Ernst Julius Marx (often Ernst Marx; 28 November 1728 in Ballenstedt, Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg – 25 March 1799) was an important German organ builder in Berlin. He worked in the tradition of Joachim Wagner.
Life
The father George Christoph Marx was a master carpenter in Ballenstedt. Ernst Marx had been employed in the workshop of Johann Peter Migendt in Berlin since 1753/55 at the latest. It is doubtful whether he lived to see Joachim Wagner, who died in 1749. Marx worked together with Migendt (in Companie) and married a sister of Migendt's wife, Maria Louisa Balke, in 1756.
After the death of Peter Migendt in 1767, he continued the workshop alone. Pupils included Johann Simon Buchholz, son-in-law Johann Friedrich Falckenhagen, and son Friedrich Emanuel Marx, who took over the workshop after his father's death in 1799.
Marx was the youngest of the organ builders who carried on the tradition of Joachim Wagner (even though he was not to have known him personally) and who passed it on to his pupils. He died in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia at the age of 70.
List of works (selection) Marx built organs in the Margraviate of Brandenburg, some also in Pomerania and Mecklenburg, and carried out rebuilding and repairs. The works in Vielitz (almost complete), (previously Boitzenburg), Brunne and (attributed), larger parts in Białogard (Belgard) and Eberswalde and Rostock, as well as prospectuses in Altenkirchen (previously Berlin Kattunfabrik), in Sophienkirche Berlin and in Strausberg. Organs that no longer exist or are only preserved in small parts are set in italics.
Year Location Church Picture Manual Casing Notes 1753–1755 Berlin Schlosskirche II/P 22 Amalienorgel, co-built for Johann Peter Migendt, 1767 in the Palais Unter den Linden, 1788 in the , since 1956 in Pfarrkirche Zur Frohen Botschaft in Karlshorst. → Organ 1761 Stettin St. Nikolai II/P 26 Contract concluded together with Johann Peter Migendt, burnt with church in 1811.Wolf Bergelt: Wagner-Geist im Orgelbau der Schüler. Vol. 2. Stettin - St. Nikolai. Freimut & Selbst, Berlin 2014; Kontraktabschluss 1761 Village church I/P 13 Presumed authorship, also possible Gottlieb Scholtze; preserved.Orgel in Plötzin, Orgeldatabase (niederländisch). 1766 Village church I/P 19 with parts of the from 1735, some transmission stops, removed at the latest in 1973 when the church was demolished.Einleitung Märkisch Oderland Institut für Orgelforschung, 4. Bild, mit Dispositionsentwurf von Marx Historisches Foto Orgellandschaft Brandenburg 1769–1770 Boitzenburg Relocated to in 1851 by Buchholz; preservedKirche Falkenwalde Uckermark Kirchen, mit Geschichte der Orgel 1773 Berlin St. Hedwig II/P 16 (10) Replaced in 1801.Orgel von St. Hedwig, Berlin, Orgeldatabase, with disposition (Dutch) 1773–1774 Strausberg St. Marien II/P 28 for 1430 Taler, with 1451 pipes, replaced in 1929 by Sauer organ in the previous facade, 2015 restoration by Scheffler → Current organ.Geschichte der Orgel St. Marien Strausberg.Geschichte der Orgel in Strausberg, Institut für Orgelforschung, mit historischer Marx-Disposition. 1775 Belgard, heute Białogard, Pommern Marienkirche Extended by Felix Grüneberg in 1912 to III/P, 43; preservedOrgel in Belgard, Wirtualne Centrum Organowe, mit falscher Schreibweise Marr (polnisch). 1775 Berlin-Friedrichstadt Dreifaltigkeitskirche III/P 39 rebuilt, destroyed in 1943Orgel der Dreifaltigkeitskirche Berlin, Orgeldatabase, mit Foto und Disposition (niederländisch)1776Berlin-Friedrichstadt Vernezobresches Palais, später Prinz-Albrecht-PalaisII/P31 For Anna Amalia, Abbess of Quedlinburg, then in Reformed Church Frankfurt (Oder), destroyed (ca. 1773/1777?) Berlin Kattunfabrik von Christian Ermeler II/P Year of construction unknown; 1798 nach Altenkirchen moved by Christian Erdmann Kindten, replaced in 1875, facade and stop Quintaton 8' preserved → current organl.Die Orgel der evangelischen Kirche in Altenkirchen by Stefan Warmsiedler (pdf) 1777 Frankfurt (Oder) Friedenskirche II/P 28 Replaced in 1881Orgel in Frankfurt/Oder, Orgeldatabase, with Disposition (Dutch) 1777 Friedrichsfelde bei Berlin Dorfkirche Moved to Eggersdorf in 1890, replaced there in 1937.Geschichte der Orgel in Eggersdorf Institut für Orgelforschung Brandenburg 1781–1783EberswaldeMaria-Magdalenen-Kirche Rebuilt and extended several times to II/P, 27, new casing, parts preserved.Orgel in Eberswalde, Institut für OrgelforschungOrgel in Eberswalde, Orgeldatabase. 1787PotsdamFranzösisch Reformierte Kirche Not preserved 1789 Vielitz Village church I/p 6 The front pipes were handed over in 1917, in 2011 extensive restoration by Rühle with reconstructed front pipes and historical tuning; almost completely preserved.Neue alte Pfeifen Märkische Oderzeitung vom 5. Dezember 2011 (Pressespiegel), über Restaurierung Orgel in Vielitz, Orgeldatabase. 1790 Berlin Sophienkirche Casing partially preserved.1791–1793 Rostock St. Mary's Church IV/P 64 Largest organ by Marx, in façade by Paul Schmidt from 1770, repaired several times, extended in 1938 by Sauer to IV/P, 83, about 30 stops and the windchests preserved → History of the organ. 1796 Dorfkirche I/P 9 Repaired by Friedrich Hermann Lütkemüller in 1865, by Hollenbach in 1893, front pipes handed over in 1917, new front pipes by Schuke in 1924/1925, restored by the Karl Schuke Berliner Orgelbauwerkstatt in 1997.Orgel in Brunne, Orgeldatabase, with picture and disposition (Dutch).Ulrike Schwarz, Matthias Metzler, among others (ed.): Landkreis Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Part 2: Gemeinde Fehrbellin, Amt Lindow (Mark) und Stadt (Denkmaltopographie Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Denkmale in Brandenburg). Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Worms am Rhein, 2003, , . 1799 Cottbus Oberkirche Last known organ, no preserved.Acten, die Orgel betreffend Institut für Orgelforschung, historische Unterlagen
Other works Year Location Church Picture Manual Casing Notes 1767 Belgard, today Białogard, Pomerania Church Conversions and repairs1775–1778StralsundSt. Mary's ChurchIII/P51 Repair and reconstruction of the Stellwagen organ → Reparaturen 1778–1779 Stralsund St.-Jakobi-Kirche III/P 45 Reconstruction of the organ by Christian Gottlieb Richter (1741) → Orgel 1791 Golzow, Uckermark Village church Transposition of the Arp Schnitger organ from 1714 into Sophienkirche Berlin (after the new Marx building there).Geschichte der Orgel Institut für Orgelforschung Brandenburg 1796 Havelberg Dom Reparations 1796 Havelberg St. Laurentius Conversion and expansion
References
Further reading "Ernst Julius Marx." In Uwe Pape, Wolfram Hackel, Christhard Kirchner (ed.): Lexikon norddeutscher Orgelbauer. Volume 4. Berlin, Brandenburg und Umgebung. Pape Verlag, Berlin 2017. . Wolf Bergelt: Wagner-Geist im Orgelbau der Schüler. Vol. 2: Stettin – St. Nikolai. Freimut & Selbst, Berlin 2014, . Wolf Bergelt: Orgelreisen durch die Mark Brandenburg. Freimut & Selbst, Berlin 2005, . S. 146 (ähnlicher Text im Weblink)
External links Ernst Julius Marx Institut für Orgelforschung Ernst Julius Marx Organindex, einzelne Orgeln (eingeschränkter Zugriff)