Silbermann organ in the St. Georgenkirche Rötha

Clear tones with great radiance - this is what the masterpieces created by Gottfried Silbermann (1683-1753), who is considered the most important organ builder in central Germany during the Baroque period, stand for. He learned organ building from his brother Andreas before running his own company in Freiberg in 1711. It was church patron Christian August Freiherr von Friesen who commissioned the construction of the organ in Rötha over three centuries ago. When Silbermann completed the construction together with Zacharias Hildebrandt, also an important organ builder, the organ was inaugurated to the great satisfaction of the then Thomaskantor Johann Kuhnau, his Thomaner choir and a specially composed cantata. In June 1840, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was inspired by the "silver sound". He played the organs in St. Georgen and St. Marien and took a liking to their sounds. In 1796, the university organ builder Stephani installed a switchable pedal stop. The last major restoration was carried out in 1979-80 by the Eule company.

Today, the Silbermann organ in St. George's Church, like the Silbermann organ in St. Mary's Church in Rötha, which was built three years later, is one of the cultural beacons in Leipzig's Neuseenland region. Organ tourists and organists from all over the world are welcome guests in both churches. The European Organ Academy and the Bach Competition in Organ regularly take place in Rötha.

Disposition

Main organ (C, D-c''')
1 Bordun 16'
2 Principal 8'
3 Rohr Flöte 8'
4 Octava 4'
5 Spitz Flöte 4'
6 Quinta 3'
7 Octava 2'
8 Cornet 3 fach ab c'
9 Mixtur 3 fach
10 Cymbeln 2 fach

Oberwerk (C, D-c''')
11 Gedackt 8'
12 Quintadena 8'
13 Principal 4'
14 Rohr Flöte 4'
15 Nasat 3'
16 Octava 2'
17 Tertia 1 3/5'
18 Quinta 1 1/2'
19 Sifflet 1'
20 Mixtur 3 fach

Pedal (C, D-c')
21 Principal Bass 16'
22 Trombone 16'
23 Trommete 8'

Manual sliding coupler
Pedal coupler (I/P), switchable since 1796
Tremulant

Pitch
Chorton, currently 464.9 Hz/a¹

Tuning
Equal temperament since 1832

The spelling corresponds to the tradition.