UTRECHT.
THE CATHEDRAL (St. Martin).—The organ stands where the nave of the Cathedral, which has fallen down, commenced, and beneath it is a pulpit with a square sounding-board. It is a new instrument, of a light yellow colour, in modern German Gothic. The great case consists of three equal towers, of seven pipes each, the centre surmounted by King David, and the others by pinnacles of open-work; and an open-work gallery joins these together, beneath which are two flats, the upper part of which is an elaborate Gothic window, the background of dark blue, with four and twenty pipes in each, divided by the mullion of the window. The Choir Organ consists of a large gable, of open Gothic work, between two pinnacled towers of seven pipes each. In the centre is a sort of Gothic window, with two flats of twelve pipes, and on each side, a flat with a double tier of pipes, adjoining the towers. A gallery, decorated with quatre-foils, connects the two organs. The mouths of the pipes are gilt, and there is some gilding about the case, which cannot be called a handsome one, as it violates all the rules of what a good organ case should be. 1872.
ST. NICOLAS.—At the west end is a very curious little old organ, with a quaint Choir Organ in front, supported by a single square column. It consists of two flat overhanging towers, with an angular centre tower, rather taller, all crowned with Gothic pinnacle work. The flats joining these towers, which rise to the centre tower, have each fourteen pipes, above which are a set of pipes with two bodies, two mouths, and two feet; in fact two pipes joined together at their feet. I could not see how they could be supplied with wind. The Choir Organ in front has three angular towers, with no flats between them; the centre, the tallest, has seven pipes; the others have five pipes on their outer side, and on their inner side pipes similar to those in the upper part of the flats of the Great Organ. A small curved compartment on each side, completes this case. The mouths of the pipes are gilt, and there is some gilding about the case. It was dusk when I saw this organ, which I am sure is worth a careful examination, as there is much about it that is old and curious. 1872.
In the museum of the Archbishop are some painted shutters belonging to some old organ, the bass being David playing before the Ark, and the treble, David playing before Saul. 1872.