Testimonials

Frobenius Organ, opus 517 Current Project - Holy Family Church by Jürgen Schwab

"The two most important organ composers of the Baroque period are Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707). Buxtehude was of Danish nationality, and is considered to be the most important Danish composer before 1800.

When Buxtehude became organist in Elsinore in 1660, he performed on an organ, which was built by Johan Lorentz in 1641. This organ was dismantled in 1854.

Marcussen then built a new organ in the mid-19th century style behind the historic facade which remained there until 1960. In 1960 the famous organ builder Frobenius was engaged to build a new organ. This instrument attempted stylistically to return back to the original organ specifications performed on by Buxtehude because the interest for Baroque music had grown considerably.

This organ is a delicate instrument with a crystal-clear sound...close to Buxtehude's world of sound, but not excluding other styles totally well known throughout Europe. Famous organists, like Marie-Claire Alain recorded Bach and Buxtehude there. E.Power Biggs has also recorded extensively on this organ, and in fact, with the advent of recording albums, this instrument was considered a must destination to "hear" what the sound of Buxtehude was...

In 1995 it was decided, to built again a new organ. This time the few remaining parts of the Lorentz organ from 1641 were collected and re-used. The goal was to reconstruct an organ which was absolutely in the style of the early 17th century, excluding the interpretation of most of the music from later centuries.

But this meant, that the beautiful Frobenius instrument from 1960 was for sale. Through the financial support initially of the Rice Foundation of Chicago and finially the total remaining finiancial underwriting by the Hooper Foundation, this great organ will now be installed in Holy Family Church in Chicago for their 150th year anniversary.

Together with the romantic G.F. Steinmeyer organ from 1879 that Keith Hooper purchased in Germany and delivered to Holy Family Church in 1996 (see article), Holy Family will host two extraordinary instruments of great historical value.

As a miraculous coincidence the Frobenius organ, which leaves it's historic facade in Denmark, will find its new home behind the historic organ facade of an old organ in Holy Family in the second balcony...which was abandoned long ago.

The Frobenius Organ project, carefully and artistically directed by Schwab, Güldner and Hooper, is an attempt to deliver the "Soundscape of the 17th Century" with it's clear sound, gorgious recorder-like flutes and its colorful reed stops...to Chicago. It will be an especially perfect instrument to perform all kinds of Baroque music.

The mechanical parts of this organ, it's "Hardware", is made of finest materials. Mahagony-wood is used for many internal parts. Mühleisen-organ-builders, who restored the instrument and adopted it to the sanctuary of Holy Family, is one of the leading current European organ builders. Their great skills and experiences feature restoring historic organs with unusual sensivity.