Early 18th Century Box Organs

[innate]

I just came across this instrument. I wish there were more pictures! But is this the type of instrument that I have read many commentators say is not historically accurate in performance of, for example, Bach cantatas? I know the page says this organ is pitched at “Chorton” so wouldn’t be particularly practical for using with orchestral instruments. Apologies if a similar topic already exists; a search on “box organ” didn’t produce anything relevant.

https://silbermann.org/orgel/seerhausen/

[pwhodges]

6 hours ago, innate said:

I know the page says this organ is pitched at “Chorton” so wouldn’t be particularly practical for using with orchestral instruments.

I recall that transposed continuo parts have survived for some Bach cantatas, so that might not be decisive.

Paul

[innate]

36 minutes ago, pwhodges said:

I recall that transposed continuo parts have survived for some Bach cantatas, so that might not be decisive.

Paul

Yes, but why not use the big church organ, as I think we know Bach did on occasion.

[Dafydd y Garreg Wen]

The norm seems to have been to use the church organ, with pedals - though with the caveat that if the bass line is too athletic manual(s) only is preferable.

But that doesn’t mean a small instrument was never used.

[ptindall]

There are lots of pictures of the construction of the Seerhausen copy on the excellent new Wegscheider.eu website.