Pedal

The organ had been tried by Bach on its completion in 1716, who wrote a very elaborate report.[82] It may be of interest to quote some of Bach’s remarks, 1. He says that the space occupied is too confined to admit of easy access to some of the parts, in case of repairs being required. This was, however, not the fault of the builder Scheibe, as he was not allowed the space he asked for.

2. The wind must be made to come more equally, so as to avoid heavy rushes of wind.

3. The parts quite fulfil the description in all respects; and the contract, with the exception of the Schallmey and Cornet, which were changed by order of the college for a 2 ft. Octave (15th) and 2 ft. Hohlflöte, is completed.

4. The defects of intonation must be done away with; and the lowest pipes of the Posaune and Bass Trumpet made to speak less roughly and harshly. The instrument to be frequently and thoroughly tuned in good weather.

5. The keys have too great a fall, but this cannot be helped, owing to the narrowness of the structure.

6. Finally, the window behind the organ should be built up as far as the top of the organ, or covered with an iron plate, to prevent damage by weather.

The above list of 54 stops is given by Spitta, who quotes from the “Acta” of the university; but a MS. chronicle of Leipsic, discovered after 1880, of which the references to musical matters are quoted in the “Musikalisches Centralblatt” for 1884, has the following entry:—“1716, June. This summer the beautiful Pauliner organ, which consists of 67 stops, was finished.” A complete list of the stops follows, but is not given in the “Musikalisches Centralblatt.”