David
Bridgeman-Sutton muses about
the finishing touches to organ pipes; how does Sir require his gilding?
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Welcome
to the website of the Rieger
in the Christchurch Town Hall,
New Zealand
Musings & Amusings
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Of hats
and arms. . .
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The organ case
at Amorbach in Bavaria is, like the church, an outstanding example
of the baroque. This style, which flourished in the latter part
of the eighteenth century, reached its fullest flowering in Austria
and what is now Southern Germany. Designers gave full rein to imagination;
carving, painting and gilding abound and, wherever possible, curves
replace straight lines and plane surfaces. These features are seen
picture (1) which includes one of the ceiling panels. Such panels
~ sometimes entire ceilings ~ usually depict scenes in Heaven. Local
bigwigs, recognisable by their features and by their robes and symbols
of office, are often shown taking prominent part in these celestial
events and thus having their importance impressed on lesser mortals.
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Picture 1
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Picture 2 |
Coronets,
mitres and armorial display are occasional features of case decoration.
Sometimes these relate to church hierarchies, sometimes to a benefactor
who may have presented the instrument. At Amorbach they lead via
by-ways of history to something of a mystery. A clearer view of
these is given in picture 2.
Crowns
and coronets differ in design both according to the country to which
they belong and the rank of the owner. Identification is usually
possible by reference to C-A von Volborth's Heraldry. The coronet
seen in the photograph is that of a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
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This
Empire was a confederation of states that existed from the early
Middle Ages until early in the nineteenth century. The Emperor was
chosen by a college of rulers known as "Electors". It
will be recalled that JS Bach wrote a set of concerti for the Elector
of Brandenburg and that, at about the same time, there was some
coolness between Handel and the Elector of Hanover.
Several
blind alleys were followed in trying to link the Amorbach arms with
Bavaria. However, at the time the organ was built (1774-1787) and
for centuries before, this town had been in the independent state
of Franconia.
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Amorbach Abbey |
Franconia was
ruled by the successive Prince-Bishops of Wurzburg, whose varied
headgear included the style of coronet on the case. Thanks to Dr
Johannes Merz, archivist and librarian to the Diocese of Wurzburg,
it is established that the bishops at the time of the building of
the organ were Adam von Seinsheim (1755-1779) and Franz von Erthal
(1779-1795). Adam von Seinsheim's arms seem to have included a pig,
which would have been greatly envied by Lord Emsworth.
Unfortunately
for this enquiry as Dr Merz points out "there is no connection
between their arms and those in Amorbach Abbey". If anyone
knows the owner of the Amorbach arms - the Abbey itself? and the
connection with the coronet ~ please say!
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How
would the arms of Christchurch (picture 3) suit the Town Hall instrument?
This idea has not yet been tried out on the curator: if steam issues
from his ears, let us hope he is playing the Excursion Train Polka
at the time. Town Hall audio-visuals are gaining quite a reputation.
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Picture 3
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Pictures:
1 photographs of Amorbach: Jenny Setchell
2 computer image: Bessye Lechatte
3 with thanks to Nederlandse Gemeeten Bank
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Feel
free to email with
questions or feedback
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David Bridgeman-Sutton, 2003
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Other musings
in Views and Reviews:
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