The organ is rightfully considered to be the most perfect musical instrument available today. One of its kind inspires awe even among those who are far from the world of music: the majestic case of the instrument sometimes resembles a fantastic castle, and many constructive elements unite into the miracle of engineering thought. In our review, read about the history of St. Petersburg organs and about where you can hear their magic sounds.

State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg

Designing the building of the chapel, Leontius Benoit provided for the installation of the organ, but the architect's plans came true only many years later. The instrument that adorns the hall of the chapel today, once belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church. In the 30 years of the XIX century, the organ of the master Friedrich was built here, and in the creation of the facade the architect Pavel Jaco participated. Several decades later, the community commissioned a German romantic organ from the firm "E. F. Valker ", the facade remained the same. To date, the facade of the instrument is the oldest surviving in Russia. In 1926, after the church was closed, the organ found a new house in the hall of the St. Petersburg Chapel.

Embankment of the Moika River,20

St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonic named after Dmitry Shostakovich (Bolshoy Hall)

The organ, which can now be heard in the Bolshoy Hall of the Philharmonic, once served for the benefit of the patients of the Midwifery-Gynecological Institute. Built its famous firm "E. F. Valker », and the idea of ​​calling music to help medicine was proposed by the director of the institute Dmitri Ott. According to the medical plan, the instrument was supposed to be an entertainment and a healing tool for bedridden patients who could listen to organ tunes through special handsets. With the outbreak of the First World War and the arrival of Soviet power, most of the organs were destroyed. In order to avoid such a fate in 1931, the instrument was moved from the Institute of D. Ott to the Bolshoy Hall of the Philharmonic Society, and its wooden case was covered with light paint in the color of the interior.

Mikhaylovskaya Street, 2

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The temple, once serving as the residence of the head of the Catholic Church in the Russian Empire, had its own organ of the Dresden firm "E. F. Valker. " The instrument served faithfully for almost 60 years, but it did not escape the sad fate that befell most of the organs during the years of Soviet power. In 1930, it was dismantled, and nothing more is known about it. Divine services resumed in the church only in 1997, when the community received a gift from the Catholic parish in Yorkshire. This is a unique specimen for our city - a romantic organ of the English firm Thomas Hughes, made in 1905-1906. In the chapel there is a small organ of work of the master Pavel Chilin.

1-ya Krasnoarmeyskaya Street, 11

The Maltese chapel of the Vorontsov Palace

The organ in the Maltese chapel can be seen through the columns on the right side of the hall. His predecessor was a tool of the XVIII century,presumably performed by the English master Samuel Green. A magnificent organ made of mahogany and gilded pipes was moved here from the Tauride Palace and served more than a hundred years. The new organ "E. F. Valker "appeared here in 1909, but by decision of the Soviet authorities he was transferred to the Malyy Opera House. The temperature conditions of the new room severely damaged the instrument, and it has not been used for a long time. In 2005, the organ returned to its historical place after the restoration in the firm of the Estonian master Hardo Kriis. The restoration of the damaged building was performed by specialists of the Hermitage workshops.

Garden Street, 26

St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after Rimsky-Korsakov

In 1887, almost immediately after the transfer of the St. Petersburg Conservatory to the renovated building of the former Bolshoi Theater, the organ put here of the Dresden firm "E. F. Valker. " Simultaneously with the instrument from Vienna brought a wooden frame and chairs. In the 1960s, the German organ replaced the new instrument of the Czech company "Rieger", but it soon went out of order. In 2009, a new replacement appeared in time for a long-dead organ - in the Malyy Hall named after Glazunov was established a new concert organ of the German company "Hermann Oile Orgelbau." The large stylistic range of this instrument allows to reliably perform organ music of different epochs and directions. For today it is the biggest mechanical concert instrument in Petersburg.

Teatralnaya Area , 3, st. Glinka, 2.

Mariinsky Theater (Concert Hall)

The modern organ of the firm "Alfred Kern and Son" appeared in the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theater quite recently, in 2009. The tools created by the masters of the French firm, by tradition, combine the features of a classical and romantic organ, which allows performing both works of German composers and compositions of the French. In Russia, until now, German tools have been distributed, which significantly limited the repertoire of organists. The organ in the Concert Hall became the first French instrument in Russia in a century, opening new opportunities for domestic musicians and spectators.

Pisarev Str., 20

Chapel "Tavricheskaya"

The instrument, made in the best traditions of the Spanish organ design, can be heard in the walls of the Taurian Chapel. Once there was a Potemkin organ that was lost in the 20th century, like many of its associates. And in 2011 there was a unique organ of the Barcelona firm Gerhard Grentsing, designed specifically for the interior of the Dome Hall. The new organ immediately became the heart of the hall and its main decoration, here are organized thematic organ evenings and organ-choral concerts.

Shpalernaya Str. 47

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (the parish of St. Mary)

For the first time the organ appeared in this church in 1805, right after its opening. This was an instrument of work of the Finnish master S.G. Tala from Tartu. In 1876 he was replaced by a new organ produced by the German firm Sauer, which was later reconstructed by the Finnish organ firm Kangasala. In the Soviet years, the renewed organ was transferred to the Tbilisi Conservatory, where he served more than 20 years. The new neobarochny organ of the Finnish firm Marti Portan appeared in the church only in 2010. The prototype for the creation of the instrument was the classic work of the famous German master Gottfried Zilberman. On weekends, organ concerts are held here.

Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street, 8A

Lutheran Church of St. Catherine

In three centuries, five churches have been replaced in a church built by the famous architect Yuri Felten. The last historical instrument was made by the German firm "E. F. Valker "in 1892. He occupied his place in the church until it was closed by the Bolsheviks, after which he was transferred to the Mariinsky Theater. A modern instrument made by Sauer appeared here in 1998. Today it is one of the best organs in St. Petersburg. To hear how it sounds, you can on Wednesdays during evening services or on Sunday concerts, which can be not only organ ones.

Bolshoy Prospect Vasilievsky Island, 1

Cathedral of St. Michael

In the Lutheran church on the Vasilievsky Island the organ of the company Riger is heard. In 2014, this instrument was transferred to the temple as a gift from the Finnish parish of St. Paul from Helsinki, and his tuning was handled by a master from Austria. In addition to the mechanical organ, the electronic instrument of the firm Rogers-Rolland is installed in the church. Open organ masses are held here every Wednesday evening, and every music lover can come to them regardless of religion.

Middle avenue V.O, 18

Temple of Lourdes of Our Lady of Sorrows

Until the fifties of the last century the organ in the church replaced the Shidmeyer harmonium. Then she was replaced by the German organ of the firm "E. F. Valker ", made in 1910 for the Church of Christ the Savior at the Evangelical Hospital. Experts complain about the poor condition of the instrument, but he still takes part in traditional worship services. Anyone can make his impression of the sound of an ancient instrument. Services accompanied by organ music are held here daily, and on Sundays, prayers are read and in Polish.

Kovenskiy Lane, 7

Roman Catholic Church of Sts. Stanislava

St. Stanislaus' temple is adorned today by an organ console designed by St. Petersburg masters of the Sacrosonus company specially for this room. Imitation of the spiritual organ is created thanks to the synthesis of digital and sampling technologies, but this is not an ordinary electronic organ, but a real organ project. The instrument is able to recreate the sound of the six most famous types of historical organs. Compared to classical electronic organs, in which the sound of the synthesizer is inevitably present, the instrument of the St. Petersburg company is indistinguishable from the sound of the present organ. The church regularly hosts organ concerts on Saturdays and Sundays, which can be visited by appointment.

Soyuza Pechatnikov Street, 22

Petrikirche - the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul

Once, one of the most numerous religious communities in St. Petersburg could afford all the innovations in organ design. In 1841, the church established the organ of the firm "E. F. Valker ", which survived many reconstructions. After the cathedral was closed, the instrument was sent to Moscow, where it was dismantled. Part of the components was later involved in the construction of the organ of the Donetsk Philharmonic. Today Petrikirche has a modest likeness of the church tool. The Steinmann educational body in 1997 was donated by the High School of Church Music from the German city of Herford. Unfortunately, the sound of this small instrument is not enough to fill the hall, so listeners should keep close to the altar.

Nevsky Prospect, 22-24