5

A concert of pipes

His name that refers to a precious metal is well known in the Erzgebirge. Gottfried Silbermann was 27 years old when he built his first organ in Freiberg. The material that ensured its unique sound was provided by the local mines – high-quality tin. In the course of the Protestant Reformation singing together during the church service became more and more important and the need for pipe organs grew accordingly. Silbermann who was born in Kleinbobritsch near Frauenstein built 45 of them, including two organs for the cathedral in Freiberg.
The exhibition in the workshop of the organ builder, the Silbermannhaus, contains a model by Kristian Wegscheider that provides deep insights into the functionality and building principles of the Silbermann organs; the visitor can even try his hand at playing it.