The Schmidt Organ from 1770
In 1766, Rostock organ builder Paul Schmidt was commissioned to build a new organ for St. Mary’s church. Already in 1765, the Glowatz organ (read more>)was taken down, and a concept was drawn up with 59 stops. Finally, the organ received 62 stops, beeing playable on four manuals and pedal. A fifth manual worked as a coupler manual.
The organ was inaugurated on 2 July 1770, one year past schedule. After the Schnitger organ of Hamburg St. Ncholas (1687) and the Hildebrandt organ of Hamburg St. Michaelis (1770), it was the third largest organ worldwide.
The fourth manual was equipped with a swell hood, and there were some gadgets like timpani and chimes (“Glockenspiel”).
Schmidt was very proud of his work. But soon after inauguration, it was realized that the wind supply does not meet the demands of such a big organ und such a vast space. Just 19 years later, the organ had to face a general rebuild by Ernst Marx (read more>), retaining very little material of Schmidt’s instrument.
(previous: Organs 1452-1765 – next: The Marx organ of 1793)
The Specification:
Hauptwerk. Erstes Clavier
1) Principal 16 Fuß
2) Quintadehna 16 Fuß
3) Viol di Gamba 8 Fuß
4) Octava 8 Fuß
5) Octava 4 Fuß
6) Octava 2 Fuß
7) Flauto 4 Fuß
8) Quinta 6 Fuß
9) Sesquialtera. 2Fach 3 Fuß
10) Octava resp. 4, 6 und 8Fach
11) Mixtur 4Fach
12) Mixtur 3Fach
13) Trompet 16 Fuß
14) Trompet 8 Fuß
Oberwerk. Zweytes Clavier.
1) Principal 16 Fuß
2) Gemshorn 8 Fuß
3) Flaut d’Amour 8 Fuß
4) Octava 8 Fuß
5) Octava 4 Fuß
6) Flauto 4 Fuß
7) Waldflöt 2 Fuß
8) Sesquialtera 2Fach
9) Mixtur 4Fach
10) Mixtur 3Fach
11) Fagotte 16 Fuß
12) Trompet 8 Fuß
Seitenwerk. Drittes Clavier.
1) Principal 8 Fuß
2) Borduhn 16 Fuß
3) Gedact 8 Fuß
4) Flauto Traversiere 8 Fuß
5) Flauto 4 Fuß
6) Octava 4 Fuß
7) Octava 2 Fuß
8) Quinta 3 Fuß
9) Tertia 1 3/5 Fuß
10) Mixtur 3Fach
11) Trompet 8 Fuß
Viertes Clavier,
welches auch nach Belieben zum Forte-
Piano gebraucht werden kan.
1) Gemshorn 8 Fuß
2) Flauto Traversiere 8 Fuß
3) Flauto d’amour 8 Fuß
4) Viol di Gamba 8 Fuß
5) Spitzflöte 4 Fuß
6) Waldflöte 2 Fuß
7) Trompet 8 Fuß
8) Vox humana 8 Fuß
Pedal.
1) Principal 32 Fuß
2) Untersatz 32 Fuß
3) Sub-Baß 16 Fuß
4) Violono 16 Fuß
5) Violono 8 Fuß
6) Octava 8 Fuß
7) Octava 4 Fuß
8) Neben-Octava 4 Fuß
9) Quinta 6 Fuß
10) Mixtur 4Fach
11) Mixtur 3Fach
12) Posaune 32 Fuß
13) Posaune 16 Fuß
14) Trompet 8 Fuß
15) Trompet 8 Fuß
16) Trompet 4 Fuß