Karl Joseph Riepp, born on January 24, 1710, in Eldern near Ottobeuren, was a distinguished German organ builder whose expertise earned him French citizenship as a royally privileged organ builder. Trained alongside his brother Rupert under Jörg Hofer in Ottobeuren, Karl Joseph ventured to Strasbourg aiming to work with Andreas Silbermann but ended up under Georg Friedrich Merckel. Despite this, he keenly absorbed Silbermann's techniques and blended them with his own Swabian influences to become a sought-after organ builder. By 1742, he had settled in Dijon, France, where, together with Rupert, he built his most significant organ for St. Bénigne's Cathedral, establishing his reputation as a master craftsman capable of competing with any French contemporaries.

His prowess was further acknowledged when he was tasked with the organ construction for Ste. Chapelle du Roy in Dijon, a prestigious assignment indicating his status as one of Burgundy's and the kingdom's finest organ builders. In January 1747, King Louis XV granted Karl Joseph and his brother Rupert French citizenship with the mandate to remain permanent residents as "Facteurs d’orgues du Roy." In addition to his organ building, Karl Joseph engaged in trading wine from his vineyards in Burgundy, which added to his wealth and allowed him to export grapevines to Salem. His instruments epitomize the classic French organ style, demonstrating his profound understanding of acoustics and meticulous craftsmanship in the construction and tuning of stops, particularly the reed stops and mixtures, which were crucial for dynamic musical expression. His legacy includes training influential builders like Joseph Ludwig Weber and Johann Nepomuk Holzhey, who continued to integrate French and Swabian sound elements in their work.

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