Stephan Kaschendorf
Encyclopedia
Stephan Kaschendorf (ca. 1425 – after 4 February 1499) was an early German
organ
builder. He was born in Wrocław (then Breslau) and at first was an apprentice to a carpenter
. He only learnt organ building later and it is not known who his teachers were. He was one of the leading organ builders of the second half of the 15th century and a progressive one. His instruments all feature independent divisions and stop
s (Hauptwerk and Rückpositiv/Brustwerk), unlike the older Blockwerk gothic
organs. Churches he built organs for include the following:
Kaschendorf's sons Caspar, Melchior, and Michael were also organ builders and assisted their father in Erfurt. He owned houses in Schweidnitz (where he also built an organ) and Dresden
, but apparently died in poverty.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
builder. He was born in Wrocław (then Breslau) and at first was an apprentice to a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. He only learnt organ building later and it is not known who his teachers were. He was one of the leading organ builders of the second half of the 15th century and a progressive one. His instruments all feature independent divisions and stop
Organ stop
An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; some can be "on" , while others can be "off" .The term can also refer...
s (Hauptwerk and Rückpositiv/Brustwerk), unlike the older Blockwerk gothic
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
organs. Churches he built organs for include the following:
- St. Mary Magdalene's Church, Wrocław (1455)
- St. Egidien, NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
(1460) - St. Elisabeth, Wrocław (1460–64)
- Georgskirche, NördlingenNördlingenNördlingen is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany, with a population of 20,000. It is located in the middle of a complex meteorite crater, called the Nördlinger Ries. The town was also the place of two battles during the Thirty Years' War...
(1464–66) - FrauenkircheNuremberg FrauenkircheThe Frauenkirche is a church in Nuremberg, Germany. It stands on the eastern side of the main market. An example of brick Gothic architecture, it was built on the initiative of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor between 1352 and 1362. The church contains many sculptures, some of them heavily restored...
, Nuremberg (1464–66) - Mariendom Cathedral, ErfurtErfurtErfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
(1480–83) - St. Sebaldus ChurchSt. Sebaldus ChurchSt. Sebaldus Church is a medieval church in Nuremberg, Germany. Along with Frauenkirche and St. Lorenz, it is one of the most important churches of the city, and also one of the oldest. It is located at the Albrecht-Dürer-Platz, in front of the old city hall...
, Nuremberg (lead roofing maintenance only, 1483) - St. Ulrich und Afra, AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
(chancel organ only, 1490)
Kaschendorf's sons Caspar, Melchior, and Michael were also organ builders and assisted their father in Erfurt. He owned houses in Schweidnitz (where he also built an organ) and Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, but apparently died in poverty.