The Hazen organ of the St. Francis Church in Breda was dismantled in September.

The instrument was handcrafted by the firm Jos Stevens from Duffel in 1891 and consisted of a two-manual instrument with an attached pedal. The organ was placed in the niche on the right side of the gallery. The console was positioned in the lower cabinet.

Around 1925, the organ was expanded with a pedal in the niche on the left side of the gallery. At the same time, the console was moved to the center of the gallery. The mechanical action to both manuals was modified. The new pedal windchest for the Subbass 16’ and the Bombarde 16’ was fitted with pneumatic action. An electric fan was also installed at that time so that manual pumping was no longer necessary.

The original organ, located in the right organ chamber, is relatively well preserved; much of the original pipework, windchests, and mechanical action are still present. The original wind supply, featuring a large double-fold reservoir bellows and two feeder bellows underneath, is also still present. From the reservoir bellows, the playing wind is guided through wooden wind channels to the two bellows near the wind chests of the first and second manual.

The wind supply is being restored. The leather is torn, the channels are infested with woodworm, connections are leaking, and the wind regulation is broken. The mechanical action will be repaired and re-adjusted. The currently non-functioning pneumatic action and chest will be repaired. In addition to a general cleaning, the pipework will be inspected and repaired where necessary.

The company was founded in 1903 by Hendrik Wicher Flentrop (1866-1950). He had the opinion that old organs should not be adapted to the taste of their time, but should sound authentic. After gaining experience in restauration he built his first new organ in 1915. Since 1922, he was in contact with Dr. Albert Schweitzer, who also held strong opinions regarding the requirements that organs should meet. Flentrop’s son, Dirk Andries Flentrop (1910-2003), took over the management of the company in 1940. Important organs were built and restored during his career.

From 1976 to 1998, the company was led by J.A. (Hans) Steketee (1936-2010). Under his leadership the Johannes Duyschot-organ in Zaandam was restored, among other projects abroad. In Flentrop’s long history, a broad knowledge of the most diverse historical organ types had been acquired, each with its own specific sound idiom. The application of this experience and knowledge resulted in the design and construction of the organ in Uitdam. The commissioning and construction of the Flentrop-organ in Uitdam, ab exceptionally fine one manual mechanical organ with 10 stops and an attached pedalboard, was made possible by an unexpected bequest received by the church. The instrument was inaugurated on March 32, 1982, with a performance by organ consultant Hans Erné. 

Download the brochure for more detailed information.

For futher information:
Jan L. van den Heuvel – Orgelbouw bv
Amstelwijckweg 44
3316 BB Dordrecht
T: +31 78 6179540
E:

On Monday, May 4, as many organ enthusiasts know by now, we began the dismantling work of the Positif of the large organ (IV/P, 80 stops) in the Nieuwe Kerk in Katwijk aan Zee.

After 44 years of intensive use, the organ will undergo a major overhaul in several phases over the coming two years. The first phase involves the Positif with 18 independent stops. A photo report of the dismantling work follows below.

Unfortunately, in recent years, without the client's knowledge (or consent), significant changes have been made to the pipework and voicing, among other things. These works were not carried out by the organ builder responsible for the regular maintenance of the organ.

However, we are very grateful that the church wardens, the organ committee, and the current organist(s) of the organ in the Nieuwe Kerk have decided to restore the sound of the organ to the state in which we delivered it in 1983.