JJK

Can you have one box opening while the other closes? That could be useful JJK

I've never tried an ISG system, but as an engineer it certainly appeals to me. However, from what I've been told, the main problem is that one can't judge the position of the shutters from the pedals. I gather that many years ago when Flor Peeters gave a recital at Liverpool Cathedral, he was so bemused by the swell pedals that he refused to use them at all - in a programme including Franck! JJK

I'll second that. I heard the instrument last June, and everything sounded spot-on - quite an achievement for such a large instrument after some extreme weather. David Wells was celebrating 25 years of looking after the instrument under his own steam (after many years prior to that with Willis/Harrisons, I guess) JJK

I think that a good 16' Corno di Bassetto can be very useful as both a solo voice and a chorus reed - it seemsto blend better than other imitative reeds. JJK

Well there are tremulants and tremulants! I seem to remember Bach is on record as requesting a tremulant be put into good working order - so I assume he had a use for one. I find it can be quite effective in a slow trio movement or chorale prelude, but I think this needs to be a rather gentle tremulant with a slow beat. Not the sort you'd find in Blackpool! JJK

I recently spent time listening to some Bach trio sonatas played on "real" instruments - very illuminating. Now, when I approach the organ trios, I'm thinking about, for example, the pedal line being played as a cello. This seems to help me enormously with the phrasing, which I now think of as being bowed, rather than resorting to my previous rather abstract articulations. I think this approach can also work well in other works - the slow sections of the Gminor fantasia spring to mind. JJK

I'm sure the main reason is that the pipe organ is tuned sharp (C=540), making it difficult with an orchestra. JJK

JJK

Well I guess that if you can listen to a CD of a large instrument in your living room, then there is no fundamental reason why you can't listen to a simulation of an organ. The actual sound levels produced would be much less than in the appropriate sized building of course, to create an approximation of the right sound at your ears. I'd agree that external speakers improve the realism no end - but of course, with your eyes open, there is an anomaly. You are hearing a sound that could not possible emanate from pipes in your living room. I think that is one reason why many people prefer a smal tracker pipe instrument, which is then scaled and appropriate for the room. It will allow a lot of serious practice - but of course will not simulate a much larger instrument, and will not have the registrational possibilities. One way to get a good small 2-manual electronic organ would be to go the custom route, rather than standard specs. The problem is that the smaller instruments, as well as fewer stops, tend to have more basic sound and speaker systems - and this definitely limits the sound quality. But if you went for 20 stops over 2 manuals, external speakers, 10 channels of sound then I reckon you'd have one of the best-sounding organ simulations. Much better than a 40-stop standardised instrument with internal speakers, which might be the same price. Of course you'd need the space for the speakers....however don't be fooled by salesmen who tell you that you need large expensive organ speakers - domestic hi-fi speakers and a sub-woofer work very well in a living room, and can be quite small. JJK

I would agree that learning notes and articulation is the most important use for a house organ - but there are other aspects which can be explored, such as registration. The church instrument I play is rather limited - there are large parts of the repertoire that it would be impossible, difficult or at least unsatisfying to play on it. I do not have the time or opportunity to regularly play other, more varied instruments. So for me, as well as addressing the basics, a house organ allows study of the wider repertoire. As well, of course, as being a good deal of fun. Also, the better electronic instruments do simulate note release as well as attack, so it is quite feasible to practice articulation. For sure I'm not claiming it is as good as a good tracker action - but much better than many pipe organs I've played with poor electric or pneumatic actions. Of course, if I needed just an instrument to allow me to practice music for church, then a much simpler organ would suffice - and a 3-stop tracker instrument would be great. But I would not try to learn a Widor symphony on it! JJK

That was true until 3-4 years ago - now all their custom instruments use Phoenix technology. Both Wyvern and Phoenix get their consoles made by Renatus in Devon (which used to be the Wyvern factory), so there is technically no difference between a custom Wyvern and a Phoenix. The standard spec Wyverns are imported from Holland - but I believe these are also sampled instruments, using Wyvern's own data. JJK

Indeed. Although, as the mixtures are of the quint variety, I find that on occasions the tierce, which is of principal scale, can give a nice twang to the Gt ensemble before adding the reeds - like having a FW tierce mixture. By the way, if you want to hear/play a Phoenix instrument in the flesh you'd be most welcome. Just PM me. JJK

I see what you mean - I can't think what you'd use it for, and I guess you'd have to look a long way to find another double quint on an enclosed choir organ. Maybe Atlantic City? There's one on the solo/bombarde at St Sulpice. I think the stop is usually part of a big 16' chorus, and usually on the Great. JJK

I own a 3m Phoenix, and spent a great deal of time designing the spec I wanted right down to the mixture breaks. Phoenix implemented what I asked for, and I guess they would do this even if the requirements were "quirky"! With my instrument, I wanted 3 completely independent specs - English, French and German - so that these areas of repertoire could be played without too much compromise. But there are some restrictions - the same stop controls have to suffice for all 3 organs, so for example, on the english romantic spec where one wouldn't normally want so many mutations, they are there to avoid the confusion of stops labelled at the wrong pitch or timbre. In the German spec they come into their own. This may be one reason why the number of stops appears larger than necessary. Of course it takes some getting used to - one needs to know that the french "basson-hautbois" is a french horn in the english spec (and labelled as such). But the benefit is in being able to play eg, Franck or Widor with the proper registration, and beginning to understand why an english oboe is not a direct substitute for the french variety. I think it is important to avoid having a complete hotch-potch of different stops, and where possible to use samples from a single organ. So on my instrument the German data comes almost entirely from one instrument, the English choruses are by Hill and the French spec is Cavaille-Coll. If this approach of using samples from single pipe instruments is adopted, then it should lead to a stylistic unity in the simulation (depending on the quality of the original instrument, of course!) I've also come to the view that the requirements for a home organ and a church are rather different. Unless one goes for a 3-stop chamber organ, the home instrument is more like a flight simulator, aiming to create a realistic impression of what an instrument would sound like in a building much bigger than one's living room. For a church however, I agree with Paul that the starting point should be the spec of a pipe organ that could reasonably fit with the building. And I would add that a large proportion of the budget should be spent on the amplification and speakers, in preference to extra stops. And as far as the Phoenix sampling technology is concerned, I am convinced it offers at least the same (and often considerably better) sound than much more expensive synthesis technologies. Sheffield Cathedral would be worth listening to in this respect. JJK

Indeed - and I believe that Manders subcontracted part of the RAH job (soundboard restoration IIRC) to the Village Workshop. And of course acknowledged their participation. JJK

Good luck! Sadly I cannot be there, but I'd be really interested to hear how you get on. I'm a long-time fan of this organ, and I think the overall effect in the building can be stunning. But I gather it is rather difficult to play - and not just down to the registration aids! BTW it is no longer the largest pipe organ in the UK, courtesy of Mr Mander and the RAH - although I hear that situation may soon be rectified..... JJK

I believe there is also a sequencer advance which dangles on a bit of wire, so one can have one's registrant at a suitable distance!

I remember seeing the process at the R&D factory a few years ago, where molten metal was poured onto a flat stone surface. From this, you would expect that the metal structure was the same in both dimensions. However, I can't remember what the process was after the metal had cooled - whether or not there was some rolling or pressing involved. JJK

Surely not Preston? I've already been to his final UK solo recital, and the one after that! (Not complaining mind you - he's still rather excellent) JJK

But surely the metal expanding in both directions will make there even more room inside the pipe? However I guess that while the pipe will get longer (leading to a flattening of pitch) it will also become of wider scale (which due to increased end effect will sharpen pitch)? But I think the main point is that pipe dimensions are not the dominant effect. The reduction in density of the air is far more significant, and therefore results in an overall sharpening of pitch. JJK

I was definitely hearing some things twice at the recent Simon Preston recital. Seemed to happen when the playing was at mp - mf dynamic. JJK

So could one win the prize by showing excellent judgment in not playing an encore?

hmmm - movable! Powered by a 6L V12?

I believe there is a cleaning/overhaul due. Extra pipes are needed to put RAH back in its place - and I did hear rumours about installation of some of the originally-planned west/corona sections JJK

Yes, I also found Ian very friendly and approachable. The recital last week was very relaxed, and I think the music benefited from this. It certainly made me want to go back to hear more - I think his next recital is 21 Oct. Maybe I'll ask him about the rumoured "adjustments" to the organ! JJK