Orgelbau Th. Kuhn AG, 1991

Restoration

Organ built by
Johann Christoph Albrecht, 1710
Johann Konrad Speisegger, 1746
Windchests
slider chests
Key action
mechanical
Stop action
mechanical
Inauguration
20.10.1991
Expert
Rudolf Bruhin u.a.
Voicing
H.-J. Schacht

Stop list


www.orgelbau.ch/ope=800870

Rheinau

I/P/12

Switzerland, Zurich
Ehemalige Klosterkirche, Chororgel

© pictures Orgelbau Kuhn AG, Männedorf

Orgelbau Th. Kuhn AG, 1991

Restoration

Organ built by
Johann Christoph Albrecht, 1710
Johann Konrad Speisegger, 1746
Windchests
slider chests
Key action
mechanical
Stop action
mechanical
Inauguration
20.10.1991
Expert
Rudolf Bruhin u.a.
Voicing
H.-J. Schacht

At the inauguration of the new monastery church in Rheinau on 5th October 1710 there stood ready a small positive organ, built by Johann Christoph Albrecht from Waldshut, in the chancel. It only had 6 stops and no pedals. Nevertheless, it is of particular interest due to its outer design: a fully free-standing organ with no façade on the left-hand side of the high altar («Evangelist's side») in the choir intended to form an architectural counterpart to Fintan's tomb on the right-hand side of the high altar («Apostle's side»). Intended for everyday use, soon increased demands were made upon this choir organ. As early as 1726 a Pedal Organ with two stops was built onto the organ by P. Maurus Briol. Since there was no room for the largest pipes in Albrecht's existing case, this addition was positioned behind the choir stalls.

In 1746 the manual division was practically newly built by the organ builder Johann Konrad Speisegger from Schaffhausen. The new windchest now created enough space for 10 stops. Further alterations followed, amongst others one in 1841 by Friedrich Haas. After the monastery closed in 1862 the organ soon became unplayable. Many of the pipes were stolen, the technical systems deteriorated and were also to some extent lost.

After a first restoration in 1944/45 there followed, analogous to that of the main organ, a better funded second restoration in 1990/91. The aim of this was to recreate Speisegger's organ of 1746, because this option offered the most clear guidelines for a successful restoration.

Notable is, amongst other things, the descant-beating stop Suavial 8 ' from c '.

Translation 2008: SJR