Organ of the Basilica of St. Martin (Weingarten)

The organs of the Basilica of St. Martin in Weingarten ( Württemberg), the former monastery church of Weingarten Abbey were built in the years 1737-1750 by Joseph Gabler. In addition to the Great Organ in the Church there is still the small choir organ, which was also built in 1743 by Joseph Gabler, but now completely revised several times and was rebuilt. The imposing main organ is largely preserved and one of the most famous organs in Germany.

• 2.1 Architectural History
• 2.2 disposition

Main organ

Architectural History

New construction by Gabler 1737-1750

On July 6, 1737 the first treaty with Gabler was closed, but has been revised several times fundamentally until the final completion of the organ. Organ building proved to be extremely lengthy and grueling through a temporary fire of the monastery buildings and immense financial difficulties of the abbey. To make matters worse, that Gabler a true excellent organ builder, but apparently extremely poor businessman, was neither a sense of money had yet been able to meet deadlines, which meant that he sustained ruined by this organ building. The inauguration of the organ finally took place only on 24 June in 1750.

The basic problem that Gabler turned and he solved quite simply ingenious, was to build on the west gallery of the church a monumental organ work, without covering the existing six windows. Perhaps the Abbot Dominic urged II Schnitzer, who is also in the Salzburg pilgrimage church of Maria Plain, the organ was in 1749 rebuilt at his own expense, to expose the galleries window again, so ... the sunshine is a freer passage [ granted ] as still can be read on the housing. Modeled after the Weingartener organ later Johann Nepomuk Holzhay solved the analogous problem for example in Neresheim in the same way

The organ has some special characteristics: the principal pipes are generally closely to very closely mensuriert what the sound relatively subdued, but also makes tart. It has long been puzzled about why Gabler the scale lengths of the pipes basically took considerably closer than you in the face of so great a space to be filled should have accepted. At times, it was assumed here an inability Gabler and Gabler was actually orgelbauerisches Can already asked his lifetime in question, while as a carpenter unanimously for superior holding his abilities ("... in which he is a paragon master ... "). Today, however, one takes to Gabler's favor often aesthetic reasons for the scaling of and suspected that he had a rather subdued, intimate, mild sound intentional and not a pompous showerheads. To the organ to give a certain sound power and wealth despite the close mensuration, Gabler occupied many votes mehrchörig, even at this basic votes. Anyway polychoral register as concoctions received an unusually high number choir. Nevertheless, the organ for its mild, chamber music tone is noted that maintains a certain introversion itself in plenary.

Also noteworthy is the high number of basic votes, many of which are expected again to the family of strings. Gabler attacked here on an existing in the South German Baroque organ building trend and expanded it into monumental.

Also worth mentioning are the abundant " Game Files ": Cuculus ( cuckoo ), Rossignol ( nightingales singing ), timpani, two chimes and the 49 -course mixture " La Force" ( "The Power "), which, however, only on the pitch C the pedal works. While the Manual Chime is installed in the gaming table, the shell bell carillon of the pedal above the gaming table artfully grape bunches ( Weingarten! ) are arranged.

The organ is also both purely handcrafted and technically a truly unique masterpiece. The free-standing game table, one of the earliest of its kind ever, is richly decorated with ornate inlaid and has Drawknobs of solid ivory. The extremely complex management of the mechanical stop and key action is second to none, but has a relatively uncomfortable playing the consequence.

However Gabler failed at several points in its ultimately for that time complex design: The suspended high up under the arch Kronwerk could never be adequately supplied with wind and was therefore realized only with a greatly reduced disposition. Similarly, Gabler failed apparently at making Bombard 32 ', which was proven by himself converted to a second 16' tongue.

About the organ building, there are several legends, of which the " Vox humana - Sage " which is probably the most famous:

Gabler worked for years from imitate the human voice. However, despite all efforts fell through all his trials. He worked a variety of types of wood and metal mixtures, but without the desired success. Since the evil he whispered at night in his ear that he would help him if he will prescribe him his soul.

Gabler agreed to this and on a stormy night, Gabler crept away from the monastery at the agreed place. And the devil actually appeared, Gabler to the Devil with his blood, the soul and got a piece of metal that he should use to cast pipes.

The pipe was cast and actually rang the Vox Humana as a human voice. But his happiness did not last long. The monks were of the song so confused that they could not follow devoutly the services. The abbot can demonstrate Gabler and admits the fact. It is Gabler made ​​the process and it is to be burned along with the devil tab. But first he should make a worthy replacement. This Gabler succeeded so well that the abbot graciously gave him life.

Restoration by Kuhn 1981-1983

1983, relatively little altered organ was restored by Kuhn Organ Builders Th AG ( Männedorf Lake Zurich ) and thereby largely restored to the level of 1750. Only the pedal compass was extended from C- g0 on C -d1 and the unequal temperament 'unset' to allow a broader literary game.

For construction work

The seven sub- stations of the organ is broken down as follows: In the two main towers that house the 32 ' pipes of the double bass as well as the 16 ' Pipe of Praestant in the prospectus is at the lowest level in each of the shared C- and cis- side, the main work, flanked by large pedal. It is located on both sides without their own front pipes, the upper works. The Kronpositiv is located far above the organ on the upper middle window and displays the octave douce in the Prospectus. The side towers left and right of the organ harboring the 16 ' pipes of the double contrabass. In the connecting ' bridges ' is the Mixturbaß 8' and in the bridge just above the gaming table 49 times (!) Pedalmixtur La Force, the sound only at the deep C. The echo chamber, which is the third Manual of playable, is housed in the sub- cases of the two main towers and can not be seen from the church. From the organ loft itself is seen then in the prospectus of the Echo plant Hohlflaut. From the fourth Manual can the play ( seen from the viewer's ) left of the two positives in the parapet, showing the Principal doux. Here in the so-called positive parapet is also the famous Vox humana. The right positive part of the parapet pedal. The prospectus here is the Octavbaß 8 '.

Disposal

• Couplers: II / I, III / II, IV / III, IV / I, I / P, II / P IV / P, Kronpositiv - Copplung, Rückpositiv - Copplung
• Effect register Cuculus ( cuckoo: four wooden pipes with wind power )
• Rossignol (Nightingale: three pipes in a water basin )
• Tympan ( Timpani: three wooden pipes (16 ') Mid- tuned to the tone G)
• Cymbala ( three bells with wind drive (along with Cuculus ) )

See also: List of organ stops

Specifications

• Register 63, 6890 pipes ( according to legend 6666 pipes, pedal extension 6631 pipes ).
• Wind power: Frog mouth or bellows.

• Detached.
• 4 manuals, keys made ​​of ivory; pedal
• Drawknobs ivory.

• Key action: Mechanical
• Stop action: Mechanical.

Choir organ

Architectural History

Two years before the Basilica of St. Martin was inaugurated was a job for a choir organ at the Swiss organ builder Joseph Bossart, the then centrally placed the instrument in the form of an altar organ in the choir room. Already in 1730 the organ was considered outdated and so was Joseph Gabler, who is currently the main organ in Ochsenhausen built, commissioned to refurbish the instrument. The abbey was very pleased with his work and commissioned him in 1737 to build the new main organ and a new choir organ, which has now been placed on both sides above the choir stalls.

1900 new choir organ was built behind the old brochure by Julius Black Baur. She had 22 stops on two manuals and pedal. The company Franz Xaver Späth built 1923/24, in turn, a new instrument with 36 registers. The present organ was built in the years 1934-1937 using the old pipes stock by the company Biberacher Albert Reiser. In 2012, the Freiburg organ building Hartwig and Tilmann Späth restored the instrument in the grown state. From Gabler is still the case and four, meanwhile partly strongly revised Register to receive.

Disposal

• Pairing:
• Accessories:
• G = Gabler, 1743

Organists

Stark incomplete, since hardly secular organists are known:

• Jacob Reiner († 1606 )
• Father Paul Rummel († 1654)
• Father Roman Frey ( † 1694 )
• Father Anselm Sulger († 1675)
• Father Matthew dog († 1727)
• Father James Merlett († 1727)
• Father Meingosus Rottach († 1760)
• Father Roman Meyer ( † 1762)
• Father Bernard choice († 1786)
• Father Meingosus Gaelle († 1816)
• From 1807 Father Placidus to Weingarten ( † 1819)
• Father Steyer († 1819)
• 1819-1823 (?): Matthew Fischer
• From 1823: Matthias Gerum († 1869)
• 1861-1885: Ottmar Dressler († 1885)
• 1885-1893: Karl Gansloser († 1921)
• 1892-1917: Franz Joseph Rummel
• 1917-1934: Franz Bärnwick
• 1935-1953: Theodor Lobmiller
• 1954-1999: Heinrich Hamm ( b. 1934 )
• Since 2000: Stephan Debeur ( b. 1965 )