The builders attempted to give the instrument an attractive, sumptuous appearance, and the elegantly designed console with elaborate register labels of tin must have created a stir at the time. The original keyboards with ivory and tortoiseshell coating are unfortunately no longer in existence.
The driving force behind this prestigious instrument was one of the castle employees. His name was Christian Rudolf Ebeling (1730-1809), and he seems to have been a man of many parts. He was an organist, violinist, wood-carver, parish clerk, expert bee-keeper, author, violin-builder, organ consultant - and a footman at Augustenborg Castle.
The combined appointment as footman and castle organist was not as unusual as one might suppose. On landed estates where people wished to have an orchestra at their disposal they could not normally afford to employ people who were solely concerned with music, and therefore it was natural to prefer domestic staff who played an instrument and could fill a position in the ensemble.
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© Musikmuseet / Ole Olesen |
| Orgler i Danmark / Organs in Denmark |
| Den Danske Orgelregistrant / The Danish Organ Registry |
