On Pentecost 1631, the first church service takes place in the Westerkerk. It is the time after the Alteration. The Roman Catholic church, with its rich decorations, has given way to churches with sober furnishings. The Westerkerk is a good example. This soberness also affected organ playing. The organ is labelled by Protestants as ‘Satan's flute box’. So at the church synod in 1574, organ playing was banned. The Word is important. A good illustration of this is the prominent place of the pulpit. It stands in the middle of the church: on sunny days, the light falls on the open pulpit Bible.

So a Protestant church at that time is delivered without an organ. During the church service, singing is allowed, ‘thorough and reverent’ community singing. But it is not to be heard: people sing out of tune, mixed up or start singing haphazardly somewhere. Without organ accompaniment, the community singing becomes nothing. That is why the magistrates of the city of Amsterdam eventually give permission for an organ to be installed. And if an organ is built, they want to make a good impression with it. It should become a symbol of wealth. Thus, ‘Satan's flute chest’ becomes the most lavish element of the church.

In 1680, organ builder Johannes Duyschot (1645-1725) was commissioned to build an organ. It was completed in 1686. Since then, the organ has been restored with some regularity. Or, as sometimes happens, rebuilt to the musical taste of the time. The last restoration was done by the Flentrop firm, between 1989 and 1992. Here, not only authenticity is important, but also optimal possibilities for use with a view to the usual musical practice in the Westerkerk.

In 1963, Flentrop had already built a choir organ to accompany the cantata services held monthly in the Westerkerk since 1952. This organ will be very useful to replace the main organ during the restoration.