Silbermann
A famous 18th-century organ builder.
What it means
Silbermann is the name of a family of organ and instrument builders of the eighteenth century whose instruments count as a benchmark to this day. Gottfried Silbermann worked mainly in Saxony, Andreas Silbermann and his son Johann Andreas in Alsace. Numerous of their organs survive and are played. When registration instructions, references in the literature, or concert announcements speak of a Silbermann organ, a particular type of construction with a sound character of its own is meant, not merely an indication of origin.
Musical use
For performance practice the name is important, because the surviving instruments show how the organ music of the eighteenth century could have sounded: with sustaining principals, characteristic reed stops, and a closed overall sound attuned to the room. Registrations for works of this period often orient themselves by such dispositions. Gottfried Silbermann also built early fortepianos and thus counts among the pioneers of the piano; the developmental history of this instrument runs through several workshops and decades. On details of biographies and attributions there is research literature to be consulted when in doubt.
Performance practice
On a historical instrument, rules of its own hold: the mechanical action responds directly but demands a deliberate release; articulation thereby becomes the most important means of expression. Before playing, check which stops are present and how they mix, and reckon with the tuning possibly deviating from equal temperament — then remote keys sound different than usual. Treat old instruments with consideration: no forceful stop pulls, no permanently held full registrations, and report anomalies to the responsible organ builder.
Bear in mind that historical instruments often have an unequal temperament: the same music then sounds differently coloured in different keys, and remote keys seem sharper. This is no defect but belongs to the instrument; take it into account when choosing a programme. Before playing, check which stops are present and how they mix, and note down the registration found. According to the Neue Deutsche Biographie, Gottfried Silbermann created a total of 46 organs in central Germany, his first major work being the organ of Freiberg Cathedral, completed in 1714.