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Hervormde Kerk, Yerseke (2019)

The Flentrop company built a new organ in 1951 for the Reformed Church in Yerseke. The façade is a design by the architect J.W. Janzen. The instrument in the Reformed Church of Yerseke is a very solidly built organ. It was designed and built at a time when a major change in organ building took place (a refocusing on the mechanical "baroque" organ type). It is one of the earlier organs in which Dirk A. Flentrop presented his knowledge for this type of organ that he built according to the mechanical slider chest system. This organ has a beautiful sound and the pipe scaling is generous, it is definitely not a neo-baroque sound.

flentrop1951

Despite the very characteristic elements and qualities, there are also weaker points. The quality of the reed stops is unfortunately below the level that is nowadays considered desirable. The sound development is certainly characteristic of the construction period, but this is nowadays done differently (more 'user-friendly' and more fitted to contemporary use in the worship service).

In 1975/76 the organ was transferred by the builder to the new west wall of the church. A pneumatic pressure Tremulant was built in by Flentrop and the reed stops were re-worked. The Nijsse company carried out major maintenance work in 2007. Whereupon the Spitsgedekt 16 of the pedal was replaced by an oak Bourdon 16. Again, the reed stops were re-worked. Unfortunately without the desirable result because the reed stops were still unstable.

Works started on the Flentrop organ in July. The Regaal 8' has been replaced by a completely new Dulciaan 8' with the bottom octave with half length resonators,being made in connection with the available height of the rugwerk case. The Hoofdwerk Trumpet 8' has also been renewed whereby the resonators have been reused. The Pedal Fagot 16' got new shallots, tongues and tuning wires. To increase the sound-color possibilities of the rugwerk, the Scherp has been replaced by a Sesquialter using pipe work from the Scherp supplemented with Flentrop pipe work from the organ builder's stock.

The tremulant bellows have been renewed and the sound effect has been improved. Furthermore, restoration of the console has been carried out in which worn keystrokes have been replaced, broken register shields have been renewed and worn felt linings have been replaced. The back wall of the Rugwerk was finished with thin plywood and very fragile. The finish has been updated and is now 10 mm thick. The hatch layout has also been adjusted so that the reed stop is easily accessible for tuning. Subsequently, the mechanics were checked and adjusted and the voicing was corrected.

Additional Info

  • Operations: Restoration
  • Location: Yerseke
  • Stoplist:
    Hoofdwerk, C-f3
    Prestant 8'
    Holpijp 8'
    Octaaf 4'
    Roerfluit 4'
    Spitsquint 2 2/3'
    Nachthoorn 2'
    Mixtuur V-VI 1 1/3'
    Trompet 8' (1951/2019)
    Rugwerk, C-f3
    Gedekt 8
    Prestant 4'
    Fluit 4'
    Octaaf 2'
    Quint 1 1/3'
    Sesquialter I-II (2019)
    Dulciaan 8' (2019)

    Pedaal, C-d1
    Bourdon 16'
    Octaaf 8'
    Octaaf 4'
    Mixtuur IV 2'
    Fagot 16' (1951/2019)
    Cinck 2'


    Couplers
    Manuaalkoppel
    Pedaalkoppel (Hoofdwerk)
    Tremulant (Hoofdwerk)

    Compount stops:

    Mixtuur V-VI 1 1/3'
    C c0 c1 c2 c3
    1 1/3 2 2 2/3 4 5 1/3
    1 1 1/3 2 2 2/3 4
    2/3 1 1 1/3 2 2 2/3
    1/2 2/3 1 2 2 2/3
        1 1 1/3 2
            2
    Sesquialter I-II
    C f0
    1 1/3 2 2/3
      1 3/5
    Mixtuur IV 2'
    C A g0
    2 2 2/3 4
    1 1/3 2 2 2/3
    1 1 1/3 2
    2/3 1 1 1/3