Organ Art Media 1766 Karl Joseph Riepp Heilig-Geist Organ Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren Germany Unter-Allgäu

The smaller Holy Ghost organ and the large Holy Trinity organ of the Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren/Unterallgäu, founded in 764, are the only surviving instruments built by Karl Joseph Riepp and are both almost completely original. Due to their construction, quality craftsmanship and especially unique architecture and sound, they are an extremely important part of our international organ heritage.

They combine French and Southern German sound ideals and can be regarded as timeless organ treasures. The Rococo Holy Ghost organ is more Southern German orientated while the large Holy Trinity organ has a more typical French character.

Riepp’s organ building style is characterized by numerous warm and full sounding foundation stops, partially lower pitched mixtures, powerful reeds with full resonator lengths, aliquots and cornets with wide scales and beautiful flutes. Exceptional is how well all of the stops blend together.

The Rococo basilica has a reverberation time up to 6 seconds.

Recording Technique

The organ was recorded in Sept. 2014 with 48 kHz, 24 bit, multi-channel for Hauptwerk 4, using the multi-release technique introduced by OrganArt. All stops were recorded with multiple release levels for short, medium and long key attacks for optimal acoustical mapping and native tremulant sounds (no simulation!)
The set supports 2-channel stereo,  a 4-channel surround and/or Variable Audio Perspective (VAP) is planned later on.

Hauptwerk  (C–d3)*

01. Copel 16
02. Principal 8
03. Copel 8
04. Flauta 8
05. Gamba 8
06. Salicet 8
07. Octav 4
08. Flet 4
09. Doublet 2
10. Mixtur 4f
11. Cimbal 3f
12. Cromorn 8

Brüstungs-Positiv (C–d3)*

01. Copel 8
02. Flauta 8
03. Prestant 4
04. Flet 4
05. Quint 3
06. Doublet 2
07. Mixtur 4f
08. Cornet 3f (from g0)
09. Schalmey 8

Pedal (C-c1)*

01. Principal 16
02. Copel 16
03. Flauta 8
04. Flet 4
05. Quint 3
06. Fagot 8

Couplers

POS-HW (Shift Coupler)

Facilities

Tremolo dous (Tremulant for the Positiv)

* Switchable compass extension: Manuals C–f3, Pedal C–f1

Pitch and Temperament

Slightly non-equal temperament, a1= 422 Hz