Rekonstruktion und Restaurierung der Zacharias-Hildebrandt-Orgel von 1726 zu Lengefeld im Erzgebirge

Reconstruction and Conservation of the 1726 Organ by Zacharias Hildebrandt in Lengefeld in the Erzgebirge In 1724 Zacharias Hildebrandt, one of the eminent organ makers in central Germany, was awarded the contract for building the Lengefeld organ, his opus no. 4 with two keyboards and 22 stops. He reused seven sets of pipes from the predecessor organ of 1661. In the intervention of 1933, two thirds of the metal pipes and the original case with its ornamental painting had been retained, however, the action had been changed to pneumatic and eight registers had been added. Major woodworm damage had been found in all wooden pipes, the windchests and the action; these components had therefore been discarded. For this reason, retaining the mechanical action and the disposition of stops had been beyond question as regaining the baroque sound characteristics had not been intended, despite of the organ movement’s efforts for the renewal of the art of organ making. The request for lighter playability together with the strive for a romantic sound had been the decisive factors. The organ worked less and less well after seventy years. The leather components of the pneumatic action of 1933 were worn out and required a major decision for either a complete reconditioning or a reconstruction of the historic work. The latter was chosen, and the reconstruction of the 1726 state was initiated and supported by the Association of Friends for the Reconstruction of the Hildebrandt Organ.