pcnd5584 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I have enjoyed greatly the responses to the Eight Stops thread. I have also, on occasion, had a go at designing a really 'small' four-clavier organ which, neverthless, embodies most of the sounds considered to be essential for cathedral-style music. There are a few simple rules: 1) It cannot simply be a re-working of (for example) the Grove Organ, or the FHW at Truro Cathedral. 2) It has to have a maximum of forty speaking stops. However, to qualify for the prize, one has to present a practical scheme of no more than thirty-five stops. There should be a maximum of eighteen couplers. 3) Any action is possible - but there is to be no extension whatsoever - anywhere. The console may be detached. 4) The instrument (on paper) should be effective in repertoire from Bach to Healey Willan (in the case of the latter, however, it is assumed that there will be no percussion stops). Here is my own idea. (I am exempt from qualifying from the prize, incidentally.) PEDAL ORGAN Contra Bourdon 32 Open Diapason Metal 16 Sub Bass 16 Violoncello (W+M) 8 Grand Bombarde (W) 16 Choir to Pedal Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Solo to Pedal Pedal and Great Pistons Coupled CHOIR ORGAN (Unenclosed) Viola 8 Rohr Flöte 8 Suabe Flöte 4 Cor Anglais 8 Swell to Choir Solo to Choir GREAT ORGAN Double Diapason (W+M) 16 Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Harmonic Flute 8 Cone Gamba 8 Octave 4 Wald Flöte 4 Super Octave 2 Mixture (19-22-26-29) IV Contra Posaune 16 Trumpet 8 Great Reeds on Choir Choir to Great Swell to Great Solo to Great SWELL ORGAN Quintatön 16 Open Diapason 8 Flauto Traverso 8 Viole de Gambe 8 Voix Célestes (CC) 8 Geigen Principal 4 Mixture (15-19-22) III Hautboy 8 Tremulant Contra Fagotto 16 Cornopean 8 Clarion 4 Sub Octave Unison Off Octave SOLO ORGAN (Enclosed) Concert Flute 4 Flageolet 2 Corno di Bassetto 8 Tremulant (Unenclosed) Grand Ophicleide 8 Sub Octave Octave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Brown Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I would ditch the 4th manual and go for an enclosed choir/solo. So probably not eligible for your prize - but something like this, perhaps: Pedal (Enclosed) Octobass 32 Violone Bass 16 Stopped Bass 16 Flute 8 Violoncello 8 Serpent 32 Bombarde 16 Great (manual 1) Contra Viola 16 Open Diapason 8 Viola 8 Flute Harmonique8 Octave 4 Superoctave 2 Plein Jeu 12.19.22 3rks Basson 16 Trompette 8 Swell Bourdon 16 Flute Ouverte 8 Viole 8 Violes Celestes 8 Orchestral Flute 4 Salicet 4 Cornet 12.15.17.19.22 5rks Bombarde 16 Trompette Harmonique 8 Hautbois 8 Clairon 4 Postive (Manual 2, Enclosed) Salicional 8 Chimney flute 8 Gemshorn 8 Prestant 4 Flute 4 Nasat 2 2/3 Octavin 2 Tierce 1 3/5 Cymbel 22.26.29 3rks Clarinette 8 Orchestral Trumpet 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I have enjoyed greatly the responses to the Eight Stops thread. I have also, on occasion, had a go at designing a really 'small' four-clavier organ which, neverthless, embodies most of the sounds considered to be essential for cathedral-style music. I like yours very much indeed, M'sieur. I really can't better it, but I hope the following would at least work: Compasses: 61/32 Great Organ Gemshorn 16 [German hybrid type] Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Principal 4 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (19.22.26.29) IV Double Trumpet 16 Trumpet 8 Swell to Great Choir to Great Solo to Great Swell Organ Geigen Diapason 8 Lieblich Gedeckt 8 Salicional 8 Voix Celeste 8 Principal 4 Stopped Flute 4 Octavin 2 Mixture (15.19.22.26.29) V Oboe 8 Tremulant Contra Fagotto 16 Cornopean 8 Clarion 4 Octave Sub-octave Unison Off Solo to Swell Choir Organ (unenclosed) Open Flute 8 Gamba 8 Spitzflute 4 Recorder 2 Swell to Choir Solo to Choir Solo Organ Viole d'Orchestre 8 Viole Celeste 8 Concert Flute 4 Clarinet 8 Orchestral Oboe 8 Tremulant Trompette Royale 8 [very bright, only mildly French] Octave Sub-octave Pedal Organ Sub Bourdon 32 Open Metal 16 Bourdon 16 Lieblich Bourdon 16 Bombarde 16 Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal Solo to Pedal Great & Ped Combs Coupled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWAnderson Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Some very nice schemes so far. Here is my attempt. Great Organ Double Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason I 8 Open Diapason II 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Principal 4 Wald Flute 4 Grave Mixture II (12.15) Fourniture IV (19.22.26.29) Trumpet 8 Solo to Great Swell to Great Choir to Great Great Reed Octave Swell Organ Lieblich Gedact 16 Violin Diapason 8 Rohr Gedact 8 Echo Gamba 8 Voix Celeste 8 (Bottom A) Octave 4 Fifteenth 2 (from Mixture IV) Mixture IV (12.15.19.22) Contra Fagotto 16 Horn 8 Hautboy 8 Tremulant Octave Sub Octave Solo to Swell Swell Reeds on Pedal Choir Organ Unenclosed Lieblich Gedact 8 Violoncello 8 Suabe Flute 4 Flageolet 2 Solo to Choir Swell to Choir Solo Organ Enclosed Harmonic Claribel 8 Viole d' Orchestre 8 Clarionet 8 Vox Humana 8 Tremulant Tromba 8 Octave Pedal Organ Double Open Diapason 32 (Wood) Open Diapason 16 (Wood) Violone 16 (Metal) Bourdon 16 Principal 8 (Metal) Trombone 16 Solo to Pedal Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Choir to Pedal Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled One question, is a Tremulant counted as a coupler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Mine. GREAT Double Diapason 16 Open Diapason 8 Open Flute 8 Principal 4 Conical Flute 4 Twelfth 2-2/3 Fifteenth 2 Mounted Cornet (TC) 2-2/3 III Mixture 1-1/3 IV-VI Trumpet 8 Swell to Great Chair to Great Solo to Great CHAIR Stopped Diapason 8 Principal 4 Chimney Flute 4 Fifteenth 2 Sesquialtera 2-2/3 II Mixture1-1/3 III Tremulant Swell to Chair Solo to Chair SWELL Open Diapason 8 Chimney Flute 8 Salicional 8 Celeste 8 Gemshorn 4 Flageolet 2 Full Mixture 2-2/3 IV Fagotto 16 Trumpet 8 Hautboy 8 Clarion 4 Tremulant Solo to Swell SOLO (Enclosed) Harmonic Flute 8 Viola da Gamba 8 Flute Octave 4 Piccolo 2 Clarinet 8 Vox Humana 8 Tremulant Tuba Mirabilis 8 Great to Solo PEDAL Open Bass 16 Sub Bass 16 Quint 10-2/3 Principal 8 Fifteenth 4 Bombarde 16 Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Chair to Pedal Solo to Pedal Solo to Pedal Octave A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 As NZ-ORGANIST has said, there are some very interesting replies here, so far - and with a good variety of schemes. It occurs to me that the fairest way to judge this would be to set-up a poll (if this can be done on this site) and allow contibutors to vote for their preferred response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 ... One question, is a Tremulant counted as a coupler?[/font] I had intended that this was to be the case. I suppose that, in the interests of clarity, I should have written 'Souplers and Accessories' - although this need not include a list of pistons, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 I would ditch the 4th manual and go for an enclosed choir/solo. So probably not eligible for your prize - but something like this, perhaps: Pedal (Enclosed) Octobass 32 Violone Bass 16 Stopped Bass 16 Flute 8 Violoncello 8 Serpent 32 Bombarde 16 Great (manual 1) Contra Viola 16 Open Diapason 8 Viola 8 Flute Harmonique8 Octave 4 Superoctave 2 Plein Jeu 12.19.22 3rks Basson 16 Trompette 8 Swell Bourdon 16 Flute Ouverte 8 Viole 8 Violes Celestes 8 Orchestral Flute 4 Salicet 4 Cornet 12.15.17.19.22 5rks Bombarde 16 Trompette Harmonique 8 Hautbois 8 Clairon 4 Postive (Manual 2, Enclosed) Salicional 8 Chimney flute 8 Gemshorn 8 Prestant 4 Flute 4 Nasat 2 2/3 Octavin 2 Tierce 1 3/5 Cymbel 22.26.29 3rks Clarinette 8 Orchestral Trumpet 8 There are several interesting features, here. I note that the entire Pedal Organ is to be enclosed, as is the Positive. Is this for the sake of flexibility with regard to the reeds? I wonder if the instrument would be loud enough (particularly the Pedal Organ and the Positive chorus), in this case. The Orchestral Trumpet - is this to be voiced in the H&H style (All Saints', Margaret Street or The Temple Church), or in the Walker mode (Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral or Wimborne Minster)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Some very nice schemes so far. Here is my attempt. Great Organ Double Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason I 8 Open Diapason II 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Principal 4 Wald Flute 4 Grave Mixture II (12.15) Fourniture IV (19.22.26.29) Trumpet 8 Solo to Great Swell to Great Choir to Great Great Reed Octave Swell Organ Lieblich Gedact 16 Violin Diapason 8 Rohr Gedact 8 Echo Gamba 8 Voix Celeste 8 (Bottom A) Octave 4 Fifteenth 2 (from Mixture IV) Mixture IV (12.15.19.22) Contra Fagotto 16 Horn 8 Hautboy 8 Tremulant Octave Sub Octave Solo to Swell Swell Reeds on Pedal Choir Organ Unenclosed Lieblich Gedact 8 Violoncello 8 Suabe Flute 4 Flageolet 2 Solo to Choir Swell to Choir Solo Organ Enclosed Harmonic Claribel 8 Viole d' Orchestre 8 Clarionet 8 Vox Humana 8 Tremulant Tromba 8 Octave Pedal Organ Double Open Diapason 32 (Wood) Open Diapason 16 (Wood) Violone 16 (Metal) Bourdon 16 Principal 8 (Metal) Trombone 16 Solo to Pedal Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Choir to Pedal Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled ==================================== I quite like NZ-Organist's attenpt, but I would reduce the manuals to 3, substitute a few things, add a couple of quirks for the sake of individuality and use extension freely on the Pedals, thus:- Major changes indicated in blue. Great Organ Double Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason I 8 Open Diapason II 8 Rohrflute 8 Principal 4 Open Flute 4 Cornet (12:15:17) Grave Mixture II (12.15) Fourniture IV (19.22.26.29) Trumpet Major 8 Clarion 4 (Ext.8ft) Swell to Great Choir to Great Swell Organ Contra Gamba 16 (Bottom 12 notes outside Swell Box) Violin Diapason 8 Rohr Gedact 8 Echo Gamba 8 Voix Celeste 8 (Bottom A) Octave 4 Fifteenth 2 Sext (12:17) Mixture IV (12.15.19.22) Tertian (24:26) Dulzian 16 (Ext chest) Trumpet 8 Hautboy 8 Vox Humana 8 Tremulant Octave Sub Octave Choir Organ (Unenclosed) Stop't Diapason 8 Flute Celeste 8 Ext Unit A Gemshorn 4 Nason Flute 4 Nazard 2.2/3 Principal 2 Recorder 2 Tierce 1.3/5 Ext Unit A Scharf 19:22 Polski Cymbal (Undefined pitches) VI (repeats every octave) (Enclosed) Harmonic Flute 8 Viola d'Amour 8 Celeste 8 Clarinet 8 Orchestral Oboe 8 Post Horn 8 (Wurlitzer) HP Swell to Choir Choir Octave Choir Sub-Octave Unison off Pedal Organ Double Open Diapason 32 (Wood) Open Diapason 16 (Wood) Violone 16 (Metal Ext rank) Gamba (Bottom 12 from Swell) Bourdon 16 (Ext.rank) Principal 8 (Metal - Ext rank) Violoncello 8 (from 16ft Violone) Flute 8 (From 16ft Bourdon) Small Octave 4 (From 8ft Principal) Mixture (19:22:26:29) (Combination of Violone & Principal ranks) Contra Trombone 32 (Ext. Great Trumpet Major) Trombone 16 (Ext. 8ft Great Trumpet Major) Dulzian (Swell) 16 Trumpet Major (Gt) 8 Clarion (Ext Great) 4 Dulzian 4 (From Swell ext) Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Choir to Pedal Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprondel Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Well, all these read as British as they come. I like AJJ's attempt at more chorus versatility, and want to try something similar, except for some details. Also, I'll try to remain within the 35-stops range. I Choir (expressive, but placed in the front, above or below the Great) 8' Gemshorn 8' Bourdon 4' Principal 4' Flute 3' Nasat 2' Waldflöte 1 3/5' Tierce IV Sharp mixture 8' Cromorne Tremulant III/I, IV/I II Great 16' Open diapason 8' Open diapason 8' Rohrflöte 4' Principal II Grave Mixture (2 2/3') V-VI Mixture 16' Double Trumpet 8' Trumpet I/I, III/II, Sub III/II III Swell 16' Bourdon 8' Open flute 8' Gamba 8' Céleste 4' Principal 2' Fifteenth II Sesquialtera 16' Trumpet 8' Oboe Tremulant IV/III, Super III/III IV Solo (enclosed in Choir box) 8' Flûte harmonique 8' 'Cello 8' Solo Trumpet (unenclosed, hooded or horizontal) Super IV/IV Pedal 16' Double Open Metal 10 2/3' Quint 8' Flute 4' Octave flute 32' Basson 16' Bombarde I/P, II/P, III/P, IV/P Super III/P, Super IV/P Compasses will have to be 61/32. Now I'd love to add a treble Cornet to the Great, as well as Trumpets of different colour to the Choir, Swell and Pedal, but the 35 are full, so couplers will have to fill in. Tracker action, maybe assisted for the Great couplers, and a case, with the Pedal behind, I thought essential; also, to provide an un-coupled tutti on the Great and Pedal, and to have the Pedal mostly independent by having large-scale, but not too loud flues at 16, 8 and 4; more definition can be provided by the Solo 'Cello. Full Swell might need the octave coupler, a Willan or Whitlock string flood might be obtained by the same and the Swell coupled to the Great at 16. As in all "multum in parvo" attempts, much would depend on scaling and voicing – just think what tasks will have to be met by the three 16' flues alone. Best, Friedrich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Does this ring any bells? GREAT ORGAN 1. Bourdon 16 2. Open Diapason 8 3. Violoncello 8 4. Bourdon 8 5. Octave 4 6. Wald Flute 4 7. Doublette 2 8. Mixture 3 rks 9. Trumpet 8 SWELL ORGAN 10. Diapason 8 11. Flûte Traversière 8 12. Viole de Gambe 8 13. Voix Céleste TC 8 14. Gemshorn 4 15. Cornet (15, 17, 19) 16. Cornopean 8 17. Oboe 8 Tremulant CHOIR ORGAN 18. Gedact 8 19. Salicional 8 20. Flûte Douce 4 21. Salicet 4 22. Cor Anglais 8 23. Orchestral Oboe 8 Tremulant SOLO ORGAN 24. Contra Fagotto 16 25. Bombarde 8 26. Clarionette 8 27. Flute Harmonique 8 Tremulant PEDAL ORGAN 28. Contra Bass 16 29. Sub Bass 16 30. Octave 8 31. Flute 8 32. Bombarde 16 COUPLERS Solo to Great Swell to Great Solo to Pedal Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Choir to Pedal DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Now I'd love to add a treble Cornet to the Great, as well as Trumpets of different colour to the Choir, Swell and Pedal, but the 35 are full, so couplers will have to fill in. Best, Friedrich ============================ 35 stops? I should have read the rubric. Well, at least I'd condensed mine down from the 200 stop extension scheme I'd planned........I was there is spirit. "Ask for the world and you get a peanut; ask for a peanut and you get nothing." (Rockerfeller?) MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Brown Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 There are several interesting features, here. I note that the entire Pedal Organ is to be enclosed, as is the Positive. Is this for the sake of flexibility with regard to the reeds? I wonder if the instrument would be loud enough (particularly the Pedal Organ and the Positive chorus), in this case. The Orchestral Trumpet - is this to be voiced in the H&H style (All Saints', Margaret Street or The Temple Church), or in the Walker mode (Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral or Wimborne Minster)? We are in the slightly artificial situation of having limited stop list, but unlimited funds and space. Enclosing the pedal means we can voice these ranks (flues as well as reeds) fairly powerfully and use the box to give a quieter bass when needed, rather than adding to the stop list. We can also do nice things with the 32's when accompanying or playing certain styles of music. I always think it is useful to have a 2nd enclosed manual division, and assuming adequate space and good design there is no reason why this should have any downside. Here, the postive foundations would be used for accompanying a choir, or solos on the other manuals, and it also houses the only clarinet stop. All good reasons for enclosure. The chorus would be intended to add just a little to the Great. The big trumpet might be unenclosed or even en chamade depending on the building. It would occupy a similar position in the tonal scheme to a Willis Tuba - i.e. big enough for a solo but not overwhelming when added to the chorus - but voiced to sit comfortably with the other reeds. Perhaps with something of the sound of a magnified English low pressure trumpet, or a not too brassy french trompette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprondel Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Does this ring any bells? It reads a little like a Lewis scheme, but I seem to be far too continental to identify it. Best, Friedrich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 It reads a little like a Lewis scheme, but I seem to be far too continental to identify it. Best, Friedrich http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=R00063 DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Walker Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 How about this? You can play Bach on anything right? Ped. 16' Open Wood 16' Bourdon 8' Bass flute 16' Trombone Gt. 16' Double Diapason 8' Open Diapason 8' Doppel Flute (Wood, double mouths) 8' Gemshorn 4' Harmonic Flute (metal, harmonic) 4' Principal 2 2/3' Twelth 2' Fifteenth 8' Trumpet Sw. (Enclosed) 16' Gedact 8' Violin Diapason 8' Stopped Diapason 8' Viola de Gamba 8' Voix celeste 8' Aeoline 4' Flauto Traverso (Wood, harmonic) 2' Harmonic Piccolo (Wood, harmonic) III Dolce Cornet (12-15-17) 8' Vox humana 8' Oboe 8' Cornopean Trem Ch. (Enclosed) 8' Dulciana 8' Unda Maris 8' Hohl Flute (Wood, open) 8' Open Diapason 4' Rohr Flute (Wood, pierced stoppers) 8' Clarinet Trem Solo. (Enclosed) 8' Gross Flute 8' Gross Gamba 8' Cor Anglais (free reed) 8' Tuba Trem 16' and 4' couplers on every manual, except Gt which would have just a 4' coupler. All manuals C compass, with 67 notes - 5 extra for use with the octave couplers. Electro pneumatic action throughout. Modest wind pressure (c 5 inches throughout, except for Tuba, on a higher pressure.) PS. This is not very original, I don't doubt at least one member here will know what I'm gaining inspiration from... but there are some interesting differences in this kind of 1920's scheme from most British organs. (If extension/duplication was allowed, the swell 16 would be borrowed to the pedal, and the Open Wood would be extended to 8'.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I've re-worked mine and cut it down in size. Think Lewis/Schulze with big scales and decent HN&B style reeds, but without terraced dynamics. Would need some very effective swell bozes. Great Organ 1 Open Diapason 8 2 Rohrflute 8 (Big scale) 3 Principal 4 4 Open Flute 4 5 Cornet (12:15:17) 6 Grave Mixture II (12.15) 7 Fourniture IV (19.22.26.29) 8 Trumpet Major 8 7" wg Swell to Great Choir to Great Swell Organ 9 Hohl Flute 8 10 Echo Gamba 8 11 Voix Celeste 8 (Bottom A) 12 Octave 4 13 Fifteenth 2 14 Sext (12:17) 15 Mixture IV (12.15.19.22) 16 Dulzian 16 17 Trumpet 8 18 Hautboy 8 Tremulant Octave Sub Octave Choir Organ (Enclosed) 19 Stop't Diapason 8 20 Gemshorn 4 21 Nason Flute 4 22 Nazard 2.2/3 23 Principal 2 24 Recorder 2 25 Tierce 1.3/5 26 Scharf 19:22 27 Cromorne 8 Swell to Choir Pedal Organ 28 Open Diapason 16 (Wood) 29 Violone 16 30 Bourdon 16 31 Principal 8 32 Flute 8 33 Small Octave 4 34 Mixture (19:22:26:29) 35 Trombone 16 7" wg Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal Choir to Pedal Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprondel Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=R00063DW Is it Stephen's design altogether? Or was it just the case? I keep reading and re-reading what he had to say about organbuilding. I wish he was still among us, just to learn from his knowledge and jugdement. Best, Friedrich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Ruthin - out of interest are there any recordings available of this? A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Well, all these read as British as they come. I like AJJ's attempt at more chorus versatility, and want to try something similar, except for some details. Also, I'll try to remain within the 35-stops range. Best, Friedrich Thanks - 'wouldn't mind yours to play on Sundays etc. either. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Drinkell Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 How about this? You can play Bach on anything right? Ped. 16' Open Wood 16' Bourdon 8' Bass flute 16' Trombone Gt. 16' Double Diapason 8' Open Diapason 8' Doppel Flute (Wood, double mouths) 8' Gemshorn 4' Harmonic Flute (metal, harmonic) 4' Principal 2 2/3' Twelth 2' Fifteenth 8' Trumpet Sw. (Enclosed) 16' Gedact 8' Violin Diapason 8' Stopped Diapason 8' Viola de Gamba 8' Voix celeste 8' Aeoline 4' Flauto Traverso (Wood, harmonic) 2' Harmonic Piccolo (Wood, harmonic) III Dolce Cornet (12-15-17) 8' Vox humana 8' Oboe 8' Cornopean Trem Ch. (Enclosed) 8' Dulciana 8' Unda Maris 8' Hohl Flute (Wood, open) 8' Open Diapason 4' Rohr Flute (Wood, pierced stoppers) 8' Clarinet Trem Solo. (Enclosed) 8' Gross Flute 8' Gross Gamba 8' Cor Anglais (free reed) 8' Tuba Trem 16' and 4' couplers on every manual, except Gt which would have just a 4' coupler. All manuals C compass, with 67 notes - 5 extra for use with the octave couplers. Electro pneumatic action throughout. Modest wind pressure (c 5 inches throughout, except for Tuba, on a higher pressure.) PS. This is not very original, I don't doubt at least one member here will know what I'm gaining inspiration from... but there are some interesting differences in this kind of 1920's scheme from most British organs. (If extension/duplication was allowed, the swell 16 would be borrowed to the pedal, and the Open Wood would be extended to 8'.) This looks like a slightly slimmed-down verson of mine (I have a Great Mixture, Swell Double Trumpet, Choir mutations, a good fake 32' and one or two minor oddities, none of which I'd like to be without). In other words, Casavant from the first half of the twentieth century. In my experience, one area in which North American organs have the edge is that everything blends with everything else, so the total is a lot more than the sum of the constituent parts. From some of the writings about German organs since re-unification, it seems that you can indeed play Bach on anything, and what he may have had in mind might surprise us. I should have recognised DW's scheme, but got side-tracked into thinking more French than it was - I even looked up the old organ at Blackburn. One should bear in mind the sort of thing a cathedral organ is required to do, and from there devise what is needed to do it. The most effective jobs allow you to use a lot of organ (sometimes) to accompany the choir, without drowning them out, but at the same time have enough wallop to bear a large congregation along without over-indulgence in the big reeds. Position has something to do with this - if the pipes are relatively high up, you can get away with using more. You need a weighty, fairly anonymous Pedal bass. It doesn't have to be over-loud, but it needs gravity. You can colour it with other stops if you need to. You need a good sprinkling of 'quiet ginger' (Norman Cocker's phrase) - in this respect a proper Fifteenth in the Swell is well-nigh essential, even if you have to fake it with the octave coupler. You need voicing that will be stable and not wearing on the ear with prolonged use. Most of all, you need players who take the time and trouble to seek out what the beast will do. Looking through the other end of the telescope, all members will have met small organs which reflect the ideas of cathedral organists a century ago - quite a lot of pretty stuff, flutes, strings, oboe, which he would use to accompany his choir, and a big diapason for congregational accompaniment. These days, I would hope we would design an instrument as an entity, rather than as a collection of useful voices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Walker Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 This looks like a slightly slimmed-down verson of mine David - would you be willing to post some details about your instrument including spec? I'd love to hear a bit more about it - I'm assuming it's quite an original old Casavant. That's very rare here in Toronto. Despite the fact that Casavant built 160 instruments in this city, hardly half a dozen 3 or 4 manual instruments are fully original. The ones that remain 100% intact are almost completely forgotten about. It seems that many people wrote them off years ago as dull and uninteresting, but when used well they needn't be so. When seeing this thread I immediately thought 'Old Casavant' because they actually did produce quite a large number of versatile and impressive sounding small 4 manual specifications - my suggestion was a made up one but not untypical, though the Doppel Flute would have been more unusual in a scheme of this size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Is it Stephen's design altogether? Or was it just the case?Best, Friedrich The basis of the 'scheme' was the Wadsworth organ designed by and built for James Kendrick Pyne - a sort of cut down version of the Town Hall organ at Manchester, where he was the City Organist (and Organist of the Cathedral too for a time I think) - which he had installed in the concert hall of the College, for practice purposes really. They disposed of it the year he died and then it was mutilated and squeezed into a much smaller place. The Church at Ruthin purchased it and then it sat around in the pews for several years until they engaged Stephen to design a new case - but he took over the whole project. The additions to the Solo organ were our suggestion, as was the addition of the Solo to Great coupler, which previously didn't exist, and the placing of the entire Pedal organ on a new mechanical slider soundboard. DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Ruthin - out of interest are there any recordings available of this? A There is a CD (I think that we might still have a few here somewhere). If you PM me I'll see what I can find. DW ps,. there is also a short sound clip on the website at http://www.willis-organs.com/music/music.htm (click on the Ruthin tag). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusingMuso Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 There is a CD (I think that we might still have a few here somewhere). If you PM me I'll see what I can find. DW ps,. there is also a short sound clip on the website at http://www.willis-organs.com/music/music.htm (click on the Ruthin tag). ================================== I know you can't make judgements on the basis of an mp3 recording, but I get the distinct impression that Auckland sounds like an old Ernest Skinner instrument. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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