Fugatto

The Rieger Organ of Fulda cathedral (Germany)

Rieger Organ - Fulda Cathedral

The existing organ case dates back to the time when the Cathedral was rebuilt in its Baroque style. During the years 1708 through 1713 Adam Öhninger built an organ for the cathedral comprising 41 stops on three manuals and pedals. The decorative fretwork has been carved by Andreas Boldhasar Weber and the carpenter Georg Blank. This organ case has been restored while the cathedral underwent general restoration work from 1992 through 1996. The original colouring was recovered and restored.

In the course of this restoration also the technical part of the instrument was replaced. The organ today features 70 (72) stops on four manuals and pedals. The specification was based on the remaining pipes of the instrument build by Sauer (Frankfurt/Oder) in 1876/77. 24 stops of this organ were retained as far as the original pipework was still extent. More details may be found in the specification below. The added pipes, the new stops and the entire technical part were built by the workshop Rieger from Schwarzach/Vorarlberg, Austria. They also executed the carpentry on the case. The back part of the Rückpositiv had to be added. Furthermore roofs, side panels, bearers and girders of the case had to be reconstructed.
Restoration of casework, carved pipeshades, figurines and colouring was carried out by Jean Kramer, Fulda. IN the course also the gallery floor and parts of the supporting beams had to be replaced.

Specification of the grand Rieger Organ of Fulda Cathedral (1997)

I. Rückpositiv (C-a3, 58 notes)
1. Praestant 8' new
2. Holzgedackt 8' new
3. Quintatön 8' old
4. Octave 4' old
5. Rohrflöte 4' old
6. Quinte 2 2/3' new
7. Superoctave 2' new
8. Terz 1 3/5' new
9. Larigot 1 1/3' new
10. Scharff IV 1' new
11. Dulcian 16' new
12. Trompete 8' new
13. Krummhorn 8' new
Tremulant

II. Hauptwerk (C-a3, 58 notes)
14. Praestant 16' new
15. Principal 8' old
16. Flûte harmonique 8' old
17. Rohrgedackt 8' new
18. Octave 4' old
19. Spitzflöte 4' new
20. Superoctave 2' new
21. Cornett V 8' from TG, new
22. Rauschquinte II 2 2/3' old
23. Mixtur major V 2' new
24. Mixtur minor III 2/3' new
25. Trompete 16' new
26. Trompete 8' new
Tremulant

III. Schwellwerk (C-a3, 58 notes)
27. Bordun 16' old
28. Principal 8' old
29. Rohrflöte 8' old
30. Gamba 8' old
31. Salicional 8' old
32. Vox coelestis 8' new
33. Octave 4' new
34. Flûte traversière 4' old
35. Viola 4' new
36. Nazard 2 2/3' old
37. Doublette 2' new
38. Tierce 1 3/5' new
39. Progressio IV-VI 2 2/3' old
40. Plein jeu V 2' new
41. Bombarde 16' old
42. Trompette harmonique 8' new
43. Hautbois 8' new
44. Voix humaine 8' new
45. Clairon harmonique 4' new
Tremulant

IV. Oberwerk (C-a3, 58 notes)
46. Gemshorn 8' old
47. Gedackt 8' old
48. Praestant 4' new
49. Fernflöte 4' old
50. Piccolo 2' new
51. Sifflöte 1' new
52. Kornett IV 4' from TG, old
53. Mixtur III 2' new
54. Trompete 8' new
55. Clarinette 8' old
56. Clairon 4' new
Tremulant

Pedalwerk (C-g1, 32 notes)
57. Untersatz 32' new
58. Praestant 16' new
59. Subbass 16' new
60. Violon 16' new
61. Octave 8' new
62. Flûte 8' new
63. Cello 8' new
64. Octavbass 4' old
65. Flûte 4' new
66. Flûte traversière 2' old
67. Hintersatz IV 2 2/3' new
68. Kontraposaune 32' new
69. Posaune 16' new
70. Fagott 16' new
71. Trompete 8' new
72. Clairon 4' old

Couplers:
mechanical: Ow-Ped, Sw-Ped, Hw-Ped, Rp-Ped,
Ow-Rp, Sw-Rp
Ow-Hw, Sw-Hw, Rp-Hw
Ow-Sw
electric: Ow-Hw, Sw-Hw, Sw-Hw 16'
Sw-Ped 4', Rp-Ped 4',

FUG 042