Restoration/Repairing der Beyer-Organ in der Ev. Kirche St. Martin zu Altenweddingen
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The Beyer Organ in St. Martins' Church in Altenweddingen is the proud owner of a set of original pipework. Only the fa?e pipes were removed in 1917. The organ shows clear signs of Beyer's schoolmaster, B?her, and above all, the structure of the pipes and the layout of the console are Beyer's through and through. Before the repair work, the organ was extremely dirty, but nevertheless, playable. The proposal and successful completion of this project is due, above all, to the commitment of Minister Langner and the congregation at Altenweddingen, who all stood firmly in support of the project. They achieved this in many ways, e.g. by generating interest among the people of the region into the progress of the organ repair; and also by inviting school classes to use the opportunity to examine the inside of the organ while its outside was removed!
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| 1 |
Bordun |
16' |
| 2 |
Principal |
8' |
| 3 |
Viola di Gamba |
8' |
| 4 |
Hohlfloete |
8' |
| 5 |
Floete |
4' |
| 6 |
Octave |
4' |
| 7 |
Rauschpfeife |
2' |
| 8 |
Mixtur |
3-4f. |
| 9 |
Trompete |
8' |
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| 10 |
Lieblich Gedackt |
16' |
| 11 |
Lieblich Gedackt |
8' |
| 12 |
Salicional |
8' |
| 13 |
Geigenprincipal |
8' |
| 14 |
Flauto travers |
8' |
| 15 |
Fugar |
4' |
| 16 |
Voix celeste |
8' |
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| 17 |
Posaune |
16' |
| 18 |
Subbaß |
16' |
| 19 |
Violon |
16' |
| 20 |
Gedacktbaß |
8' |
| 21 |
Violoncello |
8' |
| 22 |
Octavbaß |
8' |
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Primary School Pupils Visit Church
at Altenweddingen.
Pupils watch over the shoulders of organ builders
By Yvonne Heyer, Altenweddingen
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Not for nothing is the organ known as "The Queen of Instruments". Having said that, it doesn't look all that exciting at first glance: just manuals, pedals, stops, organ pipes. But all these become properly interesting when the organ pipes are dismantled and a view of the inside of the organ is obtained. With this in mind, a few days ago the boys and girls from Altenweddingen's primary school visited their local protestant church, where, as is well-known at the moment, an organ builder from Halberstadt is repairing the organ.
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The pupils were allowed to watch over the men's shoulders and bombard them with questions. The first big surprise for the children and their teacher, Sabine Buchmann, was that Altenweddingen's original organ from 1892 would have had more than 1000 pipes! During the course of this restoration, the missing pipes will be replaced; these were removed during the First World War. "In Altenweddingen today, there is probably no one left who knew the organ when it was complete," declared Priest Jens-Martin Langner to the children.
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They also discovered that the longest wooden organ pipe stands at about 5.1metres (16'), of which the sounding length is 4.8m (15' 9"). On the smallest pipe, the sounding part of the pipe is only 10mm (4 tenths of an inch) thick. "What's the oldest an organ can be?" asked a pupil. "If the roof and windows of the church are sound, and woodworm doesn't attack the instrument, then an organ can easily last for seven to nine generations; 400 to 500 years!" answered organ builder J?Seidenberg. He also told the pupils that at present, the sounding mechanisms are being cleaned in the workshop at Halberstadt. But the metal pipes cannot be polished, because that would make the tongues thinner and the pipes would sound dreadful. The metal pipes are made from an alloy of tin and lead. The congregation at Altenweddingen need to raise about 50,000 Euros for the renovation. The congregation had saved up industriously, and had also hoped that funds would be available from the Diocese, but these were not forthcoming. The congregation is now dependent on donations. These may be paid in account number 3030006467 at the B?sparkasse; bank code number 81051000; account name "Kirchenkreis Egeln"; please specify "for organ work at Altenweddingen". Restoration of Altenweddingen's organ will be completed soon, with the assembly of the final stops.
Source: Volksstimme/B? 9th October 2004.
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The organ gets a facelift!
Priest Jens-Martin Langner has already test-driven the keys several times, and produced the first notes from the freshly-restored organ - even though some stops are still missing! The most important organ pipes are all now installed, and these metal pipes give a new appearance to the organ. By Yvonne Heyer
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Altenweddingen: In 1892, the church at Altenweddingen first installed an organ. Though in theory there could be someone in the surrounding area who still remembers the original organ, it is very unlikely, owing to the high number of World War 1 victims from the congregation here. Two of the registers lost their metal pipes, which were removed and melted down during the war - and consequently, the organ also lost its face. Where there had once been metal pipes on the instrument, was now left empty. This year, the congregation decided to restore the organ to its former magnificence, 24 registers and approximately 1200 organ pipes. In August, the vision was realised. H?s organ building firm from Halberstadt removed and rebuilt all the organ pipes. Cleaning and restoring the wooden pipes took place, along with other work, in the workshop in Halberstadt. Back in the church, an almost hollow shell of the organ remained, which became fuller and fuller during the final days of the project, when pipe after pipe was replaced. The organ builders J?Seidenberg and Daniel Gutzsche reported that by the weekend, all the pipes had been replaced. Organist Beate Besser and her representative Dr. Dorthea Wolff, along with the whole congregation and lovers of organ music, are already looking forward to the "new" instrument.
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The organ will be played in public for the first time on the first Sunday in Advent, when it will show the full extent of its sound! An official consecration concert is planned in the Spring, when it will not be so cold in the church. In order to restore the organ, the congregation have had to delve deeply into their own pockets. Planned funding fell through, and there was no Diocesan funding to help out. This has left the church needing to find 20,000 Euros, on top of the 50,000 Euros they have already contributed - and it just is not possible for them. Therefore, the congregation are now appealing for donations. According to Priest Langner, some have already been received. Further donations are welcome! These may be paid in account number 3030006467 at the B?sparkasse; bank code number 81051000; account name "Kirchenkreis Egeln"; please specify "for organ work at Altenweddingen". Perhaps, if sufficient donations are received, the outer fa?e of the organ could also be overhauled. Investigations have shown that the current brown finishing is not its original colouring; it might have used to be white.
Source: B?-Volksstimme 12th November 2004.
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