Dome Cathedral Pipe Organ

Picture postcard view of the pipe organ from the early 20th century.

Dome Pipe Organ (Latvian: Doma ērģeles) is the second largest pipe organ in Latvia, is located in Riga Cathedral. The largest mechanical pipe organ in Latvia is located in Liepāja Holy Trinity Cathedral^[1]

History

The first known Riga Cathedral organ was the largest in the world, but it was lost in 1547 during a fire. In 16th century, the Cathedral Church built a new organ, which sounded for 280 years. Of it remained Jacob Raab made prospectus in mannerism style with some baroque elements complemented latter by other masters. Today the vocal organ is more than a century old, it's built by German firm E.F. Walcker & Sons in Ludwigsburg in 1882-83 and it was inaugurated on January 31, 1884.^[2] In 1983-1983 the organ was reconstructed by "Flentrop Orgelbouw", and it has retained its distinctive sound and nowadays. During reconstruction was completely dismantled and then reassebled, restored second console and was removed later added 3 stops. Nowadays the facade is in restoration, there will be restored original painting in blue and gold.

Construction

The Walcker's Organ has two consoles, which give a rare opportunity for two organ players to compete. Dom organ has four manuals or keyboards and a pedalboard, 125 registers (each of them gives different sound tone), as well as 6768 different sizes of wood and metal stabules (pipes), of which the longest is 10 meters, the smallest - 8 mm. Pipe diameters are from 4 mm to 50 cm. It plays 116 voices, 124 stops, 144 ranks, includes 18 combinations and General Crescendo.^[3]

I Manual C–f3 Principal 16′ Flauto major 16′ Viola di Gamba 16′ Octav 8′ Hohlflöte 8′ Viola di Gamba 8′ Doppelflöte 8′ Gemshorn 8′ Quintatön 8′ Bourdon 8′ Dulciana 8′ Quinte 51/3′ Octav 4′ Gemshorn 4′ Gamba 4′ Hohlflöte 4′ Rohrflöte 4′ Terz 31/5′ Quinte 22/3′ Octav 2′ Superoctav 1′ Sexquialtera II Cornet V 8′ Mixtur VI 4′ Scharff IV 11/3′ Contrafagott 16′ Tuba mirabilis 8′ Trompette harm. 8′ Cor anglais 8′ Euphon 8′ Clairon 4′ Cornettino 2′

II Manual C–f3 Geigenprincipal 16′ Bourdon 16′ Principal 8′ Fugara 8′ Spitzflöte 8′ Rohrflöte 8′ Concertflöte 8′ Liebl. Gedeckt 8′ Viola di Alta 8′ Dolce 8′ Principal 4′ Fugara 4′ Salicet 4′ Flauto dolce 4′ Quinte 22/3′ Superoctav 2′ Waldflöte 2′ Terz 13/5′ Sexquialtera II Cornet V 8′ Mixtur V 22/3′ Äolodicon 16′ Ophicleide 8′ Fagott/Oboe 8′ Oboe 4′ Tremolo Fagott/Oboe

III Manual C–f3 Salicional 16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 16′ Geigenprincipal 8′ Viola d’amour 8′ Wienerflöte 8′ Gedeckt 8′ Salicional 8′ Harmonika 8′ Bourdon d’echo 8′ Bifra 8′+4′ Geigenprincipal 4′ Spitzflöte 4′ Traversflöte 4′ Dolce 4′ Piccolo 2′ Mixtur IV 22/3′ Vox humana 8′ Basson 8′ Clarinette 8′ Tremolo Vox humana IV Schwellwerk C–f3 Quintatön 16′ Flötenprincipal 8′ Unda maris 8′ Melodica 8′ Flûte traversière 8′ Bourdon doux 8′ Äoline 8′ Voix céleste 8′ Viola tremolo 8′ Piffaro 8′+2′ Flötenprincipal 4′ Gedecktflöte 4′ Vox angelica 4′ Salicet 2′ Harmonia ätheria III 22/3′ Trompete 8′ Physharmonika 8′

Pedal C–g1 Principalbaß 32′ Octavbaß 16′ Violonbaß 16′ Contraviolonbaß 16′ Subbaß 16′ Flötenbaß 16′ Gedecktbaß 16′ Quintbaß 102/3′ Octavbaß 8′ Hohlflötenbaß 8′ Gedecktbaß 8′ Violoncello 8′ Terzbaß 62/5′ Octavbaß 4′ Hohlflöte 4′ Octav 2′ Sexquialtera II Mixtur V 51/3′ Grand Bourdon V 32′ Bombardon 32′ Posaune 16′ Trompete 8′ Corno 4′ Schwellpedal C–g1 Violon 16′ Bourdon 16′ Dolceflöte 8′ Violon 8′ Viola 4′ Flautino 2′ Serpent 16′ Bassethorn 8′

• Couplers: II/I, III/I, IV/I, III/II, IV/II, I/P, II/P, III/P, IV/P, I–IV/P, P/I („noli me tangere“).

References

1. ^ www.trinitatis.lv
2. ^ Gerhard Walcker-Mayer The Organ in Riga Cathedral as viewed by the Walcker firm March 2003
3. ^ Magle, Frederik. "The Walcker Organ in Riga Cathedral". http://www.magle.dk/music-forums/801-walcker-organ-riga-cathedral.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-11