Orgelbau Th. Kuhn AG, 1987
Restoration
www.orgelbau.ch/ope=800770
II/P/21
Germany, Hesse
St. Valentinuskirche
The organ of the «Pfarrkirche» of St. Valentine and Dionysius in Kiedrich is often described as being the «oldest organ in Germany». False interpretations of the pipe numbering led, for example, to the presumed year of its construction as being 1313. In actual fact, this organ wasn't built until around 1500, although neither the exact year nor the builder are known.
The instrument was altered and enlarged a number of times, one of these modifications being carried out by Johann Wendelin Kirchner in 1653. Around 1800 the organ was no longer in use. It was deemed as being irreparable, but, due to lack of finances, it was not replaced by a new instrument. Not until the Romantic enthusiasm for the Gothic period and its bringing back to life through the Gothic Revival led to a change of opinion. The English Baron John Sutton (1820-1873) discovered this gem 1857 and decided to have the church and its organ restored. The organ alone cost him over 6000 Gulden. The instrumental parts were restored by Louis-Benoit Hooghuys from Brügge, and the finish on the case and doors by August Martin from Fürth.
During the last restoration, carried out by Kuhn between 1985 and 1987, it was first of all necessary to define a specific aim of the restoration. In agreement with the Authority for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments and those responsible from the Diocese of Limburg, the conclusion was reached that only the reconstruction of the instrument of 1860 (Sutton) came into question. Attempting to reconstruct the instrument as it was at an earlier stage (in the meantime a Rückpositiv had been added to the organ) would have meant relying on too many hypotheses. In addition, Sutton's overall achievements were, in themselves, deemed as being worthy of protection. Through his involvement, the old organ was not only freed of its Baroque elements and given back its Gothic splendour, but the whole church, including its furnishings, became a «treasure trove of the Gothic period» in which Gothic and Gothic Revival elements blend into one another. In some respects (for example the bellows system and the temperament) it was, however, decided to return to the state of 1653.
The Hauptwerk alone is visible, which is essentially a single manual Gothic organ with doors. The additional divisions (Positiv and Pedal Organ) are out of view in the tower chamber which lies behind, and which also houses the wedge-bellows system.
Translation 2008: SJR