Organs of St. Stephen's Cathedral, Pipe organ in St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau, Germany.
The organs of St. Stephen's Cathedral form a complex system of five separate instruments with around 17,000 pipes and over 230 registers total. They are built into the grand cathedral with its distinctive blue and green domes and use thousands of meters of pipes and cables to work together.
After a fire in 1662 that destroyed the original instrument, the organs were gradually rebuilt and expanded over several centuries. These restoration and expansion phases shaped the system that exists today.
The five organs sound during concerts that show visitors how the different instruments work together and what variety they offer. These performances are part of the musical life of the cathedral and the city.
The organs can be experienced best during guided tours or concerts, which show visitors how the system works. It helps to check ahead for current events, since the best time to hear them is often during regular performances.
From a central console in the western gallery, organists can control all five instruments at once while choosing from over 4,000 stored musical settings. This technical solution lets musicians play complex combinations that would be impossible with individual organs.
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