Organ reform movement
Encyclopedia
The Organ Reform Movement or Orgelbewegung (also called the Organ Revival Movement) was an early 20th century trend in pipe organ
building, originating in Germany and already influential in the United States in the 1940s, waning only in the 1980s. It arose with early interest in historical performance and was strongly influenced by, among others, Albert Schweitzer
's championing of historical instruments by Silbermann
and others, as well as by his declaration that the criterion for judging an organ is its fitness to play the music of J. S. Bach. It ultimately went beyond the copying of old instruments to endorse a new philosophy of organbuilding
, however.
in Northern Germany. This took the form of a vertical style of registration in which ensembles were ideally built up with no pitch being duplicated in the same octave. The movement endorsed the so-called Werkprinzip, in which each division was based on a principal-scale rank of a different octave.
Organ voicers strove for an articulate speech characterized by chiff and avoided nicking, beards and other means of achieving 'smoothness'. Low wind pressures were revived. Casework was often eschewed in favor of open standing pipework and swellboxes became relatively rare.
In Europe the movement was indelibly connected with mechanical action instruments; in North America this was not the case and many instruments characteristic of the Organ Reform Movement had electric action.
Some of the leading builders of the movement were Frobenius
, G. Donald Harrison
, Holtkamp
, Schlicker, Dirk Andries Flentrop
and Beckerath
.
.
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
building, originating in Germany and already influential in the United States in the 1940s, waning only in the 1980s. It arose with early interest in historical performance and was strongly influenced by, among others, Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
's championing of historical instruments by Silbermann
Silbermann
Silbermann is a German surname meaning "silver man" and may refer to:* Gottfried Silbermann , German manufacturer of pipe organs** Andreas Silbermann , German manufacturer of pipe organs, older brother of Gottfried...
and others, as well as by his declaration that the criterion for judging an organ is its fitness to play the music of J. S. Bach. It ultimately went beyond the copying of old instruments to endorse a new philosophy of organbuilding
Organ builder
-Australia:* William Anderson * Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd* Robert Cecil Clifton * William Davidson* J.E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works* Fincham & Hobday* Geo. Fincham & Son* Alfred Fuller * Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd...
, however.
History
The movement sought to turn away from many of the perceived excesses of Romantic or Orchestral organ building, in favor of organs understood to be more similar to those of the Baroque EraBaroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
in Northern Germany. This took the form of a vertical style of registration in which ensembles were ideally built up with no pitch being duplicated in the same octave. The movement endorsed the so-called Werkprinzip, in which each division was based on a principal-scale rank of a different octave.
Organ voicers strove for an articulate speech characterized by chiff and avoided nicking, beards and other means of achieving 'smoothness'. Low wind pressures were revived. Casework was often eschewed in favor of open standing pipework and swellboxes became relatively rare.
In Europe the movement was indelibly connected with mechanical action instruments; in North America this was not the case and many instruments characteristic of the Organ Reform Movement had electric action.
Some of the leading builders of the movement were Frobenius
Frobenius Orgelbyggeri
-History:Frobenius Orgelbyggeri was founded in Copenhagen by Theodor Frobenius in 1909. The firm moved to Lyngby in 1925. Theodor's sons Walther and Erik joined the company in 1944, at the same time that they began to build organs in the classical tradition, with mechanical actions and slider...
, G. Donald Harrison
G. Donald Harrison
George Donald Harrison crafted some of the finest and largest pipe organs in the United States. He started out in 1914 as a patent attorney but after military service he began to pursue an interest in pipe organ building working with Henry Willis & Sons of London.After immigrating to America,...
, Holtkamp
Holtkamp Organ Company
The Holtkamp Organ Company of Cleveland, Ohio is one of America's oldest builders of pipe organs. Founded in 1855 by G.F. Votteler, the company was passed on to the Holtkamps in 1931...
, Schlicker, Dirk Andries Flentrop
Dirk Andries Flentrop
Dirk Andries Flentrop was a Dutch organ builder. He built or restored many major organs in the United States and in Europe. He was noted for his 1977 restoration of two organs from the 17th and 18th centuries in the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.-Life:Flentrop was born in Zaandam on 1 May 1903...
and Beckerath
Rudolf von Beckerath
Rudolf von Beckerath was a German master organ builder. He was born in Munich, but grew up in Hamburg, where his parents moved the year he was born. He initially pursued an interest in mechanical engineering...
.
Reversals
Some of the changes the reform movement executed on existing organs of pre-movement times are since being reversed, such as in the organ of the Auckland Town HallAuckland Town Hall
The Auckland Town Hall is a historic building on Queen Street in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, known both for its original and ongoing use for administrative functions , as well as for its famed Great Hall and its separate Concert Chamber...
.