There was no organ when the Westerkerk was consecrated on Whit Sunday the 8th of June in 1631.
According to Calvinism, playing instrumental music inside the church was still considered 'profane' in those days.
It took many years of consultation until an organ was finally allowed.
At first there was still talk of moving the small organ (koororgel) used in the Nieuwe- or the 'Oudekerk' but the pipes of this 'Oudekerk' choir organ were finally moved to the 'Zuiderkerk'.
In 1681 the Westerkerk decided on commissioning organ builder Roelof Barentszn Duyschot for the construction of a new organ.
Before it was finished he died and in 1686 the new organ was finished by his son Johannes Duyschot.
Later in 1727 it was enlarged with an extra third keyboard by Christiaan Vater who learned his profession at Arp Schnitger.

Many alterations were done on the organ in the course of time.
In the 19th century in 1895 even a rebuild of the inside of the organ took place by Daniel Gerard Steenkuyl.
Lucky enough many of the old pipes and the wind chests were re used.
In 1939, the keyboard was equipped with electric tracker action and even a swell work was added.
It was not what this organ was intended to be in sound and action.
The organ was almost doubled in size, but was also too big for its case.

So between 1989 and 1992 the organ was reconstructed by Flentrop organ builders in Zaandam to its former mechanical action again more or less like Christiaan Vater made it in 1727.
Today the 'bovenwerk' (Oberwerk, located in the top of the organ case) is still almost complete with stops by Vater.
An exception is the 'baarpyp', which is made by Steenkuyl in 1896 and the 'Dulciaan' which is made by Flentrop in 1992.
The front pipes were made in 1842 by Hermanus Knipscheer.
In the situation after 1992, less than half of the pipes are historic and re-used in the 'hoofdwerk' (Great organ) and the 'Rugwerk' (Chaire organ).
The keyboards and stop triggers beside it of this just mechanical baroque organ are located in the main case behind this 'rugwerk'.
For this kind of baroque organs, it is characteristic that many of the stops, mainly the principals, are doubled in the trebles.
This was set up to create more power in leading the congregation in their psalm singing.
During the restoration of the inside of the church the organ was brought to Zaandam at Flentrop Orgelbouw for cleaning.
In spring 2020 it was replaced in the church and on 18 April the new organist Evan Bogerd did the commissioning concert on internet (youtube at 8pm Amsterdam) For complex organ works one or even two stop assistants are necessary for triggering these stops.

In the summer season from April till the end of October there is a weekly free lunchtime concert on Friday at 1pm.
In August there is a free concert almost every day for a week 'Geen dag zonder Bach' ('Not a day without Bach') and the 'Grachten' (Canal) festival.
 A noncommittal money collection is held after the concert at the exit.
The money is used for the costs of the maintenance of the concerts and the organs.
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is performed almost weekly in the divine Sunday services.
Bach was born in 1685, that is a year before the organ was finished but as far as we know, he never visited Amsterdam.
His music sounds like it was made for this baroque instrument.
See the site of Westerkerk for the Lunchtime concert schedule.

Organist in the Westerkerk is Evan Bogerd.
There was no organ when the Westerkerk was consecrated on Whit Sunday the 8th of June in 1631. According to Calvinism, playing instrumental music inside the church was still considered 'profane' in those days. It took many years of consultation until an organ was finally allowed. At first there was still talk of moving the small organ (koororgel) used in the Nieuwe- or the 'Oudekerk' but the pipes of this 'Oudekerk' choir organ were finally moved to the 'Zuiderkerk'. In 1681 the Westerkerk decided on commissioning organ builder Roelof Barentszn Duyschot for the construction of a new organ. Before it was finished he died and in 1686 the new organ was finished by his son Johannes Duyschot. Later in 1727 it was enlarged with an extra third keyboard by Christiaan Vater who learned his profession at Arp Schnitger.
Many alterations were done on the organ in the course of time. In the 19th century in 1895 even a rebuild of the inside of the organ took place by Daniel Gerard Steenkuyl. Lucky enough many of the old pipes and the wind chests were re used. In 1939, the keyboard was equipped with electric tracker action and even a swell work was added. It was not what this organ was intended to be in sound and action. The organ was almost doubled in size, but was also too big for its case.
So between 1989 and 1992 the organ was reconstructed by Flentrop organ builders in Zaandam to its former mechanical action again more or less like Christiaan Vater made it in 1727. Today the 'bovenwerk' (Oberwerk, located in the top of the organ case) is still almost complete with stops by Vater. An exception is the 'baarpyp', which is made by Steenkuyl in 1896 and the 'Dulciaan' which is made by Flentrop in 1992. The front pipes were made in 1842 by Hermanus Knipscheer. In the situation after 1992, less than half of the pipes are historic and re-used in the 'hoofdwerk' (Great organ) and the 'Rugwerk' (Chaire organ). The keyboards and stop triggers beside it of this just mechanical baroque organ are located in the main case behind this 'rugwerk'. For this kind of baroque organs, it is characteristic that many of the stops, mainly the principals, are doubled in the trebles. This was set up to create more power in leading the congregation in their psalm singing. During the restoration of the inside of the church the organ was brought to Zaandam at Flentrop Orgelbouw for cleaning. In spring 2020 it was replaced in the church and on 18 April the new organist Evan Bogerd did the commissioning concert on internet (youtube at 8pm Amsterdam) For complex organ works one or even two stop assistants are necessary for triggering these stops.
In the summer season from April till the end of October there is a weekly free lunchtime concert on Friday at 1pm. In August there is a free concert almost every day for a week 'Geen dag zonder Bach' ('Not a day without Bach') and the 'Grachten' (Canal) festival.  A noncommittal money collection is held after the concert at the exit. The money is used for the costs of the maintenance of the concerts and the organs. Music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is performed almost weekly in the divine Sunday services. Bach was born in 1685, that is a year before the organ was finished but as far as we know, he never visited Amsterdam. His music sounds like it was made for this baroque instrument. See the site of Westerkerk for the Lunchtime concert schedule.
Organist in the Westerkerk is Evan Bogerd.
Westerkerk