A Grand Event is Expected at the Riga Cathedral - Construction of New Baroque Organ Pipes 0 18

Musicians, experts, and cultural figures have long noted the need for an instrument suitable for performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. This idea is now being realized by the organ-building workshop Wegscheider Orgelbau from Dresden (Germany), which specializes in baroque organs. The new instrument is being created based on the organs of Heinrich Andreas Contius (1708-1795) - the most famous organ builder of the 18th century in the Baltic region. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2027, after the planned foundation strengthening works of the building are carried out.

This is a joint German-Latvian cultural project. Latvian specialists will also actively participate in the construction of the organs, and the agreement includes the involvement of the Dom Cathedral parish in fundraising. The Wegscheider Orgelbau workshop had previously developed a similar project in collaboration with Latvian partners in 2007, but it was not realized at that time due to a lack of funding. Currently, the implementation of the project is largely secured thanks to a generous donation from the Carl Bechstein Foundation. The remaining 400,000 euros are planned to be raised over the next year - half in Germany and half in Latvia. Soon, a wide fundraising campaign will begin in close collaboration with the Riga Dom Cathedral, led by the Berlin association Förderverein Orgel Dom Riga e.V., headed by Dr. Klaus Wittmann, a descendant of Adam Heinrich Schwarz, the mayor of Riga from 1740 to 1762.

"Latvia is a country of organs, where many quality instruments from the Romantic era have been preserved, well-restored, and maintained in recent years. However, due to limited opportunities, the situation remains bleak in many places - churches have worn-out organs imported from abroad that can still be brought back to working condition, while more and more concert halls prefer to acquire digital instruments, absurdly considering the sound of recordings from speakers an adequate substitute for real pipe organs. In this context, the need for a new high-quality instrument created by the historically informed, recognized German organ-building firm Wegscheider Orgelbau is particularly evident.

The Riga Dom Cathedral is a major center of organ culture in Europe and the world, as well as an active concert venue attracting the most outstanding artists and professionals. Having two organs, as in other cathedrals, is the norm and only enriches the musical environment, highlighting the achievements of two great masters - the historical organs of the Walcker firm, which have served for over 140 years, and the instrument "Contius" currently being created," notes the musical director of the Riga Dom Cathedral and organist of the Cathedral, Aigars Reinis.