Arp Schnitger

Arp Schnitger was the most famous organ builder of Germany of north at the 17th century. It was born on July 2nd, 1648 in Schmalenfleth (today Brake) and was buried on July 28th, 1719 with Neuenfelde, today district of Hamburg. The organ baroque of Germany of the north reached with him its apogee.

Biography

Ascent

Arp Schnitger goes down from a family of carpenters well in sight in Schmalenfleth where it is established since generations. The name Schnitger comes besides from the occupation which its members follow there of wire father: the name Snitker indeed means “carpenter” in the dialect low-German which is spoken there. It is known that the father of Arp Schnitger, carried out also minor repairs with the organ of the surrounding churches.

Childhood, youth and training

Schnitger grows among five brothers and sisters and made her training with his/her father. When it was 18 years old, it left to make its voyage of training, as it was the habit. In addition to very good provisions for manual work, it was also gifted for the music. It is in Glückstadt, city located on the lower course of the Elba, than it finished its five years training. Its Master of training course was a relative of the name of Berendt Huss. He continued his career like companion, generally working in the areas of Germany of north. The end of this first promising course was marked by the completion of the organ of the church St Like Stade in 1673: this work had been started with Huss, stopped by the death of this one and taken again by Schnitger. After the disappearance of its mentor, Schnitger continued the activity of the workshop of invoice at Stade, at the beginning on behalf of the Huss widow.

Professional path

The fame of Schnitger as craftsman and artist quickly started to be spread in the area, and to soon arrived him of the orders coming from Bremen, Verden and Hamburg. From 1677 to 1682, he worked in his workshop of Stage. Then it is established in Hamburg from which it acquired the citizenship after having lent oath. At that time, Hamburg is undoubtedly the principal hearth musical and organistic of all Germany. Its first important order relates to the organ of the Saint Nicolas's Day church for which it builds an instrument having 67 registers, 4 manual keyboards, pedals, more than 4000 pipes. The largest pipe of the 32 feet weighed 860 pounds. This organ was to thereafter be played by Vincent Lübeck which he had known at Stade. Unfortunately, this chief of work was to disappear later at the time of the large fire of Hamburg in 1842. On the other hand, the organ of the church St Jacobi built by Schnitger in 1693 was fortunately preserved. Equipped with 60 registers, of 4 keyboards and pedals, it is today the largest historical organ of the world.

The organ builders and the organists most famous made the voyage from Hamburg to admire the organ made by Schnitger there, and among them it is necessary to quote at least Dietrich Buxtehude, Georg Friedrich Haendel and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Schnitger accepted orders of all Germany of north, and even beyond: organ of its invoice was installed in England, in Russia, in Spain, in Portugal - an instrument is even in Brazil where it was sent in 1747 by the king Jean V of Portugal. In 1699, it obtained the title of official factor of the counties of Oldenbourg and Delmenhorst, of the duchies of Bremen and Verden as well as kingdom of Prussia.

Family

Arp Schnitger married Gertrud Otte, of an easy family of tradesmen Hamburger. From 1705 until its death in 1719, it had an additional workshop in the property of his parents-in-law, whom one called Orgelbauerhof . Of its marriage, it had six children, but two only were to survive their famous father and to continue his activity. After his death in 1719, his/her son Franz Caspar worked in the Netherlands oun it built splendid always visible instruments and under operation, in particular with Meppel, Alkmaar and Zwolle.

Go back to death

The register of the burials of the parish of Neuenfelde establishes at July 28th, 1719 the date of the burial of Arp Schnitger. The date of its death is not known precisely. It is deceased, according to any probability, not in Neuenfelde, but in Itzehoe, where it was building since 1715 an organ of three keyboards and 43 registers. Its tomb, in the church of Neuenfelde was found in 1971 and was provided with a funerary stone plate.

External bonds

Site devoted to Arp Schnitger with chart cliquable of the organ and photographs

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