Antwerp, Saint Michael's church
Antwerp, Saint Michael's church
The organ of St.-Michael & St.-Peter in Antwerp was built in 1909 by the Belgian company Jos. Stevens from Duffel (near Mechelen). It had a pneumatical action, 3 manuals, pedals and 40 stops.
After 1923 were done some changes: the Gambe of the Great was replaced by a Cymbale and the positive Quinte became a Sesquialtera. The pedal got a flute 4’ extra. Later, probably in the seventies some more changes where carried out, The Sesqualtera moved tot he Great and the Cymbale tot he Swell where it replaced the Piccolo 1’. The positive Unda Maris was changed to a Tierce.
In 1989 a large renovation was carried out. The pneumatical action was replaced by an electro-pneumatic action. Unfortunately quite some typical romantics tops were sacrified. The organ should be more suited for baroque music…
Also a choir organ was installed during this restoration which can partially be played from the main console.
The last decades the organ was again changed more to it’s original state and some typical stops were re-installed: a Voix Humaine, a Gambe, a Clarinette, a Piccolo… Also sub-octave couplers and a general crescendo (both in the original dispostion) were added. On the other hand most additions where kept: Cymbale, Sesquialtera, Tierce and even a Soubasse 32’ was added.
The organ now has 42 stops (+4 stops from the choir organ) and serves ideally the late 19th and early 20th century organ music from Belgium and France.
