justinf

Wow, what a fascinating post, Bruce! You kept my attention. I never realized 4' Clarions might break back and will have to keep an eye (or an ear) out for this. I always assumed reed ranks transitioned to flue pipes. Possibly the "Clairon-Doublette 2'" at St. Sernin cemented in my head the idea that high pitched reeds transition to flues, as night follows day.

Apologies for resurrecting such an old thread, but there seems to be no better place for this. I stumbled across the spec at Klais for a new/expanded organ in Malmö (2018) with mutations up through the 19th partial on the 4', 8', 16', 32', 64', and -- wait for it -- 128' series: http://www.orgelbau-klais.com/m.php?tx=225 Apparently you can have your "Neuvième mineur 7 9/17" and eat it too. What I don't understand in the more detailed PDF (http://www.orgelbau-klais.com/_klais/bilder/pdf/Malmoe_Pipework.pdf) is how some of these mutations can be drawn from the same rank. Are the 11th and 13th partials similarly off-unison that rank "N" can provide them both at various octaves? Can an 8' flute also provide the 19th partial accurately (unlike those theater organs that drew their tierces from unison ranks)? I always thought that such mutations had to be tuned absolutely pure to be effective, though I'm not sure how slight the fudging is here. More to the point, how would someone use all of these mutations? I appreciate that additional harmonics may strengthen a Cornet -- perhaps most usefully in the pedal where a sufficient number can give a convincing 32' effect -- but beyond that I am at something of a loss as to how to use them. I don't wish to stand athwart progress, but until I hear the thing my mind keeps returning to Stephen Bicknell's comments about "angry birds and alarm clocks."

Oh, that won't do, MM! Continuing with the recent Lancastrian theme, I'd have to respond that there's nowt wrong wi' owt what mitherin' clutterbucks don't barley grummit. Well, I'm not at all sure I used that properly, and in any case I'm all out of mock outrage in defense of baseball. While it is fun at the ball park or in the movies (e.g. Bull Durham, which was filmed hereabouts), I find baseball rather dull to follow on TV or radio. And so, back to Carlo... I only had a chance to hear CC in person once, at a concert on an indifferent hybrid instrument, but I found myself wishing he would give more recitals in the area. My impression was of a big man - physically, yes, but big of heart and positively bursting with love for the instrument. Part of his recital was fairly straightforward: Bach P+F in D, Dupre P+F in g, but I recall that later he hooked in some interesting MIDI sounds to the console and used them to great effect in a transcription of Waldteufel's Skater's Waltz. On the "Biggs-Fox" scale he definitely tilted the needle well over, but even when he played big he did so in a way which was tasteful and faithful to the music. As an ambassador for two sometimes tarnished brands--organs and Americans--he was just the ticket. (I nearly wrote "Yanks", but since Carlo hailed from North Carolina I think he would rightfully have haunted me for such a mistake.) RIP Carlo Curley.

St. Sulpice doesn't have one (!), but i remember chuckling over a "Bumblebee of love" on a different instrument, grace à Babelfish. I do like how the St. Sulpice "Trompette en Chamade" (caption under the first photograph) was translated as "Trumpet Wildly." Something gained in translation, there. Here's a video of the "machine hail" in action:

A few years back, CC made some reasonable arguments that the organ needed to adapt to modern society in order to survive. While I didn't agree with everything he said, it's certainly true that we are well past the days of Edwin Lemare daily entertaining thousands of casual concertgoers. At the time, CC seemed to be setting himself up as the modern, accessible ambassador for the organ. Instead, we got Klaus Nomi. Who knew that the diversity of organs worldwide was such a problem? Perhaps CC will chair the CENTRAL Central Committee to approve the Hauptwerk configuration which will replace St. Ouen, St. Paul, Salisbury, St.-Bavokerk, St. Cosmae Stade, Woolsey Hall and everything else. Once organs are completely fungible, we can finally focus on the progressively outré performers who occupy the bench. Justin pcnd -- About 14 years ago I had the chance to sing in Salisbury Cathedral with a visiting choir, but due to a scheduling mixup our organist was given no preparation time at all. "Zadok the Priest" was the first piece, so he had all of 22 bars in which to sort himself out on the Willis. I would have gone to pieces, but as I recall he acquitted himself with aplomb. I have nothing but admiration for you who can manage in such circumstances!

That's why I will feel completely safe if I ever post a video of me playing pretty much any piece of music. "Listen," I will say, "it's so poorly played that it must be parody!" Nigel, I'm afraid that you play entirely too well, even if I were to post the video on your behalf. Though what possible objection could they have had to your video? Your other videos (like "Nigel ALLCOAT Virtuoso Organist 2") are fortunately still available (and very enjoyable, too).

A while back a choir with which I sing grappled with similarly murky questions of copyright and legality when someone anonymously posted several of our performances to YouTube. The president of our choir wrote to Chorus America for advice, and although their reply isn't definitive and might not be entirely applicable in the UK, here is a summary: Placing a video on YouTube as opposed to your own personal or group site means the video is covered by YouTube's blanket license with BMI (definitely), ASCAP (likely) and SESAC (also likely). Since YouTube videos stream and cannot be downloaded (at least that's the intent), it is exempt from digital licensing fees which performing rights licensing groups are assessing on downloads. The following thread on ChoralNet contains some useful information (especially the original post, first two replies, and last two replies): http://www.choralnet.org/266800 YouTube has some boilerplate about copyright, but it's not very clear. The worst that can happen is that a copyright holder for a piece can request the video be removed, in which case, comply. Definitely make sure to ask the performers in the video that they do not object to being recorded and broadcast. If the recording is of a concert, you should already have secured performance rights for the pieces with BMI and ASCAP. [Not sure if this applies to church services, though. --JF] If the recording includes union instrumentalists, contact the union before posting the video. ["Bassoons down, boys, untils they shows us da money." --JF] I think groups like the Harry Fox Agency collect fees for things like digital downloads (iTunes, ringtones, &c.), and I can't imagine that would apply in the case Justadad described (see point #2). However, I am no lawyer and no expert in these matters. A friend who makes professional recordings once described to me the many licenses involved (including a mechanical license and synchronization license amongst others). Byzantine doesn't even begin to describe the rules, and the impression I formed is that you could probably make a felony case against just about anybody for any recording, if you really wanted to. The rules are ripe for some modernisation. They should be able to protect composers and publishers without threatening performers, friends, and enthusiastic Facebookers with the possibility of felonies and huge fines. The YouTube mediation method is a step in the right direction, but I sure wish the rules were simple and enumerated so that we could follow them easily, as I'm sure we all wish to do.

I just ran across this on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxaqkd6eqqk&fmt=22 After many years of buying Priory CDs, I really must look into their DVD line. Hopefully they are region free, because I enjoyed this immensely!

Here's one approach: http://www.pasiorgans.com/instruments/opus14spec.html

Just a quick story: I remember driving from college to Allentown, Pennsylvania one wintry evening to hear Gerre Hancock give a recital. Heavy snows in the Appalachian mountains almost forced me to turn around, but I realized it would be as difficult to head back as to press on. Since the recital was underway I wasn't permitted into the sanctuary, but an usher took pity and allowed me to tiptoe up a stairway to a gallery at the back of the church. The second half of the recital was given over to a sonata in four parts, improvised on hymn themes which were handed to Mr. Hancock in a heavy envelope. The sonata started with a brilliant fanfare on the Trompette en Chamade, which I quickly discovered was a scant few feet above my head and angled slightly downward. I was feeling a little drowsy after warming up in the church, but that chamade shook the cobwebs from my head and parted my hair down the middle! The improvisation itself was a revelation, as good as anything you'll hear in one of the finer Paris churches. Nearly twenty years on that concert and that brilliantly improvised sonata remain a cherished memory.

Thanks, mgp. I'll try out both changes tonight after choir practice. I appreciate the advice! Justin

I stared at Holz's post dumbly for several seconds before its import sank in. This is truly shocking and dismaying news to organists, singers, and music lovers everywhere. Thank you Gerre for your blessings to us, and may they be returned now to comfort your family as we remember your life's work. Justin

If anyone on the forum has a copy of Oliphant Chuckerbutty's "Paean" at hand, would you be willing to check some notes for me? I'm just learning this piece and I suspect a misprint in the score. Seven measures from the end there is a descending melody with three chords in eighth notes followed by two in sixteenths. The first of the sixteenth note chords is g minor (d+g in the left hand, g'+b♭' in the right) which is fine, but the second goes off the rails: f+a in the left hand with f#'+b♭' in the right. In a similar passage in m. 18 the g minor chord is followed by a diminished 7th, so I'm thinking of playing e♭+a with f#'+c'' in the right hand, which also restores the melody. Then again, m. 14 uses a sort of Neapolitan chord at the end of the measure leading to the dominant in m. 15. So, if anyone can point me in the right direction, I will be most grateful. Thanks! Justin

This instrument is only about ten minutes from my house. I missed the inaugural recital due to work (though I have a copy of the programme) but I will try to report back with impressions of the Ludwigtone at the next opportunity. Does anyone know of any recordings from Saint-Ouen which feature the Voix éolienne? I've always been curious about this stop, especially since the name was nearly unique for so long: Was this stop unsuccessful, and therefore not emulated by other builders? The Lausanne Fisk and the enormous Casavant at the Brick Presbyterian Church in NYC both include stops of this name.

My copy arrived today, at long last. I expect Jeremy Clarkson could have beaten the Royal Mail in this case while driving a clapped out Morris Marina, but no matter! I am very grateful for this thread, else I would never have been aware of the box set (which isn't available on the Amazon US site). Justin