Schyven Organ of Antwerp cathedral
The organ in Antwerp Cathedral is the biggest instrument ever built by the famous belgian organ builder Pierre Schyven. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece of 19th century Belgian organ building.Antwerp Cathedral is eternally grateful to Miss Eugenia Kempeneers, a faithful parishioner who bequeathed the princely sum of 150.000 francs for the construction of a new pipe organ. When the money came into the possession of the church wardens in 1888 they nominated a panel of experts to take charge of the project. Panel members included the Cathedral organist Joseph Callaerts, his brother François who was Director of music at the Cathedral, composer and organist Edgar Tinel, a Canon of the abbey of Averbode, and musicologist Léon de Burbure.Joseph Callaerts considered the organ which Aristide Cavaillé-Coll had built for the church of St.-Sulpice in Paris an excellent reference. He dreamed of this renowned French organ builder constructing such an instrument for ’his’ organ loft. The panel of experts invited a tender from Cavaillé-Coll but also from the Belgian organ builder Pierre Schyven and the German firm of Walcker and Co.