Organs of Zwettl Abbey

Ignaz Egedacher 1731

The organs of Zwettl Abbey are the main organ by Ignaz Egedacher and the choir organ by Gerhard Hradetzky . The large main organ was built in 1728–1731 by Johann Ignaz Egedacher from Salzburg (workshop in Passau ) on the west gallery. The instrument has 35 registers , three manuals and a pedal and is one of the most important baroque organs in Lower Austria . Johann Dejobe built the choir organ from 1726–1727, only the case has survived. In 1982, Gerhard Hradetzky added an instrument to this that had 20 registers on two manuals and a pedal.

Main organ

Building history

New building in 1731 by Egedacher

• 1728–1731 Johann Ignaz Egedacher built the large and expensive organ. Due to the relatively cramped conditions on the west gallery brought Egedacher the registers of the pedal in a two-part main unit housing under, while the other two works on the left and right of the card table were integrated into the gallery balustrade. The sound conception of the first two manual works and the pedal reflects the classic southern German-Austrian art of organ building. On the other hand, the richness of the organ's sound is enhanced by the breastwork through a few gallant registers, which he divided into bass / treble .

Modifications and other interventions 1753–1941

• In 1753 the organ was overhauled and re-voiced by the organ builder Ignaz Gatto the Elder from Krems an der Donau .
• In 1853, Andreas Stöger (Zwettl) carried out a major reconstruction of the play area, which replaced the manual keyboards and changed the action of the manuals and couplers .
• In 1880, Josef Breinbauer (Ottensheim) replaced some registers in favor of more romantic ones and the intonation was adapted to contemporary tastes. In addition, technical interventions took place (including in the register mechanism).
• 1912 made further changes to the disposition by the company Gebrüder Rieger ( Jägerndorf ).
• In 1941 the organ builder Ferdinand Molzer ( Vienna ) built a large electro-pneumatic work in the rear organ gallery , from which the keyboard of the main work of the Egedacher organ could be played. In 1983 this instrument was dismantled and stored in the pen.

Restoration in 1983 by Hradetzky and 1991 by Ahrend

• 1981–1983, Gerhard Hradetzky ( Oberbergern ) restored the Egedacher organ with the aim of restoring it to its condition in 1731. This included the reconstruction of the original disposition, playing and stop action, wind system and mood .
• In 1991 Jürgen Ahrend ( Leer-Loga ) completed the acoustic and technical restoration.

Disposition since 1991 (= 1731)

I main work C – c 3 Principal 8th' Copl 8th' Gamba 8th' Biforo 8th' Octav 4 ′ Holle Fleten 4 ′ Quint 3 ′ Super octave 2 ′ Mixture VI 2 ′ Cymbal IV 1' Horn IV 4 ′

II Positive C-c 3 Copl 8th' Principal 4 ′ Pipe fletten 4 ′ Super octave 2 ′ Duodecima 1 1 ⁄ 2  ′ Cornettino III 1'

III Third Clavir C – c 3 Bass (C – h 0 ) Flauthen Pass 4 ′ Flaschalath Pass 2 ′ Schwegel II 1' Bassoon 8th' Treble (c 1 - c 3 ) Fletten 4 ′ Flaschaleth 2 ′ Cornetti II 2 ′ Huboa 8th'

Pedal C-g Principal 16 ′ Subpahs 16 ′ Octav 8th' Suboctav 4 ′ Quint 3 ′ Mixture VI 2 ′ Cymbal IV 1' Horn II 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ Bombardon 16 ′ Trumpet 8th'

• Coupling : Coppelzug I / II (Tutti).

Remarks

1. ↑ In the prospectus.
2. ↑ Ab c ¹ , combined bass range.
3. ↑ oak.
4. ↑ walnut.
5. ↑ Plum wood.
6. ↑ pear tree.
7. ↑ In the prospectus.
8. ↑ Partly in the prospectus.

Technical specifications

• Action:
  • Tone action: mechanical
  • Stop action: mechanical
  • Broken octave in all manuals and pedal
• Three wedge bellows in the bellows house
• Mood:
  • Tuning pitch: a ¹ = 465 Hz
  • Mid-tone mood

Choir organ

Case 1727, organ 1982

The choir organ was built in 1726–1727 by Johann Dejobe (also called Johann de Moyse ). In 1982 it was completely renewed by Gerhard Hradetzky and now has 20 stops on two manuals and a pedal, the so-called echo work and the four-part pedal being housed in an abandoned confessional.

Disposition

I main work C – f 3 Principal 8th' Vox cölestis 8th' Flauto dolce 8th' Gamba 8th' Octav 4 ′ viola 4 ′ Super octave 2 ′ Quint 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Mixture IV

II Echowerk C – f 3 Drone 8th' Principalino 4 ′ Dolce 4 ′ Flautino 2 ′ Quint 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Cornettino II Flageolet 1'

Pedal C – d 1 Drone bass 16 ′ Drone bass 8th' Octave bass 4 ′ Trombones 8th'

• Coupling : I / II, I / P, II / P.
• Tremolo (bellows tremulant).

Web links

Commons : Orgeln des Zwettl Monastery  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Information from Günter Lade about the main organ with many color photos (accessed on December 3, 2008)
• Homepages of Zwettl Abbey (accessed December 23, 2015)

Notes and individual references

1. ↑ Johann Dejobe or Johann de Moyse called, lived sp. 1700–1771 in Vienna, he apparently died on June 27, 1771 of jaundice . In: Richard Mounder: Keyboard Instruments in Eighteenth — Century Vienna . Clarendon Press, Oxford 1998, Appendix B, p. 210. See: [1] , accessed March 11, 2017.

Coordinates: 48 ° 37 ′ 1 ″  N , 15 ° 12 ′ 0 ″  E