The organs of the St.-Jan parish at Laren by Peter van Dijk

by Peter van Dijk | Het ORGEL | Year 100 | (2004) | Issue 1

Peter van Dijk The organs of the St.-Jan parish at Laren
Het ORGEL 100 (2004), nr. 1, 15-21 [summary]

On 19 May 2002, a new organ was inaugurated in the St.-Jansbasiliek at Laren. It was built by Adema’s Kerkorgelbouw (Hillegom). The organ is the third instrument of the parish: it succeeds a small Bätz organ (1780) and a three-manual Verschueren organ (1943).
The Adema organ is based on two former Adema organs. One was built in the church of St.-Willibrordus buiten de Veste in Amsterdam in 1890 and was moved to the St.-Jan de Doperkerk in Amsterdam in the 1970s (it underwent several reconstructions); the other was built in the St.-Vicentiuskerk at Amsterdam in 1924. The new organ case in Laren is inspired by the original case of the first organ in St.-Willibrordus buiten de Veste (1890). 
The organ is electro-pneumatic; the console is situated in the church. The sound suits the music of composers like Hendrik Andriessen, Flor Peeters and Jean Langlais very well. Older French music does not sound so good. The differences between this organ and German ones built around 1900 are even more considerable. Nevertheless, the Laren organ is convincing if these limitations are taken into account.