Today I am publicly presenting a sample set of the Stellwagen organ in Stralsund, St. Marien. The organ from 1659 is one of the most famous organs in Germany of all time, comparable in fame only to the Schnitger organ in Groningen, St. Martini. After restoration by Wegscheider in 2008, it is the finest example of North German organ building of the 17th century.
The instrument offers 51 stops on 3 manuals and a pedal. The temperament is an uncompromising meantone. One of the most surprising features of this instrument is its very narrow scaling. The sound is clear and unusually rich in overtones. This is true for both the flues and the reeds. The organ was "progressive" in its time, inspired by the then modern ideas expressed by M. Praetorius. For example, the trumpet is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, making the overall sound of the stop particularly suitable for ensemble playing, as it is well balanced throughout the compass for multi-part compositions. The bass is not too loud and the top end is not too weak.
This sample set is a major release from Sonus Paradisi, and I invite everyone to download and check out vol. 1, which is free with no restrictions and features the full 14 stops (including their tremulants where applicable). On the website presenting the sample set, you will find a number of audio samples of performances recorded using Hauptwerk software and the sample set (as always, without further editing).