Peter van Dijk

The Van Hagerbeer organ in the Pieterskerk at Leiden Het ORGEL 96 (2000), nr. 6, 18-26 [summary]

In november 1998, the restored Van Hagerbeer organ in the Pieterskerk at Leiden was inaugurated. The oldest pipes in the organ date from about 1446. Material made by Jan van Covelens (1518), Jan Jacobsz van Lin (1629) and Galtus and Germer van Hagerbeer (1643) has been preserved as well. The brothers Van Hagerbeer made a new main case, they reused the back positive case made by Van Lin. The brothers Lohman (1847) and the organ builder Van Leeuwen (1946) changed the organ considerably. In 1975-1982, the Pieterskerk was restored. In 1986, Jan van Biezen and Hans van Nieuwkoop developed a restoration plan for the organ, based on elaborate historic investigation. After a symposium in 1988 and after Koos van de Linde was appointed consultant as well, it was decided that the situation in 1643 should be reconstructed. Some additions by Duyschot (about 1691) and Assendelft (1744) could be preserved. Verschueren Orgelbouw restored the organ in 1994-1998. Remarkable are the meantone temperament, the compass of the Hoofdwerk (down to FF) and the sensible wind system. The organ sounds majestic. Each basic stop represents a fascinating world of sound on its own, too. Registrations according to 16th and 17th century principles are very convincing as well.