Our Snoa’s Restored Organ

The pipe organ of Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Willemstad, Curaçao, is a unique example of classical organ architecture blended with modern insight. The instrument was built in 1866 by the renowned Amsterdam organ builder Flaes & Brünjes. 

The choice of materials: primarily mahogany for all the woodwork and assorted other parts of the organ, demonstrate a clear understanding of the tropical environment in which this musical instrument was supposed to be played. The materials used were weather-proofed and the organ itself was built in a manner that would be relatively simple to install as well as maintain. The pipes, for example, are formed in such a way as to allow easy access (at certain heights) for simple tuning. In fact, all the organ’s parts are adjustable in several different places.

The vital parts of the organ were individually tagged with strategically placed paper markers indicating the part’s name and its specific location in the cabinet. It is also worth mentioning that almost all of the important joints, as well as the cabinet panels, are joined by screws. This system clearly demonstrates that this was intended to be a “pre-fab” construction system to allow local cabinet makers to easily assemble the cabinet here on site. All they had to do was to follow the written instructions provided by Flaes & Brünjes. 
 

In fact, the system used to screw the joints together, clearly indicates that the wooden parts were stored for some time right here on Curaçao in order to acclimatize them before permanent assembly. 
Having opted for this type of construction, the manufacturer could be assured that the wood would not burst and that other damage could be avoided. 
 

There is no doubt that Flaes & Brünjes had acquired this experience from their teachers Bätz & Co, a company well known for building and exporting their instruments to foreign lands. Even the choice of mahogany wood was critical since European softwood or oak is totally unsuitable for tropical conditions and is especially susceptible to tropical wood lice. 

The Snoa’s 1866 organ has two manual keyboards, each one consisting of 54 keys.
The lower keyboard is referred to as “manual 1” and the upper keyboard referred to as “manual 2”. The pedal-keyboard is permanently attached to the lower manual key-board and is designed to support manual play. The builders must have assumed that there would probably be few, if any, local organists who dominated pedal-keyboard playing.

For this reason, also, both the upper and lower manual keyboards can, through a unique connection mechanism, be coupled together to act as one. The organ’s original wind pump installation, although still inside the instrument, was disconnected during this most recent restoration. 
The bellows now gets its air directly from a modern electrical motor. 
 

Many well-meaning amateurs had, in the past, attempted to maintain and/or restore this magnificent instrument. Unfortunately their efforts were for naught, as they did more damage than good. In fact, the damage done to the tuning areas of the pipes, was irreversible and could consequently only be undone by a drastic restoration, such as the one just completed.
 

The Snoa’s organ holds a unique place in the Caribbean: it is the oldest pipe organ in the area and is probably the second oldest in the Americas. This instrument, the result of great craftsmanship and quality workmanship, is truly a unique treasure. 

Its 2002/2003 restoration was the result of a magnanimous gift made by the Ministry for Interior and Kingdom Affairs of The Netherlands, to the Congregation on the occasion of its 350th anniversary in 2001. The restoration of this historic instrument was entrusted into the hands of Mr. Albert de Graaf, an organ maker from Zwolle (The Netherlands) with over 40 years of professional experience in this field. 
The restoration plan was based on the proposal written in March, 1999, by Mr. Rudi van Straten, organ expert and advisor to the Kingdom’s Department for Monument Care. 
 

The Snoa’s organ was completely dismantled by Mr. De Graaf and his assistants in January, 2002. 
Most of the instrument’s vital parts, among them its 634 pipes, were subsequently air-shipped to the Netherlands for restoration. In the meantime, the cabinet and other wooden parts were restored locally by Mr. Lio Elizabeth, a Curaçao cabinet-maker, under the supervision of the organ maker and the advisor.

Almost a year after having been dismantled, the restored parts were returned to Curaçao and re-installed inside their empty cabinet by Mr. De Graaf, who was able to complete the installation and tuning early in the second quarter of 2003. The results are truly magnificent: an intense-sounding organ that is uniquely suitable to accompany the choral parts of the religious service in these historical surroundings. 
 

On May 4th, 2003, after almost 50 years of silence, the restored instrument was re-introduced during a festive evening of music, song and prayer. Let us hope that the efforts of the many who helped make this project possible, will result in the fact that this beautiful instrument will once again make its magnificent sound resonate for many generations in Curaçao’s historic synagogue- the Snoa. 
 

Rudi van Straten 
René D.L. Maduro