Altenbruch, 1730 [Hauptwerk]

Klapmeyer organ, Altenbruch, 1727-1730

The St. Nikolai church in Altenbruch owns one of the oldest North German organs. In 1497-1498, Johannes Coci built a small organ of 6 stops. It stood near the main altar. Matthias Mahn enlarged the instrument in 1577 (or 1561?) by adding a Rückpositiv. In 1647, Hans Christoph Fritzsche renewed the organ, enlarging the Hauptwerk as well. The Principal plenum of the Hauptwerk (called also the Oberwerk) is formed from his pipes today. Matthias Dropa expanded the compass of the instrument in 1698 and provided additional stops, especially in Pedal. Johann Hinrich Klapmeyer (1690-1757) was commissioned to relocate the organ into a newly constructed west gallery. The organ was substantially reworked as well between 1727-1730. Klapmeyer provided the organ with its present look. The organ survived until the present mostly unchanged. It was restored in 2004 by the Ahrend organ workshop.

The organ consists of three manuals and a pedal: altogether 2100 pipes and 35 sounding stops. The presence of 3 independent Principal 8 stops (in Oberwerk, Rückpositiv, and Pedal) is one remarkable feature of this instrument. It is a stylistically pure instrument and emblematic of the North German organ building school. The so called Hadeln liturgy adopted in 1567 anticipated the use of the organ as a solo instrument, thus contributing to the elevated art of the organ building and organ use in the Altenbruch church. The organ is especially suitable for early North German music, such as the work of H. Scheidemann, M. Weckmann, F. Tunder, and D. Buxtehude.