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84 stops
5945 pipes
five manuals
plus pedal

  


The great kuhn organ
of the collegiate church of st.leodegar in lucerne

altered, restored and enlarged
by Kuhn AG of Männedorf between 1972 and 1977.
   

 

     

  

The 5945 pipes are divided between 84 stops (tone colours), operating on slider windchests (Fernwerk: Kegelladen) and distributed between five manuals plus pedals: Rückpositiv (12), Hauptwerk (16), Oberwerk (12), Récit (14), Fernwerk (13), Pedal (17).

The key action is mechanical (Fernwerk: electrical control of the valves of the original Kegelladen) and the computer-controlled couplers are electric. As registration memory there is an electronic combination system (1999) with unlimited capacity (computer disc system).   Integrated into the Fernwerk is the only known rain machine worldwide (metal/wood drum with metal balls), built by Friedrich Haas in 1862 and in its original state.
In the Great Organ of today, are 18 stops built by Johann Geissler (ogan builder, Salzburg, 1648), 38 stops by Friedrich Haas (organ builder, Kleinlaufenburg-Basel, later Lucerne, 1862):
   

therefore 2/3 of the stops are of historical origin. The main casing and wood-carving of 1648 originate from Niklaus Geissler (Lucerne). The casing of the Rückpositiv was reconstructed in 1977. In the organ façade stands the longest (10m) and heaviest (383kg) pipe, dating from 1648. The three free-reeds stops built by Friedrich Haas (1862) were restored in 2001 and built in the sound chamber of the Fernwerk.

 

>>> Wolfgang Sieber
organist

  

These are romantic tone colours similar to the harmonium or accordion. The quality of workmanship of these pipes is deemed out- standing: a copy of the free-reed stop in the Haas organ of Thalwil is based on the original of the Great Organ of St.Leodegar.