The organ of the Der Aa-Kerk and its influence on American organ building by Bruce Shull

Articles

Bruce Shull The organ of the Der Aa-Kerk and its influence on American organ building
Het ORGEL 108 (2012), nr. 1,xx-xx [summary]

The organ and the space in the Der Aa-Kerk coöperate extraordinarily well. This almost perfect unity between organ and building drew the attention of American organ builders and particularly of John Brombaugh, pioneer of the regeneration of organ building in the US. Brombaugh praised the organ enthusiastically after his repeated visits to Groningen in the late 60s and early 70s. A generation of organ builders that worked and studied with Brombaugh became more and more conscious of the organ in the Der Aa-Kerk as an ideal sound, that was of course inseparable from its acoustical setting.
The organ in the Der Aa-Kerk also showed American organ builders how to approach organs that had been altered during their history as a result of renovations and restorations. Each organ has its own unique history, and the Schnitger organ of the Der Aa-Kerk is very well documented and its restoration extensively discussed. Recent and important restorations of a number of early American instruments have profited from a careful study of their history.

Click here to listen to the discussion at thesymposium ‘Schnitger now’ at 15.11.2011

Photos of the reading by Bruce Shull: Jan Smelik

Examples from the archive of Bruce Shull

Brombaugh Eugene Oregon1976

Taylor & Boody Vincennes Indiana 1981

Taylor & Boody Ferris-University Yyokohama 1989

Fritts Arizona State University 1991

Fritts Pacific Lutheran University 1998

Fritts Notre Dame University 2004