Organ

History of the organ

Not envisaged in the original designs, the organ's construction was only approved after the architects had already completed plans for the building. And yet with its seven towers, it blends harmoniously into the concert hall and forms a striking counterpoint to the spiral staircase opposite.

Cologne's grand concert organ was built by the distinguished organ-maker » Johannes Klais and continues a long line of Klais concert organs installed throughout the world: for example, in the Munich Kulturzentrum Gasteig, in the Philharmonic in Cracow, in the Symphony Hall in Kyoto and the Twin Towers Petronas Philharmonic Hall in Kuala Lumpur.

The configuration of stops has been designed to fulfill the requirements of a concert organ: It can serve both as a solo instrument and as an accompaniment or even hold its own against a full orchestra

Site of Thiery Mechler

Organ disposition

The organ in the Kölner Philharmonie has three manuals and 70 stops with a total of 5,394 pipes, together with a mechanical action and electronic coupling. Thanks to the mobile console which can be transported to the centre of the podium, the organist does not remain an anonymous figure concealed behind the pipes.

The organ curator of the Kölner Philharmonie is the distinguished French organist Thierry Mechler, who recorded J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations on the Klais organ.

Organ specifications

  • I. Manual: Hauptwerk

    I. Hauptwerk C – c4

    Praestant 16’

    Bourdon (2009) 16’

    Principal 8’

    Bourdon 8’

    Flûte harmonique (2009) 8’

    Gambe (2009) 8’

    Octave 4’

    Flöte (2009) 4’

    Quinte 2 2/3’

    Superoctave (2009) 2’

    Cornett V 8’

    Mixtur V 2’

    Trompete (2009) 16’

    Trompete (2009) 8’

    Trompete (2009) 4’

    Tremulant

  • II. Manual: Unterwerk

    II. Unterwerk C – c4 (im Schweller)

    Gambe (2009) 16’

    Praestant 8’

    Rohrflöte 8’

    Bourdon (2009) 8’

    Principal 4’

    Traversflöte 4’

    Nasard (2009) 2 2/3’

    Doublette (2009) 2’

    Terz (2009) 1 3/5’

    Larigot 1 1/3’

    Mixtur IV (2009) 1 1/3’

    Holzdulcian 16’

    Clarinette (2009) 8’

    Trompete (2009) 8’

    Tremulant

  • III. Manual: Schwellwerk

    III. Schwellwerk C – c4

    Bourdon 16’

    Holzprincipal 8’

    Harmonieflöte (2009) 8’

    Gedackt (2009) 8’

    Gamba 8’

    Vox coelestis 8’

    Octave 4’

    Rohrflöte 4’

    Viola 4’

    Nasard 2 2/3’

    Octavin (2009) 2’

    Terz 1 3/5’

    Septime (2009) 1 1/7’

    Sifflet 1’

    Progressio harmonique III – V (2009) 2 2/3’

    Basson 16’

    Trompette harmonique 8’

    Hautbois 8’

    Vox humana (2009) 8’

    Clairon 4’

    Tremulant

  • Pedal

    Pedal C – g1

    Untersatz 32’

    Principal 16’

    Flötbass 16’

    Subbass 16’

    Violon 16’

    Octave 8’

    Gedackt 8’

    Cello 8’

    Octave 4’

    Flöte 4’

    Flöte 2’

    Gross Cornett III (2009) 10 2/3’

    Basson (2009) 32’

    Posaune (2009) 16’

    Fagott 16’

    Trompete (2009) 8’

    Clairon (2009) 4’

  • Hochdruck

    Hochdruck (2010) C – c4

    Tuba

  • Koppeln

    II ― I

    III ― I

    III ― II

    I ― P

    II ― P

    III ― P

    Super III ― P

    HD ― I

    HD ― II

    HD ― III

    HD ― P

  • Setzer

    Setzer (1999)

    1024 Kombinationen

    (8 Kombinationen auf 128 Ebenen)