Hochschule für Künste Bremen, D

Orgelmakerij Reil, 1977

House organ Klaas Bolt


Build in 1977. Was originally erected at the Reformed church in Overveen and was acquired by the Hochschule für Künste.

Stoplist:

Manual I Holpijp Praestant Octaaf Fluit Octaaf

8' 8' 4' 4' 2'

Bass/Treble Treble Treble Bass (transmission)

Manual II Gedekt Spitsfluit Fluit Spitsfluit Cornet Vox Humana

8' 4' 4' 2' II 8'

Bass/Treble Treble Bass (transmission) Bass/Treble Treble Bass/Treble

Pedal Schalmei Gedekt Kinderbas

4' 8' 2'

Shift coupler I to II
Pedal-I
Pedal-II
Tremulant

Woodcarvings: Michaël Moser (Austria)
Tuning: Werckmeister III




About Klaas Bolt

Klaas Bolt was born in 1927 at Appingedam and died in Haarlem 1990. He got his first organ lessons
on the famous Arp Schnitger-organ in the Der Aa-kerk in Groningen from Johan van Meurs. Later on
he got lessons at the Martini-organ from Cor Batenburg. He was organist of the Van Oeckelen-organ
at Noordlaren.
After his graduation as a professional organist, he was appointed organist of the Christiaan Müller-organ
at the Grote or St. Bavo church in the city of Haarlem. Main task was to play at the Sunday services for
the Dutch reformed church.
In 1956 and 1957 he was winner of the International Improvisation contest in Haarlem.
Klaas Bolt was teacher at the Sweelinck music university Amsterdam and organ consultant
for organ restorations and new organs in corporation with the Dutch Reformed Organcomittee
and the governmental "Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg".


History of building the house organ

In 1973 the brothers Reil travelled to East-Germany, together with Klaas Bolt. Main task was
to collect information about building a house organ.
The key desk of Bach's organ at Arnstadt was measured (cheeks, keys etc). The decision was made
to use this as sample for the little organ to build. Also the position of the organist and his key desk
were examined so that there could be a good sit for the organist.
The first house organ was build for "College of Church Music" in Tokyo, 1973. After opus 1. they went
further in searching nice sounding stops which would be perfect for using in a home situation. Visits
took place to some old cabinet organs. Task of these trips were to come up with a new reference for
modern house organ building.
The design developed and definite plans resulted in the Bolts organ. His organ got all the stops as planned,
no reservations were made. Bolt designed the stop list).A separated wind system outside the organ was
added to it. Many organs of this type has been made since.

The sound of an house organ is much more direct, not only because of acoustic surroundings of a room,
but also since all pipes are put in such a small space. Working neatly is very important in this matter. This
was also developed further in the voicing of the lager organs of the Reil shop.

The house organ can be seen as a fully grown up organ, not a sort of home trainer. It is full of colour and
sweetness, but not as loud as a church organ. When all stops are build, it contains 12 stops on two
manuals and pedal, having only one transmission and two half stops.

In 2004 Orgelmakerij van der Putten BV restored the organ and brought it in good condition again. Some
changes were made which are the same as the Reil brothers did with some of the later organs of this type.
Original the Gedekt 8' and Cornet II got wind by just one conduct, placed high in the organ case. There was
a separate slider for the Cornet. It was hard to tune the Cornet easily and therefore the both stops got
there own conduct out of the wind chest. Tuning the transmitted Fluit 4' wasn't successful either. One had
to make a choice of having it in tune with manual I or manual II. The solution was made to make a new
Octave 4' treble for the first manual and to replace the Fluit 4' treble on the second manual for a
Spitsfluit 4' treble. There was enough space for those two treble stops since the original Fluit 4' was
very wide build, the bass of both stops remained transmissioned .
The Sordun 16' was removed and a Schalmei 4' after Bremen-Walle (van der Putten 2002) was added.


Written after the Jubilee book from the firm Reil in 1984.
Restauration in 2004-2009 by Orgelmakerij van der Putten.