Belgium: Bruges Music

This stamp was issued in 2002 to celebrate the artistic heritage of the city of Bruges in Belgium. There is a xylophone in the foreground and the background includes an organ case. It appears that this is the organ at St Salvator in Bruges. I was able to find this site about the church, with an image of the organ, but no details about the instrument.

Austria: Hofhaymer

This stamp was issued 11 September 1987 to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the death of Paul Hofhaymer (Hofhaimer) and Austrian composer. The stamp calls Hofhaymer a composer and organist. The image features the composer playing a positiv organ (a table top instrument of relatively few notes and pipes). Several sources remark on his remarkable improvisational skills at the organ.

Austria: Vienna Philharmonic

This stamp was issued 28 March 1967 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Scott 789 includes an organ facade, a violin and laurel leaves. The facade is not clear. The Phil plays usually in the Golden Hall of the Music Academy, but that is not the facade include on this stamp. This could be the organ at the Schlosskapelle in Schoenbrunn. Here is information on that organ. I don't know if the Phil ever plays at Schoenbrunn, and if not why this facade might be on the stamp. If you can help identify this facade for certain, please contact me, so I can have the correct information here.

Liechtenstein: Rheinberger

The first organ stamp was issued by Liechtenstein in 1938. It featured a portrait Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger and a row of pipes. Rheinberger of course was a native of Liechtenstein born in 1839. The Rheinberger stamp was issued in a mini-sheet of four in 1938 for a philatelic exhibition; the same image was used in 1939 for a stamp issued in a pane of 20 format. This stamp is the first to include images of any part of an organ in the image.

France: Poitiers Cathedral

The organ in Poitiers Cathedral underwent major renovation completed in 1994. This stamp was issued to mark the completion. The original organ was built by Francois-Henri Clicquot beginning in 1787. The organ has a long and rich history. Here is a detailed history. At the bottom of the page is a nifty shot of the pipework from above.

Germany: Schnitger Organ

Scott 1590 was issued in 1989 to mark the restoration of the Schnitger organ at St. James Church in Hamburg Germany. The instrument was constructed by Arp Schnitger 1689-1693 using pipes from two earlier instruments of the church. The restoration work was done by Jurgen Ahrend. In 1917 parts of the organ were removed for the first world war. However the building and much of the instrument were destroyed in the second world war. Here is a very helpful web page devoted to the instrument and it's history.

Germany: Buxtehude Anniversary

This stamp was issued in 1987 to mark the 350th anniversary of the birth of Dietrich Buxtehude. Buxtehude is a well-recognized name amongst organists, if not too many other musicians. His work is a prelude to the organ compositions of Bach. Scott 1507 features an abstract organ facade and the composer's signature.