Johannus Sampleset Kampen for Live III  

Every organist is familiar with the 56-stop Hinsz organ in the Bovenkerk in Kampen. The innumerable organ concerts and choral evenings involving this historic instrument have left a deep musical impression on many generations.

The instrument is still a source of inspiration for many international musicians to this very day. Without exception they express their admiration for its overwhelming appearance. The organ, which was built in 1743 and facilitates a wide range of musical styles, has a richness of sound that captures the imagination. Of course, Baroque compositions really come into their own, but symphonic organ music and the famous ‘Dutch Choral Music’ also register surprisingly well. The organ has also more than proven its service in accompanying mass congregational singing.

The organ’s fame doesn’t only lie in its appearance and sound. The acoustics of this 16th century place of worship create a wonderful embedding of the sound, which reverberates through the Gothic cross basilica for as much as seven seconds. 

The building itself is equally renowned for its beauty. Viewed from across the IJssel river, it rises above the city like a mighty fortress. Looking at the Kampen skyline, the Bovenkerk is impossible to avoid.

And in musical terms, the organ is also impossible to avoid, with the historic richness of the Hanseatic city being heralded in each and every Hinsz organ pipe.