ahrend that the technical and tonal completion was achieved within the framework of a convincing overall concept, which was based on the ideal of the Schnitger sound and demonstrated a masterly art of intonation. The register inscriptions were carried out in the spelling and spelling according to the original model in Uithuizen.

Disposition since 1983

I Rugpositief CDE – f 3
Praestant 04 ′00 Vi
Holpyp 08th' S.
Quintadena 08th' Vi
Holpyp 04 ′ Vi
Octaav 02 ′ S.
Woudfluyt 02 ′ Vi
Quint 1 1 ⁄ 2  ′ Vi
Sesquialter II0 Vi
Scherp IV Vi
Dulciaan 08th' A.
II Manual C – f 3
Praestant 08th' Vi
Quintadena 16 ′00 S.
Holpyp 08th' Vi
Octaav 04 ′ S.
Spitsfluyt 04 ′ S.
Nasat 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Vi
Great Octaav0 02 ′ S.
Mixture IV – VI Vi
Cimbel III A.
Trumpet 08th' A.
Vox humana 08th' A.
Pedal C – d 1
Praestant 08th' Vi
Sub bass 16 ′00 We (or Ha)
Octaav 04 ′ Vi
Great Octaav0 02 ′ A.
Mixture IV Vi
Bazuyn 16 ′ Ha / A
Trumpet 08th' Ha / A
Trumpet 04 ′ Ha / A
Remarks
  1. ↑ a b c Holpyp = Gedackt.
S = Schnitger (1709–1710)
We = Wenthin (1779–1782)
Ha = main (19th century)
Vi = Vierdag (1972–1977)
A = Ahrend (1978–1982)

Technical specifications

  • 29 registers, 42 rows of pipes
  • Wind supply :
    • Wind pressure: 72 mm water column
  • Wind chests : Manuals (Vierdag), Pedal (Courtain)
  • Action:
    • Keyboards: manuals (Rohlfing), pedal (Ahrend)
    • Tone action: mechanical
    • Stop action: mechanical
  • Mood :

literature

  • Cornelius H. Edskes, Harald Vogel: Arp Schnitger and his work (=  241st publication by the Society of Organ Friends ). 2nd Edition. Hauschild, Bremen 2013, ISBN 978-3-89757-525-7 , pp. 106 f, 175 f .
  • Gustav Fock : Arp Schnitger and his school. A contribution to the history of organ building in the North and Baltic Sea coast areas . Bärenreiter, Kassel 1974, ISBN 3-7618-0261-7 , p. 152 f .
  • Walter Hilbrands : On the history of the reformed church in Weener . In: Church council of the evangelical reformed community Weener (ed.): Festschrift 300 years of the Arp Schnitger organ . H. Risius, Weener 2010, p. 63-83 .
  • Walter Kaufmann : The organs of East Frisia . East Frisian Landscape, Aurich 1968, p. 237-239 .
  • Siegmund Meier: The Arp Schnitger organ in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Weener . In: Church council of the evangelical reformed community Weener (ed.): Festschrift 300 years of the Arp Schnitger organ . H. Risius, Weener 2010, p. 23-49 .
  • Stef Tuinstra : Het Schnitger-Wenthinorgel te Weener (East Friesland) . In: Het Orgel . Volume 81, No. 1 , 1985, pp. 292-299 .
  • Harald Vogel , Günter Lade, Nicola Borger-Keweloh: Organs in Lower Saxony . Hauschild, Bremen 1997, ISBN 3-931785-50-5 , p. 190-193 .
  • Harald Vogel, Reinhard Ruge, Robert Noah, Martin Stromann: Organ landscape Ostfriesland . 2nd Edition. Soltau-Kurier-Norden, Norden 1997, ISBN 3-928327-19-4 , p. 34-36 .

Recordings / sound carriers

  • Dietrich Buxtehude: Organ Works . Vol. 2. 1988. MD + G, L 3269 (Harald Vogel in St. Cosmae, Stade and Weener: BuxWV 136, 137, 139, 150, 164, 169, 172, 177, 180, 184, 187, 201, 207, 214, 215).
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg variations . 1988. VLS Records, VLC 0598 (Abram Bezuijen).
  • From the sky above. Christmas cantatas and motets from North German masters . 1989. Ars Musici, AME30062 ( Fiori musicali , Hanover boys' choir; Harald Vogel in Weener and St. Ludgeri, north: works by Anonymus, G. Böhm).
  • Organ country East Frisia . 1989. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, HM 939-2 (Harald Vogel in Norden, Uttum, Rysum, Westerhusen, Marienhafe, Weener: works by D. Buxtehude, C. Goudimel, Anonymus, JP Sweelinck, S. Scheidt, C. Paumann, A Schlick, A. Ileborgh, P. Hofhaimer, H. Isaac, HL Hassler, G. Bohm, JS Bach).
  • Diderik Buxtehude: Organ Works (5) . 1989. Harmonic records, H / CD 8934 (Jean-Charles Ablitzer).
  • Arp Schnitger in Lower Saxony . 2002. MD + G, 1124-2 (11 organists in Cappel, St. Cosmae Stade, Lüdingworth, Steinkirchen, Hollern, Mittelkirchen, Norden, Grasberg, Dedesdorf, Ganderkesee, Weener).
  • Vincent Lübeck: Organ Works . 2009. Aeolus, AE-10571 (Léon Berben in Norden and Weener)
  • Organ landscapes. Episode 6: A musical journey to eight organs in the East Friesland region (part 2) . 2 CDs, 2016, NOMINE e. V. (W. Dahlke in Buttforde, Weener, Esens, Groothusen, Midlum, Böhmerwold, Manslagt, and Backemoor with works by JS Bach, D. Buxtehude, G. Böhm, JL Krebs, JA Holzmann, CPE Bach, F. Mendelssohn and others ).
  • Nicolaus Bruhns: The entire organ work. 2015. ORGANEUM in Edition Falkenberg, OC-41101 (Harald Vogel in Weener, Norden and Stanford).
  • European meeting: Michel Chapuis and Harald Vogel. 2016. ORGANEUM in Edition Falkenberg, OC 41152 (Boyvin in Stapelmoor and Böhm in Weener).
  • Harald Vogel plays 12 organs in East Frisia. 2017. ORGANEUM in Edition Falkenberg, OC 41183 (Paumann, Sweelinck, Scheidemann, Böhm, C.Ph.E. Bach).

Web links

Commons : Organ of the Georgskirche (Weener)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hilbrands: On the history of the reformed church in Weener. 2010, p. 75.
  2. ↑ a b Meier: The Arp Schnitger organ in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Weener. 2010, p. 25.
  3. ↑ Meier: The Arp Schnitger organ in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Weener. 2010, pp. 23, 25.
  4. ↑ a b c Edskes, Vogel: Arp Schnitger and his work. 2013, p. 106.
  5. ^ A b c Vogel, Lade, Borger-Keweloh: Organs in Lower Saxony. 1997, p. 190.
  6. ↑ Meier: The Arp Schnitger organ in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Weener. 2010, p. 31.
  7. ↑ Fock: Arp Schnitger and his school. 1974, p. 152.
  8. ↑ Vogel, Ruge, Noah, Stromann: Organ landscape Ostfriesland. 1997, p. 36.
  9. ↑ Fock: Arp Schnitger and his school. 1974, p. 153.
  10. ↑ Kaufmann: The organs of East Frisia. 1968, p. 238.
  11. ↑ Edskes, Vogel: Arp Schnitger and his work. 2013, p. 176.
  12. ↑ a b Edskes, Vogel: Arp Schnitger and his work. 2013, p. 175.
  13. ^ A b c Vogel, Lade, Borger-Keweloh: Organs in Lower Saxony. 1997, p. 192.
  14. ↑ Arp Schnitger Organ Database , accessed on February 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ organ in Weener at NOMINE eV , accessed on February 14 2017th
  16. ^ Vogel, Lade, Borger-Keweloh: Organs in Lower Saxony. 1997, p. 193.
  17. ↑ Meier: The Arp Schnitger organ in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Weener. 2010, p. 40.

Coordinates: 53 ° 9 '56 "  N , 7 ° 21' 16.8"  E