2006.01

Jan Van Mol: The Antwerp Organ in the 19th Century [1]
After Napoleon’s Concordat in 1803, ecclesiastical life in Antwerp got a fresh start. Most parish churches reopened their doors. Most monasteries disappeared; some monastic churches adopted a parochial function.

1. A period of recovery: 1815–1845
The primary concern was the restoration of the old organs. In addition, organs were adapted to the taste of the time.

Jean-Joseph Delhaye (1786–1845)
The Delhaye family lived in Antwerp for four generations and were ever-present for restoration and maintenance work. In the Dutch period (1815–1830) Jean-Joseph Delhaye found a market in the south of what is now the Netherlands. His rebuilding of the cathedral organ left the classical core intact. The organ was deepened and the sonic crown was gently rounded off.

Theodoor Smet (1782–1858)
Theodoor Smet continued the Campine organ tradition from Duffel. He relocated several organs while adding his own elements. The organ of the Walburgis Church was moved to Diest, stripped of its sesquialtera and enriched with a third manual that also served as pedal. The choir organ from St Paul’s Church was transferred to Broechem, where Smet added a Rückpositiv. His most important achievement is the organ of St Augustine’s Church (1828).

Pierre-Jean De Volder (1767–1841)
Pierre-Jean De Volder kept his workshop in Ghent despite being of Antwerp origin; he nevertheless maintained his connections in Antwerp. He rebuilt the cathedral organ (1828), making the sound less brilliant. His alteration of the Forceville organ in St James’ Church was extensive, though the overall aesthetic remained largely classical.

Bernhard Dreymann (1788–1857)
Bernhard Dreymann was introduced into Belgium through the German royal household. In 1846 he built the organ for the Protestant church.
Joris Lejeune: Must arrangements be better than the original?
Many musicians hold a one-sided view of arrangements, automatically considering them inferior to the originals. The author aims to show that this opinion needs at least some qualification: only after a careful study of a transcription, a comparison with the original, and performance under appropriate conditions (instrument, space, …) can one judge its merits and shortcomings.
Transcriptions can be roughly divided into two categories: performing the original score on the organ as faithfully as possible, or adapting the music to make it truly organ repertoire.
The article concludes with a comparative study of four arrangements (by S. Karg-Elert, H. Ellingford, E. Lemare, and H. Reimann) of the opening of Richard Wagner’s Vorspiel to Parsifal. This short comparison is not intended to declare a “winner,” but to demonstrate that nuance and caution are required.

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