Pierre Lauwers

The Récit at St-Clothilde had little in common with the huge late-romantic Swell division with reed chorus. It was a rather little box, in which delicate solo stops such as ACC's Hautbois thrived. In a late-romantic Swell, such delicacies are completely lost. As was the case later at....St-Clothilde, when Tournemire had a late-romantic Swell build by Convers. The Petit Récit at NY is an excellent idea I would be glad to hear. As an alternative, one may have an expressive choir as a second expressive division; in the Mander organ you have both the two expressive divisions plus a detached "Positif de dos". Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I found this in Veerkamp's "L'orgue à tuyaux", page 166: "...In modern french instruments, (the order) it is, from bottom to top: Grand-orgue, Positif, Récit. The only exception are the organs having a seperate Positive case (Positif de dos), in order to avoid that the trackers have to cross." So when ACC maintained a Positif de dos, its clavier was the first (bottom), the next Grand-orgue, then Récit. Veerkamp (former manager by Cavaillé-Coll) says nothing about 4 and 5 manuals consoles, they being too seldom. It seems no definitive rule was fixed. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Dear Michael, If we modify neo-classical organs from the seventies, we loose any credibility; we'd do exactly what we now regret about older instruments. I do not know this organ -of course it's a bit far away- but should it be an homogenous instrument (thus not an awkward bastling with a hotch-potch of cut-from-gambas nazards etc), I'd advocate: Keep it. Do we like it or not, no matter. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

ACC himself used zinc pipes, particularly for the basses of string-toned stops. And this for artistic reasons -more clarity-, not to spare money. But this said, he of course never used zinc for "Montres"! Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This means that, by turning the knobs (in place of pulling them), you can prepare a combination that will be available when a dedicated pedal is depressed. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

If it is a Mutin, it would be interesting to know its date; Mutin beginned using ACC's stocks, so that the first organs had the same quality. A blatant example of that is the Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre. (originally built for the Baron de l'Espée) Later, the quality suffered because Charles Mutin was more of a Manager than an artist. Claude Noisette de Crauzat does not list it among ACC's organs. In 1984, he wrote the best conserved ACC organ in Britain was the one in Warrigton, formerly built for a Mr Hopwood in Ketton-Hall. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Hello Ladies and gentlemen, We happened to discuss this one on another thread, and I believe it deserves a thread for itself alone. May I suggest our aim is not to criticize what has been done by X or Y; I am not that clever to know what I had done if I was 35 years older. Better? Really? My aim is to try to grasp a better understanding of the late-romantic, or "post-romantic" (french: Post-romantique) organ. This was a rare period of freedom; the big names were gone, that had set the pace and the standards. Their followers tried to break the moulds to try something else, but still between the boundaries of the romantic-symphonic organ. England was at the very forefront of this evolution; there were many interesting, if not mature, experimentations. France, in comparison, did near to nothing but simply adapt some ideas from abroad. Let's cite only two names: Hope-Jones and Thynne, in quite different ways, delivered many new tonal ideas. Then came Harrison & Harrison, who took these ideas and turned them into professionally build, reliable, near to mature organs. Their 1908 organ for Ely Cathedral is a splendid example: GREAT Sub Bourdon 32' Gross Geigen 16' Contra Clarabella 16' Open Diapason I 8' Open Diapason II 8' Open Diapason III 8' Hohl flute 8' Geigen 8' Quint 5 1/3' Wald Flöte 4' Geigen Principal 4' Octave 4' Octave Quint 2 2/3' Super Octave 2' Mixture 5 ranks Harmonics 5 ranks (actually a mutation chorus with Tierces and Septiemes) Trombone 16' Tromba 8' Octave Tromba 4' SWELL Lieblich 16' Echo Gamba 8' Vox angelica 8' Open Diapason 8' Lieblich 8' Lieblich Flöte 4' Principal 4' Fiftheenth 2' Sesquialtera 5 ranks Double Trumpet 16' Trumpet 8' Horn 8' Oboe 8' Horn Quint 5 1/3' Clarion 4' CHOIR Double Salicional 16' Open Diapason 8' Salicional 8' Gedackt 8' Dulciana 8' Flauto traverso 4' Salicet 4' Dulcet 2' Dulciana mixture 3 ranks SOLO Contra viola 16' Viole d'orchestre 8' Harmonic flute 8' Violes celestes 8' (probably two ranks, one flat, one sharp) Viole octaviante 4' Concert flute 4' Cornet de violes 3 ranks Clarinet 16' Cor anglais 8' Orchestral Oboe 8' Tuba 8' PEDAL Double open Wood 32' Double stopped Diapason 32' Open Wood 16' Open Diapason 16' Sub Bass 16' Salicional 16' (From Choir?) Stopped Diapason 16' Violone 16' Flute 8' Violoncello 8' Octave Wood 8' Bombardon 32' Ophicleide 16' Posaune 8' This not too huge organ displays many quite interesting features. The Solo organ alone is something historic, featuring things you will never find on the continent, such as the Cornet de Violes, the Violes celestes and the very orchestral reeds. The Choir is surprising in that it has no reeds, it is actually a Dulciana chorus above anything else, tough one may suppose it must have been a somewhat stringy version; an accompanimental division only? Really? As to the tonal balance, you may observe the "bottom-heavy" tendancy so often attributed to this period is evident only in the Pedal -yes, rather quite evident-. Well, I already talk too much. Any comments? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes Michael, I know there are numerous recordings to be find -I have about a hundred and something of them- but you need to go to UK to find them, and to know what you want. I shall launch a new thread about Ely and this 1908 organ. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Thanks, But I never had any reply from Priory... Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, I think the problem is neither foreign organs in Britain, neither french organs build or rebuild by french builders in France. If the english want french organs, it's logical to have them build by french. Now let's see from the other side: Why would the french ask an english buider to build a french organ? They would do so if they wanted a true english organ ; and if they do not want that yet, it's because they do not know them. On the french forum I am a member of nobody knew what a Dulciana or a Tromba is, let alone a Recorder or a Viole d'orchestre after the Thynne model. I'd personally like to see our continental buiders working in England, building what they know and like, and english builders coming here to build english organs. But to fulfill such an aim it would be necessary to advocate and "push" the english repertoire; why is it impossible to find any complete recording of Howells on CDs ?(not even an answer from english publishers to my Mails). Why is there near to nothing to find from S-S Wesley, whose choral music is an incredible gem? I have an old LP I took back from Worcester, that's it, and whenever any belgian organist hears it he ask why we do not know such a thing. Even W.T. Best's transcriptions could well become fashionable again, if even someone had the idea to record them on a beautiful concert organ from the correct period and have the thing present in the CD's shop on the continent... Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, Ely might be something like a red flag in front of a bull to me...Because the 1908 H & H was soooo interesting ! I heard it in 1978, so in its 1970 state, and what really impressed as a "newbie" from the continent was the 1908 Cornet de Viols on the Solo division. Apart from the german "Harmonia aetherea" -of which no one remains- the sole place to find that was the late-romantic english organ. Why not buy some french organs from France and, reversely, build english organ for us here? I'd like to see -and hear!- -The Samuel Green type -The William Hill type (not fully romantic yet, with choruses aplenty) -The Willis I type -The Willis III type -The H & H type about 1910 -A modern interpretation of the english organ by Mr Mander So there are many, mant things possible; I even forgot Smith and Harris, England, older types that are not my cup of Tea but might interest others. I believe one of the reasons why english builders do not get contracts in continental Europe may be a lack of interest in the english organ by the english themselves... Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This is quite difficult to tell; continental builders could name "Tuba" anything like a strong trumpet-like stop. Often it is just that: a somewhat louder trumpet, nothing in common with an english tuba. This said, Anneessens was somewhat inflenced by the english organ, so it's possible he attended to make a true stop. According to the fact there is close to nothing left from Anneessens in Belgium, I cannot tell more about it. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

There are among the tracker organs built by Franz-Xaver Wetzel (a german who took over the belgian workshop of Link brothers) in Belgium, some that show trackers established fan-like, so without rollerboards. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

The most significant memories I have from the services we attended as children are organ pieces and improvisations on the Voix céleste with a 32' Subbass. Of course this is only a little part of the organ, and not the most important by far. Let's say it's like the leather in a car. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes, Mr Wimpress, May I add, as a kind of continental point of view, that an english organ is exactly as interesting as a french one (be it baroque, romantic or modern, no matter). Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, Chartres might not be the better Gonzalez; I'd try Soissons instead. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes..... I spent something close to considerable time in this organ in order to try to learn something. It was restored about 15 years ago, is in good state and entirely original. Did you note the 4 free reeds stops on the Positif ? (german influence trough Merklin, who came to Belgium directly from the german firm Korfmacher after his training with Walcker, so before the french influence became more important) If you go to Brussels, you may want to visit another Schyven (35/III) at Saint-Boniface. This is an absolute gem, and wholly original too. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, that's already six Roosevelt's stops ; enough to have something build round them, isn't it? 50 Roosevelt's organs left in working order, this would be rather excellent news, but are there still (more or less) in original condition? Are there recordings available? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, be them conical or not while they should according to the name, I think any Roosevelt's stop/pipe/part(s) is something extremely worthwile. What does actually remains of Roosevelt's work in the U.S. ? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I see two possibilities: -The builder doesn't know german, and so ignores what "Spitz" means; -The term applies to the ecusson round the mouth only Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

As I wrote previously, it is well possible the Dulciana might have been a perfect second Diapason.....In a Samuel Green's late baroque, gently voiced organ. This was the beginning of the "soft stops", but the differences between stops were quite limited compared to the modern organ. And of course a Dulciana on a modern Great, next to 2 or 3 big Diapasons can be a little hidden:):) Maybe it would be interesting to view the Dulciana as the basis of a secondary Diapason chorus, say, on the third manual (in strength, so next to the Swell organ) Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

We have many such romantic organs in Belgium, about 20/ II, with tracker action and without any registration aids beyond a "calling the reeds" pedal (appel des anches). Interestingly, the mixtures are always on the reeds wind. This design is completely sufficient and satisfying, and the organs quite long-living. Two builder's names famous for this kind of organs are: Van Bever brothers and Pierre Schyven. The formers were pupils of Hyppolite Loret (an admirator of Schlimbach), the second of Joseph Merklin. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I would certainly keep the Gamba on the great. It permits to draw all the 8' flues together without mudiness. On the Swell, I prefer a narrower Gamba with the Voix céleste, but the Salicional-Vox angelica ensemble has a tradition in UK so it's well that way . If you want something flutey on the great you could use a compromise I found a splendid example of near here: an harmonic stopped Diapason (three times normal lenght in the treble). This sounds a bit like a diminutive Flûte harmonique, but it's still usable as a stopped diapason too. In England there were such stops under the name "Zauberflöte". Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Hello Pcnd, This is very interesting ; here follows some suggestions: The Stopped Diapason I'd have on the great The Gemshorn 4' ditto The Wald flute and the Flûte harmonique (in french "octaviante" as a 4) I'd have on the swell. Of course this is a matter of the place's acoustic, but maybe the fourth mixture rank (29) on the great would be too much. On the Swell, it could be interesting to give a try to a quite common english design of the romantic period, with a tierce: 17-19-22. This could be effective with the reeds. (Of course such exercises are a game!) Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, Maybe it's a bit late to stop the process, and to launch anything like a "contest" might be contra-productive. I believe what could -and should- be done now is to ensure the organ does not go to the scrap. If I was anything like a big chief in my area I had it rebuild in the Namur Cathedral by Mr Mander, no doubt. Maybe someone else here has a bit more "say" in his/her own area.... Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.