Friedrich Goll (born October 28, 1839, in Bissingen an der Teck; died March 2, 1911, in Lucerne) was one of the most significant organ builders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Switzerland. Goll learned the craft of organ building from his brother Christoph Ludwig Goll in Kirchheim unter Teck, followed by further training with Jakob Forell in Freiburg and Friedrich Haas in Lucerne. His training also included stints with Joseph Merklin in Paris and a brief period in London. In 1867, Friedrich Haas handed over his business to Goll, who achieved significant success with his first major project, the organ for the Abbey Church of Engelberg, completed in 1877.

The breakthrough project led to Goll becoming a dominant figure in Swiss organ building, alongside contemporaries Johann Nepomuk Kuhn and Carl Theodor Kuhn. In 1905, Friedrich Goll's son Karl joined the business as a partner, and the company was renamed "Goll & Cie." The company grew rapidly, employing around 70 people by the time of Goll's death in 1911. Between 1902 and 1911 alone, the firm produced approximately 130 new organs.

Karl and Paul Goll continued to lead the company successfully, relocating the workshops to Horw near Lucerne in 1921. However, the firm faced financial difficulties, leading to bankruptcy in 1927 and Karl Goll's departure. In 1928, Paul Goll re-established the company as a joint-stock corporation with Wilhelm Lackner. The family tradition ended with the accidental death of Friedrich Goll's grandson in 1971. In 1972, the company was re-founded in Lucerne by Beat Grenacher and Jakob Schmidt, and it continues to thrive today under the name "Orgelbau Goll," with notable projects including organs for the French Church in Bern, the Culture and Congress Centre in Lucerne, and the Market Church in Hanover.

Friedrich Goll's organs were rooted in the South German Romantic tradition, influenced by Haas and Walcker. Initially, he built organs with mechanical action and cone chests, later transitioning to pneumatic action in the 1890s. Goll was renowned for his exceptional intonation skills, a quality highly praised by his predecessor Haas. Despite adopting newer technologies, Goll maintained a conservative style, while his sons later incorporated French symphonic elements and innovative features. The high quality of materials and craftsmanship characterized all of Goll's work, from small to large instruments. Though many of the nearly 600 organs built by Goll between 1868 and 1928 have been altered or destroyed, a significant number remain, showcasing the enduring legacy of Goll's meticulous and artistic approach to organ building.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Goll