Kuhn Organ Builders Ltd, 2004
Restoration
www.orgelbau.ch/ope=801280
II/P/14
Switzerland, Fribourg
Eglise cath.
A return to the condition of 1923
In 1901 Orgelbau Goll constructed a new organ for the church in Marbach, Canton Lucerne, with pneumatically controlled cone chests. Just 22 years later the instrument was moved to Barberêche, Canton Fribourg, and modified. Manual II was given a new membrane chest and a new swell box. The key and stop action, however, remained pneumatic.
Due to the limited height of the church in Barberêche it was necessary to cut out a section of the ceiling for the new Swell, which reached up into the loft. The blowers and bellows were also placed there.
Later alterations to the instrument resulted in the loss of the Salicional 8 ' in Manual I, the lower octave of the Concertflöte 8 ' in Manual II and the super octave coupler II-I. Most of the then redundant pipes in the range from f#''' to f''' from Manual II were, fortunately, stored away.
Problems caused by the difference in room climate between the church interior and loft, and other forms of deterioration led to a generally poor condition of the instrument. On weighing up all the factors (historical and musical value, the series of modifications the instrument had undergone, its poor condition) the community decided upon an extensive restoration which would return the organ to its state in 1923. A complete technical overhaul of the windchests, the action and the console were necessary in order to reconstruct the original specification (except Salicional 8 '). The blower was set up in such a way so that it could take in air from the church interior.