Orgelbau

Orgelbau is the craft and industry involved in the design, construction, maintenance, and restoration of pipe organs. An organ builder (Orgelbauer) integrates knowledge of acoustics, wood and metalworking, mechanics, and sometimes electronics to produce instruments whose pipes, wind system, and action are coordinated with keyboard consoles, manuals, and pedalboards. The work ranges from small continuo organs to large cathedral instruments with hundreds of stops and multiple divisions.

Historically, organ building in German-speaking regions began in the Middle Ages and developed through the Renaissance and Baroque periods, producing a distinctive organ sound and technical idiom. Innovations included the introduction of different action types (tracker/mechanical action, later pneumatic and electro-pneumatic systems) and elaborate stop-lists. Renowned builders such as Arp Schnitger and Gottfried Silbermann left lasting legacies in northern and eastern Europe. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, organ design diversified with romantic tonalities and later revivalist approaches; the 20th century also saw substantial restoration and historically informed reconstruction, as well as the integration of modern electrical and control systems.

Today Orgelbau encompasses new constructions, maintenance, and restoration of historic instruments, with attention to tonal character, tuning (Stimmung), voicing, and mechanical reliability. It is supported by professional associations and conservation bodies and remains important in churches, concert venues, and educational settings across German-speaking regions and beyond.