• 1806 repaired by J.C. Deytenbach
• 1875 restoration and alteration by L. Ypma
• 1936 restoration by A.J. Overdijk
• 1957 restoration and alteration by D.A. Flentrop
• 1977 restoration and alteration by Flentrop Orgelbouw

The organ of the Evangelisch Lutherse Kerk of Alkmaar was built in 1755 by an unknown builder as a one manual organ with ten stops. The construction of the pipework, specification and other characteristic features point into the direction of (the school of) Christian Müller (1690–1763); Müller was in this period responsible for the maintenance of the organs of the city of Alkmaar. During his stays in Alkmaar he, as well as his son Pieter, visited the services in the Lutheran Church. Alas, the archives don’t give any information about the name of the builder of this instrument.
The organ-case has a simple but very tasteful design: a round middle tower surrounded by four curved flats and flanked by two pointed outer towers. The ornaments display the characteristics of the Rococo-style. The case is crowned by the symbol of the Dutch Lutherans: a swan (just landed on a clock!). In 1806 the organ was repaired by the Alkmaar organ-builder J.C. Deytenbach.
Around 1875 the organ-builder Lodewijk Ypma from Alkmaar enlarged the instrument. Ypma added a Bovenwerk supplied with five stops as well as a pull-down pedal. The console was displaced from the back to the side of the organ case. The manual compass was extended from c3 to f3. The organ case was made deeper and the wind-chest of the Hoofdwerk was placed on a lower level. The original wedge bellows were replaced by a horizontal reservoir. Ypma reduced the number of ranks of the Mixtuur and Cornet and replaced the Tertiaan by a Salicet 8. The double ranks in the treble of the Prestant 8 and Quint 3 were disconnected as well. The old keyboard (1755) was re-used for the new Bovenwerk: five new keys were made for c3-e3, the old c3-key became f3 as can be seen at the upper keyboard. Perhaps this is the only preserved original Müller-keyboard (with original layers).
In 1936 the organ was repaired by A.J. Overdijk and in 1957 a renovation was carried out by D.A. Flentrop. In 1977 Flentrop Orgelbouw restored the instrument. The specification of the Hoofdwerk was restored to the situation as described by Joachim Hess (1774); a new Tertiaan was made and the original composition of the Mixtuur and the Cornet was reconstructed. The Quintadena 8 (Bovenwerk) was changed back into a Viool di Gamba 8. Apart from the Tertiaan and some ranks of the Mixtuur and Cornet all the Hoofdwerk stops are from 1755. These stops have not been restored in 1977 and have preserved their original sound character very well.

©Frank van Wijk (2000)