Orgelbau Th. Kuhn AG, 1972
Restoration
www.orgelbau.ch/ope=800320
I/P/19
Switzerland, Saint Gall
Stiftskirche, Psallierchor
A seventeenth century organ from the alpine lands
The organ in the so-called «Psallier chancel» of the former abbey in Pfäfers, St. Gallen above Bad Ragaz is an early work of the Vorarlberg master Johann Matthäus Abbrederis from Rankweil (christened on 17th April 1652, died around 1725) dating from 1693/94. This organ builder carried out much of his work in what is today Switzerland, mostly in the Rhine valley of St. Gallen, in other parts of eastern Switzerland and in Canton Graubünden.
The façade is a prime example of a type of organ typical in the alpine lands in the 17th century and from Hans Gugger rather randomly described as the «Steinen type» (named after the organ of 1664 in Steinen, Canton Schwyz). Characteristic of these organs are the outer bass towers which are, in late medieval style, flat-fronted, as are the adjoining smaller sections. In the middle, however, a small round tower brings in a more modern touch. This small central tower offers an ideal place for a sculptured figure (the Madonna, King David etc.). Abbrederis was not the inventor of this type of organ, but all his new instruments were based on this design, from Mon (1690) to Maienfeld (1725), both in Canton Graubünden. It is only thanks to the fact that this organ stood unplayable for a number of decades that the old material remained intact. During this time the new «modern» Kuhn organ from 1912 on the south gallery was a satisfactory alternative. During a complete restoration of the church the old organ was restored by us in 1972. Unfortunately the architect in charge of the project insisted on removing the wooden bellows case which had somewhat obstructed the north façade of the building. This resulted in the loss of the original wedge-bellows system. A modern blower is hidden in a wall-cupboard on the gallery. In all other aspects, however, the restoration was exemplary for the time. Here for the first time, and against much opposition, a mean-tone temperament was used.
Highly unusual for the time around 1694 is the range of the pedals which stretches over 2 full octaves from C to c 1 (with short octave, 21 keys) and the generous pedal stoplist with six stops.
The cost of the organ which was commissioned on 3rd December 1693 was 1060 Guldens in Chur currency. The finish on the case cost 22 Guldens. The reason for the black finish which was apparently fashionable between 1660 and 1700 remains something of a mystery. The vague theory stated by Albert Knoepfli that it could have had something to do with the gloomy aftermath of the Thirty Years War has not been substantiated to date.
Friedrich Jakob, 2007
Translation: SJR
Related Literature:
Hans Gugger: Ein Orgeltyp des 17. Jahrhunderts, Herkunft und Entwicklung einer Gehäuseform im schweizerischen alpinen Raum (An organ type of the 17th century, origin and development of a form of organ case in the Swiss alpine regions), in: Unsere Kunstdenkmäler, Bd. XXIV, Nr. 4, Bern 1973, S. 247-255