Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ

Name: Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ
Author: Pirro, André

Pirro, André

Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750; Composers -- Germany -- Biography

In connection with the foregoing it will be interesting to learn the
specifications of the principal organs of which Bach was able to
avail himself during his long career. We find details concerning them
in various works, notably in Adlung (_Musica mechanica organoedi_),
or in the supplement which J.F. Agricola, an esteemed pupil of Bach,
added to this work, published after the death of its author; and in
the contemporary writings of local historians.

The organ at Arnstadt, the first at which Bach held the position of
organist, possessed twenty-four registers, divided among two manuals
and the pedal:[179]

[Footnote 179: This instrument was constructed in 1701, by J.F.
Wender, an organ-builder of Mühlhausen. [The specification as
compiled from the existing stop-handles by Mr. C.F.A. Williams
("Bach": J.M. Dent & Co.: London), differs slightly from the above,
which is given by Spitta.--TR.]]

_Great Organ._

   1.  Principal,               8'
   2.  Viola da Gamba,          8'
   3.  Quintatön,              16'
   4.  Gedackt (Bourdon),       8'
   5.  Quinte,                  6'
   6.  Octave,                  4'
   7.  Mixtur, 4 ranks
   8.  Gemshorn,                8'
   9.  Cymbel, 2 ranks
  10. Trompete,                 8'
  11. Tremulant
  12. Cymbelstern[180]

[Footnote 180: A sort of Glockenspiel, which produced _l'accord
parfait_ [undoubtedly the major triad].]

_Choir Organ._

  1.  Principal,                4'
  2.  Lieblich Gedackt,         8'
  3.  Spitzflöte,               4'
  4.  Quinte,                   3'
  5.  Sesquialter
  6.  Nachthorn (night horn),   4'
  7.  Mixtur, 2 ranks

_Pedal Organ._

  1. Principalbass,             8'
  2. Subbass,                  16'
  3. Posaunenbass (trombone),  16'
  4. Flötenbass                 4'
  5. Cornetbass,                2'[181]

[Footnote 181: This was a reed stop.]

The organ in the palace at Weimar contained the following stops,
according to A. Wette:[182]

[Footnote 182: _Historische Nachrichten von der berühmten
Residenzstadt Weimar._ Weimar, 1737, p. 175, 176.]

_Great._

  1.  Principal,                8'
  2.  Quintatön,               16'
  3.  Gemshorn,                 8'
  4.  Gedackt,                  8'
  5.  Quintatön,                4'
  6.  Octave,                   4'
  7.  Mixture, 6 ranks
  8.  Cymbel, 3 ranks
  9.  Glockenspiel

_Choir._

  1. Principal,                 8'
  2. Violdigamba,               8'
  3. Gedackt,                   8'
  4. Trompete,                  8'
  5. Kleingedackt
     (small bourdon),           4'
  6. Octave,                    4'
  7. Waldflöte                  2'
  8. Sesquialtera

_Pedal._

  1. Gross-Untersatz,          32'
  2. Subbass,                  16'
  3. Posaun-Bass,              16'
  4. Violon-Bass,              16'
  5. Principal-Bass,            8'
  6. Trompeten-Bass,            8'
  7. Cornett-Bass,              4'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the OrganPirro, André

History

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ

Pirro, André

Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750; Composers -- Germany -- Biography

In connection with the foregoing it will be interesting to learn the
specifications of the principal organs of which Bach was able to
avail himself during his long career. We find details concerning them
in various works, notably in Adlung (_Musica mechanica organoedi_),
or in the supplement which J.F. Agricola, an esteemed pupil of Bach,
added to this work, published after the death of its author; and in
the contemporary writings of local historians.

The organ at Arnstadt, the first at which Bach held the position of
organist, possessed twenty-four registers, divided among two manuals
and the pedal:[179]

[Footnote 179: This instrument was constructed in 1701, by J.F.
Wender, an organ-builder of Mühlhausen. [The specification as
compiled from the existing stop-handles by Mr. C.F.A. Williams
("Bach": J.M. Dent & Co.: London), differs slightly from the above,
which is given by Spitta.--TR.]]

_Great Organ._

   1.  Principal,               8'
   2.  Viola da Gamba,          8'
   3.  Quintatön,              16'
   4.  Gedackt (Bourdon),       8'
   5.  Quinte,                  6'
   6.  Octave,                  4'
   7.  Mixtur, 4 ranks
   8.  Gemshorn,                8'
   9.  Cymbel, 2 ranks
  10. Trompete,                 8'
  11. Tremulant
  12. Cymbelstern[180]

[Footnote 180: A sort of Glockenspiel, which produced _l'accord
parfait_ [undoubtedly the major triad].]

_Choir Organ._

  1.  Principal,                4'
  2.  Lieblich Gedackt,         8'
  3.  Spitzflöte,               4'
  4.  Quinte,                   3'
  5.  Sesquialter
  6.  Nachthorn (night horn),   4'
  7.  Mixtur, 2 ranks

_Pedal Organ._

  1. Principalbass,             8'
  2. Subbass,                  16'
  3. Posaunenbass (trombone),  16'
  4. Flötenbass                 4'
  5. Cornetbass,                2'[181]

[Footnote 181: This was a reed stop.]

The organ in the palace at Weimar contained the following stops,
according to A. Wette:[182]

[Footnote 182: _Historische Nachrichten von der berühmten
Residenzstadt Weimar._ Weimar, 1737, p. 175, 176.]

_Great._

  1.  Principal,                8'
  2.  Quintatön,               16'
  3.  Gemshorn,                 8'
  4.  Gedackt,                  8'
  5.  Quintatön,                4'
  6.  Octave,                   4'
  7.  Mixture, 6 ranks
  8.  Cymbel, 3 ranks
  9.  Glockenspiel

_Choir._

  1. Principal,                 8'
  2. Violdigamba,               8'
  3. Gedackt,                   8'
  4. Trompete,                  8'
  5. Kleingedackt
     (small bourdon),           4'
  6. Octave,                    4'
  7. Waldflöte                  2'
  8. Sesquialtera

_Pedal._

  1. Gross-Untersatz,          32'
  2. Subbass,                  16'
  3. Posaun-Bass,              16'
  4. Violon-Bass,              16'
  5. Principal-Bass,            8'
  6. Trompeten-Bass,            8'
  7. Cornett-Bass,              4'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ

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