Organ Building Reinhard Hüfken | Magdeburger Str. 16 | 38820 Halberstadt | Tel.: +49 3941 25009 | Fax: +49 3941 447454 | mail@orgelbau-huefken.de

Building a New Organ for the Protestant Church in Caputh


The organ at the Protestant Church in Caputh was newly built to a design which incorporated elements from the original plans of both the 1852 instrument by Carl Ludwig Gesell and the 1926 organ by Alexander Schuke. A mechanical slider chest organ with 20 stops was built, in place of the pneumatic organ system from 1926. The original console from 1852 was retained. The pictures above show the state of the organ restoration and renewal on the 4th January, 2004, with our colleagues, Michael Treblin und Daniel Gatzsche, at work on the organ in Caputh.

The Gesell Organ-building Family in Potsdam

Orgelbauerfamilie Gesell, Potsdam

1809 - 1867

Carl Ludwig Gesell: Carl Ludwig Gesell completes his training with the Haas organ-building company in Lucerne, and goes on to work as an associate for the Heise company in Potsdam.

1847

Carl Ludwig Gesell takes over the company, which focuses on building single-manual pieces.

1845 - 1894

Carl Eduard Gesell: Carl Eduard Gesell completes his apprenticeship as an organ builder, in his father's workshop, then works for the Sonreck company in Cologne from 1863 - 1867, and for the Meyer company in Herford.

1867

Carl Eduard Gesell takes over his father's business, building predominantly single-manual organs in the Potsdam area, but also working abroad (Buenos Aires and Istanbul). Carl Eduard Gesell remained childless.

1894

Alexander Schuke (1870 - 1933), one of Carl Eduard Gesell's, takes over the company at 24 years of age.
Source: Herrmann Fischer "100 Jahre Bund Deutscher Orgelbaumeister 1891 - 1991"

Specification of the Gesell-Organ

I. Manual (Hauptwerk) C - g'''
1 Principal 8' neu   Prospekt
2 Gedackt 8' vorhanden   Gesell, 1852
3 Octave 4' Neu ab c' Gesell, 1852
4 Rohrfloete 4' vorhanden   Gesell, 1852
5 Octave 2' neu  
6 Cornett 5f. neu ab g0 - Register hochgebaenkt
7 Mixtur 3f. neu mit Vorabzug fuer 1 1/3'
8 Trompete 8' fuer spaeteren Einbau vorbereitet
  Tremulant 


II. Manual (Schwellwerk) C - g'''
9 Koppelfloete 8' neu Schuke, 1926
10 Salicional 8' vorhanden  
11 Vox celestis 8'   Schuke, 1926
12 Traversfloete 4' neu  
13 Ital. Principal 4' vakant fuer spaeteren Einbau  
14 Nassard 2 2/3' neu (Statt Sesquialtera 2f.)
15 Terz 1 3/5' neu (Statt Sesquialtera 2f.)
16 Flageolett2' neu  
17 Oboe8' fuer spaeteren Einbau vorbereitet
  Tremulant 


Pedal C - f'
18 Subbaß 16' vorhanden 
19 Principalbaß 8' teilweise vorhanden
Schuke, 1926
20 Choralbaß 4' neu  


Koppeln:
II. Manual/ I. Manual
I. Manual / Pedal
II. Manual/ Pedal

Magdeburger Str. 16 | 38820 Halberstadt | Tel.: +49 3941 25009 | Fax: +49 3941 447454 | mail@orgelbau-huefken.de