The Bätz-Witte organ of the Grote Kerk in Gorinchem was inaugurated in September 1853. At the festive opening, the organ was played by organists J.A. van Eijken and D.H. Dijkhuizen, alongside S.A. Appel, who had just been appointed as principal organist.

The first design for this organ dates from 1851. It was the first three-manual organ with a Rückpositiv built by the Utrecht organ builder Christian Gottlieb Friedrich Witte, and also his first design in the Romanesque style. For the organ’s façade, Witte drew inspiration from a proposed design for a new organ in the Zuiderkerk in Rotterdam (1850). His fellow townsman, Utrecht sculptor Joannes Rijnbout, created the three statues that adorn the main case.

For this organ, Witte reused pipework from an earlier instrument built by Johann Heinrich Hartmann Bätz in 1761 for the former Grote Kerk of Gorinchem. That building was later demolished due to structural decay. Bätz himself had incorporated pipework crafted by Stephanus Cousijns, dating from 1666.

The majority of the pipework in the Hoofdwerk and Bovenwerk divisions dates from 1761. The reeds in both divisions still retain their original resonators, cups, and shallots from that same year.

Source: gorinchemorgelstad.nl