Orgelbau Kreienbrink

Orgelbau Kreienbrink (also trading as Kreienbrink Orgelmanufaktur) is a German organ-building firm based in Georgsmarienhütte, Lower Saxony. Its origins reach back to 1790, when the organ builder Anton Franz Schmid founded a workshop in Quakenbrück. That workshop was taken over in 1841 by the organ builder Ludwig Rohlfing and, under the Rohlfing name, carried out a total of 260 new organs and rebuilds up to 1955. In 1951 the master organ builder Matthias Kreienbrink joined the Rohlfing firm as a partner, took over the workshop in 1955 and moved it to Osnabrück-Hellern in 1957. Under his leadership the old Osnabrück workshop flourished again: the return to Baroque construction principles demanded a complete change in working methods and tonal ideals, and during his 39 years of activity more than 500 instruments were newly built, rebuilt or restored. A generational change followed when master organ builder Joachim Kreienbrink, who had worked in the workshop since 1984, took it over from his father in 1994. Under his direction the workshop worked successfully on further improving the key action, informed by his own more than 20 years of experience as an organist. The workshop also took a pioneering role in organ decoration, having recognised the tone-refining influence of Schleierbretter (decorative pipe-shade boards) beyond mere ornamentation and applying it systematically; several examples of successful organ ornamentation came from the hand of his younger brother Ansgar Kreienbrink. Since the 1990s the firm's focus has been on restorations. Projects have included the Schulze organ in the Reformed Church in Iserlohn, where a through-striking trombone stop and round, turned traverso flutes were reconstructed; the 1865 Ibach organ in Fleckenberg, where the case, playing action, wind supply and part of the stops were restored; and the technical new build of the Johann-Patroclus-Möller organ in the Marienfeld monastery church in the style of 1750. More recently the firm has increasingly carried out conversions and rebuilds of existing organs, a prime example being the organ of the Nikolaikirche in Potsdam. At the end of 2003 the company headquarters moved from Osnabrück to Georgsmarienhütte. For three years Ansgar Kreienbrink took over management before, in January 2007, the firm's leadership passed to his sister-in-law Kirsten Schweimler-Kreienbrink; workshop management remained with Joachim Kreienbrink. Today the Kreienbrink Orgelmanufaktur offers new builds, conversions and general overhauls, tuning and maintenance, cleaning and pest control, securing and storage, and loan instruments, and it also runs a marketplace for instruments, CDs, writings and more.

The history of Orgelbau Kreienbrink is rooted in the Osnabrück organ-building tradition. Its earliest origin is 1790, when the organ builder Anton Franz Schmid founded a workshop in Quakenbrück. In 1841 the workshop was taken over by the organ builder Ludwig Rohlfing, and under the Rohlfing name it produced a total of 260 new organs and rebuilds up to 1955. Because of the Organ Reform Movement (Orgelbewegung) that gained ground from 1924, only a few of these mostly pneumatic instruments have survived. In 1951 the master organ builder Matthias Kreienbrink joined the Rohlfing firm as a partner. He took over the workshop in 1955 and moved it to Osnabrück-Hellern in 1957. Under his leadership the old Osnabrück workshop experienced a new flowering. The return to Baroque construction principles required the organ builders to completely change their working methods and tonal ideals. It is to Matthias Kreienbrink's credit that this was accomplished for the Osnabrück organ workshop; during his 39 years of activity more than 500 instruments were newly built, rebuilt or restored. A generational change came when master organ builder Joachim Kreienbrink, who had worked in the workshop since 1984, took it over from his father in 1994. Under his leadership the workshop successfully strove for further improvement of the key action, encouraged by his own more than 20 years of activity as an organist. The Kreienbrink workshop also took a pioneering role with regard to organ decoration: it recognised the tone-refining influence of Schleierbretter (decorative pipe-shade boards) beyond mere ornamentation and applied it systematically. Several examples of successful organ ornamentation came from the hand of his younger brother Ansgar Kreienbrink. Since the 1990s the firm's focus has been on restorations. At the Schulze organ in the Reformed Church in Iserlohn, for example, a through-striking trombone stop and round, turned traverso flutes were reconstructed; at the 1865 Ibach organ in Fleckenberg the case, playing action, wind supply and part of the stops were restored. The technical new build of the Johann-Patroclus-Möller organ in the Marienfeld monastery church in the style of 1750 is also noteworthy. More recently, the firm has increasingly carried out conversions and rebuilds of existing organs; the best example is the organ of the Nikolaikirche in Potsdam. At the end of 2003 the company headquarters moved from Osnabrück to Georgsmarienhütte. For three years Ansgar Kreienbrink took over the management before, in January 2007, the firm's leadership passed to his sister-in-law Kirsten Schweimler-Kreienbrink. Workshop management remained with Joachim Kreienbrink. Today the Kreienbrink Orgelmanufaktur, based in Georgsmarienhütte, offers new builds, conversions and general overhauls, tuning and maintenance, cleaning and pest control, securing and storage, and loan instruments, and it operates a marketplace for instruments, CDs, writings and more.

• 2007

  In January, Kirsten Schweimler-Kreienbrink takes over company leadership; Joachim Kreienbrink remains workshop manager.

• 2003

  Company headquarters moves from Osnabrück to Georgsmarienhütte.

• 1994

  Joachim Kreienbrink takes over the workshop from his father.

• 1984

  Joachim Kreienbrink begins working in the workshop.

• 1957

  The workshop is moved to Osnabrück-Hellern.

• 1955

  Matthias Kreienbrink takes over the workshop.

• 1951

  Master organ builder Matthias Kreienbrink joins the Rohlfing firm as a partner.

• 1924

  The Organ Reform Movement begins to gain ground, leading to the loss of many pneumatic instruments.

• 1841

  Ludwig Rohlfing takes over the workshop; under the Rohlfing name it carries out 260 new organs and rebuilds up to 1955.

• 1790

  Anton Franz Schmid founds an organ workshop in Quakenbrück, the origin of the Osnabrück organ-building tradition.

Traditional German organ workshop combining centuries-old craft heritage with restoration expertise and modern service offerings.

• New pipe organs

• Organ rebuilds and conversions

• Organ restorations

• Tuning and maintenance

• Cleaning and pest control

• Securing and storage

• Loan instruments

1. 1Kreienbrink Orgelmanufaktur | Orgelbau | Orgelverkauf | Gebrauchtorgelnorgelbau-kreienbrink.de
2. 2Über uns - Kreienbrink Orgelmanufaktur | Georgsmarienhütteorgelbau-kreienbrink.de
3. 3Orgelbau Kreienbrink - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Orgelbau Kreienbrink - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org