Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

I found this really cool picture online of this Arp Schnitger organ.

Could this be the original console? It seems very odd for an old German organ to have stops like this.

Very unique indeed.

http://kebadkenya.blogspot.com/2009/02/hans-henny-jahnn-organ-builder.html

[soubasse32]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



That is the famous organ at St-Jacobikirche in Hamburg. No, that is not the original console. The windchests and pipeswere taken down and stored during the war, but the original console (that Bach played!) was destroyed during a bombing raid.The organ was reinstalled in 1948-50 with the console you saw:

The headsdepict famous people (such as Mozart), though I was told thatcertainchurch memberswere also represented. I hope they were pulling my leg! I recallthose stop knobsbeing rather unwieldy, plus there was an awkward feeling of pulling people's heads off when changing stops. [:S]

In 1989-1993Jürgen Ahrend reconstructed the organ and fabricated a more tasteful, historically correct console:

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



oh My GOSH.

That is my favorite organ console! I remember seeing it in a video, and I fell in love with it! Its so cool. I thought it was a 1600s console, but its only 20 years old? Incredible.

If and when I win the loto Im going to build a HW organ with a smaller scale version of that console! :)

[soubasse32]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



No,the console with the heads was built in 1959. The console in the bottom photo replaced it about 20 years ago.

The console you like is gone (sorry)... I thinkthe new oneis a huge improvement.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Haha sorry for the confusion.

Yes I was saying I love the bottom picture of the modern (very old style) console, and I would think its a big improvement as well.

What happened to the 1959 console?

Thanks.

[Guest]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



That old console is almost spooky! [:O] The new one is beautiful! How many ranks does that organ have?

[soubasse32]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



I'm not sure what happened to the 1959 console, but I'm sure the knobs were preserved as they were hand carved.

The action of that console was extremely heavy as I recall. I'm sure the new one would be much better to play as the organ was completely (and sensitively)rebuilt.

The organ has 60 stops - nearly 100 ranks.

Stoplist

Here is an interesting blogwhich discusses the changes of the Jacobikirche organ throughout history;there are alsoseveral recordings.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Maybe they kept the old console and maybe its in some museum in the church or something.

I HOPE its not destroyed. Because it looks very unique.

[Guest]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger

[quote user="soubasse32"]

I'm not sure what happened to the 1959 console, but I'm sure the knobs were preserved as they were hand carved.

The action of that console was extremely heavy as I recall. I'm sure the new one would be much better to play as the organ was completely (and sensitively)rebuilt.

The organ has 60 stops - nearly 100 ranks.

Stoplist

Here is an interesting blogwhich discusses the changes of the Jacobikirche organ throughout history;there are alsoseveral recordings.

[/quote]

OK, thanks. Have you played it? Also, this may be a stupid question, but how can 60 stops control 100 ranks?

[soubasse32]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Yes, I've played it.

One stop can control many ranks; the reason is because organs can have something called compound stops. The most typical compound stops are Mixtures - these typically have a roman numeral on the drawknob/stop tab. For example, you might see a Mixture V or a Scharff IV -this means the Mixture has five ranks, the Scharff has four.

You might also see single celeste stops with two, three, or more ranks... for example: Erzähler Celeste II, Viola Ætheria III, String Organ V.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Soubasse32, I now envy you!

Some of my most favorite organ recordings were made on this organ, I just realized. Whitney did my favorite Prelude in D major recording on it. (the one that starts with the d major scale in the pedals) BWV 532.

And I think the prelude in C major BWV 531 was recorded by him on this organ.

[soubasse32]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Whitney... [*-)] Could you clarify which one?

One name closely associated with this instrument:Heinz Wunderlich. His recordings were made a very long time ago, but you should try to find them.

Here is a very interesting Discography of Arp Schnitger instruments- scroll down until you see "Hamburg - St. Jacobi". E. Power Biggs made several recordings there as well.

If I may digress a bit... Heinz Wunderlichis also known as a Reger interpreter, and here is a recording of him playing the magnificent Sauer organ in the Berliner Dom: Max Reger - Phantasie und Fuge über B-A-C-H. The Fugue is inanother video, but it is easy to find.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Interesting stops on an Arp Schnitger



Opps its John Scott Whiteley, Dont know where I got whitney from.

[Roger Rayner]

There are recordings of the Jacobi-Kirche organ, notably Harald Vogel's concluding CD (vol.7) to his Buxtehude complete organ works.
I had no idea about that 1959 console; how amazing! It must indeed have felt very odd grabbing some one's head like that.
All best wishes,

Roger.

[minibutmany]

The casework of the organ I take lessons on was modeled after this schnitger organ, unfortunately the stops do not have little heads on them.