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silbermann organ in Freiberg

Bubo

New member
Hello,
Im young studen of organ playing and I need help.
Im writing a work about Silbermann organ in Freiberg and
about organ built in finnish city Kotka in style of Freiberger organ by Martti Porthan.Please, does anybody know something about inner construction of this two organs?
I have been in Kotka but I´ve never been in Freiberg .I´ll be very thankful for any detail or information about one of the organs at least.
I´ll enjoy every answer or advice.
 

acc

Member
TWO Silbermann ogans in Freiberg

I'm afraid I can't help you with the inner workings of Silbermann organs, but I still want to point out that there are two Silbermann organs in Freiberg: one in the Cathedral, and one in the Petrikirche. So when you write your work, be sure which one you'll be talking about!
 

didier

New member
I may be wrong, but from the records I keep for an organ cases pic's collection, I think there are two more Silbermann organs in Freiberg : an additionnal small organ buit in 1718 and restored in 1994 by Jehmlich and another organ in St Jacobi.
 

acc

Member
didier said:
I may be wrong, but from the records I keep for an organ cases pic's collection, I think there are two more Silbermann organs in Freiberg : an additionnal small organ buit in 1718 and restored in 1994 by Jehmlich and another organ in St Jacobi.
You're absolutely right, Didier!

I've now looked it up in Werner Müller's Silbermann biography:
  • Dom (=Cathedral), 3 manuals, built in 1710-14, restored by Jehmlich in 1981-83
  • St. Jacobi, 2 manuals, built in 1716-18, restored by Jehmlich in 1974
  • St. Johannis, 1 manual, built in 1718-19, moved to the Dom in 1939, restored by Jehmlich in 1996-97
  • St. Petri, 2 manuals, built in 1734-35, restored by Jehmlich in 1993
There is a splendid series of 8 CDs, "Die Orgeln Gottfried Silbermanns", published by Querstand and featuring 34 Silbermann instruments, including the four in Freiberg.

Actually, Müller also mentions a 5th instrument for St. Nicolai (very small: 1 manual, 5 stops), but says that it is lost.
 

acc

Member
giovannimusica said:
If my memory serves me well, the Untersatz 32' is on the same slider as the Subbass 16'. It is a stunner of an organ.
Actually, the organ in St. Petri church has an Untersatz 32' as well. On paper, you'd think the church is far too small for one, but I find the effect even more stunning in St. Petri than the Dom.
 

fanvault

New member
Hello Bubo,

It is good to hear from some one who, like me, loves Gottfried Silbermann’s organs. I have had the pleasure of visiting Freiberg more than once, and played the organ in the Petri-Kirche, as well as the main organ in the Dom, and the lovely one in the Jacobi-Kirche.

Acc is quite correct about the number of organs in the town, except that there are two in the Dom. Apparently,, though the second organ is indeed smaller, it sounds as loud as the large 4-manual one! Di you know that the large one was Silbermann’s first, after he returned from his studies with his brother in Alsace?

The best book on Silberamnn, apart from the several by Werner Müller, is by Harald Gress, Die Klanggestalt der Orgeln Gottfried Silbermanns (Breitkopf & Härtel). There is a lovely museum and shop devoted to Silbermann in Freiberg, and also a society, the Gottfried-Silbermann-Gesellschaft. They are very friendly and informative, and the shop used to be run by Werner Müller’s widow (I believe she was, though my last visit was some years ago). Here is the link: www.silbermann-museum.de/

The organ in the Petri-Kirche is supposed to be the most “French” of Silberamnn’s instruments, and I suppose this is true. I tried a lot of French Baroque music on it, and it was certainly good, though I don’t think you would have said, “Ah, that’s a French organ!” Like so many of these things, it’s a tendency rather than a statement.

The acoustics of the Petri-Kirche are spoilt by a glass screen between nave and choir. It has been there a long time, so nobody apparently can tell you how different the sound of the organ was before the screen was put up. All the same, the sound is absolutely excellent, and you can’t say positively that the screen makes it poor.

All best wishes,

Roger.
 
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