Purebred Organ Builder
Winold van der Putten is one of the two founders of “Van der Putten orgelmakerij”
In his younger years Winold studied theology and art history. But these subjects didn’t really inspire him. He stopped, and began working on the stage. Through his wife, who was studying harpsichord, he met the harpsichordist Jacques Ogg and the recorder- and portative-player Jankees Braaksma.
These were all people who were occupied with early music and instruments. And he got to know more and more people who were studying the organ. That fascinated Winold and he thought more and more often about the possibility of becoming an organ builder.
He asked the brothers Reil in Heerde if they would teach him the craft. In 1978 he started his work for them. In the eleven years that he worked there, Winold developed himself into an all-round organ builder. In 1989, together with the music teacher Berend Veger, he started his own company.
They already had several orders when they began. They made many chest organs and also portatives and larger organs. In 1996 Ingrid Noack-Kirschner joined the company; in 1999 Berend Veger left the company, which was continued by Winold van der Putten alone.
Then in 2002, after a serious accident, he was no longer able to shoulder the responsibility for the day-to-day management. Ingrid Noack-Kirschner took over this responsibility. Since that time, Winold is no longer the director but is still very active in the firm.
Medieval music
Winold is fascinated by medieval organ music. He gets his knowledge of medieval organ building from various old texts, e.g. the treatise of Arnout van Zwolle (1400 -1466) and a 10th-century work “De fistulis Organis” (About organ pipes) by an anonymous author.
Together with people like Jankees Braaksma he puzzles as long as is necessary to get the right sounds. Extant old instruments are studied meticulously to unlock the secrets of their sounds.
You can call him a fanatic if you want. Artistic and passionate. Somebody who just keeps on going, because there’s still so much to be discovered.
