# Jürgen Ahrend

Jürgen Ahrend (German pronunciation:; 28 April 1930 – 1 August 2024) was a German organ builder famous for restoring instruments such as the Gothic Rysum organ and the Arp Schnitger organs of the Martinikerk in Groningen, Netherlands, and of St. Jacobi in Hamburg as well as building original instruments. He ran the workshop Jürgen Ahrend Orgelbau in Leer from 1972 to 2004, operating internationally.

## Life and career

Ahrend was born in Göttingen on 28 April 1930. From 1946 to 1948, he was an apprentice in the firm of Paul Ott [de] there. He then worked for the firm as an employee. He undertook study travel with Gerhard Brunzema [de], who had also been an apprentice of Ott, to European organ builders, Metzler Orgelbau in Switzerland, Flentrop in the Netherlands and Marcussen & Søn in Denmark. The two formed a partnership in Leer–Loga, Lower Saxony in 1954. They produced 54 new organs and restored 19, until Brunzema left the firm in 1972 to work in Canada. They restored the original tuning of organs from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, beginning with the Westerhusen organ [de], the Uttum organ [de] and the Gothic Rysum organ. When they built a new organ in Baroque style for the Zorgvlietkerk in Scheveningen in 1958, they received international recognition. They built a new transept organ for the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam and a new organ for the Doopsgezinde Kerk in Haarlem, and restored instruments of the Waalse Kerk in Amsterdam and the Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden.
The workshop operated as Jürgen Ahrend Orgelbau from 1972. Ahrend was also commissioned to restore the organs and their tuning for the Arp Schnitger organs in the Martinikerk in Groningen (including the main organ in the west gallery), the organ of St. Jacobi in Hamburg and organ of St. Ludgeri in Norden. In Hamburg, the organ pipes had been removed from the organ case for safety in 1942. The church was destroyed by bombing. In the restored church, Ahrend used the historic pipes in a new case to revive the sound he had in mind.
Ahrend used several historic building techniques in his restoration work. He devoted about half of the workshop's time to restoration. He restored internationally, such as the organ of Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød and the Martinikerk. He was interviewed extensively in the film Martinikerk Rondeau, released in 2009.
Since 2005 his son Hendrik Ahrend has run the workshop. Jürgen Ahrend became involved in the organ festival Orgelfrühling in Krummhörn from its beginning. The 2020 edition was dedicated to him to honour his 90th birthday, but it could not be held until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ahrend died in Leer, Lower Saxony on 1 August 2024, at the age of 94.

## Awards

* 1962, Staatspreis für Kunsthandwerk Niedersachsen (State Prize for Craftsmanship in Lower Saxony)
* 1986, Lower Saxony State Prize for culture
* 2000, Honorary doctorate of law from the Monash University, Victoria, Australia
* 2007, The Buxtehude Prize from the city of Lübeck.

## Works

    Roman number = number of manuals
    Arabian number = number of stops
    P = independent pedal
    p = pull down pedal
    R = restoration
    Rc = reconstruction
    NB = new built

### Ahrend & Brunzema (1954–1971)

| year | opus | town | church | kind | manuals | stops | information |
| 1954/88 | 1 | Larrelt (D) | Larrelt church | R | I/p | 11 | organ [de] |
| 1955 | 4 | Westerhusen (D) | Westerhusen Church [de] | R | I/p | 7 | organ [de] |
| 1957 | 9 | Uttum (D) | Uttum Church [de] | R | I | 9 | organ [de] |
| 1957 (1997) | 10 | Veldhausen (D) | Altreformierte Kirche | NB | I (II/P) | 6 (13) | |
| 1959/2002 | 18 | Scheveningen (NL) | Zorgvlietkerk | NB | III/P | 26 | |
| 1961 | 25 | Rysum (D) | Rysum Church | R | I | 7 | organ |
| 1961 | 27 | Aurich (D) | Lambertikirche [de] | NB | II/P | 25 | |
| 1962 | 29 | Espel (NL) | Ref. Church | NB | I | 7 | |
| 1962 | 30 | Bremen (D) | St. Martini | NB | III/P | 33 | organ [de] |
| 1963 | 34 | Wassenaar (NL) | Kivietkerk | NB | II/P | 21 | |
| 1965 | 41 | Amsterdam (NL) | Oude Kerk (transept organ) | NB | II/P | 17 | |
| 1965 | 43 | Amsterdam (NL) | Waalse Kerk | R | II/P | 26 | |
| 1965 | 40 | Groningen (NL) | Magnaliakerk | NB | II | 13 | |
| 1965 | 42 | The Hague (NL) | Johanneskapel | NB | II/P | 14 | |
| 1966 | 45 | Bremen (D) | Protestant Church Oberneuland | NB | II/P | 22 | |
| 1967 | 49 | Castrop-Rauxel (D) | Johanneskirche Schwerin-Frohlinde | NB | III/P | 27 | |
| 1968 | 51 | Aalten (NL) | Gereformeerde Zuiderkerk | NB | II/P | 16 | |
| 1968 | 58 | Haarlem (NL) | Mennonite Church | NB | III/P | 24 | |
| 1969 | 62 | Hamburg (D) | Reformed Church, Altona | NB | II/P | 15 | |
| 1966/69/87 | 65 | Marienhafe (D) | Marienkirche | R | II/p | 20 | organ [de] |
| 1970 | 68 | Frankfurt am Main (D) | Cantate Domino | NB | III/P | 33 | |
| 1970 | 69 | Uelsen (D) | Reformed Church | NB | II/P | 20 | |
| 1970/76 | 70 | Innsbruck (A) | Hofkirche | R | II/p | 15 | organ [de] |
| 1963–71 | 74 | Leer (D) | Große Kirche | R | III/P | 37 | organ [de] |

### Jürgen Ahrend (1972–2004)

| year | opus | town | church | kind | manuals | stops | information |
| 1972 | 76 | Eugene | MarAbel B. Frohnmayer Music Building of the University of Oregon | NB | IV/P | 38 | |
| 1966–73 | 79 | Ochtersum (D) | St. Materniani [de] | R | I/p | 9 | |
| 1972–75, 1993/94 | 81 | Stade (D) | St. Cosmae et Damiani | R | III/P | 42 | organ [de] |
| 1974 | 83 | Taizé (F) | Eglise de la Réconciliation [de] (now in Lyon) | NB | III/P | 28 | |
| 1975 | 84 | Hamburg (D) | Christengemeinschaft Johnsallee | NB | II/P | 18 | |
| 1975 | 90 | Frankfurt am Main (D) | Evangelische Stadtkirche Höchst [de] | NB | II/P | 18 | |
| 1975 | 92 | Sloten (NL) | Reformed Church | R | II/p | 16 | |
| 1977 | 97 | Duderstadt (D) | St. Servatius [de] | NB | III/P | 28 | |
| 1978 | 98 | Edinburgh (GB) | Reid Concert Hall | NB | II/P | 21 | |
| 1978 | 100 | Joure (NL) | Reformed Church | NB | III/P | 27 | |
| 1979 | 103 | Melbourne (AUS) | Monash University | NB | IV/P | 45 | |
| 1980 | 104 | Leiden (NL) | Hooglandse Kerk | R | II/P | 24 | |
| 1981 | 105 | Toulouse (F) | Musée des Augustins | NB | III/P | 33 | |
| 1982/99 | 107 | Lüdingworth (D) | St. Jacobi [de] | R | III/P | 35 | |
| 1978–83 | 108 | Weener (D) | Weener Church [de] | R | II/P | 29 | organ [de] |
| 1976/77/83/84 | 111 | Groningen | Martinikerk | R | III/P | 52 | |
| 1985 | 115 | Porrentruy (CH) | Lycée Cantonale | NB | II/P | 30 | |
| 1981–85 | 116 | Norden (D) | Ludgeri-Kirche [de] | R | III/P | 46 | organ |
| 1985 | 118 | Stellichte (D) | Ss. Georg, Christopherus et Jodocus [de] | Rc | II/p | 12 | |
| 1986 | 120 | Tokyo (Japan) | St. Gregory House | NB | II/p | 13 | |
| 1986/2007 | 121/178 | Kantens (NL) | Ref. Church | R/Rc | II/p | 15 | |
| 1986/87 | 127 | Vienna (A) | Michaelerkirche | R | III/P | 40 | |
| 1987–90 | 128 | Stade (D) | St. Wilhadi [de] | R | III/P | 40 | |
| 1989 | 130 | Tsukuba (Japan) | Bach-Grove | NB | II/P | 19 | |
| 1989 | 131 | Wetzlar (D) | Franziskanerkirche [de] | NB | II/P | 22 | organ [de] |
| 1990 | 134 | Milano (I) | San Simpliciano | NB | III/P | 35 | |
| 1991 | 135 | Pilsum (D) | Pilsumer Kreuzkirche [de] | R | II/p | 16 | organ [de] |
| 1991 | 138 | Zwettl (A) | Zwettl Abbey | R | III/P | 35 | organ [de] |
| 1990–93 | 139 | Hamburg (D) | St. Jacobi | R | IV/P | 60 | organ |
| 1993 | 140 | Payerne (CH) | Payerne Priory | Rk | II/P | 22 | |
| 1993/94 | 143 | Trondheim (N) | Nidaros Cathedrale | R | II/P | 30 | |
| 1994/95 | 144 | Osteel (D) | Warnfried Church [de] | R | II/p | 13 | organ [de] |
| 1995 | 145 | München (D) | Deutsches Museum | NB | II/P | 17 | |
| 1997 | 147 | Landshut (D) | St. Jodok [de] | NB | II/P | 15 | |
| 1997 | 149 | Tokyo (Japan) | Casals Hall, Nihon University | NB | III/P | 41 | |
| 1997 | 150 | Stuttgart (D) | Musikhochschule Stuttgart | NB | II/P | 15 | |
| 1998 | 151 | Logabirum (D) | Logabirumer Kirche [de] | NB | I/P | 10 | |
| 1997/98 | 153 | Dornum (D) | St. Bartholomäus [de] | R | III/P | 32 | organ [de] |
| 2000 | 157 | Lübeck (D) | Lübeck Cathedral (little organ) | R | I/p | 10 | |
| 2000 | 158 | Kongsberg (N) | Kongsberg Church | R | III/P | 42 | organ |
| 2001 | 159 | Trebel (D) | Feldsteinkirche [de] | R | II/P | 19 | |
| 2002 | 160 | Leer (D) | Lutherkirche [de] | NB | III/P | 39 | |
| 2002 | 161 | Köln (D) | Ursulinenkirche [de] | NB | II/P | 19 | |
| 2002/03 | 162 | Wilten (A) | Stift Wilten [de] | R | I/P | 4 (10) | |
| 2003/04 | 163 | Altenbruch (D) | St. Nicolai [de] | R | III/P | 35 | organ [de] |
| 2004 | 164 | Hokksund (N) | Haug, Norway kirke | NB | II/P | 22 | |
| 2004 | 165/183 | Oldersum (D) | Oldersumer Kirche [de] | NB | II/P | 16 | |

### Hendrik Ahrend (from 2005)

| year | opus | town | church | kind | manuals | stops | information |
| 2005 | 170 | Notre Dame/Indiana | University of Notre Dame | NB | I | 5 | |
| 2005 | 171 | Pernegg (A) | Stift Pernegg [de] | R | II/P | 18 | |
| 2006 | 172 | Calgary (CA) | University of Calgary | NB | II/P | 21 | |
| 2007 | 176 | Herzogenaurach (D) | St. Otto [de] | NB | II/P | 26 | |
| 2007 | 177 | Vaison-la-Romaine (F) | Vaison Cathedral | NB | II/P | 20 | |
| 2007 | 178 | Kantens (NL) | Antoniuskerk | Rk | II/p | 15 | |
| 2007 | 179 | Våler, Hedmark (N) | Våler kirkelige fellesråd | R | I | 8 | |
| 2007/08 | 180 | Leer (D) | Catholic-Apostolic Church | NB | II/P | 10 | |
| 2009 | 187 | Venice (I) | Chiesa di San Salvador | NB | I | 8 | |
| 2009 | 188 | Melle (D) | St. Matthäus [de] | R | II/P | 23 | |
| 2009 | 189 | Königs Wusterhausen (D) | Kreuzkirche [de] | NB | II/P | 19 | |
| 2010 | 194 | Brixen (I) | Frauenkirche am Kreuzgang [de] | R | I/P | | |
| 2010/11 | 195 | Hollern (D) | St. Mauritius [de] | R | II/P | 24 | |
| 2011/12 | 199 | Worpswede (D) | Zions's Church | NB | II/P | 24 | organ [de] |
| 2011/12 | 200 | Buttforde (D) | St. Marien [de] | R | I/p | 9 | organ [de] |
| 2012/13 | 202 | Badia, South Tyrol (I) | St. Jakob und Leonhard, Abtei [de] | NB | III/P | about 35 | |
| 2013 | 203 | Sankt Peter (D) | Maria Lindenberg [de] | NB | II/P | 17 | |
| 2013/14 | 204 | Rinteln (D) | Kloster Möllenbeck [de] | R | II/P | 20 | |
| 2015 | 207 | Langwarden [de] | St. Laurentius [de] | NB | II/P | 21 | |
| 2015–16 | 210 | Heidelberg | St. Raphael [de] | N | II/P | 32 | |
| 2017 | 213 | Tokyo (J) | Concert Hall | NB | II/P | 21 | |
| 2014–18 | 206/215 | Leer (D) | Große Kirche [de] | R | III/P | 48 | organ [de] |
| 2018–20 | 217 | Regensburg | Dreieinigkeitskirche [de] | NB | II/P | 30 | |