Organs of the St. Martin Basilica (Weingarten)

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Front view
View from the gallery
Prospectus , engraving from 1766 ( Dom Bédos )
Register pulls (left)
Register pulls (right)
Gaming table
Pedal bells behind the gaming table

The organs of the St. Martin Basilica in Weingarten (Württemberg) , the former monastery church of Weingarten Abbey , were built by Joseph Gabler between 1737 and 1750 . In addition to the large organ, the church also has the smaller choir organ , which was also built by Joseph Gabler in 1743, but has since been completely revised and rebuilt several times. The imposing main organ has largely been preserved and is one of the most famous organs in Germany.

Main organ

Building history

New building by Gabler 1737–1750

On July 6, 1737, a first contract was signed with Gabler, which, however, was fundamentally revised several times before the organ was finally completed. The building of the organ turned out to be extremely tedious and grueling due to a fire in the monastery buildings and immense financial difficulties of the abbey. To make matters worse, Gabler was an excellent organ builder, but apparently an extremely bad businessman, who neither had a feel for money nor was able to meet deadlines, which led to the fact that he ruined himself permanently by building this organ. The organ was only consecrated on June 24, 1750.

The basic problem that Gabler faced and which he solved ingeniously was to erect a monumental organ on the west gallery of the church without covering the six existing windows. Perhaps, Abbot Dominic II. Schnitzer along the lines of Weingarten 1749 the organ in the Salzburger Sanctuary of Maria Plain rebuilt at his own expense, to expose the galleries window again, so ... the sun bill a freer passage [granted] is how there yet can always be read on the housing. Following the example of the Weingarten organ, Johann Nepomuk Holzhey later solved the analogous problem in the same way, for example in Neresheim .

The organ has some special characteristics: The principal pipes are generally narrow to very narrow gauge , which makes the sound relatively restrained but also tart. It has long been puzzled over why Gabler basically made the lengths of the pipes much narrower than one should have assumed in view of such a large space to be filled. At times it was suspected that Gabler was incompetent and in fact Gabler's ability to build organs was already questioned during his lifetime, while his abilities as a carpenter were unanimously considered to be outstanding ("... in which he is a great master ..."). Today, on the other hand, in Gabler's favor, aesthetic reasons for the scaling are often assumed and the assumption is that he wanted a rather restrained, intimate, mild sound and not a pompous roar. In order to give the organ a certain tonal power and fullness in spite of the narrow scaling, Gabler cast many voices with multiple choirs, even with basic voices. Already multi-choir registers and mixtures received an unusually high number of choirs. Nevertheless, the organ is known for its mild, chamber music sound, which retains a certain introversion even in the plenary.

The high number of basic voices is also remarkable, many of which belong to the string family. Gabler took up a tendency in Baroque organ building in southern Germany and expanded it into a monumental one.

Also worth mentioning are the abundant "game registers": Cuculus (cuckoo call), Rossignol (nightingale singing), timpani, two glockenspiels and the 49-course mixture "La Force" ("Die Kraft"), which is based solely on the note C des Pedals works. While the manual glockenspiel is built into the console, the shell bells of the pedal glockenspiel are artfully arranged in bunches of grapes above the console (vineyard - the area north of Lake Constance is a wine-growing area).

The organ is also a unique masterpiece both in terms of its craftsmanship and technology. The free-standing gaming table, one of the earliest representatives of its kind, is richly decorated with ornate inlays and has registers made of solid ivory . The extremely elaborate management of the mechanical tone and register action is unparalleled, but results in a relatively uncomfortable playing style.

However, Gabler failed at several points in his conception, which was ultimately too complex for the conditions at the time: The crown work, which was suspended high up under the vault, could never be adequately supplied with wind and was therefore only implemented with a greatly reduced disposition. Gabler also failed in the production of the Bombarde 32 ', which he converted into a second 16' tongue.

There are several legends about organ building, of which the "Vox-humana-Sage" is probably the most famous:

Gabler worked for years to mimic the human voice. But despite all his efforts, all of his attempts failed. He worked on the most diverse types of wood and metal mixtures, but without the desired success. Then the wicked one whispered in his ear at night that he would help him if he wrote his soul to him.

Gabler agreed to this and on a stormy night Gabler snuck away from the monastery to the agreed place. And the incarnate actually appeared, Gabler wrote the devil's soul with his blood and received a piece of metal that he was supposed to use to cast a pipe.

The pipe was poured and the vox humana actually sounded like a human voice. But his luck did not last long. The monks were so confused by the singing that they could no longer follow the services with devotion. The abbot has Gabler brought before him and he confesses the deed. Gabler is tried and he is to be burned along with the devil's register. But first he should make a worthy replacement. Gabler succeeded in doing this so well that the abbot graciously gave him his life.

Furthermore, Gabler allegedly built a (hidden and absolutely necessary) shut-off valve to regulate the wind supply into the organ. If there were disputes with the monastery (the payment for his work by the client is said to have been very poor!), According to tradition, he threatened to paralyze the organ with it.

Restoration by Kuhn 1981–1983

In 1983 the organ, which had only been relatively little changed, was restored by Orgelbau Th. Kuhn AG ( Männedorf on Lake Zurich ) and largely restored to the state of 1750. Only the range of the pedals was expanded from C – g 0 to C – d 1 and the unevenly floating temperature was “defused” in order to enable a broader literature game.

Work structure

The seven sub-works of the organ are structured as follows: In the two main towers, which in the prospectus house some 32 'pipes of the contrabass and 16' pipes of the Praestant , the main work is on the lowest level, divided into C and C sharp sides , flanked by the large pedal. Above this is the upper work on both sides without its own prospect pipes. The positive crown is located far above the organ above the upper middle window and shows the Octav douce in the prospectus. The wind chests for the crown positive are further below, the pipes of this part of the work are controlled via conductors. The side towers to the left and right of the organ house the 16 'pipes of the double contrabass . In the connecting "bridges" there is the Mixturbass 8 ′ and in the bridge directly above the console there is the 49-fold pedal mix La Force . The Echowerk, which can be played from the third manual, is housed in the lower case of the two main towers and cannot be seen from the church. From the organ gallery itself you can see the hollowness in the prospectus of the Echowerk . From the fourth manual the left of the two positives (seen from the viewer) in the parapet can be played, which shows the principal doux . Here in the so-called parapet positive is also the famous Vox humana. The right positive belongs to the parapet pedal. The prospectus forms here the Octave bass 8 ' .

Disposition

I main work C – c 3
1. Praestant 16 ′
2. Principal 8th'
3. Pipe slack 8th'
4th Octav I-II 4 ′
5. Super Octave II 2 ′ + 1 ′
6th Idleness 2 ′
7th Mixture IX-X 2 ′
8th. Cimbalum XII 1'
9. Sesquialter VIII – IX 2 ′
10. Piffaro V-VII 8th'
11. Trumpet beds 8th'
II upper structure C – c 3
12. Borduen II – III 16 ′
13. Principal Tutti 8th'
14th Violoncello I-III 8th'
15th Coppel 8th'
16. Idleness 8th'
17th Unda maris 8th'
18th Solicinale 8th'
19th Mixture IX-XII 4 ′

II crown positive C – c 3
20th Octav douce 4 ′
21st Viola II 4 ′ + 2 ′
22nd Cimbali II 2 ′ + 1 ′
23. Nasat 2 ′
III Echowork C – c 3
24. Borduen 16 ′
25th Principal 8th'
26th Lulls 8th'
27. Quintatön 8th'
28. Viola douce 8th'
29 Octav 4 ′
30th Quiet I – II 4 ′
31. Piffaro doux II 4 ′
32. Super octave 2 ′
33. Mixture V-VI 2 ′
34. Cornet V-VI 1'
35. Hautbois 8th'
IV parapet positive C – c 3
36. Principal doux 8th'
37. Slack douce 8th'
38. Quintatön 8th'
39. Violoncello 8th'
40. Pipe slack 4 ′
41. Transverse calm 4 ′
42. Flaut travers II 4 ′
43. Flageolet 2 ′
44. Cornet VIII-XI 2 ′
45. Vox humana 8th'
46. Hautbois 4 ′
Carillon 2 ′
Tremulant
Main pedal C – f 1
47. Contrabass II 32 ′ + 16 ′
48. Sub-bass 32 ′
49. Octave bass 16 ′
50. Violon Bass II 16 ′ + 8 ′
51. Mixture bass V – VIII 8th'
52. Trombone bass 16 ′
53. Bombard 16 ′
54. La force XLIX 4 ′
Carillon ped. 2 ′
Parapet pedal C – f 1
55. Quintatön bass 16 ′
56. Super octave bass 8th'
57. Slack douce 8th'
58. Cello bass 8th'
59. Hollow bass 4 ′
60. Cornetbass X-XI 4 ′
61. Sesquialter VI-VII 3 ′
62. Trumpet bass 8th'
63. Bassoon bass 8th'
  • Coupling : II / I, III / II, IV / III, IV / I, I / P, II / P, IV / P, crown positive coupling, chest pedal coupling
  • Effect register
    • Cuculus (cuckoo: four wooden pipes with wind propulsion)
    • Rossignol (nightingale: three pipes in a water bowl in the gallery floor)
    • Tympanum (timpani: three wooden pipes (16 ') floating on the note G)
    • Cymbala (three wind-powered bells (together with Cuculus))
  • Remarks
  1. ↑ (Frz. “Die Kraft”) A register in which only the lowest pedal note (C) is amplified by a 49-fold mixture. Its structure and function are reminiscent of a hornwork .
  2. ↑ Glockenspiel) for the pedal (C – g) and the manual (f – c 3 ). The bells of the manual carillon (cup bells made of bronze) are located in the console, the bells of the pedal carillon are arranged in grapes (corresponding to the monastery name "Weingarten") above the console.

Technical specifications

  • 63 registers, 6890 pipes (according to legend, 6666 pipes, pedal extension 6631 pipes).
  • Wind supply :
    • Frog mouth or bellows.
  • Wind chest : slider chest.
  • Game table (s) :
    • Detached.
    • 4 manuals, ivory keys; pedal
    • Ivory stop slides.
  • Action :
    • Tone action: mechanical
    • Stop action: mechanical.

Choir organ

Choir organ (part of epistle page)
Choir organ (part of the gospel page)

Building history

Two years before the St. Martin Basilica was inaugurated, the order for a choir organ was received by the Swiss organ building company Joseph Bossart, which at that time placed the instrument in the form of an altar organ in the center of the choir room. As early as 1730 the organ was considered out of date and so Joseph Gabler , who was just building the main organ in Ochsenhausen, was commissioned to renovate the instrument. The abbey was very satisfied with his work and commissioned him in 1737 to build the new main organ and a new choir organ, which was now placed above the choir stalls on both sides.

In 1900 a new choir organ was built behind the old prospectus by the Julius Schwarzbaur company . It had 22 registers on two manuals and a pedal. The Franz Xaver Späth company again built a new instrument with 36 registers in 1923/1924. The present organ was built in the years 1934–1937 using the old pipe inventory by the Biberach company Albert Reiser. In 2012, the Freiburg organ builders Hartwig and Tilmann Späth restored the instrument to its original state. The Gabler case and four registers, some of which have been heavily revised in the meantime, have survived.

Disposition

I main work C – a 3
1. Grand principal 16 ′
2. Principal 8th'
3. Willow pipe 8th'
4th Hollow flute 8 ′ G
5. Quintad 8 ′ G
6th Prefix 4 ′
7th Small flute 4 ′
8th. Fifth 2 2 / 3 '
9. Upper octave 2 ′
10. Cornet III-V 8th'
11. Mixture IV 2 ′
12. Trumpet 8th'
13. Bear whistle 8th'
II Swell 1 C – a 3
14th Bourdon 16 ′
15th Fiddling principal 8th'
16. Violdigamba 8th'
17th Distance flute 8th'
18th Night horn covered 8th'
19th Swiss flute 4 ′
20th octave 4 ′
21st recorder 4 ′
22nd Nassat 2 2 / 3 '
23. Reed flute 2 ′
24. Mixture IV 1 1 / 3 '
25th Dulcian 16 ′
26th Trumpet 8th'
27. Clarine 4 ′
III Swell 2 C – a 3
28. Horn principal 8th'
29 Gemshorn 8th'
30th Lovely Gedackt 8th'
31. Night horn 4 ′
32. Music flute 4 ′
33. Forest flute 2 ′
34. third 1 3 / 5 '
35. Upper fifth 1 1 / 3 '
36. Night horns 1'
37. Kalomela III 2 / 5 '
38. Rankett 16 ′
39. oboe 8th'
40. Krummhorn 8th'
41. Harp shelf 8th'
Pedal C – f 1
42. Principal bass 16 ′ G
43. Sub bass 16 ′
44. Octave bass 8th'
45. Gemshorn bass 8th'
46. Choral bass X – XV 4 ′ G
47. Upper octave bass 4 ′
48. Flute bass 2 ′
49. Trombone bass 16 ′
50. Trumpet bass 8th'
51. Shelf bass 2 ′
  • Coupling : I / II, I / III, I / P, II / P, III / P, III / P 4 ′, P / P 4 ′
  • Playing aids : 2 free combinations, crescendo roller, setter combination
  • G = Gabler, 1743

Organists

Very incomplete, as there are hardly any secular organists known:

  • Jakob Reiner († 1606)
  • Father Paulus Rummel († 1654)
  • Father Bonifaz Kammerer († 1675)
  • Father Roman Frey († 1694)
  • Father Anselm Sulger († 1675)
  • Father Matthew Dog († 1727)
  • Father Jakob Merlett († 1727)
  • Father Meingosus Rottach († 1760)
  • Father Roman Meyer († 1762)
  • Father Bernhard Wahl († 1786)
  • Father Meingosus Gaelle (1752-1816)
  • From 1807: Pater Placidus zu Weingarten († 1819)
  • Father Steyer († 1819)
  • 1819–1823 (?): Matthäus Fischer
  • From 1823: Matthias Gerum († 1869)
  • 1861–1885: Ottmar Dreßler († 1885)
  • 1885–1893: Karl Gansloser († 1921)
  • 1892–1917: Franz Josef Rummel
  • 1917–1934: Franz Bärnwick
  • 1935–1953: Theodor Lobmiller
  • 1954–1999: Heinrich Hamm (1934–2017)
  • Since 2000: Stephan Debeur (* 1965)

literature

  • Franz Bärnwick: The large organ in the Münster zu Weingarten in Württemberg, built by Josef Gabler . 4th edition. Ehrat u. Bärenreiter, Ravensburg u. Kassel 1948.
  • Adolf Brinzinger: The great organ in Weingarten by Joseph Gabler and its expansion by Friedrich Weigle. In: Archives for Christian Art. 31st year 1913, pp. 101-103 ( digitized version )
  • Karl-Heinz Göttert: Organ Guide Germany . Bärenreiter, Kassel 1998, ISBN 3-7618-1347-3 .
  • Heinrich Hamm: The Gabler organ of the Weingarten basilica (=  Peda art guide . Volume 75 ). Kunstverlag Peda, Passau 2000, ISBN 3-927296-82-1 .
  • Iris Herzogenrath (Ed.): The choir organ by Joseph Gabler in the Weingarten basilica . Kunstverlag Fink, Lindenberg 2012, ISBN 978-3-89870-788-6 (Festschrift, 98 pages)
  • Friedrich Jakob: The big organ of the basilica in Weingarten. History and restoration of the Gabler organ (=  publications by the Society of Organ Friends . Volume 113 ). Organ building Kuhn, Männedorf 1986.
  • Johannes Mayr: Joseph Gabler organ maker . Biberacher Verlagsdruckerei, Biberach 2000, ISBN 3-933614-06-6 .
  • Paul Smets : The large Gabler organ of Weingarten Abbey . Rheingold-Verl., Mainz 1940.
Fiction
  • Maria Müller-Gögler : The maid Juditha . Thorbecke, Sigmaringen 1980, ISBN 3-7995-1602-6 (Original: See-Verlag, Friedrichshafen 1935 - novel against the background of the basilica and organ building about the fate of the young girl Juditha, who - seduced by a master builder - by the painter Cosmas Damian Asam and the organ builder Joseph Gabler is protected and eventually becomes Gabler's wife).

Recordings / sound carriers

  • Concert on the historic Gabler organ (1750) of the Weingarten basilica. Edition Lade EL CD 044. 2008. CD ( Stephan Debeur plays works by Handel, Knecht, Haydn, Bach).
  • Christmas organ music in Weingarten. Audits. 2007. CD ( Heinrich Hamm plays works by Bach, Pachelbel, Kauffmann, Buttstedt, Zipoli, Murschhauser, Rathgeber, Ahrens).
  • The Gabler organ in Weingarten. Audits. 2007. CD ( Gerhard Gnann plays works by Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Knecht, Mozart, Muffat, Bach).
  • Ton Koopman plays Bach. Vol. 1. Novalis. 2006. CD (organs in Leeuwarden, Weingarten and Ottobeuren)
  • Organ music by South German monastery composers of the Baroque and Rococo . IFO organ 7215.2. 2005. CD ( Gerhard Weinberger plays works by Metsch, Gass, Büx, Betscher, Gaumer, Lederer, Kayser and others).
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Passacaglia BWV 582 . Calliope. 2005. CD ( André Isoir ).
  • Johann Ludwig Krebs : Complete organ works. Vol. 3. Motet. 2002. CD (Beatrice-Maria Weinberger)
  • The historic Gabler organ (1750) of the Weingarten basilica. Edition Lade EL CD 042. 2002. CD (Stephan Debeur plays works by Bach, Eberlin, Krebs, Rheinberger, Knecht, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy).
  • Upper Swabian organ music from the baroque and classical periods. Edition Lade EL CD 032. 2000. CD (Heinrich Hamm plays works by Schneider, Büx, Kayser, Lederer, Bieling, Rosengart, Knecht, Gaelle and others).
  • The queen of the southern German baroque organs. Edition Lade EL CD 020. 2000. CD ( Günther Fetz plays works by Böhm, Richter, Pachelbel, Pasquini, Poglietti).
  • Johann Ludwig Krebs: Organ Works. Vol. 1. Naxos. 2000th CD (Gerhard Gnann).
  • Johann Ludwig Krebs: 12 chorale preludes . Chr. 1998. CD (Gerhard Weinberger).
  • Justin Heinrich Knecht : Organ Works. MDG. 1997. CD ( Franz Raml ).
  • Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck : Organ Works. Naxos. 1997. CD ( Ludger Lohmann ).
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Great organ works on famous historical instruments. Vol. 1. ebs 6012. 1996. CD ( Stefan Johannes Bleicher ).
  • W. Krumbach presents historical organs. Vol. 2. Orch. 1994. CD (works by Speth, Walther, Metsch, Paganelli, Scheider).
  • Gabler organ, Weingarten. Coronata COR 2213. 1994. CD ( Ewald Kooiman plays works by JS Bach).
  • Piet Kee at Weingarten. Chandos 0520. 1992. CD (works by Pachelbel, Walther, Bach).
  • U.-Th. Wegele - Between Baroque & Rococo. Tct. 1990. CD (works by Krebs, Kittel, CPE Bach, Homilius, WF Bach).
  • Organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Edition load EL CD 034. 1985. CD (Heinrich Hamm).
  • The Gabler organ in the Weingarten basilica. Motet 10801. 1985. CD (Heinrich Hamm plays works by Speth, Muffat, Nauss, Maichelbeck, Marpurg, CPE Bach, Oley, Knecht).
  • The large Gabler organ in the basilica of the Benedictine Abbey in Weingarten. Christophorus-Verlag SCY 75 110. 1975. LP (Hermann Feifel plays works by Bach, Buxtehude and Haydn).

Web links

Commons : main organ  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Choir stalls with choir organ  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Orgelbau Kuhn: Weingarten, Basilika , accessed on December 31, 2018.
  2. ↑ D O MI N ICV S ANT I STES W E I NGARTENS I S • I TA • I NNO V ABAT • V T • SO LI S IV BAR I LI BER I OR S I T TRANS I T V S. Comp .: Roman Matthias Schmeißner: Studies on organ building in pilgrimage churches of the Archdiocese of Salzburg. Dissertation University Mozarteum Salzburg 2012, p. 250 f.
  3. ^ Joseph Gabler: State Palaces and Gardens of Baden-Württemberg. Retrieved January 1, 2019 .
  4. ^ Freiburg organ building: Restoration of the choir organ in the basilica in Weingarten 2012 , accessed on December 31, 2018.
  5. ↑ Franz Bärnwick: The large organ in the cathedral in Weingarten in Württemberg, built by Josef Gabler. 4th edition. Ehrat u. Bärenreiter, Ravensburg u. Kassel 1948.