Pierre Lauwers

In nearby Hungary there is -among others- this one: Pierre

Indeed, one should give it a thought before attempting anything there. Pierre

Now to illustrate the italian influence in the southern german-speaking area, here is an interesting video on the Egedacher organ in Zwettl (AT): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZvpZMTA9_Q Note the "Biforo"; it is under this form that others stops of that kind were named "Unda-Maris" from 1697 (Casparini, "Ondamaris", Görlitz) Pierre

Thanks, this quite interesting ! As for the Olomouc organ, are you sure "ancient stops" are used ? Fine it is, no doubt -and very well played by the way-. But compare with the sound of the only restored Engler organ we have: Pierre

, and this is what I -and presumably others here- would do. Pierre

Indeed, but it was already 1884 ! Late 19th century also. Pierre

Why get rid of an open 8' ? (Is the "Dulciana" the Swell O.D. ?) Pierre

"I think if I were involved as a consultant for a new organ, these builders would be my first source of inspiration." (Quote) This would be by no ways a bad start, indeed. As far as your question is concerned, I think the "Reformers" wanted us so strong to believe they represented a "complete departure" from the 19th century that they could not accept at all: 1)- 19th Century organs which obviously rooted in older traditions; 2)- True Baroque organ which paved the may towards the romantic ones. And so something like a Schulze Diapason Chorus was to be dismissed, better, ignored, along with what followed; and so, baroque organs like those of Casparini, Jordi Bosch in Spain, and even Gabler, not to mention many others in central Europe, were "best left", or, even better, destroyed (Görlitz!!!). When I toured Britain in the 1980's, the "Schulze Diapason chorus" was still praised, though, but the "Reform" had not yet reached its dictatorial nadir in Britain then. Pierre

This organ, in original state, is one of the british historic organs of Brittany. It was built by Alfred Oldknow of Jersey in 1889. Specifications: CHOIR (56 notes) Lieblich Gedackt 8' Dulciana 8' Keraulophon 8' Flûte 4' Clarinette 8' (commence au 2° Do) GREAT (56 notes) Montre 8' Viole 8' Clarabella 8' Prestant 4' Flûte harmonique 4' Fourniture 3rgs Posaune 8' SWELL (56 notes) Bourdon 16' Montre 8' Gambe 8' Voix-Céleste 8' Rohr-Gedackt 8' Prestant 4' Fourniture 3rgs Trompette 8' Hautbois 8' Voix-humaine 8' PÉDAL (30notes) Flûte ouverte 16' Bourdon 16' See also here: http://www.uquebec.ca/musique/orgues/france/dinansm.html And here are two recent sound files, recorded by someone who wandered trough the church in the meantime: http://www.steekr.com/n/50-17/share/LNK74644d32eb0350f41/ http://www.steekr.com/n/50-17/share/LNK74514d32eb1ea39a9/ We also have many big-size pictures on the french forum (I would not dare copying them here for space reasons!) Enjoy, Pierre

.....And this one, by the teacher of a certain Johannes Schnetzler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNgIQapaCsI...der&list=UL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwjfp8dXinU...der&list=UL Pierre

At this point, this discussion demonstrates we should build a copy of the Grove organ in order to learn more about it. And we should not wait up to the next flood there.... Pierre

Interesting, this early Post-romantic organ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3yA-CIYi4E Pierre

Thanks for the info ! Others comments ? Pierre

I cite Cynic on another thread: "There was huge surprise when Marcel Dupre first played Bach in London - and the surprise? It was because Dupre was heard to draw the whole Diapason chorus to Mixture and didn't have any reeds on to 'cover' the mixture! It is a fact that organ-builders of the time may not have voiced their Mixtures for use with only fluework at all!! Puts your typical Willis 17-19-22 into context, doesn't it?" (Quote) And it provides the opportunity for a new thread about the influence of Dupré, worldwide, upon some neo-baroque ideas that were a mistake as far as the baroque organ is concerned. 1)- When Dupré registred that way in London, one may wonder if those upper ranks were in tune, not filled with dust etc. As Cynic pointed out, even provided with a fine Lewis organ, the organists seldom used anything above 4'...In the french romantic repertoire, there is no mention of any Mixture at all up to the Widor's 10th Symphony (Romane) ! Cavaillé-Coll organs had Mixtures, though. Fournitures, Cymbales, Cornets, Carillons, Progressions harmoniques, Mutations ranks (Notre-Dame Paris, Septièmes included), he built them all, and often took them over while rebuilding ancient organs. 2) The way Dupré used the Mixtures is an idiosyncratic, specifically french one; I seriously doubt Bach registred that way. It goes back to the french organ of the 18th century, with its strictly codified "Plein-jeu". 3)- Such a thing did not exist elsewhere at the same epoch. It is thrilling to hear Michel Chapuis, on a belgian Baroque organ which pre-dates the french influence here, draw the Mixture, the Sesquialter, and the Cornet, all togheter, and then end up with the Trompette added ! The same is of course true with the orggans in central Germany, with the notable exception of the frenchified Silbermann organs (why do you think the neo-baroque opinion leaders knew only them among the dozens of baroque organ builders in that area?) So it might be interesting to gather here the deeds and sayings of Dupré in Britain about that matter, so that we could grasp his influence upon the evolution of the organ-design there. Pierre

.....But they were perfectly suited to Howells. The 8' and the 4' ranks should have been copied elsewhere...(Indeed, I know no organist here who would have come to the idea of playing Bach there!) Do not forget this: As a kind of goûts réunis among the varied british styles. Pierre

Good news, thanks ! Pierre

The italian an the iberian organs belong to two different worlds; the iberian organ descent from the brabanter one (Niehoff, to cite the best known builder from that area), like the flemish, the french and the northern styles. The iberic organ was grounded by flemish builders (Langhedul school), in a period when Belgium belonged to the spanish crown. Italy, on the other hand, was the other centre of the organ culture in the Renaissance, along with the Brabant; a completely different kind of organ emerged (Ripieno), which remained remote from most of foreign influences up to the end of the 19th century, despite some foreign builders who tried some synthesis (The flemish Willem Herman, the german Eugen Casparini) there during the 17th century. Pierre

....And it is noteworthy, that this system is already partially an electropneumatic one ! Pierre

Thanks, this is very interesting !!! Pierre

Even better (same organ): do NOT open this without an handkerchief nearby !!! Pierre

Weingarten, and J. Gabler, are by far closer to the region Bach lived in than anywhere else towards the north. And it shows here: Note how the tierce ranks enhance the lisibility; without them, the Pedal would upset the balance.

What can be done with an Octopod ? Things like this: Voix celeste+ Subbass 16' are enough. Pierre

See here about the Antwerps organ: http://www.akc-orgel.be/akcv2/main.php?tekstid=15 Schyven was the pupil of Josef Merklin. He was his workshop manager while Merklin was established in Brussels, and took over when Merklin left for France. As a result the Schyven organs are close to Merklin's in style, somewhat hybrid France/ Germany: less powerfull than Cavaillé-Coll's, more refined, sweeter, and with some free-reed stops. Pierre

A premiere: The Victor Gonzalez organ of the Soissons Cathedral is now illustrated by no less than twelve videos: (This is only one of them, do not forget the 11 others) Pierre

Indeed, and we may also think there has been some influence of this style upon the theatre organ. Pierre