Pierre Lauwers

Gesucht, gefunden ! Here is a page about Markneukirchen's Schulze, not very informative but with an interesting musical sample: http://www.nicolaikirche-markneukirchen.de Click on "Orgel" on the left. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This is good news indeed. I should update my "database" -rather piles of papers- about areas that were "Terra incognita" in the 70's ( with something like a wall in the way...). I asked about Schulze's organs in Germany, but never got any answer. These gems may be still scarcely known. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well Mister Jones, I heard it of course by myself, as said above. More: I did spent *some* hours ramping between the soundboards, as I did in *some* hundreds organs in Britain, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands between 1970 and 1980. Remember this : Schulze organs, Cavaillé-Coll organs were also "disasters". There is no one Schulze organ left in Germany ! Now when I post about Armley on the german forum, they are booking for travel... It may happen that the Worcester's organ is in a desesperate state, which would involve high costs. Something like a "rebuilding round the pipes", retaining the same soundboard design and pressures. Would it be necessarily more expansive than two new organs? If no, then we may conclude that the decision may have "aesthetical" (read: fashion) grounds. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

You said it yourself: The "strong british school" exists ! (No matter the epoch). I do not see Mander organs as Cavaillé-Coll's copies. It's more subtle than that. Moreover, no stop-list gives more than a part of the thruth. On the continent, the "neo-baroque" taste is vanishing at an incredibly quick speed, to the point it's time to think to preserve neo-baroque organs! The trend is frankly neo-romantic now. Yes, ACC's copies might be the "sellers" of tomorrow. And round and round we go ! Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I noted what I encountered.... About S-S Wesley : he did not write symphonies, of course, but his musical language is quite similar to Mendelssohn's. His father, Samuel Wesley, was one of the "re-discoverer" of Bach's music. When I make any organist here in Belgium hear the LP I have with Donald Hunt at Worcester, they are strongly impressed. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes ! That is to shot in one's own foot; I believe it is the same with british ancient builders, and composers. When I am in England, if I say: "Green, that was a very original builder indeed", I get answers like: "Boooooof, there's nothing written for these organs, that's merely chamber organs, you cannot play Bach on such an organ", etc,etc. If I talk about Howells, I must be prepared to be looked upon as if I was just landing from Mars. "He's still there, this guy"? I feel this is somewhat of a british national trait : if you don't criticize, you are a bit stupid... But how do you want, if you are in this mood, adress the foreign markets like they should be, that is "He guys, come on, queue here to look at what beautiful things we have in Britain!!!" Mind you, the english rose gardens I know have exactly the same problem. Best wishes, pierre Lauwers.

I'd prefer to see british builders working in Europe from time to time than less foreigners in Britain. But I do believe it may be partly because of the attitude the english have about themselves. Here some questions to explain what I mean: -The french are proud of Tournemire. Why aren't the english as proud of Howells? -The french blow Cavaillé-Coll's trumpets worldwide. But Willis is very, very little known on the continent. Why? -Mendelssohn is also known worldwide. Samuel-Sebastian Wesley represent the very same style -just deeper and better-, but even in England you cannot find a CD devoted to his music. Why? -French, German, Dutch, spanish and italian baroque organs are known worldwide. But if I happen to tell anybody on the continent about Harris, England, Snetzler or Samuel Green, it's: "File not found". Moreover, there are very few such organs still in original condition. I do not want to support the "historical reconstitutions at whatever price", this craze is already waning. But why not have at least some, and make a fair number of recordings? If a belgian organist could find, in his CD's-store, recordings done on "something like a S.Green organ", he could grasp there is something original there, beautiful, interesting. He then could discover such an organ do not need to be big at all... Why do you think there are so many "North german baroque" organs in Belgium (built by belgian builders...) ? That's precisely because of the sheer number of LP's recordings that were available in the 70's from Germany. Understatment is a good thing, no doubt. But I do not believe the english must fear to abandon this worthwile value if they did a *bit* more marketing. This could even be done with humor -why not?- Best wishes, pierre Lauwers.

Well, I can give you an opinion from a small, multicultural country with four languages. I find the european "organ market" still very compartimented, with the french working mainly in France but Kern a bit in Germany, the germans in Germany and a bit overseas, the english in England and in ex-british empire's countries. Of course, organs are somewhat cumbersome things one cannot export like if they were sardines, but I do know that pre-1914 this market was more open by far as it is by now. For instance, WW1 shut completely the door for german builders like Link and Walcker, who both had significant business in Belgium. Such a purchase having few in common with a fish and chips choice, there are often commisions and the like at play, which means politics has a role ; this explains a strong clue towards "national preference". I hold this for a shame, because each nation's organ builders have their particularities that deserve interest. We do not have a single english organ in Belgium -not that far, though- France ditto, etc. Many little to medium sized german builders of today have splendid things to offer, but we shall see none of them. By the way, there are Mander organs in U.S.A., but no one on the continent, which is a shame -for the latter!- Who said: EC ? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Hello ladies and gentlemen, I learned on this forum one of my preffered english organs might be in so desolate a state that a replacement is planned. I heard personally the Worcester Cathedral's organ in 1976, and it deeply impressed me. This organ had the "magic" the best romantic and late-romantic organs can convey ; I mean, for instance, such moments when a boy voice is accompanied with a 32' Sub-bass and a celeste, nothing more, but you are glued to your chair with tears that want to come ! Or these big Diapasons that roll trough the nave like a storm of sound...That's irrational, of course, but it is the way such an organ works on our souls. I still have the LPs I came back with -on a Moped !- in Belgium. I find it sad, but of course I do not know in what state the organ really is so I do not want to "blame" for a decision that might be wise if things are that bad, I just wish to know a little more about the matter, and if there are plans to re-use the Hope-Jones stops that are still present in this organ. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This "useless" Grove organ, is it the one that contains what remains of Thynne's work?

Thanks, Nfortin, And I'm happy to learn Tewkesbury might be better today than 28 years ago! Are there *really* plans to scrap Worcester's organ? Well. Let's say this would be maybe a bit misconceived. I often says if ones wants to play something else than what an existing organ is intended for, why not build a second organ? Of course this would often means an impossibility to play both together (differing temperaments). But this was precisely Tewkesbury's problem, all these disparate divisions "glued together" -halas with revoicing-... So this could be the least harmfull of two hells. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

A great Gamba has another purpose; it is not a solo stop, rather a means to bind the 8' flues together, in order to avoid mudiness. Hence its frequent windiness and loudness. In late-romantic german organs, you may sometimes fing solo gambas, but then there is another, louder one. Of course in this case you have no less than six 8' flues on this department. According to the infos I could gather, here follow some hypothesis: 1)- The genuine Dulciana is a late-baroque stop, intended for little, sweetly voiced organs. 2)- It has been a craze in romantic organs, where it had another role, as a "soft stop". 3)- As a soft stop, there was no need to build it as a "diminutive Diapason" for longer. It became more stringy, closer to a Salicional. 4)-However, according to the incredible number of "Dulciana Mixtures" that were build, I feel many people wanted to stick to the "Diapason" version. It was then used as a secondary, "soft Diapason chorus". And this later point gets my attention, because we are here in front of an apparent contradiction, namely, something from the "Abschwäschungsprinzip" ("Weakening principle") that's the basis of the romantic organ, but schemed like a classic chorus. But also the 18th-century use deserves interest. As Mr Mander said, the Dulciana might be interesting within a classical chorus, while enriching the tonal palette of an organ built along classic principles. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This organ was built by Gebrudern Link (Giengen) at Andernach (Mayen-Koblenz) in 1914. A "Progressiv harmonica" ("Progression harmonique", F; "Harmonic progression"; E) should have no breaks at all, only additions of ranks. Best wishes, Pete.

I did not hear it yet. It was restored in its original state in 1998, so I have a chance. It is not the kind of organ you'd find recordings on the CD market. But it's not very far away from here. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I have encountered quite a lot of peculiar mixture designs while studying late-romantic organs, but this one may be one of the most interestings. It is a "Cornett" to be found on the second manual (expressive) of a 1914 german organ. (I apologize for the german notation) C 4' 2 2/3' 2' c 4' 2 2/3' 2' 1 3/5' c1 4' 2 2/3' 2' 1 3/5' 1 1/3' g2 4' 2 2/3' 2 2/3' 2' 1 3/5' c3 4' 3 1/5' 2 2/3' 2 2/3' 2' g3 5 1/3' 4' 4' 3 1/5' 2 2/3' c4 6 2/5' 5 1/3' 5 1/3' 4' 4' One could think it could be a design intended to work with reeds, but the only reed on this division is an Oboe 8'. there are five 8' flues, one 16', two 4' and one 2'. Any idea about the possibles purposes of such a design (a "contra-progression" followed by deep breaks up to 32') would be welcome. The author who presents it states this stop "to have solistic qualities". This I doubt slightly. What do you think? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Maybe Samuel Green's Dulcianas had a different effect in little 18th-century organs than in later, bigger ones? Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

While researching about Johannes Snetzler's Mixtures on the BIOS Website, I noted something that could be of interest. For example, Chesterfield (1756), had a three ranks "Mixture" on the great, 17,19,22. This is the same design as found later in Willis organs (For instance Gloucester) One founds also things like "Sesquialtera bafs" and "Cornet Treble", 17,19,22 too. When an independant Tierce is provided, the Sesquialtera may be 15,19,22, and the Cornet ditto. Snetzler was trained on the continent, and this kind of schemes are to be found in southern Germany. I found the same kind of mixtures in small belgian romantic instruments, and in a little Walcker in the Ardennes too. This could suggest, along with the accent on foundation tone, that the romantic organ, generally speaking, could have had its roots in the late baroque south german organ. If this is true, this could maybe open a door towards interesting devellopments. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

I forgot about one thing: Alkmaar might be an excellent place for such experiments, because this organ has equal temperament....Since Frans-Caspar Schnitger. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Well, Alzheimer ! The Violes celestes two ranks I may have seen elsewhere; maybe that was a Vox angelica that paired the Viole d'orchestre at Worcester (a bit uncommon. Normaly this goes with a Salicional). Of course, there is not a difference as big as the channel between a Viole celeste and a Vox angelica, but it's worth caring, tough. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Of course I am! I understand why I could never forget these Viole d'orchestre and celeste at Worcester. This is something you shall never find on the continent. If I'm not too Alzheimerized (!) The Violes celestes had two ranks, one above, the other below tune. I Have the H &H 1908 Ely scheme. This is quite interesting too. Does something remains of Thynne's work? Tewkesbury *may* be something special, but maybe Thynne's pipes could be intact elsewhere? I understand so small-scaled stop could be rather fragile. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

The question to know "which was Reger's Organ" is often discussed in Germany. And actually, nobody knows. It seems there are no more "genuine Reger's Organs" as Bachs. Reger never bothered writing about the subject, so maybe he had an open mind about the matter. His versions of the Bach's Chorals seem to be a kind of "transcription for the romantic organ", while the crescendos that abound in his work seem to need a "Walze" (crescendo pedal). But beyond that, little is known. Anyway, be the organ crammed with "player's gimmicks" or not, some help for manipulation and registration is still needed, save if some kind of genetic engineering could provide an organist with six hands and four feet. So Reger at Alkmaar, why not? I would be very curious to hear that, it deserves a try without preconceptions. I know of several post-romantic (I mean later than Late romantic, but still not neo-classical) organs in which the octave couplers are "build in", that is, they have extended compass (73 notes) and even the scales take them into account, that is, a slower halving rate, like to be find in extension organs. So we may see that as a kind of extension, it was intended for use in the Tutti, while earlier, it seems the idea was provided for detail registrations. Now of course these organs are electro-pneumatic ones. With mechanical ones, one imagine it can be preferable by far to provide these "extra pipes" within the disposition itself, as Mr Mander says. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

This is very interesting! Do you mean this one: http://www.livcathorgan.homestead.com/lcostoplist.html Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes, I have known the Worcester's Organ in 1976, and was told Hope-Jones's reeds were still there, tough the Diaphones were "disabled"(?) It already had neo-classical Mixtures by H&H -but that's still better than the original H-J scheme, which had none- and was an exceptionally beautiful instrument. I came back with two LPs I still have (Saint-Saëns's Messe à 4 voix and a S-S Wesley's choral works compilation) by the Worcester Choir leaded by Donald Hunt. If this organ still exists in about the same state, I mean tonally, it could be, as you mention it, well suited to Howells. That's a bit remote now but I believe there were two mitures on the Great, one of which containeda Tierce rank -A mixture, not a Cornet nor a Sesquialtera-. I believe we can assume the reeds and the two mixtures on the 1920 Gloucester's scheme to be conform to Willis's practice. So we could start with the following "guidelines" ( I don't mean "Laws"!!!): any Willis 1 cathedral Organ within a good acoustic might be a good opportunity to discover H.Howell's work. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Is it actually true that a restauration is as expansive as a new construction? Maybe this idea dates back from a time when, like in Belgium, it was enough to find a dozen old 4' Flute pipes in a pneumatic organ to "reconstitute" a renaissance(?)-Organ "round them"... There are better ideas by far to be find in Mr Mander's Portfolio, as instance, "hybrids" instruments left as such while restauring them. I am sure this way costs less as these attempts "to go back to the original purity of concept" -whatever this may actually mean...- And so the money may be invested in what really matters: have the thing in working order and preserved for many years, without attempting to "correct" "mistakes"....About which we could well learn, decades later, they were "original". Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.

Yes Mark, You are right stating the Brussel's cathedral Organ is in a good state. It is a recent organ from Gehrard Grenzig, a syntesis of spanish-french and romantic organ. The previous organ was a late romantic 70-stops instrument, 80% of the pipes were from Hyppolite Loret, one of the very best builders Belgium has had. I saw this organ crashing on the floor in order to make place. It was my preffered. I'd prefer have organs in a correct state everywhere than some well polished with a desert round them. Best wishes, Pierre Lauwers.