The Creative Life of Franc Goršič

Franc Goršič was a prominent Slovenian figure, with his life and determination, fiercely defended the Slovene language, culture and religion.

He was born on 21 October 1836 in the Krakovo in Ljubljana, into a wealthy bourgeois family. His father Martin, an organist and choirmaster in the local parish church, recognized his son’s musical talent early on. After graduating from the folk school in Ljubljana, his father sent young Franc to be apprenticed to the Kamnik organist Petr Rumpl (from 1850 to 1855), and then to the Ljubljana organist Ferdinand Malahovski (from 1855 to 1956). In 1856, with the knowledge he had acquired, Franc travelled via Graz to Vienna, where he briefly worked for the Viennese organ builder Deutschmann and later for seven years with for the organ builder Carl Hesse (from 1856 to 1863).

In 1864, he returned to Ljubljana as a master organ builder and established his own organ workshop, which he operated successfully until his death on 29 August 1898.

Goršič’s creative progress

Goršič’s inaugural organ was installed in his home parisch church in Trnovo (op. 1, 1864) – a two -manual organ with 20 registers, crafted using the common method of slider chests at the time.

His final organ was built at St. Lenart above Škofja Loka. Unfortunately, this organ and the church were both destroyed by a landmine in 1944.

Goršič took great pride in the organ he installed in the Ursuline Church in Ljubljana, considering it the most sonorous of all his works.

His technical progress was significantly influenced by the organ workshop of the Link brothers (Giengen an der Brenz, Germany), from which he bought organ pipes (from 1887) and patents. From 1889, he also collaborated with the carver Janez Vurnik Jr. (1849-1911) from Radovljica, who crafted organ cases for him.

Goršič was regularly responsible for the tuning of organs in churches and institutions across in what is now Slovenian territory and abroad. The numerous organ repairs he carried out during his 35 years as a craftsman cannot be overlooked.

It is generally acknowledged by experts that cases in which Goršič thoroughly renovated and rebuilt existing old organs are considered his work.

Ivan Milavec (1874-1915) also studied with Goršič from 21 September 1888 to 21 January 1892 and remained as his assistant until 18 May 1895.

Goršič was distinguished by his extraordinary musical talent. One could even say that he had a pefect pitch, as he never missed a note by ear. He also had some musical training. He received his first musical instruction from his father, and in Vienna, he developed his musical abilities to such an extent that he was able to prelude and improvise in a completely relaxed and ear-pleasing manner.

The composer Anton Foerster once confessed to Goršič that no one could replicate his playing of the marches on the organ.

Goršič’s interest in culture was evident in his wide reading habits, including newspapers in German, and his subscriptions to literary works of Jurčič, Stritar and Levstik. Goršič was also in personal contact with Josip Jurčič and Fran Levstik. He was one of the founding members of the Craftsmen’s Auxiliary Association, and a member of the National Reading Society. For a short time, he was also actively involved in politics (from 1882), but unfortunately, we cannot find many records of this.

Goršič’s opus

According to the technical design of Goršič organs, his oeuvre can be divided into three periods.

1864-1884 Mechanical slider chests
The first mechanical organ with slider chests was made for the Trnovo church (Op. 1, 1864), and the last such organ was made in Vuhred (Op. 41, c. 1884).

1884-1897 Mechanical cone chests
The first mechanical organ with cone chests was built in Borovnica (Op. 42, 1884), and the last organ of this type was made in Log pri Vipavi (Op. 64, 1897).

1898 Pneumatics, windchests outlets with hanging membrane
In his last creative period, he made only one pneumatic organ, for Mokronog (Op. 65, 1898).

Goršič’s complete oeuvre comprises 66 newly made or rebuilt instruments in Slovenia, Croatia, Austria and Italy.

Goršič’s last preserved organ stands in Mokronog. This is notable as his first instrument with a pneumatic tracker action. He replaced the existing conical valves on the windchest under the pipes with a hanging valve membrane, and the mechanical connection between the keys at the console and the valves was replaced by lead air tubes. The system operates on the principle of ‘air leakage’ – when air is released from the valve membrane, it compresses, opening the air channels through which the air reaches the pipes. The entire pneumatic tracker of the console, through the relays to the windchest, works on this principle. The organ in Mokronog was restored in 2019-20 by the Košir Organ Workshop.