JWAnderson

I can think of at least one Cathedral organ with both a Choir and a Solo 'Corno di Bassetto', both of different character however. It seems like a useful idea to have the Bourdon available at 32ft pitch as a softer alternative to the 32ft Open Wood, especially further up the compass where an Open Wood would tend to be too big to use underneath Swell strings, for example. The Walker at Sacred Heart Wimbledon has this feature and it is very useful.

It had been performed several times at St Matthew’s, Northampton by Stephen Moore, the previous DoM, and I believe he played it at Llandaff Cathedral last year.

New DoM at St Matthew's Northampton: http://www.stmatthewsnorthampton.org.uk/

"Please depress the Swell Pedal on leaving..."

Speaking of April Fools, did anyone else see that Liverpool Cathedral have commissioned a mobile console for their chamber organ due to arrive in 2017??

"Electrically-powered height-adjustable manuals and stop jambs..." Interesting idea?

Greetings all, I am starting to learn the Fantaisie in E flat by Saint-Saens, however the score indicates in the first section that the organ in theory should have three-manuals. Now whilst the organ that I practice on does have three manuals, unfortunately one of them (the Choir) is prepared for only... So my question is thus: Has anyone had any experience playing this piece on just two manuals and if so, was it effective? Many thanks, JA

There are computer based transmission systems where the only cable between the console and organ proper is a simple CAT-5 or 6 Ethernet cable so in theory there would be no reason why the ethernet cable could be replaced with a wireless link using two wireless routers.

Resurrecting an old thread, but has anyone ever come across any organs where there is a 'Swell to Pedal Combination Coupler' but not the more usual 'Great & Pedal Combinations Coupled'? I played in the NZ Organists' association playing competition in June this year and the three-manual organ which was used had this... And the Great & Pedal pistons were not permanently coupled.

I read that these ranks which were added to the Choir in 1935 were removed as they were simply "piggy-backed" off the soundboard to separate chests and were unreliable because of this. More information here: http://www.mander-organs.com/portfolio/sacred-heart-wimbledon.html

I played the Crucifixion on the 13th, luckily not on the neo-baroque sqwarker that I thought might be used at first. Instead it was a 1960s Vermuellen (or Verschuren, I'm not sure which) with upside down draw stop layout, Gt & Sw all on the treble end, four blind thumb pistons plus cancels which don't move the draw stops and a Swell pedal which you only had to move your foot in its general direction and it would move... At least it did have some reeds. Performance was very good however and there were some very good comments afterwards.

I too will be very interested in hearing any responses regarding this as I will be accompanying a performance of it too, however on a not-so-well stocked organ (1970s squawker with no reeds and a less than useful Larigot...) Josh

An aerial reed-organ drop should also do the trick

I am reminded of a moment at a masterclass given in Wellington by Olivier Latry, when a young organist was rushing through the sequencer at quite a fast pace to a particular point in his piece, to which Olivier replied "You will never play at Notre-Dame!!" Never mind what it's doing to the electrics, but more importantly what is it going to do to soundboards (if they are sliders)...

SIOC rebuilt the 1965 Walker at Winthrop Hall, University of Western Australia (http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/organs/Winthrop.html) in 2008 and I think all of the winding system was kept with the 'schwimmers', one on each soundboard and I think a couple of single-rise reservoirs for the Pedal division. The schwimmers were recovered and had the internal springs replaced and as far as I am aware there have been no problems with it. I can possibly provide some pictures (inside and out) of these units if you wish.