JWAnderson

Has anyone had any experience with Rodgers Instruments. They have some all right organs, but last time I got a quoted price they were pretty horrendous prices in New Zealand. Does anyone know if Wyvern ship organs to other parts of the world? JA

Here is another good one: JA

This has happened to me on countless occasions as parishioners switch off the power after the service. Last time this happened I was playing the Purcell Trumpet Tune, and I got to the end of the air, changed the stops and then... nothing!!! But we've now decided that the organ is going to be put on a separate switch to the mains power. JA

What was that supposed to be exactly? That first video was probably the worst I've seen all day. JA

What about Voix Celeste? I have always pronounced it as Vox, but is that right? JA

What really grinds my gears is when I practise a hymn up for Sunday, and I think its all perfect but then it all goes wrong on the day. But thats probably because I'm still learning. Another thing is one organ I play, the console is in a pit with music shelves at the side, but then little kids come along and start pushing books off the top. Gets quite annoying when they fall on the pedals! Josh

It could be possible that the basses of the diapason are placed at the same level as the Pedal 16' basses. Considering that there is already a 16-ft Gedackt on the Great I wouldn't think that the diapason basses would be stopped. But then again I could be wrong, since being on the other side of the world I have never actually seen the organ, but this could be possible. Josh

I usually play a Rodgers organ, and just wear socks when using the pedals if I can be bothered taking my shoes off. They seem to slide enough along the pedals for me, but trying to play with them at another organ and I definately get alot of wrong notes. Apart from OrganMaster shoes does anyone know anyother cheap organ shoes?? JA

This is probably the way they make it, but it is quite difficult to tell from photos in my organ. I'll have a look sometime and find out how the my harm. flute is set out. I have just had another look at the photo and it could be that it is open from pipes 1-24 and harmonic from 25-58, but again its too difficult to tell. JA

All of the organs that I have played with harmonic flutes have harmonic pipes from Tenor C upwards, but I wouldn't have a clue if this is the normal way or not. My church organ has a harmonic flt but from what I can remember and in pictures, it looks like it goes onto diapason pipes in the bottom octave but I don't think this would be right. I have heard of organs with harmonic pipes right down to CC (although I can't name any), but a lot of them don't because of the pipe height. JA

I should have mentioned earlier that the Swell Lieblich Flute 4 was added in the 1940s rebuild on a separate chest above the rest of the pipes. The Larigot was probably added at the same time but is on the soundboard. JA

Unfortunately, I have not been able to go into the church this weekend and because I cannot go into the organ by myself, I have not been able to get any photos. Next time I have a organ lesson, I'll see what I can do, but that would probably be next weekend. JA

Still over the limit, but couldn't wait until tomorrow afternoon. A six stop organ: GREAT Wald Flute 8' Principal 4' Octave Swell to Great SWELL Violin Diapason 8' (stopped bass) Lieblich Flute 4' Oboe 8' Tremulant Octave Unison Off Sub Octave PEDAL Bourdon 16' Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal I am really surprised at how addictive this forum becomes. JA

Now I know I might be over my one a day limit on specifications, but I'll post one I've just come up with before I shut down the computer. GREAT Open Diapason LGE. 8' Open Diapason SML. 8' Stopped Diapason 8' Principal 4' Harmonic Flute 4' Twelfth 2 2/3' Fifteenth 2' Mixture (17.19.22) III Posaune 8' Swell to Great Choir to Great SWELL Lieblich Bourdon 16' Open Diapason 8' Lieblich Gedact 8' Viola da Gamba 8' Voix Celeste (TC) 8' Principal 4' Flautina 2' Mixture (15.19.22) III Contra Fagotto 16' Trumpet 8' Oboe 8' Clarion 4' Tremulant Octave Unison Off Sub Octave CHOIR Wald Flute 8' Violoncello 8' Nason Flute 4' Harmonic Piccolo 2' Cornet (12.17) II Clarinet 8' Tremulant Octave Unison Off Sub Octave Swell to Choir PEDAL Open Diapason 16' Bourdon 16' Echo Bass 16' (Sw.) Principal 8' (ext. 16') Flute Bass 8' (ext. 16') Fifteenth 4' (ext. 16') Trombone 16' Trumpet 8' (Gt.) Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal Ped & Gt Pistons Coupler All on about 3 1/2" w.p. Has anyone heard of Arthur Hobday? He built some really nice organs around the 1900s, one of which I think would be good as a house organ. JA

This is a good explanation. I can provide some information about the old organ. Firstly, my organ teacher (also the builder who is rebuilding the organ) told me when he showed me inside, that the 16-ft Bourdon was originally on the Swell. And about the Harmonic Flute, I have a feeling it may have a stopped bass octave. Would this be B&F? Another NZ example in Auckland had a Tenor C Harmonic Flute, but this may have been done in the Norman & Beard rebuild. As for the Pedal, I too would get rid of those Principal C extensions. I have a feeling the Open Wood may have been wood all through, but I would extend it down to 4-ft, and maybe the flute to 4-ft aswell as this can be handy. If there was originally a Large Open on the Great which is the Open Wood on the pedal, it could be possible to borrow this upwards to the Great with extra pipes. There is only one organ I have seen this done on but the Open Diap was all Metal. I quite like the Choir design as well. I'll see if I can go into the organ and get some photos for you guys at the weekend. JA

I like this scheme, but you'd need something like a Mansion (or a very big room) to fit it all in. Then again you would with this one aswell: GREAT ORGAN Double Open Diapason 16' A Large Open Diapason 8' (high press.) Medium Open Diapason 8' Small Open Diapason 8' Claribel Flute 8' Stopped Diapason 8' Principal 4' Flute Harmonique 4' Twelfth 2 2/3' Fifteenth 2' Mixture IV (17-19-22-26) Cornet V (1-8-12-15-17) Trombone 16' (high press.) Tromba 8' (high press.) Harmonic Clarion 4' (high press.) Swell to Great Swell to Great Octave Swell to Great Sub Octave Choir to Great Solo to Great SWELL ORGAN Bourdon 16' B (high press.) Diaphonic Diapason 8' (high press.) Geigen Diapason 8' Lieblich Gedact 8' Salicional 8' Vox Angelica 8' TC Principal 4' Lieblich Flute 4' Fifteenth 2' Mixture III (15-19-22) Hautboy 8' Vox Humana 8' Contra Posaune 16' C (high press.) Posaune 8' (high press.) Harmonic Posaune 4' (high press.) Tremulant Super Octave Unison Off* Sub Octave CHOIR ORGAN Lieblich Gedact 8' Echo Dulciana 8' Dolce 8' Viol d' Orchestre 8' Voix Celeste 8' II Unda Maris 8' Flauto Traverso 4' Harmonic Piccolo 2' Schalmei 16' Orchestral Clarinet 8' Orchestral Oboe 8' Tremulant Super Octave Unison Off* Sub Octave Swell to Choir Solo to Choir SOLO ORGAN Harmonic Claribel 8' Concert Flute 4' Orchestral Trumpet 8' Tremulant Bombarde 16' (high press.) Tuba Mirabilis 8' (high press.) Tuba Clarion 4' (high press.) Super Octave Unison Off Sub Octave PEDAL ORGAN Sub Bass 32'^ F Open Diapason Wood 16' D Open Diapason Metal 16' E Violone 16' A Bourdon 16' F Echo Bass 16' B Octave Diapason 8' D Principal 8' E Flute Bass 8' F Fifteenth 4' D Octave Flute 4' E Contra Posaune 32' G (high press.) Trombone 16' G (high press.) Echo Posaune 16' C Trumpet 8' G (high press.) Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal Solo to Pedal COMBINATION COUPLERS Pedal to Great Combinations Pedal to Swell Combinations Wind pressures from 4" to 15" Pressure-Pneumatic or Electro-Pneumatic Action * Only installed if electro-pneumatic ^ Could be changed to Double Open 32' depending on space and funding This would definately be my dream house organ. It is based on the design of the Wellington Town Hall, New Zealand, Norman & Beard 1906 organ. This would be the best restored organ in New Zealand. Norman & Beard also built the Auckland Town Hall organ which was a bit bigger than this but pretty much the same specification. The Auckland Town Hall is being rebuilt at the moment by Klais, as it was 'mothballed' in the 70s with only 11 original ranks still in the organ. JA

This is an interesting scheme. I'll post my bigger scheme afterschool. JA

I think that most of the chests would be original, but with extra slides added in the rebuilds. The Principal 8' and Bourdon 16/8' ranks are on a separate chest to the side of the Great soundboard, but I'll see if I can find some more info about this. JA

That could be true, although I've never done any study into that so I'm not exactly sure. The choir division would probably need its own reservoir. JA

I quite like your specification, that would be quite a good organ. I had based my specification on a William Hill 1879 organ in Australia, although a bit bigger. There is no size limit on this. I was thinking of a bigger organ, say about 4-manuals or something, which I might post soon. A man I know in Christchurch, NZ has a 4-manual organ in his shed. I think it must be a pretty big shed but I've never seen the organ. JA

I've been looking around on the forum and have not really found much (or maybe I just missed it) on house organs, but I apoligise if I have repeated another topic. So I want to know what your dream house organ would be like. I think mine would be somewhere around this: GREAT ORGAN Open Diapason 8' (used in facade) Stopped Diapason 8' Principal 4' Fifteenth 2' Trumpet 8' (prepared for, pending on funding) Swell to Great Swell Sub Octave to Great SWELL ORGAN Open Diapason 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8') Lieblich Gedact 8' Gamba 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8') Gemshorn 4' Oboe 8' Tremulant PEDAL ORGAN Bourdon 16' Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal 3 Combination Pedals to Pedal & Great 3 Combination Pedals to Swell Mechanical Stop & Key action to both Manuals & Pedal Around 2 1/2" (63mm) wind pressure. Have fun!

Yes this could work, they could possibly have another console just for the Celestial organ maybe. They have done this somewhere else, although I can't exactly remember where and they had parts of the organ available on a separate console. JA

Yes, you are right about this. The pistons don't affect any couplers except the Swell pistons work on the octaves etc. There are the usual reversible thumb & toe pistons though. I think it could be useful if the Swell pistons could have their own pedal settings, but this could probably be part of the new capture system. I also agree with you about the Choir Dulciana. If I use it at all, it is nearly always with the Stop'd diapason, so I think what you intended would probably be the better choice.

Yes, sorry I should have mentioned that there would be extra funding for new ranks. As for the wind supply, the current wind pressure is 3 1/2" and there is a double-rise reservoir, but another might be needed for the additions. With the SW & PED piston coupler, it does the same as the GT & PED piston coupler except if you push any piston they affect all departments which pretty much gives you General pistons - except for the fact that if you want to adjust them you have to do alot of soldering. I assume that in the rebuild we will be including a Peterson ICS-4000 capture & transmission system as we have been with alot of other instruments we have rebuilt. That was just one recital he was giving in Timaru. He has been travelling around NZ. Yes, this division would be a Choir organ. The old Great Dulciana 8' could be moved to the Choir and a new or 2nd hand (depending on how much funding is available) Gamba 8' could be installed on the Great. But it would probably be along the lines of what you have put. JA

This seems like a good specification, but I think I would probably find a Gt Trumpet 8 and a Ped Trombone 16 ext. useful. On the current specification, on Sw#4 the octave coupler comes on so we get the mixture (19-22) then, but would be better as a separate stop. We also found that the Pedal & Swell Piston Coupler was useful in a recital we had recently with Andreas Meisner, as he is only used to organs with general pistons.