— new organ —
The previous fully pneumatic organ from the year 1928 was built by the no longer existing company Seifert of Cologne, in 1971/72 repaired by the Dutch organ builder Verschueren and drastically changed in its specifications. Due to the unsatisfactory sound, frequent malfunctions and the position of the console unsuitable for choral work, it was recommended by the organ expert to not further invest funds into the old instrument but conduct research on the feasibility to build a new organ. Ultimately, the Organ was sold.
The current organ work pursues the idea of optimal choir and parish accompaniment taking all spatial conditions into account. The specification is based on the French-late-Romantic instruments of the time of Cavaillé-Coll or Merklin. Typical of these instruments is the clear distinction of functions between the two divisions. The Great is particularly suitable for the parish accompaniment and the second work, the so-called “Recit”, is specially arranged for choir accompaniment.
The church choir will be placed in the middle of the organ stage in front of the rear window. The Organ console stands opposite the organ case. Thus, the organist is in front of the choir and the organ and can conduct the choir optimally whilst also having direct contact with the congregation in the nave.
The pipework of the pedal division and the blower with the reservoir bellows are in an additional 3/4-high casing, inconspicuously positioned behind the main body. To improve audibility the lateral panels of the casework are designed to be open in both the main and in the pedal section case. As a result, not only the important direct sound of the pipes is heard by the choir and organists, but it also improves the air circulation inside the organ. The stop and key actions work purely mechanical. Only the pedal section is electrically controlled.
some impressions from the construction of the organ
