The Old Masters

The Klais team keeps studying instruments of old masters - not only in Germany, but also in other countries. Studies of organ-building literature and its fundamental principles supplement its continuous training.

Sometimes, however, original building plans or descriptions are missing. Then the team starts searching: digging in its own archives, investigating church registers and literature, analysing the organ builder's way of thinking.

Trier, St.Paulin Gehäuseentwurf: Baltharsar Neumann and Johann Seitz Orgel: 1747-56 Romanus B.Nollet / 1858-59 Heinrich W. Breidenfeld / 1934 Hans Klais / 1991 reastauriert

Meticulous precision is to the fore as are patience and a thorough knowledge of the history of music, source research and detailed detection work. To determine the tin pipes' alloy, metal undergoes scientific research, chemically and physically. After all these preparations the work in the workshops can begin. Pipes, damaged as much as they may be, are carefully restored with loving care and skilfulness in Klais' own pipeshop.

 

It is not enough just to get the material and scaling right, the builder must also have a feeling for the original timbre of the pipe. In that case, in order to achieve this timbre the restorer must make use of all his skills and his sensitivity.He must go beyond his personal views and attitudes, he has to slip into the old master's shoes and listen carefully to what the instrument is telling him. In fact, we are never content for we know that any restoration, however thoroughly and carefully executed, is always an intrusion into a historic instrument's uniqueness.

 

Restoration means taking over responsibilty. We enjoy that responsibility and cooperate with other experts: with organ advisers, players, art historians and officials in charge of the protection of historic monuments. Restoration calls for concerted expertise.