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

We have mentioned the special feature of the organ in Cöthen: a
pedal which boasted of two octaves and a half, from great _C_ to
_f'_ sharp; we should further emphasize in this organ, otherwise not
especially noteworthy, the quality of the _Principal_[183] in the
great organ, and of the eight-foot Trumpet in the pedal.

[Footnote 183: [The _Principal_ here referred to is undoubtedly the
eight-foot Diapason.--TR.]]

The organ in the University church in Leipzig, of which Bach made an
expert examination December 17, 1717, was a remarkable instrument,
which he was very fond of playing. It was one of the masterworks of
the manufacturer Scheibe. It had the following registers:

_Great._

   1. Gross Principal
      (of pure tin),           16'
   2. Gross Quintatön,         16'
   3. Klein Principal,          8'
   4. Schalmei,                 8'
   5. Flûte allemande,          8'
   6. Gemshorn,                 8'
   7. Octave,                   4'
   8. Quinte,                   3'
   9. Quint-Nasat,              3'
  10. Octavina,                 2'
  11. Waldflöte,                2'
  12. Grosse Mixtur,
      of 5 and 6 ranks
  13. Cornetti, of 3 ranks
  14. Zink (a species of
      _cornett_), of
      2 ranks

_Echo._

   1. Principal (in front),     8'
   2. Viola di Gamba naturelle, 8'
   3. Grobgedackt
      (large scale bourdon)     8'
   4. Octave,                   4'
   5. Rohrflöte,                4'
   6. Octave,                   2'
   7. Nasat,                    3'
   8. Sedecima,                 1'
   9. Schweizerpfeife,          1'
  10. Largo.[184]
  11. Mixtur, of 3 ranks
  12. Helle (bright) Cymbel,
      of 2 ranks

[Footnote 184: Undoubtedly _larigot_.]

_Choir._

   1. Leiblich gedackt,         8'
   2. Quintatön,                8'
   3. Flûte douce,              4'
   4. Quinta decima,            4'
   5. Decima nona,              3'
   6. Hohlflöte,                2'
   7. Viola,                    2'
   8. Vigesima nona,        1-1/2'
   9. Weitpfeife,               1'
  10. Mixtur, of 3 ranks
  11. Helle Cymbel, of 2 ranks
  12. Sertin (serpent?),        8'

_Pedal._

   1. Gross Principal,         16'
   2. Gross Quintatön,         16'
   3. Octave,                   8'
   4. Octave,                   4'
   5. Quinte,                   3'
   6. Mixtur, of 5 and 6 ranks
   7. Grosse Quintenbass,       6'
   8. Jubal (open flute),       8'
   9. Nachthorn,                4'
  10. Octave,                   2'
  11. Second Principal,        16'
  12. Subbass,                 16'
  13. Posaune,                 16'
  14. Trompete,                 8'
  15. Hohflöte,                 1'
  16. Mixtur, of 4 ranks

Finally, the specification of the principal organ in the
_Thomaskirche_ in Leipzig, installed in 1525, twice rebuilt during
the seventeenth century, enlarged in 1670; and considerably repaired,
in 1721, by Johann Scheibe:[185]

[Footnote 185: Vogel, _Leipziger Chronicke_. Vol. iii, chap. vi, p.
110.]

_Great._

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

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