Übersicht

Ingelheim, Saalkirche

The Saalkirche in Ingelheim receives a new organ. In point of centuries it is not an unusual event - many churches received new organs over the times. But what is different about this project to the new organ in a village church in Rheinhessen or a city church in the Nassau County?

I. Chronology of the Organ Project

The Saalkirche in Ingelheim gets an organ. Initial ideas for this project originated in the early 1990s. The idea to purchase a used organ was in the room.

Those who come into the church and participate in a service will ask: why yet another organ? There is already one, which is played regularly and interesting! When participating in a large service one very soon notes: this organ can not fill this space. It was built in 1853 by Bernhard Dreymann of Mainz for the church before it was expanded considerably. The instrument is indeed historic and valuable, but not really sufficient for the church building and the ambitious church music programme.

Therefore, an organ committee was founded in May 2006, which met many times from October on. First came the question: how do we deal with the organ situation in the hall church? A sufficiently large organ requires space, which is occupied at present by the historic instrument on the modern loft. Quickly it was agreed, to put the Dreymann organ onto a new gallery in the right aisle. This would move it back into his old room situation and it could then serve the tasks that correspond to it.

What could a new, large organ sound and look like? Quite early appeared the dream: it should be a tool that must be different from the average of new organs. A sonic model could be instruments from the period between 1920 and 1930. Especially nice would be if original pipe work would be available from this time.

Such an instrument was offered in Bavaria, but could not be secured in such a short time. In the meanwhile, more and more organs from England are brought to the Continent and here rebuilt as aural discovery. An even more interesting market offers the "Organ Clearing House" in the U.S.. It secures organs that are no longer needed, and give them to new sites.

The offset of the Dreymann organ was prepared and was then carried out by the organ builder Hardt Möttau. Meanwhile, in September 2008, the incredible happened. There was an instrument on offer in the United States, which immediately caught everyone's attention. It was in the vicinity of New York, was built in 1930 as Opus 823 of Ernest Martin Skinner. Skinner - the name puts insiders in a state of ecstasy: highest technical brilliance, infinitely varied and orchestral sounds are his trademark. Could something like that possibly come across the pond to Ingelheim?

It could! Probably within three days as 24 parishes in USA also had expressed an intent to purchase. Such an interest had been aroused no second-hand organ. The parish hall met within 48 hours all the necessary decisions - and was awarded the contract. The Director of the "Organ Clearing House," John Bishop, described this as the "Deal of the Century".

Thus came then in December 2008, two containers with the entire organ in Ingelheim. Everything was re-stored by organ Hardt, in the former department store foot and could be visited by experts.

Now we went out to look for organ builders who could then manage a project. There were some suggestions and offers, but also some cancellations. At the end of a long process with many discussions was the result: Klais organ building in Bonn is commissioned to build the organ with a new housing and some extensions.

Skinner had built his factory in 1930 to limited space at the beginning of the world economic crisis less than comparable instruments. And so the idea arose, continue building the Opus in its sense of tabs that he has used elsewhere like. A second organ was in 1930 also planned, but was built in 1952. It is integrated in the same way in the project.

Dr. Ernst-Ludwig Fellechner, Pastor

II. The organ project

The church by her swift action was able to secure the contract for the purchase of an unusual instrument in summer of 2008: the organ at First Presbyterian Church of Passaic (New Jersey), USA. The instrument was built by EM Skinner in 1930 as Op 823. In 1952 the organ has been augmented by the successor company Aeolian-Skinner by the addition of an antiphonal division (op. 823 A). Luckily the main organ was not changed.

In the '30s of the 20th Century Skinner organs have been called "Rolls Royce of organs". Also today EM Skinner is still considered one of the best organ builders in the U.S. and one of the most important organ building workshops worldwide. The Skinner organ of Passaic is one of the few organs from the best and most productive period of EM Skinner with the entire pipework authentically preserved.

The organ project includes the careful restoration and transfer of the organ, an extension to original examples with original pipe work of the Skinner firm. This will result in a unique instrument for Europe.

The project is divided into two phases:

The main organ in the west gallery
The choir organ ("Antiphonal Division") in the south transept beneath the loft of the Dreymann organ.

The main organ will have 76 stops which consist of 46 speaking stops, 8 combined stops, 27 borrowed stops and 3967 pipes. After completion the organ will dispose of 119 stops, including 52 speaking stops, 18 combined stops, 49 borrowed stops and 5237 pipes. The longest pipe will be nearly 7 meters of length, the smallest has a sounding length of less than 5 millimeters.

The total weight of the organ will be about 20 tons. All the parts of the organ will be played from a mobile console in the nave.

Philip C. A. Klais

III. Appreciation of the Organ Project

If then and there a new instrument was to be built, the money was counted. Then they asked an organ builder, and were told how much organ you could get on which space and for how much money. And if there was not enough money, then you had to save a few more years. In Rheinhessen often a profitable wine vintage was helpful; seldom anything could help in Nassau, so there they have saved longer and built smaller. How the result would sound you only found out when it was finished on the gallery, the organ builder closed the last door of the case and bellows were operated.

If such a village organ is 200 years old then smart people come out from the city, are very enthusiastic and tell about everywhere: there is an old organ - and mean: it's a monument. And the people in the village are not always happy about it, because they often longed for a modern organ for decades.

There is probably no greater difference than between such a place in Nassau or Rheinhessen and the project here in Ingelheim.

Here the organ already exists, which is to come into the church. Here we have quite clear an idea of how it should sound because you can play similar instruments in the United States. Here we have already a monument, a historic organ, a most valuable instrument right in front of the doors of the Saalkirche.

The congregation has undertaken an extraordinary effort of organization, of funding, of planning, discussion and persuasion to bring the organ here. Such a thing does not exist outside of the United States again. A smaller instrument in a castle in France hardly counts because space, use and size are completely different.

The Saalkirche is not getting a new organ that will be a sonic surprise when finished, and perhaps a monument in 200 years. The Saalkirche is getting an already valuable historic organ, which already has a unique growth story. It was built in the emerging global economy crisis, as big as they just yet could afford at that time. It was augmented following the ideas we had in 1930 already. She could not stay in place, to which they belonged. Now she is coming into a room that is similar in the proportions of the church in New York. Nevertheless, the type of setup that other space to be adapted.

This organ comes with its own history, and it brings its own tradition regarding dealing with expensive and old organs. In Europe, especially in Germany, the treatment of old organs is almost exclusively conserving. Because nothing should be changed. Even leather and brass wires are to be retained, even if they are already 100 or 200 or 250 years old. And today, many organ builders can do that, and they know how to broadly approximate the original sound.

The handling of valuable instruments in the U.S. was and is largely different. It honors an instrument, while preserving its substance, and while augmenting in the style of the builder. Especially in the work of Ernest Skinner instruments have been built according to current circumstances at the time. Very similar spaces have received organs of various sizes.

For Ingelheim this tradition results in the unexpected, almost dizzying opportunity: you get an original organ by Ernest Skinner, alongside with the possibility to upgrade it with authentic sounding material.

The origin of the instrument is not harmed and the interests of our heritage are taken into account.
The sound spectrum of the instrument is greatly expanded, so the concerns of church music and concert are covered.
It does not louden the instrument at the same time louder. Thus the interests of space and the celebrating congregation are included.

This project is unique in the Protestant Church in Hessen and Nassau. It is unique in Germany. This is a project that will probably not be possible again outside the U.S. This results in an organ of at least European standing.

It is due to the extraordinary commitment of the organist Carsten Lenz, Rev. Dr. Fellechner and many others in the church congregation that many quick decisions could be made. Thus the project can become reality.

At almost any other place it would have been impossible to obtain such a strong willingness to donate. The many small donations and especially the larger ones make such a project possible - where else but in Ingelheim would this be imaginable!

Unlike a traditional organ project, however, the result of the work cannot depend on money that is available. It is not reasonably possible to make the final size dependent on the available funds. The organ in its reasonable and necessary final form determines how much money is needed. This requires the interest and participation of the public. This needs your support. Go and tell others about what is happening here.

What will you get for it? In the Carolingian Saalkirche there weill be an an organ exceeding boundaries. In the palace of Charlemagne, there will be an instrument that is of European standing. More needs not to be said.

Wolfgang Plodek, member of the Organ Committee