Flentrop Orgelbouw Zaandam: pipe organ building, pipe organ restoration
philosophy - sound & materials
The restoration of very early organs allows us to see clearly
which materials have managed to withstand the
ravages of time.
In restorations the choice of materials is adapted to the existing
materials.
When building a new organ, however, we make our own choices, based on
the same principles of durability.
These days there is also the question of sustainability. Ivory from
elephants' tusks is no longer used for the white keys in new keyboards.
Fortunately bone is a good alternative.
For restoration purposes, legally available mammoth ivory is sometimes
employed.
Most of the wood we use is of European origin and meets the demands of
the FSC certificate.
The oak trees are selected on the spot before felling and stored for us
in the form of planks.
A long period of natural drying follows.
Before the wood is used, all bark and sapwood is removed because it
could be prone to woodworm in the long run.
Left-over wood is used in the workshops for heating the melting pot for
metal organ parts.
The metal used for organ pipes, lead and pewter, are nowadays only
obtainable in refined form.
In order to achieve the effect of natural impurity again, traces of
other metals such as pewter, antimony,
bismuth, copper and silver are added during smelting, so that the
casting will have the same durability as in the past.
Until 2008 uw usually cast metal for organs on cloth. For the
project in Hamburg we started casting on sand, and the
large surplus value showed during the voicing. Another
working that is important for the structure of the metal is the
hammering of the organ metal.
There is another mechanism that plays a part in the last steps to top
quality.
When the pipe makers and organ builders have lovingly attended to all
the details, have used the best materials
and have been passionate about their work, the voicers acquire wings
allowing them to excel themselves.
We intend that the love that has gone into the exercise of our
profession should inspire the organist who
ultimately has to bring the instrument to life.
tel. +31 (0)75-6168651