Pierre Lauwers

Thanks Herr Kropf, I shall do with the german version as well. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

After 25 years work with two "big players" Ltd, I wonder when we shall understand the "jobs" these hegemonic companies do condescend to create (and still by far less than promised) are simply junk jobs. Mind you, "they" do the same in Belgium. Night flights must be allowed over Brussels and Liège, or "they will go in Germany, France, whatever..." (where they present the people with exactly the same threats). I would not trade a Schnitger in for that. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Something "Lieblich" then, but not a narrow-scale "Lieblich Gedackt". Very interesting. I noted the iron stop-handles, this seems to be typical too. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

It is a fact we in western Europe know too little about the history of the organ in Poland -as well as in other eastern european countries-. While I was a young traveler, going there was not easy. This said, there is no doubt many things to learn and discover. As for the huge Blockwerk-type mixture,we may assume they had many unissons and so might not have had the tremendous effect one can imagine by reading their number of ranks. The polish Zymbel is yes something completely different. What is a "Vox amabilis"? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Apologies, I confounded Britain and Brittany... :angry: Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Sorry to be slightly off-topic ; are there still intact Dallam organs in Britain? Best wishes, Pete.

There is not many available about E-M Skinner. I would take it even without knowing. He himself wrote two little books -two must-have-. I have one of the two "The modern organ" (re-edition by the organ litterature foundation, Braintree, Mass). There are some very interesting articles from Jonathan Ambrosino on his website. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Annessens did build at least a thenth Organs in Britain, and more than that in France. He used a modified "Kegellade" windchest, and often exagerrated with the extensions in cheap organs. There is an exceptionally well preserved one in the french town of Clermond-Ferrand(3 manuals), tubular pneumatic, with no extensions. There is a project to restaure it as it deserves -that is, without "betterings" of any kind-. Anneessens had a typical belgian style, that is, an hybrid one with french and german inflences, but in his case with english influences as well. Halas there are but very very few of this firm's work left in Belgium, where the neo-baroque craze has been terrible (at least we have romantic organs from Van Bever, Schyven and Kerkhoff in a fair number, original or nearly original).

Hello Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know the Doncaster organ, not even its disposition. It seems to have retained its original ( from1862) pipes. Do you know it? And how does it sound ? Thanks and best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, Of course the Hope-Jones organ had no mixture at all. When Harrison & Harrison revised the organ in 1925, they left the Swell without mixture and mutations still. When I visited (1978) for the second time, the swell had: -Mixture 3 ranks -Sharp mixture 5 ranks Plus an independent "Octave Quint" 2 2/3'. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I am happy to read something about this important matter. According to several sources, il seems Henry Willis (the first) still used a mean-tone (or unequal) temperament for his instruments up to at least 1850. Which one was it, if we still know? Would it be interesting to use such kind of temperament in a modern romantic organ? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, I won't answer in the place of more qualified people than me by far; I personally would choose to go back to the 17-19-22 scheme, which seems to have occured regularly in english romantic organs. But of course you must know what you want. This is by no means a "Bach mixture", but rather a binder between flue and reed stops. So nothing for a 8-4-2-mixture registration in a polyphonic piece. As for the breaks, I found -in Belgium at least- so many different possibilities (from no break to three breaks, at different places) that I think only an organ-builder knowing Hunter organs from the very same period could answer. Back to a more general discussion about the matter of late-romantic mixtures, I just found something that may be interesting in Emile Rupp's book, "Die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Orgelbaukunst". This book dates 1929. Rupp was, with his friend the well-known Albert Schweizer, the founder of the "Alsacian organ reform", which was to give rise to the neo-classic organ. Among numerous dispositions, he gives the Willis III's organ of the Birmingham Cathedral, as built between 1913 and 1917. Here follows the mixture's disposition (no mention, but I believe it should be at C): Choir organ (With: Contra-Dulciana 16, Dulciana 8, Dulcet 4 and Dulciana 2) Dulciana mixture: 3 1/5'-2 2/3'-1 3/5'-1 1/3'-1' Great organ Mixture 5r: 3 1/5'-2 2/3'-1 3/5'-1 1/3'-1' Sesquialtera: 1 1/3'-1 1/7'-1'-2/3'-1/2' Swell organ Full mixture 5r: 2 2/3'-1 3/5'-1 1/3'-1 1/7'-1' (With: Lieblich Bordun 16,Lieblichgedackt 8,Lieblich Flöte 4, Lieblich Piccolo 2): Lieblich Mixture 3r: 1 3/5'-1 1/3'-1' Solo (With: Contra Viole 16,Viole d'orchestre 8,Octave viole 4, Violette 2): Cornet de violes 3r: 3 1/5'-2 2/3'-2' Echo organ (This is a guess: maybe with Quintaton 16, muted Viole 8, Celestina 4): Harmonica aetherea 3r: 3 1/5'-2 2/3'-2' (This stop, named "Harmonia aetherea", was often found in german organs where it was near to ever a string Cornet with three ranks) Pedal Mixture 3r: 3 1/5'-2 2/3'-2 2/7' Fourniture 5r: 2 2/3'-2 2/7'-2'-1 1/3'-1' This is something quite different from today's schemes. Of course, it is probable the pipes had more harmonic devellopment than it is used to today, so the result may have been brighter (the Willis way) than we could imagine it. I guess a rich, warm tone was the aim, to blend with the reed choruses and not only with the Diapason choruses. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

The organ at Albi's Cathedral today has very little from Moucherel left. Towards the end of the 19th century, Puget from Toulouse built a new large late-romantic instrument in the old case. Formentelli recently reconstituted a baroque organ, mainly by re-working Puget's pipes. As to the result, some like it, others do not. See for yourself with this recording I suggest: François Couperin (the two Masses) and Jean-Adam Guislain (the four suites) By Bernard Coudurier, Albi Cathedral organ BNL 112814 A/B Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

A good example of the french reeds! I heard this organ "live" several times. This link should satisfy your wishes (english version click to the right) The disposition you will find on the "Mecanique" entry. http://www.st-maximin.com/ Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes, In English the french Bourdon would be called a "Chimney flute", rather than a stopped Diapason. The true Diapason tone does not exist in french organ, or maybe something more close to it in really ancient organ whose pipes weren't slotted. The "churchy roll" you get from three open Diapasons has a french equivalent, that is: Montre 8 Flûte harmonique 8' Gambe 8' Bourdon 8' that always go together. This "ensemble" you will find in any romantic organ in France and Belgium, with very few variations , sometimes a Salicional rather than the gambe in little churches. The gambe is actually the leader (mezzo-forte, not intended for solo use), while the Montre is slotted in order to blend with the other 8' flues. The gambe acts as a "fitness" means, avoiding the tone to be muddy. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I find what you say about the mixtures quite interesting, and of course going back to the original design to be a good idea. I noted there are octave couplers on the Swell and Choir organs. Twenty-five years ago, after a recital on a 1960 neo-classical organ, there was a "after-recital discussion" with the recitalist, a well-known teacher. "The mixtures of this organ are too grave", he said. I tried an answer like this: "Well, sir, with the octave couplers they are usable for Bach. There are 72 pipes on the soundboards so it's designed that way". He had a glance at me as if he would eat me alive for dinner and answered: "Mr Lauwers, did Schnitger and Co build something like an octave coupler?" "Of course they did not, sir". "So this discussion has no purpose, Mr Lauwers". I would be interested to know St-Alban's original and present-day schemes. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I have no trace of the Récit's Bombarde to be "8-16". According to Claude Noisette de Crauzat ("Cavaillé-Coll"), it is a plain 16'. This Récit has only three 8' flue stops, and indeed the fourth would probably be something like a "Diapason". But of course, these had nothing in common with english Diapasons! They were slotted flue stops of moderated scale, intended to reinforce and thicken the "ensemble des fonds", nothing else. There were never true "Diapason choruses" in ACC's Récits; the 4' and 2' were fast ever overblowing flutes (Flûte octaviante 4' and Octavin 2'). Whenever a mixture was provided in ACC's Récits, it was intended to work with the reed chorus -like in England-. Such three 8'flue stops Récits were not uncommon up to about 1860. Later, only small instruments were so designed. Another point to note is the Flûte harmonique. Normally, this stop goes on the great organ, while the Récit gets a somewhat softer Flûte traversière. Here the great has a 8' "Flûte", which probably comes from the earlier disposition. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I heard this organ played by Ben Van Oosten some years ago. It is a beautiful instrument, unmodified since the ACC 1853-55 rebuilt. As was often the case, Cavaillé-Coll retained the old mixtures and Cornets. Interesting to note is the fact he placed the "Fourniture", 5r and the "Cymbale", 4r, on the Bombarde division, while placing the "Grand Cornet", 5r, on the great. (We should have imagined the reverse). The only all-ACC division is the Récit. This organ is well worth a visit, but I do know nothing about the recitals scheme. Best wishes, pierre Lauwers.

Well Mark, Thanks, but do not believe one needs to enlarge St Albans organ in order to have it deserving a visit ; I find it interesting enough as it is, a sound neo-classical design from 1962 by an excellent builder (indeed, one more I'd like to have some instruments from in Belgium). If I had some money left, I'd rather hire something really big as, say, six trucks, in order to help as a -temporary- waste service company to make room in Worcester's cathedral for the two new organs. The waste place I know near here-Namur's Cathedral-. There we have something that barely deserves the word "organ", with for instance sharply voiced mixtures near to the roof, where nobody could tune them since 1960 (you would need an helicopter, but how to tune then?). Are there still so many roundabouts in Worcester? This could be a problem with the trucks. By the way, maybe Mr Lucas could teach us interesting things about Herbert Howells on another thread here -just a tought while I'm enjoying the psalm-preludes by now- Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Of course, Mark, This organ I had the chance to hear "live" in the 70's, in a time when I was still free to travel. (Like some other english organs too) Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Thanks for your very interesting comments Mr Lucas, Mr Wimpress, it is frenquent that a good acoustics re-inforce the basses, while dry acoustics like found, for instance, in many U.S. churches, demands for incredibly over-scaled bass pipes. French shallots are of course important to the production of french reed tone, no doubt. But here too, this is only a part of a whole. Harrison & Harrison were (are?), from a continental point of view, above all specialists with closed organ tone. Maybe the impressive versatility of St-Albans lies with the fact its voicing is not "pure" this or that? And maybe this is a key to good neo-classical organs. We have "french" type reeds aplenty in Belgium. This is something beautiful but rather crude -not flexible at all-. There have even been something like a craze for spanish "en chamade" reeds on the continent. Something made to fill huge cathedrals with low pressures, but transplanted into little churches here. My God ! So it seems St-Albans avoided many excesses, and I wish this instrument to be allowed to stay as it is for a long time, despite tastes changes that may occur. Above all, I wish the 2005 St Albans organ festival the big success it deserves to encouter! Pierre Lauwers.

This is quite amusing indeed. Fact is, this organ shows -once again- that any stop-list tells only one part of the truth. I personnaly find this organ "sounds" more romantic than it "reads". Of course the good acoustics may contribute to this. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Apologies, Nfortin, I think we answered at the same time, so sorry for the double information. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Another beautiful one, this organ stays near to untouched since 1962. (Harrison & Harrison, advisor P. Hurtford) French? Well, let's say for continental ears, this is not quite blatant: to me, it is rather a british cathedral organ, splendidly suited for the english choral music. Here is a link to a frame (no direct link possible): go to: http://www.organfestival.com/index1.htm Then click on "A" (All about us) on the right Then on "St Albans cathedral organ". You will find the disposition with a picture of the console. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

A true problem in the Euro area. Since the checks are no more in use, and the international payments trough the banks that are still very expensive (even between Euro countries), there are only two solutions: credit cards (not really for private use in Belgium) or simply cash by the post, hiding the money into a page. All these "globalizing" tricks were never intended for the people, but only for big corporations. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.