bazuin

Clearly I must have the wrong end of the stick since I do not understand your point. Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. The point is that the problem lies with the player and not with the organ. The organ doesn't 'play ball' as easily as the modern organ because of the player being a fleeting visitor rather than someone who lives with historic instruments all the time. Your comment that "the age of the historic ones shows" implies a criticism of the organ, while other recordings of the same organs (and my own reasonably extensive experience of playing and even performing on historic organs) leads me to believe that the problem is with the player. Once again, without wishing to express any disrespect for Margaret Phillips, who is a fine organist. Greetings Bazuin

"Quite so. I have three of the volumes of Margaret Phillips's Bach recordings - those played at Waltershausen, Grauhof and Trinity, Cambridge. The playing on all of them is completely wonderful, but to my mind the Cambridge discs outshine the others by some way simply because the organ is obviously more compliant; the age of the historic ones shows." I think you've got the wrong end of the stick, MP is a fine organist but her access to those instruments is minimal, her playing in Waltershausen sounds to me as if she hasn't quite grasped the nettle, (uncoupled plenum in BWV 552/1 sounds predictably one-dimensional). The Cambridge organ is more compliant, but only because it poses MP fewer problems. There are plenty of better Bach recordings in Waltershausen etc to prove the point. Once again, with due respect to Margaret Phillips who is undoubtedly a fine player, but to make a worthwhile new Bach recording today you need to do something really extraordinary. Wolfgang Zerer's and Andrea Marcon's recordings on Hanssler Classics make me long for more from both of them. "The claim "the copy is worth the original" is not only false, it is an hazard." Gustav Leonhardt once played a concert on an organ of Arp Schnitger. After the concert, he was approached by a member of the audience who asked him why no organ builder today could make a Trumpet stop as beautiful as one by Arp Schnitger. Leonhardt replied "because first you have to want to." "if the true baroque organs do not allow us to play Bach like it is fashionable today, it is the playing which is false." Bravo Pierre! Greetings Bazuin

"must lend us to think the craftmanship is what counts, not the system." Of course, I didn't mean to suggest a hierarchy of systems. Quality is absolute. Pierre is absolutely right. As usual. Greetings Bazuin

"Just found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuhs2lH_zSs. very strange, very interesting to see this and possibly one of the finest plenos in the world." This was the end of a concert involving more than a hundred children from a local municipal arts school. Jan Raas is improvising - at the beginning the doors (the largest organ-doors in the world) were opened in a similarly dramatic manner. As I recall, the children had a competition to write poems about the organ, I think the winning poem is being read while the doors close.... Greetings Bazuin

To have to spend 40,000 GBP on a 23-year-old mechanical action organ is a damning indictment of the original instrument. This unless the church have been alarmingly negligent in looking after it (quite possible, can someone tell us which is true?). To then spend part of that money adding digital stops is a sad combination of incredibly bad stewardship and artistic bankruptcy, especially in these troubled economic times. In my opinion, of course. "Is the answerto return to traditional materials?" The merits of 'modernisation' are often discussed on this board. When one considers the number of mechanical slider chest organs in all parts of the world (including England) that go on and on and on, sometimes for hundreds of years......well I've made my point. Were many mechanical organ builders still using experimental materials as late as 1986? (In Holland it had mostly stopped by then I think). Greetings Bazuin

"Tracker action, on large gallery with free-standing console. The lowest keyboard can change function with the operation of a lever; it can be connected to the Choir organ (Positif) or 8 and 4 foot flutes located within the console itself as an Echo." This is just like the Michaelerkirche in Vienna. I'm guessing you've been. The stops in the console are intended as a continuo division. Here is an idea for a 30 rank choir organ for the Anglican liturgy, assuming a second organ to accompany big services in the nave. Great Double Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason I 8 Open Diapason II 8 Harmonic Flute 8 Salicional 8 Bourdon 8 Octave 4 Harmonic Flute 4 Twelfth 2, 2/3 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (17, 19, 22) Trumpet 8 Clarion 4 Swell Open Diapason 8 Gamba 8 Voix Celestes 8 Cor de nuit 8 Principal 4 Harmonic Piccolo 2 Double Trumpet 16 Trumpet 8 Oboe 8 Vox Humana 8 Clarion 4 Tremulant Solo Harmonic Flute 8 (Gt) Harmonic Flute 4 (Gt) Trumpet 8 (Gt) Clarion 4 (Gt) Pedal Open Diapason 16 (metal) Subbass 16 Violincello 8 Trombone 16' i) Unison couplers plus Swell Sub Octave and Sub Octave to Great ii) Mechanical Action with servo-pneumatic lever iii) Detached terraced console at floor level facing conductor iv) Great Reeds on higher pressure, voiced smoother than those in the Swell, and enclosed in their own swell box. With the box closed they behave as chorus reeds, with box open they more or less double the power of the tutti, (hence their inclusion on the 'borrowed' solo) My idea about the Great 8' stops is to have the traditional French group of fonds 8' plus the large Open Diapason I. I'm guessing (because I never saw such a compromise between the French and English way of grouping Great foundations) that this might not work.... I would have liked a Clarinet but I couldn't decided what to lose. The snow's gone, so I'll get back to work now... Bazuin

This was an exceptionally interesting posting from Nigel, I've been meaning to respond for 2 days but haven't had time until now. "British style instruments are not frequently known abroad although some players like the music from the last 75 years or so. However, they are respected for their craftsmanship and lasting power. The problem with exporting is that we must also export the music to some degree with these instruments and in the UK there is no discernible school of organ composition." In Holland there are many late 19th and early 20th century English organs, and the associated music is catching on. Many British organists seem to play their own literature from this time with a certain sense of apology, but if you compare it with Dutch organ music from the same period (heard quite often here, there are many organs on which it sounds well) you have much to be proud of - in NL the quality and imagination of a Whitlock (especially the Sonata) or a Willan is unthinkable. "However, there are far more people abroad who thrive on our Baroque and slightly earlier music as it fits European organs particularly well. There is hardly a new instrument built in the UK that allows our greatest music to be played with a degree of authenticity - pitch, temperament, voicing, action, disposition and position. I find it utterly lamentable that teenage players and those slightly older have never played, let alone even heard the names of our composers of such glorious music. Do teachers make young people play Byrd, Purcell, Blow, James, Reading, Croft, Walond to name just the tip of our rich heritage? I still fondly remember the experience of playing one of the great Croft voluntaries in a concert where dear Ewald Kooiman was attending. He was 'blown away' by such music and found it incredulous that hardly another soul in the British room had played the music." This illustrates a broader point about the way in which the early music movement developed in Dutch Conservatories (among others) as opposed to in the UK. The Godfather was, and is Gustav Leonhardt - he started teaching the repertoire Nigel mentions at the Haarlem Summer Academy already in the (early?) 1960s - he was the only one who had access to a copy of Musica Brittanica! Far beyond the organ though, Leonhardt and others taught a whole second generation of 'early' musicians who distilled and matured the early ideas, and who are now passing them on to a third generation, who are doing the same. The result is that the early music making heard in the corridors of the conservatories of Amsterdam or The Hague is very different to what was heard 40 years ago. The effect is highly international, yesterday I was organising a concert to be performed by a French harpsichordist, a Mexican Gamba player and 2 Australian singers, all of whom study, or have studied in Holland. Much like the organ reform movement, the period performance movement never really got beyond the ideals of the early pioneers in the UK with their strict hierarchies of music, organ types etc. This is why the organists don't study the most important British literature, and why the conservatories have never invested in an instrument to study it on. Isn't the same true of English organ music immediately prior to Mendelssohn's arrival? There is supposed to be some fascinating music rendered inaccessible by the required G-compasses. In this case the organs are there but either unplayable (Thaxted) or inaccessible (Buckingham Palace)... "When I see what has been springing up in different Euroland countries over the past 30 years, I can't quite see where a British example fits in except here as an instrument basically to accompany as its first priority. Those other countries put choirs second and if needed, provide a dedicated instrument for exactly that purpose." Its important to point out that the majority of liturgical choral singing in Euroland is truly dreadful, (Scandinavia is a glorious exception and of course there are bits of Germany where its still done well). Britain has preserved its great choral treasure uniquely well. The idea that organs are now built in Britain with liturgical accompaniment as the main priority is not really true any more. Glance at the stoplists for Southwell, Llandaff, or even the 'orgue de choeur' at Worcester and compare them with Truro (not a stop wasted....) Greetings Bazuin

I would like to thank David Coram for his writings! I visited the TS Collins in 2002 (I've been about a bit!), and his story about the Brustwerk doors reminded me of trying to photograph it on a timer from the back of the hall. Every time I closed the doors, they slowly opened themselves before I got back to the camera. I thought it was a strange organ, especially in the relationship between the three manuals, the funny action, the r/c pedal etc. And, whatever else was happening in the UK in the middle 1970s, when you consider that Jürgen Ahrend had built this already in 1959: http://home.planet.nl/~kort0158/DHzorgvliet.html (scroll down to the colour photo) it puts an organ like TS firmly in context. "There were superlative instruments being made at this time (Clifton Cathedral, Hexham, countless others), but we take one look and sneer and say "very 1970s" or "organ reform". And, don't you see, those very remarks applied to different eras are what set people to seek to reinvent the wheel yet again, rather than just aiming to make the existing one better." I think Clifton (which I haven't seen) and Hexham (which I have) are actually more 'modernist' reform organs, built at exactly the time when the style reached its zenith (in places like Ingolstadt, Trier and Ratzeburg). Whatever their qualities (which are unquestionable - these organs must be preserved!), Ahrend's organ mentioned above was far more prophetic for the great organ building of our time. Greetings Bazuin

"The problem is of course partly that modern instruments are more sensitive than their predecessors were.The Victorian trackers go on forever because they were made to be safe, not light, in their actions." Mechanical actions should only be as light as is appropriate for the size of the organ. Too often, both in the UK, and especially in Germany (and Denmark) mechanical actions are STILL made to feel as much like electric actions as possible. The conscience of the organist is therefore soothed without the inconvience of having to use any arm weight, or play slower than they would otherwise. I played a recital in Germany last year on a brand new organ with a mechanical action designed by the builders (of which they were very proud). There was NO pluck whatever and control was a risky business. "I could give you one in Glasgow, now only 11 years old, but trouble after less than 5!" Actually, the organ in question never worked from day one. "p.s. are Van den Heuvel Orgelbouw still using Barker Machines in their new organs?" I think so, but, of course, they don't make them themselves! In response to 'stewartt's comments - it would be true if the organ was a car or a washing machine. But an organ has intrinsic artistic quality so the musician has a right to expect some aesthetic relationship between the style of the instrument, and the action it uses. I would also suggest longetivity is as important as any of the attributes he suggest. Mechanical action gets my vote every time on that score. Which is not to say that there aren't fine EP or pneumatic organs of course. The late lamented Cees van Oostenbrugge (MD of Flentrop) would never build a new organ without mechanical action or slider chests. BUT he converted his model railway to digital control as soon as he could. "Proper modernisation" is a concept which applies to cars, but not to musical instruments. Greetings Bazuin

"I'm fairly sure that Barker Levers are no longer in vogue" In 'modernist' organ building, not. There are now several organ builders who have restored or copied Cavaillé-Coll organs who can make their own Barker machines, without resorting to ordering them in from a supply house. The disadvantages (space, noise, cost) are well known. Still, the advantages of any pneumatic assistance when required far outweighs the disadvantages of cheap and nasty electric coupling, still surprisingly common. Fisk have used their own lever since 1990, I think its wonderful that Willis have revived theirs! Bravo!! "I think people are coming round to the fact that mechanical action and the 'symphonic' type of organ don't necessarily go together." But, as you more or less suggest, Cavaillé-Coll proves this is not the case. Greetings Bazuin

"The semiquaver passage at the end of page 1 (I use Novello for this) seems to require something a little lighter than the opening. But I am concerned as to the "authenticity" of this. In the passage that follows, a "duet" between LH and pedals, should the registration be as at first, leading to the wonderful re-introduction of the opening subject in the RH?" I think its difficult to make a link between registration and texture (this is sometimes used as justification for registration changes in the Passacaglia). Not that its a 'new' idea as such, Mendelssohn is supposed to have played Bach fugues with contrasted central sections in England in the late 1830s. BWV 579 - I like 'HarmonicsV's suggestion, 8' principal begin to end. Why? Probably because I can make an instinctive link between the registration and the affekt of the piece. On the other hand, its difficult to establish source-based links between registration and affekt, so this is also subjective. Principal stops are also more closely associated with string writing than flutes (think of the opening of the Bach d minor concerto, or more indirectly, the trio indications of Kauffmann in the Harmonische Seelenlust). I have my first trip to play in St Antoine planned in for the autumn, wondering what to play - can Nigel tell us (or me at least) about the limitations of the temperament? Thanks and greetings Bazuin

I think people's views on Bach interpretation are now quite free - especially if one looks at what we know about performance practices in other times and places than Bach's own. Guilmant's experiment with the Bach Passacaglia probably would work better on an English Romantic organ (especially a late one) than trying to play it according to what we know of the performance practices associated with Bach's sound world. Were he to do it in the Dom in Berlin, it would be almost 'normal', because playing Bach on German Romantic organs according to the edition of Straube (close to what he describes) is now quite commonplace. The funny thing is that the dogmas of the first generation of the organ reform movement hang heavier in the UK than almost anywhere else in Europe, (hence Guilmant's reference to 'booing purists'). Bach alla Vierne (or at least Widor/Schweitzer) has been done in France, the Straube thing is very popular at the moment in Germany. Perhaps British organists should go back to their Novello editions, follow Mr West's marks closely - probably you'll find a far more enlightening aesthetic balance between organ and music (assuming your organ is late Victorian/Edwardian) than if you use your NBA. Its not as outrageously experimental as you might imagine. "A friend of mine plays the JSB Dorian Toccata on a minimal 8' registration - he has in fact recorded it on this. It sounds refreshingly different - the 'forward propulsion' feel is there still but without the 'grind' that one can get on too large a registration." The Dorian Toccata is VERY difficult to make work on a normal plenum registration because the balance is never optimal (especially at the bit where the parts cross over each other with the long a in the pedal). 8' and 4' Principals on 2 manuals usually works better I've found, (equally in Holland and Thuringia!) Does anyone know Bill Porter's recording of the Prelude in e BWV 548/1 on a single 8' Principal? It works gorgeously because his expressive way of playing binds the sound and the affekt together. http://www.gothic-catalog.com/Bach_One_of_...p/lrcd-1025.htm Greetings Bazuin

This is an interesting thread. I don't think anyone has mentioned the Raissonance concept of a 4th manual which also provides the majority of the pedal stops. The prototype was provided by Mr Isnard at St Maximin (Provence) in 1774: http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs/Maximin...ification.0.asp and the concept was re-discovered by Fisk in their Calvin Hampton inspired organ at the Meyerson Center in Dallas: http://www.cbfisk.com/instrumentFiles/100/100_Stoplist.pdf The concept is now going to be used by Martin Pasi in his organ for the new RC Cathedral in Houston. http://www.pasiorgans.com/instruments/opus19spec.html and http://www.pasiorgans.com/instruments/opus19prop.html (although they are cheating and using a new form of electric action. Pity. Fisk uses their own servo-pneumatic lever (similar to Vincent Willis's) and, interestingly, Taylor and Boody are building a split-chancel organ with some high wind pressures in New York City, which will also use a pneumatic lever for the Solo division, see here: http://www.taylorandboody.com/opuses/opus_...5_announce.html Makes Pasi's choice a bit bizarre if you know something of the history of these companies.) I find the Raissonance concept very interesting - does anyone have any first-hand experience? Greetings Bazuin

"There is no way that Willis's Choir Organs are the secondary departments that the French Positifs are; I doubt they were meant to occupy the same (or even any) function in an "orchestral" build-up (the clue to their intended use being in the name). In fact, when I look at Willis's many modest two-manual parish church organs with their well-developed Great chorus and tiny Swell divisions, I rather doubt that a seamless orchestral build-up was part of his philosophy at all. Bazuin also makes a good point about the relative strengths of the 8' foundation stops and this is perhaps even more marked with Hele, who liked big, fat Open Diapasons." I have never seen an organ by Hele, but I think both the points about the choir divisions, and about Open Diapasons (at least 'Open Diapason No 1s' to say it like that) apply in general in England in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods? I have seen both consistently in organs by Willis, Nicholson, Harrison etc. Perhaps the OD is less all-dominating in the Lewis organs, at least in the time of T.C. Lewis himself? The idea of the truly seamless 'orchestral build-up' is something which probably doesn't apply at all until after 1900, (ties in a little to the discussions here before about reconstructing trigger-swells). Here one could speak of a kind of conflict between the ideals of the present-day accompaniment practice in England, and the aesthetic ideals of the Victorian roots of many of the Cathedral organs, obscured by the addition of ever more complex combination systems. Perhaps this could be a serious research topic for someone! Regarding Willis Swells - I have also seen 2 manual Willis organs with tiny swells. What I remember in particular about one (from the 1860s I think) was a Cornopean in a 4-stop swell division voiced to maximise the overtones - it really packed a punch. Full Swell in one stop. Lincoln strikes me from afar (I haven't been yet!) as being an extraordinary organ. Greetings Bazuin

A few thoughts: i) Isn't it interesting that string stops appear in all of the main romantic organ building traditions, BEYOND a beating pair of strings in the swell box? In the language of Cavaillé-Coll the Gamba/Salicional is the narrowest member of the 4 fonds of the GO. I think the 4 fonds are pretty much always used together, their strength is fairly equal. ii)...which isn't the case in England where the Great 'fonds' are usually either loud or soft. iii) The German Romantic tradition favours a strict hierarchy of 8' stops to achieve a seamless crescendo (literally ppp-ff), all upperwork is almost entirely for colour. I have regular contact with a Sauer organ from 1922, the Gamba on the Hauptwerk is rather strong, (stronger than in either England or France I guess), and, apart from its role in the foundation-ensemble, is rather more effective as a solo stop in the tenor register than any higher. iv) I think the differences between Cavaillé-Coll and the first Henry Willis are more obvious than the similarities (and Lincoln is in any case atypical). Consider C-C's broader scaled 16' Plein Jeu and compare it with FW's narrow scaled, hard blown tierce mixtures. If I recall correctly, only after the first Henry Willis does the 8' Harmonic Flute appear on the Great (did this come from their absorption of the Lewis company on whose organs such a stop is 'normal'??) A general point, the French and German Romantic organs imply far more standardised general registrational practices than the English organs. In the case of the German organ, this is evident in the layout of the console (the crescendo is implied in the order of the stop knobs) and in the order in which the Walze adds the stops. The English Gamba question could just as easily be applied to many other stops and probably the English organ builder had less of a fixed idea about how such a stop would, or at least should, be used. Greetings Bazuin

"I was very saddened to be telephoned by Flentrop this afternoon with the news that the excellent and amiable Cees van Oostenbrugge, their managing director, has suddenly died." Cees van Oostenbrugge died this morning, entirely unexpectedly. He was to have retired on the 10th of June next year. I saw him for the last time 3 weeks ago at the Bavo in Haarlem - he was on excellent form, telling the story of how he had had to down tools one afternoon when Flentrop where doing re-voicing work there (in 2000 I think) as the extreme cold had caused ice to start forming on the languids. He was without doubt one of the kindest figures I have ever come across in the organ world, always delighted to welcome interested visitors to the workshops (always something interesting to see, usually hundreds of years old) outside office hours, patiently explaining, answering questions, telling stories, making jokes. His sense of humour was hilarious, his eye had a permanent twinkle. Cees had worked for Flentrop since 1969 and had been the managing director since 1998. Under his stewardship the firm's largest new instrument was the 51 stop organ for the concert hall in Enschede, other notable projects included the restorations of the 1743 Garrels organ (3/39) in Purmerend, and the 1875 Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Concert Hall in Haarlem (3/47). At the time of his death, Flentrop are engaged in the reconstruction of the famous 'Reincken' organ of the St Catherina in Hamburg, and building a new organ at Christ Church, Chelsea, London for which Ian Bell is advising I believe. He will be very greatly missed, both for his extraordinary knowledge and experience and, especially, because of his enormous kindness. Greetings Bazuin

"I still highly regard the Walter Kraft Buxtehude cycle, on Vox, reissued on CD by them, (although IMHO, the records sound far better, more depth and detail, not to mention a distinct lack of CD graininess). Deffo worth seeking out." Both Saorgin and Kraft are interesting examples of post-war performance practice in the context of Buxtehude. The Lionel Rogg recordings (no complete cycle unfortunately) also come into this category. Saorgin clearly has the advantage as far instruments is concerned. Kraft recorded on his (truly ugly) Kemper organ at the Marienkirche. Tragically, Kraft died in a hotel fire in Amsterdam in the 1970s. Of the currently available 'informed' recordings I like Bryndorf, and, especially the Naxos CDs of Julia Brown. The Harald Vogel cycle (Dabringhaus und Grimm) though has, I think, not yet met its natural successor, and remains my first point of reference, even if my personal preferences sometimes lead me elsewhere. What does the forum think? Greetings Bazuin

"I have noticed several dismissive references on this forum to the music of Dutch protestants, and to "koraalbewerking" as a musical form. My experience of music in Holland, although limited, has led me to believe that in many places the standards are extremely high. Some chorale variations aren't works of genius, but others are little gems." Correct. In the liturgically more progressive areas where the standard of music is considered to be of some importance, and the musicians are paid, there are of course places where standards are high. In addition, there are individual organists of a remarkable level, sometimes even in very orthodox places. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of orthodox protestant areas, the organists are not paid (on principle), the level of music making is not in any sense of importance (only the sermon) and the tastes of the organists are often highly questionable (as has been demonstrated with various Youtube clips this week). If you want to hear remarkable Protestant Dutch organ playing, listen to the recordings of Klaas Bolt (for example). Greetings Bazuin

I think the unstable wind in the case case has more to do with the way of the play of playing employed by Mr de Jaeger which is strictly intended for television (with the flutes of the Bovenwerk adding nothing to the plenum, and using unnecessary wind, but of course three-coupled looks good. Its another strange remnant of the Feike Asma tradition, and indeed FK played this piece regularly I think). The organ is by the Schnitger student Hinsz, the Bovenwerk mostly by Van Dam (19th century). Mr de Jager's playing is not nearly as bad as some in this style, this takes the biscuit: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=4vXS_wVpIlI (and listen all the way to the end if you can bear it!) Please note: 4 coupled manuals! The 4th (Brustwerk) at Kampen consists of Flutes 8'4'2' and a little Dulciaan. Pointless posturing and a complete lack of respect for one of the great monuments of Northern European organ building. "Quite so. In case anyone reading our criticisms thinks that this represents antagonism towards either historic instruments or reconstructions in historic style, let it be remembered that the greatest authority of all, J.S.Bach was completely specific in his requirements about wind supply. He specified plentiful supplies of wind that if properly blown the reservoirs could never run out and soundboard bars with sufficient capacity that no amount of playing even with all stops drawn should ever render the pitch unstable." Sure, but his comments have to be seen in context, he wasn't advocating Schwimmers! Flexible wind in the right context is a beautiful thing, this is just the wrong context. Greetings Bazuin

I am troubled by Christopher Herrick's Buxtehude because I can't see what he can prove by doing it, especially given the large number of already available recordings by specialists in the field. This simply isn't Herrick's repertoire. The choice of organ for the first disc rather confirms the point, a PG Andersen organ from the 1960s. Given the various recordings already mentioned, and most especially that of Harald Vogel featuring a plethora of wonderful historic instruments from Buxtehude's sound world, isn't this a case of missing the mark by a country mile?, (whatever the qualities of the organ - of its type I'm sure its excellent). The clips I have heard to me sound stilted and uncomfortable. Has any one else listened to the whole disc? Greetings Bazuin

Klaas Jan Mulder has indeed just passed away. He was a highly active concert artist in the Netherlands, especially popular among the orthodox protestant community. He was, it has to be said, much better than most in that world and certain recordings (including his last, made 2 years ago in the St Ouen in Rouen) received international acclaim. Jan Mulder is, as far as I am aware, not related to Klaas Jan Mulder. He is a 'popular' concert pianist, especially popular among the orthodox protestant community.... When he was younger, he played the organ seriously and made a few recordings, including one in St Ouen in Rouen..... It could be that he composed some organ music, but I guess its of the commercial, protestant, 'koraalbewerking' type. So, as you can see I failed to answer the question, but at least I cleared up the misunderstanding! Greetings Bazuin

The Moreau organ at Gouda is linked to one of the few registration treatises (perhaps a bit strong, at any rate a lengthy description of different registrations for different situations) linked to an Dutch 18th century organ. This was penned by Anaeas Egbertus Veldcamps, the 'champion' of the Dutch organ traditions who protested so heavily against the work carried out by F.C. Schnitger at Alkmaar. The Gouda registrations date from the time the organ was new, the late 1730s. It includes precise registrations for accompanying the psalms with both a large and small congregation present in the church. I am curious therefore what heva is referring to. The qualities of the Gouda organ are presently rather obscure by the results of a poor restoration in the 1970s. http://www.orgelsite.nl/gouda.htm Greetings Bazuin

"Its good to read such glowing comments, but inevitably to suggest that any one instrument is the best in the country is to invite controversy, and clearly tastes differ. I haven't heard St Paul's for some years and, no doubt would love it. But for me, a personal choice, the organ in Westminster Cathdedral is by some margin the outstanding instrument in this country." I heard St Paul's live before the recent work and, of course, the hairs on the back of the neck do stand on end. I'm sure the work by our hosts has only increased the thrill-factor. But the acoustic is surely the key here! And if one considers the evolution of the organ, its place of affection among the organ-lovers is perhaps surprising - it has been rebuilt 5 or 6 times since 1872, the 1949 Dome chorus consists (supposedly - is this true?) of second hand Lewis pipes, the Trompette Militaire is supposed to be a genuine Wurlitzer post-horn.... I would never nominate a single organ as the best in this or that country, but in general, organs where the vision of the original builder (or in the case of the RAH the visions of 2 significant builders) are preserved, interest me more than an endlessly rebuilt organ, even in a spectacular space like St Paul's. That said, I would have loved to have been at Latry's concert! Greetings Bazuin

"Here endeth the line of Sexquialtera/Jeu de Tierce posts from me. Honest!" Please tell us where this exotic organ is to be found! Is the Chant d'Amour an improvisation? It sounds fabulous! Greetings Bazuin