Music sample

Christian Friedrich Ruppe (1735-1836)

Finale: Rondo Allegro in D

Registration: HW: B16,P8,O4,O2,Mix,Sesq,T8(f)

BW: H8,N2 (p)

Organist: Frank van Wijk

Chapel Church

Müllerorgan 1762

Hoofdwerk (C-f’’’)	Bovenwerk (C-f’’’)

Bourdon M 16’ ;	Prestant (vanaf c0) F 8’ Discant dubbel
Prestant M 8’ Discant dubbel	Holpijp M 8’
Roerfluit M 8’	Quintadena M 8’
Roerquint F 6’	Viola di Gamba B 8’ (C-H Quintadena 8’)
Octaaf M 4’	Gemshoorn M 4’
Roerfluit M 4’	Quintfluit M 3’
Octaaf M 2’	Nachthoorn M 2’
Sesquialter M II	Dulciaan F 8’
Mixtuur M/F III-VI
Cornet (Disc.) M IV	Aangehangen pedaal (C-d’)
Trompet (Bas/Disc.) F 8’

History and description of the Müller-organ at the Kapel Church

1760-1762 / the building of the Müller-organ

On the 4th of December 1760 the mayors of Alkmaar signed a contract with the organ-builders Christian and Pieter Müller from Amsterdam, to build a new organ in the restored Kapel Church. It should be Christian Müller’s last opus: he died in 1763 in Amsterdam, 73 years old. The instrument was donated by lady Johanna Geertruida le Chatelain. The specification was, according to the preserved contract:

Specification of 1762

Hoofdwerk	Bovenwerk
Prestant 8’ (treble doubled)	Prestant (treble) 8’ (doubled)
Bourdon 16’	Quintadena (bass) 8’
Open Fluit 8’	Roerfluit 8’
Roerquint 6’	Gemshoorn 4’
Octaaf 4’	Quintfluit 3’
Fluit 4’	Nachthoorn 2’
Superoctaaf 2’	Cornet (treble) IV
Mixtuur III-VI	Dulciaan 8’
Sexquialter II
Trompet 8’	Tremulant, Ventiel

Some definitions in the contract

Pull-down pedal	Pitch: a’=415 Hz.(‘chamber-pitch’)
Compass manuals: C-c’’’	Front pipes made from pure English tin (polished)
Compass pedal: C-c’	Inner pipes: 100 pounds of led on 40 pounds of tin
4 bellows	Mean-tone temperament]

The design of the organ-case

The beautiful organ-case was built after an existing design (probably by Christian Müller himself) in a classical style corresponding with the new church interior. The actual organ-case is surrounded by pillars which carry a so-called ‘fronton’ (pediment) crowned by the city-arms of Alkmaar. The inspiration for such an exceptional construction, which suggests an instrument of much larger dimensions, can be found close by: the classical organ-case designed by Jacob van Campen in the St. Laurens’ Church!

The carvings were made by the sculptors Asmus Frauen and Willem Straatman.

On an inscription at the inside of the organ-case we can read: ‘Den 16 december 1762 is dit orgel voor de eerste maal onder de Godsdienst gebruykt…’(‘On the 12th of December 1762 this organ was used in the service for the first time…’).

2001 - 2004 Restoration by Flentrop Orgelbouw

From 2001 to 2004 the organ was entirely restored by Flentrop Orgelbouw, Zaandam. Starting point was the situation created by Ypma in 1882. The restoration, reconstruction and voicing of the pipework was orientated towards the large number of extant Müller-stops (see the specification after restoration). The changes of 1940 were removed. The organ case was repainted in its original colours, a combination of mahogany and marble. Thereby the instrument regained its former splendour, not only internally but also externally.

Specification of 2004

Hoofdwerk (C-f’’’)	Bovenwerk (C-f’’’)
Bourdon M 16’	Prestant (from c⁰) F 8’ I-II
Prestant M 8’ I-II	Holpijp M 8’
Roerfluit M 8’	Quintadena M 8’
Roerquint F 6’	Viola di Gamba B 8’ (C-H Quintadena 8’)
Octaaf M 4’	Gemshoorn M 4’
Roerfluit M 4’	Quintfluit M 3’
Octaaf M 2’	Nachthoorn M 2’
Sesquialter M II	Dulciaan F 8’
Mixtuur M/F III-VI
Cornet (Disc.) M IV	Pull-down pedal (C-d’)
Trompet (Bas /Disc.) F 8’

M = Chr. and P. Müller, 1762

B = L. van den Brink, 1827 (from Garrels-organ, Purmerend)

Y = Ypma, 1882

F = Flentrop, 2004

Tremulant over het gehele werk: M

Manual Coupler: Y

Wind chests C-c’’’: M, Wind chests cis’’’-f’’’: Y

Keyboards, action and wind-supply: Y

Pitch: a’=435 Hz.

Equal temperament

Wind pressure: 76 mm

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