John Robinson
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Posts posted by John Robinson
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Thanks for this timely reminder. Ordered!
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That must have taken ages to set up.
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More often the interiors of normal lead/tin flue pipes are cleaned with very long brushes after the style of large diameter bottle brushes, but I have known a solution of caustic soda in a bath or trough to be used followed by a thorough flushing with clean water. The caustic soda approach would not be recommended for decorated, polished or copper pipes.
As for Gemshorn I've heard both a soft and hard 'G' used and I don't know which is correct. And like John Robinson I don't like Posaune pronounced as Posawn but rather prefer the correct, German pronunciation - "POS-OW!-NER."
It was John Sayer, actually (!), but I feel the same about Posaune.
I prefer Gemshorn with a hard 'g', too. Both words come from the German, so perhaps should be pronounced in German!
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I'll have to look it up, but if I remember it correctly the enclosure encompasses the upper end of those pipes as well. On top of the Swell box sits the blower and main reservoir, and behind its encasement the Swell enclosure goes up to contain the long pipes.
Best,
Friedrich
Yes. I've just looked at the plans and, apart from the bottom six (of what I thought were stopped wood) the rest of the Salicet 16' pipes look like metal and, as you say, extend upward within the box behind the blower. Perhaps it is some of these that are Haskelled.
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A Kindle would be useful for the Hymn 'Oh Thou Who Camest From Above'. I'm thinking of the line 'Kindle a flame of sacred love....'
Anyway I'm really writng this post because I remember a TV programme in the late 70s called 'It's Patanetly Obvious' in hich various gadgets were shown on the programme and a team of clever people (pre celebrity TV) had to try and work out what they were for. They once had a device for turning over pages on a music desk. It had various levers, springs and catches and one had to blow onto a flap to turn the next page. It could cope with several pages.
John
Ah, I remember that programme now! I wish they'd bring it back. Some of those gadgets (if I remember) were fascinating.
It would be interesting to see how many laymen could work out what a Barker lever was for!
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Not very noticeable, as they are in fact not stopped but haskelled (bottom six, C to F). From f-sharp on the pipes are open and inside the box. The 16-foot reed of same division, however, has half-length resonators at least in the lower range.
Best,
Friedrich
Thanks, Sprondel. I hadn't realised this.
I don't know much about Haskelling, but if the pipe tops are open (as I think they are in Haskelled pipes) doesn't at least some of their sound emanate from outside the swell box?
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The Swell 16' Salicet in the Nave organ at Cologne Cathedral (by the same builder) is the same.
I should have added that the bottom few pipes of this stop, outside of the box, are stopped. I don't know how noticeable the break is from stopped to open.
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Hi MM,
I think Saxon Aldred did something like this at Standon (Herts) with the Sw 16' reed octave - and don't I recall that Bath Abbey 16' flue is outside the box with mouths inside or something?
The Swell 16' Salicet in the Nave organ at Cologne Cathedral (by the same builder) is the same.
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The Terzian is also made of Principal pipes, and belongs to the Principal chorus.
Pierre
Thank you, Pierre.
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It has been explained on here that the Sesquialtera (the Baroque type - 2 2/3' 1 3/5') is correctly of Principal pipes, but what about that other North German stop, the Terzian (1 3/5' 1 1/3')?
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Perhaps Pierre can give me a proper explanation: I'd really like to know.
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An interesting post, Pierre. Thanks.
But what are 'bottleneck effects'?
I had assumed that Septiemes, Nones and others like Elevenths, etc, were to add additional colour. Not essentials for any genre of music, of course, but interesting nonetheless.
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In Cologne Cathedral, the transept organ for the main part has no roof at all. In the last rebuild in 2002, the entire instrument was lifted by about 2 m, thereby gaining much power and directness, as the vaults of the side aisle could reflect the sound much better now. Additionally, the space below the chests was used for a new, much more gerenous winding system.
Best, Friedrich
Yes, I read about this.
However, didn't they retain a 'roof' (angled at about 45 degrees) above the Solowerk/Positif (oberladen)? This looks as if it would project the sound of this department directly into the chancel. The small Ruckpositiv is also in a case with a roof.
I find it interesting that, depite being built in the austere post-war years when certain materials were in short supply, this instrument is regarded as being of surprisingly good quality.
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Some years ago, I made a single pipe out of a cardboard tube (about a foot long with, incidentally, a tuning slide) to demonstrate the principle of operation to my school children. It is not varnished or sealed in any way, yet plays reliably. It sounds pleasantly flutey.
One day, I might make the rest of the organ!
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Some years ago, a little before Nicholsons' restored Gloucester Cathedral organ, I was in a lunch group at a Cathedral Organists' Association conference when David Briggs was outlining the ideas for the work. He mentioned that they were considering the addition of a big solo reed, but placing it was a problem, including in which direction it should fire - down the Nave or up the Quire.
Someone suggested it should be on a turntable - actually, not the daftest idea I've ever heard....
I had thought about this possibility before for use in a 'two-way facing' organ, such as those on screens. I had always thought of it as just a 'pipe dream' (if you'll pardon the pun), but it now seems a distinct possibility. In my opinion it could be quite a useful feature and could, for example, serve recitals in either nave or chancel or even as an echo effect as was often found in Spanish organs with a trompeteria facing into the aisle.
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Splendid story Cynic (wish I knew where it was!).
I've thought something like it might happen, the way things seem to be going. Although, whenever I've mentioned whimsically anything like it to clergy of my acquaintance they have pooh-poohed the idea saying that the laity would always need a parish embedded in diocesan structures and with an ordained priest.
My suspicion was that sooner or later a number of enthusiastic church musicians might well purchase a church somewhere and provide a diet of Matins, Evensong, Compline ... for similarly inclined people!
Is it essential for a group of people who wish to worship collectively to have an ordained priest in attendance? Can they not talk to God without the presence of an intermediary?
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The first clip is a mini-TV documentary/interview with Kateřina Chroboková; a very pretty lady indeed, then appearing at the "Prague Spring" festival, playing a splendid Rieger-Kloss instrument at the Martinu Hall in the Lichtenstein palace (Academy of arts), Prague.
MM
Wow! Yes, she certainly is. And those legs!
Oh, and the music's quite nice, too.
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Just out of interest however, does anyone use the Chopin funeral march at a funeral nowadays? I think I once had that piece on an LP by Gunther Brausinger, but I have never heard it played at a funeral. Don't know why really....
I have all four of those LPs somewhere. I think they are unusual in that they comprise transcriptions which, although played on baroque-type instruments, sound surprisingly effective. I do wish they'd re-release them on CD.
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You know, there's a predictable modality in the music of Flor Peeters, but there are many good tunes to enjoy. One of my favourite recital choices is the "Lied to the Flowers," which I discovered in my youth on a recording made by Caleb Jarvis at St.George's Hall, Liverpool.
MM
I have that LP too. I seem to remember there being a lot of wind noise. I am presuming that is what it is, and not surface noise from the (old) LP.
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According to Wikipedia the Gavioli firm started in Italy in 1806 and had offices in Paris from 1850s. I wonder what interaction there may have been with Paris based church organ builders of this era, for example Cavaille Coll.
As fairground organs are out in the open and in a noisy environment, quite a lot of power is required to be heard, did Gavioli have any unique ways to produce the volume of sound necessary in the reeds and flue pipes and did this migrate into church organ building?
What is the wind pressure, typically, in a street organ?
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I remember playing the organ at St Marys Beverley a while back and noticing some very strange mutations on the pedal organ. My memory is not upto listing the exact details and l think most visiting organists decided to stay well clear of them!
http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N04015
Strangely, a Septieme 4 4/7' but no Tierce 6 2/5'.
An enormous Pedal, though: 24 of 74 speaking stops!
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I've even used the M1 and gone back across the Pennines on the M62.
Avoid the M5/M6 like the plague!
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I trust those brave people who drove to Liverpool found 4 wheels when they returned to their cars !
I am sure that John Mander must be delighted that someone has copied his unique idea of having an open day !
We all look forward to the next MANDER open day without the bribery of free beer thank you.
Colin Richell.
I assure you that I most certainly would have gone even without the free beer. I think if I were HW, I would rather resent the suggestion of 'bribery'.
And, yes, my car still had four wheels when I returned.
On the matter of parking, when we arrived we found a space at the front just behind HW's transit van, but noticed a sign saying 'no stopping' (never mind 'no parking'). Despite others having parked there, my wife insisted (as she was driving) that we park round the back and walk a few yards!
One little question: wasn't the original 'Rotunda' works in London? I presume that when Willis moved to Liverpool, they named their new premises after the original.
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I parked immediately behind the factory, free parking less than ten minutes walk from St George's Hall or the Metropolitan Cathedral, each of which I also visited; even better, it was alongside a substantial area of grass that was excellent for exercising the dog I also had with me.
Paul
I think I know what you mean. I hope you picked it up!
Introduction
in General discussion
Posted
Welcome. I am grateful to you for writing, Anorak, as I too am not possessed of the necessary skills to play the organ although I have had a life-long interest. To the best of my knowledge there are other members of this forum who are not organists, so we are not alone!
I look forward to your questions as I am sure they will be of interest to me as well. I may even join in with some of my own!