Johann Heinrich Hartmann Bätz

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Johann Heinrich Hartmann Bätz (1 January 1709 Frankenroda - 13 December 1770, Utrecht) was a Dutch organ builder.

He came to Holland where he probably first worked for Christiaan Müller, builder of the organ in the Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem. In 1739 he set up his own firm in Utrecht. His instruments were considered stupendous, commanding the admiration of every one who hears, and even sees them. The organ of Zierikzee, which was built in 1770, had 56 voices and 3108 pipes. Bätz was paid 19,500 florins for this organ, which burned down in 1832. He erected other organs of similar magnitude in the large churches of Gorinchem, Utrecht, Woerden, Benschop, etc. His sons Gideon (born 1851) and Christoffel (born 1855), who lived their entire life in Utrecht, succeeded their father in the business.

[edit] References

• Rose, Hugh James [1853] (1857). A New General Biographical Dictionary, London: B. Fellowes et al.
• Website "Zierikzee, monumentenstad [1]
• Arend Jan Gierveld (1981) The Harpsichord and Clavichord in the Dutch Republic, Tijdschrift van de Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis 32, 117-166. (page 132)