Let’s finish the construction of the St. Vitus Cathedral, the symbol of the Czech Republic.

The New Organ Play video Adopt a pipe QR Payment

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Support the project of purchasing a new St. Vitus organ with a one-time donation. Just scan the QR code in your banking app on your phone. We would like to thank all donors.

Bank account number: 7191292/0800

News / Records from the Chronicle

12/01/2024

Žáci ZŠ Marjánka adoptovali píšťalu

Žáci Základní školy Marjánka v Praze dokázali během adventního jarmarku v prosinci 2023 vybrat částku 13 167 Kč, kterou věnovali na adopci píšťaly svatovítských varhan. Z dalších projektů, na které žáci přispěli, získaly svatovítské varhany nejvyšší podíl. Do benefiční akce se zapojili žáci od nejnižších až po nejvyšší ročníky a na adventním jarmarku nabízeli ručně vyráběné výrobky a cukroví. Jsme vděční žákům ZŠ Marjánka za štědrý dar, kterého si velmi vážíme. Symbolické předání šeku se uskutečnilo v arcibiskupském paláci, kde arcibiskup pražský Mons. Jan Graubner převzal z rukou žáků darovací šek.

09/01/2024

Dar na píšťalu od studentu gymnázia Leonardo V. Academy

Gymnázium Leonardo V. Academy se připojilo k charitativnímu programu na podporu dokončení varhan v katedrále Sv. Víta. Rozhodli jsme se adoptovat varhanní píšťalu, čímž s radostí neseme svůj díl odpovědnosti a stáváme se součástí této nádherné historie a kulturního dědictví. V rámci charitativního projektu na naší škole jsme dokázali vybrat částku 21 000 Kč.

Tato jedinečná iniciativa pro nás není pouze příležitostí zapojit naše žáky do obnovy svatovítské katedrály, ale také příležitostí vytvořit trvalý odkaz pro naši školu. Přidáním našeho jména ke spolufinancování těchto varhan přispíváme k bohatství hudební tradice v naší metropoli.

Text: Gymnázium Leonardo V. Academy

22/12/2023

Vánoční video a poděkování za dar

Společnost Senator Meetings & Incentives s.r.o. darovala na velkou píšťalu svatovítských varhan dar 300.000 Kč. Tohoto daru si velmi vážíme a děkujeme za něj. Při této příležitosti se rozhodla pro své partnery vytvořit vánoční přání v podobě krátkého videa. Odkaz na video přikládáme.

Odkaz na video: https://www.senatormi.eu/pf-2024/

22/12/2023

Vánoční přání

Vážení mecenáši a přátelé Nadačního fondu pro svatovítské varhany, v tomto svátečním období bychom chtěli vyjádřit naše srdečné poděkování za Vaši podporu a štědrost. Přejeme Vám požehnané a radostné Vánoční svátky.

The New Instrument

It would be difficult to find a structure in our country, which could be the equal of the cathedral of St. Vitus. It is a spiritual institution that shapes our relationship with the Creator. It is the first basilica in the country. Moreover, while it may be seen as a visual textbook of Christianity, at the same time it is at the crossroads of our history, where decisions were made about historical outcomes in our land. It is one of the greatest works of art in our country, which in a minute space, concentrates many artistic stages in many contexts. The cathedral is a visual witness to past events and helped to shape our own identity. It is also, however, a living organism, which evolved over half a millennium and even today is still not complete.

It is hard to imagine Prague today without the silhouette of the cathedral. And yet, this silhouette actually looked quite different until recent times. Half of the building (the nave) was missing and was not completed till 1929. The Metropolitan Church is such monumental work, that it will probably never be absolutely completed. Nevertheless, something very significant is missing to this day because, at the completion of construction, there were insufficient funds to install a new organ in the western choir loft of the cathedral. Several attempts have been made; all have been unsuccessful. Finally, today we have a new opportunity. It is up to us to in a time of peace and freedom to fulfill the legacy of our predecessors, in particular, that of the father of the nation, Charles IV and to ‘complete’ the cathedral.

The organ, because of its magnificence, is called the ‘king of instruments’. But is not the instrument of earthly kings for the organ speaks in the voice of God that sometimes gently whispers and infuses our soul with peaceful joy and at other times roars and thunders, sending shivers up our spine. The beauty of the organ lies in the fact that in spite of its monumentality it fulfills the word of Him who did not come to be served, but to serve. Anyone who listens to the music of the organ, is taught humility. It leads one to the art of listening and of harmonizing one’s relationship with his neighbor through singing and prayer. The organ leads us to a more genuine relationship not only with God, but also with our neighbor. For this reason, we want to work together to contribute to the glory of God, to the renown of St. Vitus Cathedral and to the further evolution of the famous musical traditions of our nation.

Dominik Duka OP, Cardinal Archbishop of Prague

An Organ for the Cathedral

The idea of the building of a new organ never disappeared completely: it repeatedly re-emerged, only to be postponed to more favourable times as a result of adverse society-wide events of the war years and also due to the post-war conditions.

The New Instrument

A new instrument may be regarded as a testimony to the capabilities, experience and knowledge of the present generation as well as acting as a legacy to future generations.

The builder of the new organ

The organ building company of Gerhard Grenzing is one of the most experienced companies in this field: it has successfully completed 220 restoration and building projects across continents.

Let’s finish the work of our ancestors. Let’s finish the building of the St. Vitus Cathedral, the symbol of the Czech Republic. The cathedral is missing a dignified voice. Support the building of its organ.
The St. Vitus Organ

Sponsorship / Support

90%

To this day, we’ve successfully raised: 78,836,673 CZK

Thank you!

The Old Organ

The Current Organ
HISTORY OF PIPE ORGANS IN THE CATHEDRAL
WHAT IS THE PIPE ORGAN

The Fund

The St. Vitus Organ Fund was established in accordance with Act No. 227/1997 Sb. by its registration into the fund registry administered by the Municipal Court in Prague, file ref. N 1123, on 19 March 2014.

The registration number of the fund is 02794471.

The bank account of the fund is 2109930876/2700.

Registered office: Hradčanské náměstí 56/16, 119 02 Prague 1 – Hradčany

Purpose of the fund: acquisition of a new representative organ for the St. Vitus Cathedral

 

Contact:

ICLic. Mgr. Ondřej Pavek
Chairman of the Managing Board of the St. Vitus Organ Fund
e-mail: pavek@svatovitskevarhany.com
phone: + 420 603 235 606

František Falta
Coordinator of the Organ for the Cathedral project
e-mail: Frantisek.Falta@apha.cz
phone: +420 733 164 063

 

Members of the Managing Board:

ICLic. Mgr. Ondřej Pávek
Prof. JUDr. Jan Kříž
JUDr. Pavel Müller
Ing. Robert Kolář
Mgr. Vojtěch Mátl

 

Members of the Supervisory Board:

ThLic. Ing. Zdenek Wasserbauer Th.D.
Ing. MgA. Pavel Farský
Mgr. Jakub Skřejpek
Drahoslav Chudoba
Ing. Arch. Marek Štěpán

Contacts

Media inquiries:

Šimon Slavík
Project press agent
e-mail: slavik@bohemianheritage.cz
telefon: +420 734 335 438

Contact for others parties involved in the Organ for the Cathedral project:

Vojtěch Mátl
Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board
e-mail: vojtech.matl@apha.cz
telefon: +420 737 215 326

Jakub Skřejpek
Bohemian Heritage Fund
e-mail: skrejpek@bohemianheritage.cz

The builder of the new organ

The organ building company of Gerhard Grenzing is one of the most experienced companies in this field: it has successfully completed 220 restoration and building projects across continents.

The firm’s founder, Gerhard Grenzing, trained with organ builder Rudolf von Beckenrath in Hamburg and subsequently perfected his art by working in many European organ building workshops. Already by the age of 25, he began to devote himself to the restoration of historical instruments in Mallorca. At the age of 30, he settled in El Papiol, near Barcelona and established his own workshop where, besides restoration work, he also started building instruments. His company has grown over the years and since the year 2000, over 20 employees work in the firm’s new, spacious workshop. To date, 138 new organs have been built and over 90 restorations or reconstructions have been completed.

Gerhard Grenzing is the author of a series of articles about the organ builder Jordi Bosch, his works and his students. He has participated in many organ congresses, such as the “2èmes Journées Nationales de l’Orgue” in Toulouse in 1986, the “International Congress of Organists” in Cambridge in 1987 and the international congress of the Instituto de Históricos de Oaxaca (Mexico). He has also worked as an international organ consultant in Leuven (Belgium).

Two television documentaries and one film documentary have been made about Gerhard Grenzing and the organs he has constructed have been used in many recordings.

In 1991, Gerhard Grenzing was awarded the silver medal of the Spanish Ministry of Culture for his achievements in the field of music and the fine arts; in 2004 he received the title of Art Master of Catalonia. He is also a member of the Royal Academies of Seville and Barcelona, the Societat Catalana de Musicologia and the Consejo del Instituto de Órganos Históricos de Oaxaca (Mexico). He was the President of the International Society of Organ Builders (ISO) between the years 2006 and 2010. In 2006 the magazine “Organ” named him organ builder of the year.

The Alliance Francophone for the Kingdom of Spain named Gerhard Grenzing as a member of its honorary committee in 2007 and awarded him the order of “L’Eléphant d’Or”. He is also the holder of the order “Trophée Européen de L’Excellence”.