NIEUWE KERK.—A large organ at the west end, with a Choir Organ in front, said to have a very fine tone. The case is painted a light bright pink, and is very tasteless. 1872.
OUDE KERK.—At the west end is a large organ, with its Choir in front. Both have three towers, the largest in the centre. The pipes have gilt mouths, and the case is painted light salmon colour. It is a very similar design to the organ in the Nieuwe Kerk. 1872.
GOUDA.
JANSKERK (St. John’s).—A fine organ with its Choir in front, painted a cold dark brown colour, stands in a marble gallery, at the west end of the Church. It is surrounded by a plaster curtain or mantle, coloured blue, with a dull red lining. It has three towers; the largest in the centre has seven pipes, and is crowned with two angels, one of whom plays on a harp. On each side of the centre tower is a flat, with angels over them, the one playing a flute, the other a triangle; beyond which are angular compartments, joining the two outer towers, which are surmounted by angels bearing trumpets. Under the pipe-work stands coats-of-arms, blazoned and gilded. The front of the organ, which curves forward, is supported by four Corinthian columns, with gilt capitals. The centre tower of the Choir Organ has nine pipes, with a coat-of-arms over, supported by lions, on each side of which is a flat of pipes, beyond which are angular towers and curved ends. A large white and gold bracket supports this portion of the instrument. The balustrade of the gallery is wood-work, painted of the same colour as the organ, with coats-of-arms blazoned thereon, and having a handsome gilded cresting. The mouths of the pipes are gilt, and there is much gilding about the case, &c. The marbles of the gallery are grey and dove-coloured. 1872.
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JANS KERK GOUDA
19TH. SEPTR. 1872.
HAARLEM.
GROOTEKERK (St. Bavon).—This famous organ stands in a marble gallery at the west end of the Church, but the effect of its grand case is somewhat marred, by the Dutch want of taste, in the way the case is painted. The wall behind the instrument is painted a glossy black (the rest of the Church being whitewashed). The statues, coats-of-arms, &c., on the top of the instrument, are painted bright white, their bases grey marble, and the remainder of the case is painted with a light tint of dull pinkish drab. The mouths of the pipes and the carving at their tops and feet, are all brightly gilt. The support of the Choir Organ is bronze, with a large and two small gilded angels on it. Under the gallery is a white marble allegory, which I will not attempt to explain, and the entire top of the case, except the outer towers, is crowned with a mass of carving, with the arms of the town supported by lions. The central tower consists of two tiers, the lower of seven, the upper of nine pipes. On each side is a narrow flat, divided into five compartments, the next but one to the top being occupied by a statue playing on a musical instrument, and the rest filled with small pipes. Next are angular towers, with their pipes arranged in the same mode as the centre, beyond which is a flat, containing two tiers of pipes, above which is a niche with a statue. Beyond this are the two outer towers of seven great pipes each, the feet of which commence at a much lower level than the rest of the pipes, so that the summit of these towers is not so high as the rest of the instrument. That on the south side is crowned with King David, and that on the north with a figure, but whom it represents I never could find out. Outside the great tower, on tall pedestals, stand angels with trumpets. The Choir Organ has its tallest tower of seven pipes in the centre; a flat of three tiers of pipes on each side; then an angular tower of seven pipes, and curved ends. These last are surmounted by sitting figures. The balustrade of the gallery has some elaborate carved open work above it, and its supporting columns are of some sort of dark marble. The general tone of the instrument is very good, but the vox humana is bad. The player, though he could hardly be called first-rate, was very skilful in showing off the quality of the instrument. All the fittings about the key-board are clumsy; the black keys are topped with tortoiseshell. The cornices of the towers greatly overhang, but the flats between being small in proportion to the towers, and the intricacy of the general forms, prevent the usual ill effect. 1872.