SomeChap
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Posts posted by SomeChap
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The 2'-based chorus is not solely a creation of the whackier 1960's Orgelbewegungers: none other than J.S. Bach specified the following new Brustwerk at Muehlhausen around 1708:
Gedackt 8
Floete 4
Prinzipal 2
Tierce 1 3/5
Quinte 1 1/3
Mixtur III
Schalmei 8
Source is Peter Williams's 'The European Organ', p.145. It's not clear there whether Bach designed every element of this stop-list, but Williams does imply that Bach specifically requested the Tierce, which would have been a highly unusual feature in Thuringia at the time, and would surely have required a 4' flute to go with it.
J.F. Wender seems to have built the new Brustwerk to this stop-list, so the precedent for such choruses is definitely there. Unfortunately I don't have any info on the composition of the Mixtur.
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We have reason to believe, at least, from Cynic's post earlier, that Pierre is not physically unwell. God bless, Pierre, wherever you are.
It reminds me how ephemeral a community the internet is. People can just appear and disappear and we might never know where they came from or where they went.
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I have always fancied something exactly along the lines of what paul@trinitymusic.karoo.co.uk has suggested. I think I'd be even more 'modest' though (for a living room organ anyway):
Man I & II:
Gedackt 8
Prestant 4 (case)
Wood Flute 4
Spire Quint 2 2/3
Fifteenth 2 (not too narrow)
Ped:
Subbass 16 (from Gedackt, if space)
Gedackt 8 (from flute and gedackt)
I - Ped
Tremulant (maybe)
I believe this could be made to fit in a normal room if the 16' was mitred. There would be folding doors to keep the sound in and the cats out.
Now, if I had a barn to play with ... well, of course there'd be the vintage Ford Triumph Spitfire, the recording studio equipment and the 3-manual console (hooked up to hauptwerk) to fit in, as well as the harpsichord(s) and baby grand, the 4" scale live steam Fairground engine I'd be restoring, the home brewery, oh and a big leather sofa with a very exclusive Hi-fi (not to mention my office with an iMac, and my library). But it would never be complete without one of these delightful organs. They seem to be one of T&B's 'standard models' which they roll out for small chapels and such - after all, the exchange rate is very favourable at the moment. When I die it can go to a worthy recipient, such as a school chapel.
I intend to do my mid-life crisis in style; ideally I'd only enter the main house to eat and sleep (shh, don't tell the wife). When I'm bored I can take my chocolate-brown labradors out for walks on the moors. All I need is a barn and a bit of pocket-money...
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As I understand it, English Heritage forbade the restoration of original colours on the Milton case, even though Kenneth Jones' staff were able to establish without any doubt what the original colour scheme was.
The same source of essential funding prohibited some very sensible modifications to The Grove's action when that was restored in the 1980s, where it could be proved that some of the present action arrangements were very hasty and intended as temporary only. Who pays the piper calls the tune!
I liked the old Milton very much, but I have to admit, the present one is a fine achievement. The purists would have less than a third of that organ there and, frankly, any less would not do the various essential musical tasks that it currently fulfills. A lot of snotty things have been written about this (IMHO wholly worthy) solution by nornally sensible and influential experts who (as it happens) are neither organists nor musicians, neither clergy nor even church attenders! I have to say, I think wise councils prevailed. A major influence for good (steering things towards a workable scheme) was the then vicar, Revd.Michael Tavinor who is now Dean of Hereford Cathedral.
Ah, the usual pot of politics! I might have known.
All right then, what about York University's Grant, Degens and Bradbeer - a barmy organ in anyone's book, but did the Walker tweaking really improve it? Presumably they were trying to make the Oberwerk into a nice English Swell...
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Tewkesbury Milton organ?
(OK, I'm playing devil's advocate a bit, but wouldn't it be fascinating! Imagine the case restored to its original colouring, and a replica of the chair case based on Stanford-on-Avon...)
(And then the Grove organ in a new west tribune, with a new case and a new 32' reed...)
(And a third organ for choir accompaniment, presumably!)
Mixtures Without Principals
in Nuts and bolts
Posted
I've found another example: the Luebeck Marienkirche (the 'Totentanz orgel') had a Brustwerk added by H Krueger in 1621 with no Principals at all (again, this is according to Peter Williams):
Gedackt 8
Quintatoen 4
Hohlfloete 2
Quintfloete 1 1/3
Scharf IV
Krummhorn 8
Schalmei 4
Still, I don't know how common it was to omit Principals from choruses in the 17th and 18th c's. Arp Schnitger (re)built a Brustwerk at Steinkirchen with only a 2' Principal and a 3' Quinte, with a very high Scharf (26.29.33). Hope this helps...