Dear all,

It looks like I'm going to be spending some time in Switzerland this summer and I thought it would be fun to visit some of the organs there. I'll be based in the Berner Oberland, about 80km south of Berne.

Does anybody have any contacts or suggestions of places to visit? Any suggestions would be welcome - whether ancient, baroque, romantic or new organs. I'd be very grateful for any ideas or contacts, either by PM or replies.

Thanks in advance,

I don't think you are that far away from Sion, where on the top of a hill in the chapel of an ancient castle is the world's oldest working organ, built around 1390 and still going strong today! However, unless you are one of the top one organists in the world, there is sezo chance that you'll be allowed anywhere near the console, let alone given a chance to play.

Further afield I can only comment on Lausane, which houses two five manual mechanical action organs at St Francis and the Fisk at the Cathedral whose organist is very accomodating about letting visiting organists have a go. But if you manage to stagger up to the top of the hill to visit the Cathedral do take earplugs - it must be one of the loudest organs ever built!

You can filter for Swiss organs at http://www.die-orgelseite.de/orgelliste_e.php - the list is pretty impressive sounding.

Contrabombarde

David Elliott, who is a contributor to this board, is based at the Anglican Church in Lausanne. I would suggest you contact him.
JC

Further thoughts on organs in Bern - there is a new organ in 2004 by Kuhn in Bern Münster. Professor Heinz Balli used to be the contact, but I don't think he is still titulaire. I am sure he could advise on that and other organs in Bern.

Also worthy of note is the 1991 Goll organ in the Église Francaise. I think Philippe Laubscher is the contact there.

JC

Added later: You might find something of interest here: http://www.echo-organs.org/Fribourg.62.0.html. In particular, the Aloys Mooser organ in St Pierre aux Liens, Bulle is a fairly recently restored and fine instrument played and written about enthusiastically by by Mendelssohn.
JC