Organs of the St. Ulrich and Afra basilica (Augsburg)

Organs of the St. Ulrich and Afra basilica (Augsburg)
General
alternative name	Ulrich organ
place	St. Ulrich and Afra Basilica (Augsburg)
Organ builder	Orgelbau Sandtner (opus 94)
Construction year	1982
Last renovation / restoration	1998
epoch	20th century
Organ landscape	Southern Germany
Technical specifications
Number of pipes	4,775
Number of registers	68, Glockenspiel, Cimbelstern
Number of rows of pipes	96
Number of manuals	4th
Wind chest	Slider chests
Tone tract	mechanically
Register action	electric
Number of 32 'registers	2
Number of 64 'registers	0
Others
Eminent organists	Karl Kempter , Arthur Piechler

The history of the organs in the St. Ulrich und Afra basilica ( Augsburg ) goes back to the beginning of the eleventh Christian century.

Today the large " Ulrichsorgel " (IV / P / 68 - built in 1982 by Orgelbau Sandtner, Dillingen / Donau) stands on the west gallery . Somewhat more hidden - in the “snail chapel” above the sacristy - is the “ Marienorgel ” (II / P / 18, built in 1925 by the Hindelang brothers, Ebenhofen / Allgäu). In the high choir of the basilica there is also a mobile chest organ (I / 6, built in 2003 by Maier Organ Builders , Hergensweiler).

"Ulrich organ"

Building history

A late Roman basilica, then a pre-Romanesque and a Romanesque church were built one after the other over the grave of St. Afra († 304) . Bishop Ulrich, who died in 973, found his final resting place here. In 1012 monks came from Tegernsee and founded a Benedictine monastery St. Ulrich and Afra , which existed as an imperial monastery until 1802. The current church construction was started in 1474 in the nave and finished around 1600 in the choir and the tower.

The first organs around 1050, 1334, 1482

The first surviving organ was obtained from Abbot Adelhalmus (1050-1065); it was in the previous Romanesque church. The abbot Konrad Winkler (1334-1355) again had an organ set up. Presumably the third work was created for 107 guilders under Abbot Juhann von Giltingen (1482–1496). The builder is Stephan Kaschendorf from Wroclaw, who was also working in Nördlingen at the same time. It is expressly noted in the chronicles of the monastery that the work only had wooden pipes. The location of all three organs is unclear. The western gallery did not exist at that time, the choir of the church grew slowly upwards; the most obvious thing to do is to look for the organ in the nave or transept. Several sources report an intermediate vault at the end of the central nave on which the organ was located and which was probably removed around 1650.

Choir organ by Joseph Wirth (1797)

A choir organ existed until 1797, but nothing is known about its builder and disposition. Apparently it was canceled in the same year because the last abbot of the imperial monastery of St. Ulrich and Afra, Gregor Schäffler (1795–1802), had a new choir organ installed in the presbytery under the pavement, which was barely visible from the church. In 1849 it was removed again. When the church heating was installed in 1970, the last traces were found under the paved floor of the choir room. The organ was probably made by Joseph Wirth and had 12 registers.

“Fugger organ” 1581–1881: Development into the main organ

With the year 1580 the Fugger family entered the history of the “Ulrican” organs. Together with Abbot Jakob Köplin and the organ builder Eusebius Amerbach, Jakob Fugger (1542–1598; a son of Anton Fugger) signed contracts, according to which he was allowed to build the so-called Michaelis or Fugger Chapel in the north aisle as a burial place for himself and his family. An instrument was placed there at ground level as the western gallery did not yet exist at the time. The “Fugger organ” cost 2500 guilders.

In 1606, the founder's sons Georg, Hans, Max and Hieronymus Fugger decided to transfer the organ to ain anderse more conveniently . The abbot and prior signaled their agreement, and so the barons had the mason Conrad Stos erect an imposing western gallery for 744 guilders. At the same time, the monastery provided the respective organist with an apartment (rental value around 20 to 24 guilders annually) and 6 fathoms of wood.

The relocation (1607) was used to expand the organ to 13 registers. The organ builder Marx Günzer received the order for this . The splendidly painted organ case was also commissioned at the same time. Matthias Kager created the drafts and carried out the artistic painting work together with the barrel painter Elias Greuther . The two large wings (each 6.66 m high) show the Ascension of Christ on the left and the Assumption of Mary on the right. The back of the double doors hang today in the presbytery of the basilica and show the apostle James and St. Anne himself.

The "Fugger organ" was played alternately with the monastery and parish organ. Over the centuries it was cleaned, overhauled and rebuilt several times, for example in 1676, 1743 and 1775 when Johann Andreas Stein signed a maintenance contract. Together with his student Joseph Wirth, he carried out a renovation in 1790. The Rückpositiv was probably only added in the 18th century - it does not appear in the files from 1790.

In 1824 the "Fugger organ" was badly damaged again. Josef Bohl repaired the large work twice (1846 and 1860) and expanded it to two manuals. There are different views on the number of registers; it must be between 21 and 33. In 1888, the great organ was cleaned and tuned by Augsburg master Mühlbauer, the mechanics improved and a magazine bellows added. On February 3, 1903, the organ was broken off.

Remodeling by Koulen (1903)

A massive intervention in the historical substance of the organ took place during the renovation in 1903. Organ builder Heinrich Koulen from Oppenau redesigned the organ according to the taste of the time for the romantic sound ideal and built it according to the pneumatic system that had just become modern . The system of pocket valves he developed consisted of individual pieces of leather glued into the chambers like a balloon, which are located as seals under the pipes. The two major disadvantages of such seals are the early aging process and the associated wind permeability. As a result, this causes the printing system to collapse.

The susceptibility of the approx. 4000 pocket valves to failure had made several major repairs necessary over the decades, the first in 1934. In addition, during the work carried out in 1903, the framework of the historic housing was seriously damaged and partially destroyed to create new, disproportionate parts accommodate. The statics were weakened by cutting the belt frame and removing wooden struts. The organ was arranged on 73 registers. The high pressure organ and the remote control can be seen as rarities . The remote control was provided with sills. The entire work was considered important among the great romantic organs. The pure organ costs (excluding additional costs such as case work, etc.) amounted to 32,555 DM.

Conversion by the Offner company (1972)

In 1972 the organ was electro-pneumatically rebuilt by the Offner company and expanded with a baroque work and various mixtures. During the heat wave of 1976 the organ suffered a technical collapse on July 3rd.

New building by Sandtner (1982)

In 1982 a new system was designed based on the classic mechanical construction principle. The order was given to the organ building company Sandtner from Dillingen an der Donau. The repair of the organ case from 1608, which was built in an excellent half-timbered construction, received special attention. By installing laminated beams, all of the original parts - including those that were formerly load-bearing - could be retained and renovated. Today 906 of the 4,775 pipes come from the old organ. The whole instrument rests with a weight of 30 tons on a steel support structure.

With its 68 sounding registers on four manuals and pedal work , the disposition of the new "Ulrichsorgel" is based on different trends and highlights in the history of organ building. The classical works are the main work, the Rückpositiv and the pedal work. The breastwork is rather baroque , while the swellwork represents the romantic .

The Ulrich organ on the west gallery of the St. Ulrich und Afra basilica, built by Orgelbau Sandtner, housing from 1608

Today the historic case houses the main organ. The brochure is from the whistling of the register Praestant 16 ' formed in the original formation (without Cis, Dis, Fis, Gis). Behind the main housing, at the height of the coat of arms and the angel figures, the large swell with movable blinds is attached. Immediately below and behind the three middle prospectus fields are the chamades, the so-called Spanish trumpets 16 'and 8'. With regard to the historical prospectus, none of these trumpets, which are up to 2.5 meters horizontal, were visibly installed. The small, also swellable breastwork is located in the organ base under the main organ. The pedal unit is located behind the main unit. As an additional work, the Rückpositiv, stylistically and proportionally based on the main prospectus - with the Principal 8 ′ in the prospectus - was placed in the parapet.

Near the Rückpositiv the placement of viermanualigen detached is centrally located game table selected so that the organist is not sitting in the sound shadow of the organ and has a clear view over the entire rise of surface. The game table is connected via a (mechanically set up) game mechanism , which is aligned with wooden abstracts up to 12.5 meters in length. Despite these long action paths, precise, smooth and even organ playing is guaranteed. The stop action is electric. A wide variety of timbres and volume levels can be quickly stored in 3840 free composer combinations and called up while playing, with the pull buttons of the individual registers changing their position themselves. A 4-fold crescendo roller is available for a dynamic variety of sounds . A manual re-registration of a requested combination is also possible. So that the organ remains easy to play even with coupled manuals, electric coupling devices connect the swell and the Rückpositiv with the main work. The directly played works remain mechanically controlled. The console is 17 meters high, the organ has a total height of 15 meters.

The instrument was consecrated on Easter Sunday 1982 (April 11th). In 1998, some scale extensions were made. During the general renovation of the basilica in 2008–2011, the "Ulrich organ" was also completely cleaned. Fiber-optic cables were also installed in order to be able to play the “Marienorgel” as a remote control for the “Ulrichsorgel”.

Disposition since 1982/1998

I Rückpositiv C – a 3 Principal 08th' Tube bare 08th' Quintad 08th' Octave 04 ′ Pointed flute 04 ′ Super octave 02 ′ Sesquialter II Larigot 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Scharff IV 01' Dulcian 16 ′ Cromorne 08th' Tremulant

II main work C – a 3 Praestant 16 ′ Principal 08th' Flûte harmonique 08th' Copel 08th' Gamba 08th' Octave 04 ′ recorder 04 ′ third 3 1 ⁄ 5  ′ Fifth 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Octave 02 ′ Mixture V-VI 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Cimbel III 01 ⁄ 2 ′ Cornet V (from g 0 ) Trumpet 08th' Cimbelstern

III Swell C – a 3 Drone 16 ′ Principal 08th' Wooden flute 08th' Salicional 08th' Voix coeleste (from c 0 ) 08th' Praestant 04 ′ Flute oct 04 ′ violin 04 ′ Nasard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Octavine 02 ′ third 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ flute 01' Mixture IV-V 02 ′ bassoon 16 ′ Trumpet 08th' oboe 08th' Clairon 04 ′ Tremulant

IV breastwork C – a 3 Wooden dacked 08th' Principal 04 ′ Reed flute 04 ′ Octave 02 ′ Hollow flute 02 ′ None 08 ⁄ 9 ′ Tertian 1 3 ⁄ 5  '+ 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Cimbel II 01 ⁄ 2 ′ Vox humana 08th' Tremulant Glockenspiel (from c 0 –d 3 ) Chamadenwerk / Auxillaire C – a 3 Chamade 16 ′ Chamade 08th'

Pedals C – f 1 Large pedal Principal 32 ′ Principal 16 ′ Octave 08th' Octave 04 ′ Mixture V 2 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Bombard 32 ′ trombone 16 ′ Trumpet 08th' Small pedal Sub-bass 16 ′ Playing flute 08th' Night horn 04 ′ Pfeiferl 02 ′ Bass Zinc IV 5 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Basson 16 ′ Schalmey 04 ′ Tremulant

• Pairing :
  • Normal paddock: IV / II, III / II, I / II, IV / I, III / I, I / P, II / P, III / P, IV / P, Cham / IV, Cham / III, Cham / II, Cham / I, Cham / P.
  • Super octave coupling: Super III / II, Super III / P, Super III.
  • Sub- octave coupling: Sub III / II, Sub III.
• Playing aids :
  • Fixed combinations (pleno, tutti, tongues off)
  • 64-fold setting system with sequencer switch (forward and reverse) on 5 × 12 levels (3,840 combinations)
  • Register crescendo as a roller, 4-fold freely adjustable.

Remarks

1. ↑ The breastwork is swellable.
2. ↑ Chamaden can be linked to all plants

"St. Mary's Organ"

The Marien organ in the snail chapel of the St. Ulrich and Afra basilica

The “Marienorgel” of the St. Ulrich and Afra basilica is located behind the choir arch on the right on the upper floor of the so-called “snail chapel” (built in 1601 by Konrad Stoss). It was built in 1925 by the Hindelang brothers (Ebenhofen / Allgäu) as opus 146. On the organ itself there is a note that it was inaugurated on the 1st Sunday of Advent (November 29th) in 1925. The architect and city councilor Hans Schnell had donated it in memory of his son who died in the World War on May 5, 1917 , as the inscription on the instrument tells us. The instrument is now a listed building.

In 2010 the instrument was completely overhauled by Robert Knöpfler (organ builder Rudolf Kubak ), expanded to 20 registers and re-inaugurated on April 10, 2010. Fiber optic cables were also installed so that the "Marienorgel" can be played as a distant organ of the " Ulrichsorgel ".

Disposition

I main work Principal 08th' Covered 08th' Gamba 08th' Dulciana 08th' Praestant 04 ′ mixture 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′

II swell Quintatön 16 ′ Violin principal 08th' Vox coelestis 08th' Cremona * 08th' Tibia * 08th' Transverse flute * 04 ′ Flautino * 02 ′ oboe 08th' tremolo

Pedal C – f 1 Double bass 16 ′ Sub-bass 16 ′ Soft bass 16 ′ cello 08th'

The ones marked with * are tremolo registers.

• Pairing :
  • Normal coupling: I / P, II / P, II / I.
  • Super octave coupling: Super II / I.
  • Sub- octave coupling: Sub II / I.
• Playing aids :
  • Automatic pedal piano off.
  • Oboe 8 ′.
  • Crescendo on.
  • Crescendo kick .

Organists

• 1628–1636: Elias Fabricius
• 1637–1642: Gallus Mayr ( Calcant )
• 1710–1720: Johann Speth (* 1664 in Speinshart, Upper Palatinate; † after 1719)
• 1728-1736: G. Böckh
• 1742–1787 ?: Johann Adam Joseph Schmidbauer
• 1831 ?: Michael Keller (* 1800 in Oberelchingen, † 1865 in Augsburg)
• 1837 to 1839: Karl Kempter (* 1819 in Limbach / Lkr.Günzburg, † 1871 in Augsburg)
• 1851 ?: Demharter
• 1864: Joseph Sontheimer
• 1874–1900: Choir Regent August Stempfle
• 1900–1925 ?: Thaddä Hofmiller
• 1925–1956: Arthur Piechler (* 1896 in Magdeburg, † 1974 in Landau ad Isar)
• 1976–2006: Choir director Josef Hauber (* 1944 in Rainau -Buch)
• since 2006: Peter Bader

Recordings / sound carriers

• Arthur Piechler: Christmas and Christmas Organ Music. Organist: Josef Hauber. CD. 1995, ISSI 4711.
• Josef Hauber: Ecumenical Vespers for the year 2000. Organists: Wolfgang Kärner, Stefan Saule. CD. 2000, ISSA 991115.
• Maurice Duruflé: Requiem op. 9. Organist: Wilhelm Hafner. CD. 2002, VoxParva. (Concert recording from November 24, 2002.)
• Josef Hauber: laudes afrae. Organist: Wolfgang Kärner. CD. 2004, church music St. Ulrich and Afra, item no. 50900. (concert recording from May 28, 2004).
• Widor - The organ symphonies on large organs in Bavaria: Symphonies No 4 & No 5. Organist: Odile Pierre . CD. IFO Music Production Mainz CD 00130.
• Josef Hauber: Church music in the annual cycle. Organists: Josef Hauber, Wolfgang Kärner, Jürgen Schlosser. CD. 2005, ISSA 051107.
• Organ works by Guillou, Reubke and JS Bach (The Sandtner organ in the St. Ulrich & Afra basilica, Augsburg). Organist: Stefan Frank. CD. 2007, audit 97470.

literature

• Joseph Maria Friesenegger, Thaddäus Hofmiller: The great organ of St. Ulrich in Augsburg . Haas & Grabherr, Augsburg 1903, p. 25-48 .
• Catholic parish office St. Ulrich and Afra (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the organ . Augsburg 1982.
• P. Behrens: On the history of the organs at St. Ulrich and Afra in Augsburg (1050–1903) . St. Ulrich & Afra, Augsburg, Augsburg 1982, p. 14-19 .
• Catholic parish office St. Ulrich and Afra (Ed.): Around the Ulrichsturm . Augsburg (1982/1998/2010).

Web links

• Basilica St. Ulrich and Afra, Augsburg - area: church music and organs
• Website of the organ building company Sandtner

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Augsburg calendar with the most important historical dates from Augsburg
2. ↑ Fugger Chapel in St. Ulrich and Afra on www.fugger.de
3. ↑ Master organ builder Marx Günzer. schwabenmedia.de
4. ^ Maintenance contract Johann Andreas Stein. augsburgwiki.de
5. ↑ Disposition of the Ulrich organ. Sandtner-Orgelbau.de
6. ↑ Press release on the inauguration of the “Marienorgel” on April 10, 2010
7. ^ Josef Lautenbacher:  Kempter, Karl . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 51, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1906, pp. 112-114.
8. ^ Biography of Arthur Piechler
9. ↑ Proof in the journal database