JWAnderson

From what you have got here, it looks like it would be a very good organ. The one thing I really like about the current organ is the casework, especially the gold pipes. JA P.S. Another organ we could have a go at is the Willis/Manders organ in Canterbury Cathedral?

After having a look on NPOR, I can't say that I would want to keep this organ in its current state. Why did they replace a pipe Nave organ with an electronic Nave section? If I was going to make any changes to it, I would probably take it back to the 3 manual 1904 Hill & Son organ, but possibly with the addition of a Solo organ with Harmonic Flutes 8&4, Orchestral Bassoon 16, Orchestral Trumpet 8 and Tuba 8 & possibly 4 or something like this. I would probably make the addition of a Quint 2 2/3 to the G.O. and maybe a Cornet II on the Choir. JA

There are quite a few changes I would make to this organ, so I've redesigned the specification a bit: Great Organ Contra Salicional 16 Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Salicional 8 (ext.) Principal 4 Twelfth 22/3 Fifteenth 2 Trumpet 8 Swell to Great Swell Octave to Great Swell Sub Octave to Great Swell Organ Geigen Principal 8 Clarabella 8 Viola da Gamba 8 Voix Celeste (tc) 8 Gemshorn 4 Contra Oboe 16 (or 8) Horn 8 Tremulant Octave Sub Octave Pedal Organ Open Diapason 16 Bourdon 16 Bass Flute 8 (ext.) Posaune 16 (moved from Swell) Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Swell Octave to Pedal I think all of this could be acheived using Pressure-Pneumatic action. I have heard an installation of the former specification (minus the Pedal Bass Flute 8) and I was surprised at the fact that there were no octave couplers. My thought would have been that if there was only one reed which was a 16', then you would want to have these accessories. But other than this it works rather well. JA

Yes there are quite a few 32' manual stops around the world. Atlantic City only had one manual 32' which was the Sub Principal on the Great. I'm really surprised that there aren't any other 32' manuals on this organ. Sydney Town Hall, Australia has the 32' Contra Bourdon, and the Melbourne Town Hall, Australia has a 32' Contra Tromba (or something like) on the Great and a 32' Contra Violone on the Swell since the Schantz rebuild in 2000. JA

How about for a small scheme: Great Organ Contra Salicional 16 Open Diapason 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Principal 4 Fifteenth 2 Swell to Great Swell Organ Clarabella 8 Viola 8 Lieblich Flute 4 Mixture (15-19-22) Contra Posaune 16 Tremulant Pedal Organ Open Diapason 16 Bourdon 16 Bass Flute 8 Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal JA

Yes these octave helpers would probably be worth having. The job I was thinking of was one of our host's (??) in the USA where the 16-ft Diapason had stopped pipes in bass and had the helpers. Also the haskell bass diapason would be a very good idea. I was having a look around the space where the organ could go and there probably would be enough height for it. Just one question: How much height do such ranks take up or would they be half-length? JA

Yes I agree with you, there could possibly be a Nazard or Quinte added to the Swell or Positive. It does add a very good colour when used with the 8-ft or I sometimes even find it useful in the treble of a 16-ft flute. This would definately be my dream organ, but if I ever tried to install something like this in my church, there wouldn't be a lot of space left. Don't worry, I'm not planning to design any 200-stop organs. There is just no need for it somewhere like NZ. JA

I have just come up with another specification, but this one is more in cathedral proportions I think: Great Organ Double Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason Large 8 Open Diapason Small 8 Principal 8 Hohl Flute 8 Corno Flute 8 Octave 4 Flute Harmonique 4 Twelfth 2 2/3 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (19-22-26-29) Cornet (1-8-12-15-17) Tenor G Trombone 16 Tromba 8 Clarion 4 Swell to Great Swell to Great Octave Swell to Great Sub Octave Choir to Great Positive to Great Solo to Great Swell Organ Bourdon 16 Diaphonic Diapason 8 Geigen Diapason 8 Lieblich Gedackt 8 Unda Maris (tc) 8 Echo Gamba 8 Vox Angelica 8 (aa) Principal 4 Lieblich Flute 4 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (15-19-22-26-29) Oboe 8 Vox Humana 8 Contra Posaune 16 Posaune 8 Harmonic Clarion 4 Tremulant Swell Octave Swell Unison Off Swell Sub Octave Solo to Swell Positive to Swell Choir Organ Stopped Diapason 8 Lieblich Gedackt 8 Viola d' Amour 8 Dulciana 8 Gemshorn 4 Chimney Flute 4 Piccolo Harmonique 2 Plein Jeu (19-22-26) Cornopean 8 Tremulant Choir Octave Choir Unison Off Choir Sub Octave Swell to Choir Solo to Choir Positive to Choir Solo Organ Contra Violone 16 Flute Harmonique 8 Violoncello 8 Celeste (tc) 8 Flute Harmonique 4 Viola 4 Cornet (12-15-17) Contra Bassoon 16 Orchestral Oboe 8 Bombarde 16 Tuba Mirabilis 8 Harmonic Trumpet 8 (en chamade) Harmonic Clarion 4 Tremulant Solo Octave Solo Unison Off Solo Sub Octave Positive to Solo Positive Organ (Floating) Quintaton 16 Principal 8 Gedackt 8 Octave 4 Nason Flute 4 Block Flute 2 Larigot 1 1/3 Sesquialtera (12-17) Cymbal (29-33-36) Cremona 8 Tremulant Pedal Organ Gravissima 64 (resultant ext. 32') Double Open Wood 32 Sub Bourdon 32 Open Wood 16 (ext. 32') Open Metal 16 Open Diapason 16 (G.O.) Violone 16 (Solo) Bourdon 16 (ext. 32') Echo Bourdon 16 (Sw) Quintaton 16 (Pos) Octave Wood 8 (ext. 32') Principal 8 (ext. 16') Violoncello 8 (Solo) Bass Flute 8 (ext. 32') Fifteenth 4 (ext. 16') Octave Flute 4 (ext. 32') Mixture (15-19-22-26-29) Bombarde 16 (Solo) Bassoon 16 (Solo) Contra Ophicleide 32 Ophicleide 16 (ext. 32') Clarion 8 (ext. 32') Octave Clarion 4 (ext. 32') Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Swell to Pedal Octave Choir to Pedal Solo to Pedal Positive to Pedal Gt & Ped Combination Coupler Sw & Ped Combination Coupler About 8 thumb pistons to each manual division (4 each to Choir & Pos.) 8 Toe Pistons to Ped & Sw 10 General Thumb & Toe pistons Thumb & Toe pistons to couplers Peterson ICS-4000 Capture & Transmission system with sequencer. JA

Yes it is quite interesting. I was reading on the ACCHOS website a couple of days ago, that when Midmer-Losh were installing the organ they had problems with the bricks in the ceiling falling down to the floor because of the shaking that the 64' (and presumably the 128' resultant) caused. JA

Or it would be possible to have a Haskelled Violone 16', but I am not sure which I would find more useful. Thinking of stopped ranks, I heard one on a Bevington & Sons organ in Christchurch just recently and for some reason I actually thought that the Sub Bass 16 was a full-length stop. It had quite a full tone to it, but this may have been the acoustics helping it. How exactly would these octave 'helpers' work? I have only heard of one example of this. JA

This looks to be a very good specification. I have decided to add a Choir organ with the following specification: Rohr Flote 8-ft Viola da Gamba 8 (common bass) Suabe Flote 4 Harmonic Piccolo 2 Sesquialtera (12:17) Clarinet 8. As for the Pedal, I am trying to decide between a 10 2/3 or a 32-ft resultant, but I am currently thinking that the former would be more useful. Another addition would probably be the extension of the Trumpet 16-8 unit up another 12 pipes to include 4-ft for the Great as well. The Bourdon would be something I would like to have on the Swell, except the bottom 12 pipes would have to be installed outside the Swell box as there would not be enough height unless they were mitred over. The Violin Diapason would have stopped basses from P1 to about P5. JA

Yes Paul, I agree with most of your points here. I would include a Choir organ with the speci of 8-8-4-2-8 and possibly include a 2rk cornet if there was space, but at the moment I can't remember exactly how much space there would be on the gallery. As for the Mixtures, space is a factor for this one as well. I would definately like to include a 3 or 4 rk mixture. I have heard/played an organ in town that has been restored and had the addition of a 19:22 mixture on the great and I have no problem with this, but a larger mixture would probably be better. The Contra Bourdon on the pedal, I would like a proper 32' stop except height is again the factor and I would probably like to include a full-length 16' Diapason before a 32' was installed. My idea was that because there is lack of height and we do not want to block out much of the main window, a stopped rank could be provided but voiced stronger than the Gt Bourdon 16'. I quite like your scheme, it would definately be a lot different to what I am used to with the Principal chorus etc. although I have seen a few church organs designed like this before. JA

Again I have been looking around the forum about this particular topic and have probably missed it. Anyways, I have been giving some thought into what a good scheme for my church would be and I have come up with the following: GREAT ORGAN Bourdon 16-ft A Open Diapason 8 B Hohl Flote 8 A Dulciana 8 Principal 4 Harmonic Flute 4 Twelfth 2 2/3 Fifteenth 2 Mixture (19:22) Trumpet 8 C Swell to Great Swell Octave to Great Swell Sub Octave to Great SWELL ORGAN Violin Diapason 8 Rohr Flote 8 Echo Gamba 8 (common bass) Voix Celeste 8 (tc) Gemshorn 4 Mixture (15:19:22) Contra Oboe 16 D Cornopean 8 Oboe 8 D Tremulant Swell Octave Swell Unison Off Swell Sub Octave PEDAL ORGAN Acoustic Bass 32 E/A Major Bass 16 (stopped wood) E Bourdon 16 A Principal 8 B Bass Flute 8 E Fifteenth 4 B Trombone 16 C Bassoon 16 D Trumpet 8 C Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Swell Octave to Pedal Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled Sw & Ped Combinations Coupled The organ would be at the rear of the church on a small gallery all ready there, but with some modifications. So, what would your church organ be like. (NOTE: there is no limit on size etc.) JA

Speaking of this composer, does anyone know where to find a copy of his piece 'Madonna - a stained glass window'? I heard it at a recital by Laszlo Attila Almasy half way through the year but have had no success finding it. JA

A local organ which I play has the Tierce drawing independently as you say, and this works very effectively. The only drawback about the mixture is that it is voiced quite loud so it dominates the Great chorus. The best Tierce mixtures I have heard are the Willis ones, but the Great Mixture at the Wellington Town Hall comes up fairly close in my opinion. JA

Really quite a shame about this. I didn't read the link you posted until today. JA

Yes, I agree it is a very useful site and I have found a great deal of music to attempt to learn, but a lot of it is still too difficult at the moment. JA

Did Binns use this on some of his organs. I remember one of his 4 manual organs had an Euphonium 8' on the Pedal. I forget which organ it is but someone else may have an idea. (sorry if I have repeated this, only just looked at the topic today) JA

We have a 1912 Nicholson & Lord organ here at a local church, but unfortunately there is no money to restore the thing. So think, a exhaust-pneumatic action that has not had anything done to it since that date. There is pretty much no repetition on the notes, so I don't think playing fast pieces like War March of the Preists works. JA

There are many organs in NZ that have had really lovely facades, but then the church decides that they don't like it and cover it up. This happened to a local organ which I play where the facade has been taken down and a huge screen covering the apse has been installed. This has a pretty negative effect on the sound of the organ, and now people complain that the organ is creating a draft, where it is actually cool air coming from behind the screen. Thankfully, plans have been made to restore the interior of the church, so the screen will come down, and the organ and facade will be rebuilt as they were left by Brindley & Foster in 1927 except with the addition of a third manual (hopefully!). JA

Hi all, I was recently attending a National Organist's Congress and came across a hymn about the organ. The tune for it is 'Aurelia'. 1. Our organ's firm foundations are Diapasons fat. Installed in 1920, from that day since, they've sat. From builder famed we sought it - the object of our pride. For fifteen grand we bought it, when our old tracker died. 2. Elect from every family of pipes that give a hoot, it's great specification: one reed, one string, one flute; with leathered Diapasons at sixteen, eight and four; and sub and super couplers, how could one ask for more? 3. Though with a scornful wonder men hear it sore oppressed, by ciphers rent asunder, by windtrunk leaks distressed. Yet choir boys are list'ning; there cry goes up, "How long before this hoot and hissing cease drowning out our song?" 4. 'Mid toil and tribulation and heated Vestry wars, we wait the ruination of it forevermore; till with some chiffing glorious our longing ears are bless'd, and leathered pipes notorious shall be but scraps at rest. 5. Yet still we oil the swell shades each month with Three-in-One, and grease the motor bearings, to quiet down its run; O, mis'rable contraption! Lord, grant us funds that we might junk it for a tracker with pressures less than three! (from Sutton Coldfield parish church) Has anyone got anymore? Would be interested to hear some. JA

Ok, thanks everyone. I shall look into it at some point. JA

Yes it does look like a digital. I hardly think that it would be worth 60,000p, but I have seen some that have been just a bit less than that. JA

Hi all, This piece has become one of my favourites after hearing it quite a few times, but my question is does anyone on this board know where to find a copy on the internet? Also is it very difficult to learn? Thanks JA

One here in New Zealand, I think is the Lawton & Osbourne at Waitaki Boys' High School. The G.O. Large Open Diapason 8' is quite defening at the console but it is on 6" w.p. The Full Swell with octave couplers, standing next to it is really defening. JA