MONARKE AMSTERDAM

Organists preparing the registrations on the Monarke Amsterdam will feel as if they’re playing the Vater-Müller organ at the Oude Kerk. The drawknobs, made from stunning rosewood, plus the nameplates with their matching typography, will make it easy to imagine you are right there.

MONARKE AMSTERDAM

Experience Amsterdam’s Oude Kerk at home

Organists preparing the registrations on the Monarke Amsterdam will feel as if they’re playing the Vater-Müller organ at the Oude Kerk. The drawknobs, made from stunning rosewood, plus the nameplates with their matching typography, will make it easy to imagine you are right there.

See all photos
Mo nar ke

Highlights

54 rosewood drawknobs

3 manuals

12.2 audio system

stereo samples

Back to overview

Technical focus

Why does Johannus opt for sampling

Who at Johannus is working on developing the technology

What makes DS-core technology so good

What are the advantages of the DS-Core technology

How does the recording process work at Johannus

How does the real pipe organ sound come alive in our organs

How does convolution reverb work

If you close your eyes, it’s easy to picture yourself seated at the Vater-Müller organ.

The Monarke Amsterdam completes the fantasy with a 12.2 audio system, two tweeter channels, and two available surround channels for an extra sense of space. If you close your eyes, it’s easy to picture yourself underneath the wooden vaults of the Oude Kerk.

Inspired by the rich design of the Vater-Müller organ

The bench and the pedalboard with their curlicues, the keyboard blocks with their graceful construction, the decorative frame around the music desk and the artisanal woodcarvings on the front panel: the design of the Monarke Amsterdam is clearly inspired by the rich design of the Vater-Müller organ.

Nameplate identical to the original engravings

The Vater-Müller organ at the Oude Kerk has served as inspiration right down to the tiniest of details. For example, thanks to careful study by a typographer, the letters on the nameplates above the stops are identical to the engravings of the original. The same is true for the drawknobs. Every effort has been made to recreate the signature Vater-Müller style.

The ultimate compromise between authenticity and ease of use

The Monarke Amsterdam’s stoplist, with its 54 stops, is identical to that of the Vater-Müller organ in the Oude Kerk. One small but practical difference is the register. The Monarke Amsterdam has rows of eight, but eight rows of four stops. This also brings the outer stops within the organist’s reach. This offers the organ the ultimate compromise between authenticity and optimum ease of use.

The sounds of the Vater-Müller rumbling through the living room

The Monarke Amsterdam completes the player’s fantasy with a 12.2 audio system, two tweeter channels, and two available surround channels for an extra sense of space. The sublime sounds of the carefully sampled pipes of the Vater-Müller organ rumble through the living room in all their splendor.

Sampled pipe by pipe

The Monarke Amsterdam contains the individually sampled pipes of the renowned Vater-Müller organ in the Oude Kerk, making it about as close as possible to the experience of playing this majestic, three-manual, 54-stop organ in the living room.

The entire church as instrument

Thanks to the freely adjustable reverb switch, organists are free to determine the listening position from which they would like to experience their performance. This gives the powerful sense that it’s not just the organ, but the entire church that is the instrument being played.

Stereo samples ensure extremely true-to-life resonance

The Monarke Amsterdam comes with what we call stereo samples. This means that we use two recordings for each sampled pipe – one on the left channel and one on the right. This stereo resonance ensures an unprecedented and faithful reproduction of the authentic pipe organ sound.

Turn on the Monarke Amsterdam and play in seconds

The ultra-fast Direct Streaming technology allows the Vater-Müller organ in Amsterdam's Oude Kerk to be played straight from the Monarke’s memory. It owes this speed to the sophisticated motherboard, based on solid-state technology. The organist can turn on the organ and play within seconds.

Amsterdam’s oldest building

The wooden chapel built back in the thirteenth century made way for a stone church almost a century later. After numerous renovations and restorations, this resulted in the current distinctive landmark building, which has the honor of being the oldest still-extant building in Amsterdam. The richly decorated hall church/basilica is characterized by its large floor space, wooden vaults, and mixture of glass, bluestone, and plasterwork. These combine to create superior acoustics, allowing for the Vater-Müller organ's renowned extended reverb.

The Vater-Müller organ dates back to 1724

The Oude Kerk had its own organ – attached to the church’s western wall – as early as the fifteenth century. It was subsequently replaced by a three-keyboard instrument in the sixteenth century – the organ used by the world-famous Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck from 1577 to 1580. Dating back to 1724, the Oude Kerk’s current principal organ was built by Christian Vater, with some modifications added by Johann Caspar Müller not long after.

Renovations transformed the Baroque organ into a versatile powerhouse

Various renovations to the Vater-Müller organ, the most recent of which were carried out between 2015 and 2019, have transformed the original Baroque organ into a powerhouse of versatility. The instrument can play anything from Bach and Mendelssohn to classic choral psalms and more contemporary melodies.

Following in the footsteps of musical icons

Both the Oude Kerk and its Vater-Müller organ are renowned among organ aficionados all over the world. It was musical luminaries such as Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Feike Asma, Marcel Dupré and Jeanne Demessieux who, in their respective eras, elevated the majestic landmark to worldwide fame. They, along with many other leading lights, would fill every corner of the ancient church with their astounding and long-reverberating sounds. Playing the Monarke Amsterdam, you will be able to feel just like them.

Want to know more about the Monarke Amsterdam?

Download the brochure or contact your nearest dealer.

Request brochure Find a dealer
More information

Ask a question

Do you have a specific question about the Johannus Monarke Amsterdam? Fill in the form and ask us any question you may have. We will be happy to provide you with answers!

Discover more Johannus organs

Reigning king of all the instruments

Johannus is more than happy to build a custom organ for organists with specific wishes. Monarke Custom Living Room Organs can be designed and built to suit every wish and specification.

fully customizable living room organ

put together your own desired stoplist

suitable for all spaces

can be delivered all over the world

mon arke

More information?

Download the brochure!