The Great Organ by Gottfried Silbermann

The great organ on the western gallery was built by Gottfried Silbermann between 1711 and 1714. It was the first “big” organ by this 27 year old organ builder. In its conception (ingeniously combining the French-Alsatian and Middle German styles), in its excellent craftsmanship and in its astoundingly precise voicing, this instrument sports truly unique qualities. Here, in the Freiberg Cathedral Organ, Silbermann merged different styles in a way he would never repeat again. The French style of organ building is reflected in the overall specification, in the voicing of the reeds, and in the way the shallots and windchests were designed. On the other hand, the German style is reflected in the powerfully reinforced foundation stops, in the strong emphasis on pedal (although still lacking a coupler or the corresponding palletbox), as well as in the louder voicing and reinforced specification of Quintadehn stops and conical reeds.

In 1738 the instrument was slightly modified: the Nassat was replaced the former Terz stop to make a Flaschflöt 1´ stop and a Quintadehn 8´ for the Oberwerk. Otherwise, until today, nothing in the specification has been modified. The original pitch, uncommonly high at ca. a=473 Hz, has been preserved (now at 476 Hz) along with the unequal temperament. Studying those few pipes which have not undergrone some kind of modification, it can be assumed that the SIlbermann organ was tuned in a temperament closely resembling mean-tone. Following several retunings in the course of the 20th century, the latest historical restoration 1981-83 established a temperament with mean-tone characteristic, which has been maintained since then.

The fact that this Great Silberman Organ is particularly well preserved can be attributed to several factors. Silbermann´s apprentices kept up its maintance during his lifetime, although he had forbidden them to do so (since he had a permanent disagreement with the Council of Freiberg). The fact that Silbermann and his successors and pupils Johann Georg Schön and Adam Gottfried Oehme had their workshop on the Schlossplatz – within eyeshot of the Cathedral – was certainly also of great advantage. Inscribed on the walls of the socalled Kurrendekammer (“choir chamber”) in back of the organ and in the bellows, one will find a great number of names of many who helped maintain and preserve the instrument ever since the 1700´s. Attempts to re-tune the instrument in the course of the 1800´s fortunately came to nought: the first time due to “lacking finances” in 1841, then thanks to resistance on the part of both the Cathedral Organist and the Kantor in 1853. During his first years as Cathedral Organ is from 1926 on, Arthur Eger was also able to protect the organ from being rebuilt. Modifications were only made in the wind supply; then, in 1933, the Quintadehn 8´stop was rebuilt due to supposed tin disease, and the reeds were somewhat ´redone´ in 1939.