Abstract
The pipe organ is the king of musical instruments. No other instrument can compare with the pipe organ in power, timbre, dynamic range, tonal complexity, and sheer majesty of sound. The art of organ building reached its peak in the Baroque Age (∼1600–1750); with the industrial revolution in the 19th century, organ building shifted from a traditional artisans’ work to factory production, changing the aesthetic concept and design of the organ so that the profound knowledge of the organ masters passed down over generations was lost.
This knowledge is being recreated via close collaborations between research scientists, musicians, and organ builders throughout Europe. Dozens of metallic samples taken from 17th- to 19th-century organ pipes have been investigated to determine their composition, microstructure, properties, and manufacturing processes using sophisticated methods of materials science. Based upon these data, technologies for casting, forming, hammering, rolling, filing, and annealing selected leadtin pipe alloys and brass components for reed pipes have been reinvented and customized to reproduce those from characteristic time periods and specific European regions. The new materials recreated in this way are currently being processed and used by organ builders for the restoration of period organs and the manufacture of new organs with true Baroque sound.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
T. Clarke, Nature 427 (2004) p. 8.
M. Yokota, The Overtornea Project, edited by L.W. Ericsson (Musikhogskolan i Pitea, Pitea, Sweden, 1997).
G.A. Audsley, The Art of Organ Building (Dover, Mineola, NY, 1965).
J. Speerstra, ed., The North German Organ Research Project at Göteborg University (GOArt, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2002).
A. Carlsson, H. Davidsson, P. Ruiter-Feenstra, S. Dunthorne, and J. Speerstra, Tracing the Organ Masters’ Secrets: The Vision, The Process, The Goal, The Reconstruction of the North German Baroque Organ for Örgryte Nya Kyrka (GOArt, Gothen-burg, Sweden, 2000).
P. Svensson and M. Friesel, Influence of alloy composition, mechanical treatment and casting technique on loss factor and Young’s modulus of leadtin alloys (Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, 1999).
B. Straumal, A. Mazilkin, A. Manescu, F. Rustichelli, M. Friesel, and B. Baretzky, Wieder-aufbau der Casparini Orgel in Vilnius, edited by R. Gucas (University of Vilnius, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2007).
H. Forshell, The inception of copper mining in Falun (Akademitryck AB, Edsbruk, Sweden, 1992).
W.O. Alexander, Murex Rev. 1 (1955) p. 1.
T.B. Massalski, ed. Binary alloy phase diagrams (ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1993).
J. Percy, Metallurgy: The art of extracting metals from their ores, and adapting them to various purposes of manufacture (John Murray, London, 1864).
Rh. Jenkins, Trans. Bristol Gloucestershire Arch. Soc. 63 (1946) p. 1.
G. Agricola, De re metallica libri XII (Froben, Basel, 1556).
J.-G Gallon and H.L. Duhamel du Monceau, Die Kunst Messing zu machen, es in Tafeln zu gießen, auszuschmieden, und zu Drathe zu ziehen (Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Paris, Leipzig, 1766).
Dom François Bedos de Celles, L’art du facteur d’orgues (Académie Royale des Sciences, Bordeaux, 1766).
B.B. Straumal, SA. Polyakov, and E.J. Mittemeijer, Acta Mater. 54 (2006) p. 167.
B. Baretzky, M. Friesel, A. Petelin, A. Mazilkin, and B. Straumal, Def. Diff. Forum 249 (2006) p. 275.
B. Baretzky, M. Friesel, A. Petelin, A. Shotanov, and B. Straumal, Def. Diff. Forum 258–260 (2006) p. 397.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baretzky, B., Friesel, M. & Straumal, B. Reconstruction of Historical Alloys for Pipe Organs Brings True Baroque Music Back to Life. MRS Bulletin 32, 249–255 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2007.30
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2007.30