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JWAnderson

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I've been looking around on the forum and have not really found much (or maybe I just missed it) on house organs, but I apoligise if I have repeated another topic.

So I want to know what your dream house organ would be like.

 

I think mine would be somewhere around this:

GREAT ORGAN

Open Diapason 8' (used in facade)

Stopped Diapason 8'

Principal 4'

Fifteenth 2'

Trumpet 8' (prepared for, pending on funding)

Swell to Great

Swell Sub Octave to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

Open Diapason 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8')

Lieblich Gedact 8'

Gamba 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8')

Gemshorn 4'

Oboe 8'

Tremulant

 

PEDAL ORGAN

Bourdon 16'

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

 

3 Combination Pedals to Pedal & Great

3 Combination Pedals to Swell

 

Mechanical Stop & Key action to both Manuals & Pedal

Around 2 1/2" (63mm) wind pressure.

 

Have fun!

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I've been looking around on the forum and have not really found much (or maybe I just missed it) on house organs, but I apoligise if I have repeated another topic.

So I want to know what your dream house organ would be like.

 

I think mine would be somewhere around this:

GREAT ORGAN

Open Diapason 8' (used in facade)

Stopped Diapason 8'

Principal 4'Fifteenth 2'

Trumpet 8' (prepared for, pending on funding)

Récit Swell to GreaSwell Sub Octave to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

Open Diapason 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8')

Lieblich Gedact 8'

Gamba 8' (notes 1-12 grooved from Lieb. Gedact 8')

Gemshorn 4'

Oboe 8'

Tremulant

 

PEDAL ORGAN

Bourdon 16'

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

 

3 Combination Pedals to Pedal & Great

3 Combination Pedals to Swell

 

Mechanical Stop & Key action to both Manuals & Pedal

Around 2 1/2" (63mm) wind pressure.

 

Have fun!

 

This is a really interesting design - I could live with this, although a Swell Sub Octave would also be useful. How big is your house, then?!

 

If we are allowed a good-sized space (and if I were to win the National Lottery), I should like something along these lines:

 

PÉDALE ORGUE

 

Contre-Basse 16

Soubasse 16

Grosse Quinte 10 2/3

Violoncelle 8

Grosse Flûte 8

Flûte 4

Bombarde 16

Trompette 8

Clairon 4

 

 

GRAND ORGUE

 

Bourdon 16

Montre 8

Bourdon 8

Flûte Harmonique 8

Prestant 4

Flûte Douce 4

Doublette 2

Fourniture (19-22-26-29) IV

Trompette 8

Clairon 4

 

 

RÉCIT-EXPRESSIF

 

Diapason 8

Flûte Traversière 8

Viole de Gambe

Voix Célestes (CC) 8

Flûte Octaviante 4

Flageolet 2

Cornet (12-15-17) III

Basson-Hautbois 8

Trompette 8

Voix Humaine 8

 

 

PÉDALES DE COMBINAISONS

 

Tirasse G.O.

Tirasse Récit

Récit 16p à G.O.

Récit à G.O.

Octaves Graves (Récit)

Machine G.O. (Barker lever)

Anches Pédale

Anches G.O.

Anches Récit

Tremblant (Récit)

Expression Récit

 

OK - so it was a big Lottery win (I wish) and the house is huge....

 

If it has to be the same size as your original scheme, let me know.

 

 

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This is a really interesting design - I could live with this, although a Swell Sub Octave would also be useful. How big is your house, then?!

 

If we are allowed a good-sized space (and if I were to win the National Lottery), I should like something along these lines:

 

PÉDALE ORGUE

 

Contre-Basse 16

Soubasse 16

Grosse Quinte 10 2/3

Violoncelle 8

Grosse Flûte 8

Flûte 4

Bombarde 16

Trompette 8

Clairon 4

GRAND ORGUE

 

Bourdon 16

Montre 8

Bourdon 8

Flûte Harmonique 8

Prestant 4

Flûte Douce 4

Doublette 2

Fourniture (19-22-26-29) IV

Trompette 8

Clairon 4

RÉCIT-EXPRESSIF

 

Diapason 8

Flûte Traversière 8

Viole de Gambe

Voix Célestes (CC) 8

Flûte Octaviante 4

Flageolet 2

Cornet (12-15-17) III

Basson-Hautbois 8

Trompette 8

Voix Humaine 8

PÉDALES DE COMBINAISONS

 

Tirasse G.O.

Tirasse Récit

Récit 16p à G.O.

Récit à G.O.

Octaves Graves (Récit)

Machine G.O. (Barker lever)

Anches Pédale

Anches G.O.

Anches Récit

Tremblant (Récit)

Expression Récit

 

OK - so it was a big Lottery win (I wish) and the house is huge....

 

If it has to be the same size as your original scheme, let me know.

 

I quite like your specification, that would be quite a good organ.

I had based my specification on a William Hill 1879 organ in Australia, although a bit bigger.

There is no size limit on this. I was thinking of a bigger organ, say about 4-manuals or something, which I might post soon.

A man I know in Christchurch, NZ has a 4-manual organ in his shed. I think it must be a pretty big shed but I've never seen the organ.

 

JA

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Guest Cynic
I quite like your specification, that would be quite a good organ.

I had based my specification on a William Hill 1879 organ in Australia, although a bit bigger.

There is no size limit on this. I was thinking of a bigger organ, say about 4-manuals or something, which I might post soon.

A man I know in Christchurch, NZ has a 4-manual organ in his shed. I think it must be a pretty big shed but I've never seen the organ.

 

JA

 

This is not just an academic quersrtion. I'm facing immediate decisions about a current project, so sharing these ideas or putting them up for comment might well be a good idea.

 

As some of you know, I am currently constructing one of the largest organs in the UK in my barn here. It will have 129 speaking stops over five manuals and pedals, with over 100 independent ranks. No manual extension. Crazy I know, but it's my stuff, my place and I only have to please myself!! I have virtually every pipe and chest already in stock. My previous house organ (most of which has been retained and will be used again) was fairly successful, although cobbled together in after-school time in a couple of corrugated-iron and breeze block sheds in Gloucestershire. Indeed, it played host to a number of visiting groups including The Organ Club and I had a lot of fun from it besides getting in totally invaluable practice sessions upon it. By the time that it had to come down, over 60 stops were playing fron a temporary three-manual console.

 

Rather than bore you all with the (complete) major scheme, I wish to outline my plans below (now proceeding very fast) for a section of the huge scheme to play as a complete and serviceable 3-decker for daily practice. The idea is that by using this I will only have to run (and pay for) one blower's-worth of electricity, and I find a three-manual console to be a more comfortable 'work bench' than a five-decker.

 

The three manual re-uses chests, most pipework and console from Cheltenham Ladies' College, an organ built by Rushworth and Dreaper c.1960 to the design of Herbert Sumsion. In 1991 this was rebuilt by the Malmesbury wing of J.W.Walker which work (as will be realised) did not exactly prolong its useful life by very much. It has now been completely replaced by the new Tickell instrument.

 

As I took it down it had: (p = principal f= flute)

 

Great: 8p 8p 8f 4p 4f 12th 15th Tromba

Swell: 8p 8f 8s 8s 4p 2p III 16-8-4 (Trumpet unit) Oboe

Choir: 8f 4p 4f 4p 2p 1.1/3p Cremona

Peal: 16-4 in Bourdon rank 16-8 Open Wood 16 Double Trumpet borrowed from Swell, Tromba from Great

 

My revised scheme follows (bear in mind that this needs to be musically fairly complete for rehearsal possibilites, but also it has to be 'that bit different' to form only part of the big scheme) BTW, quite a bit of this is already on the wind and very encouraging, especially the Tuba - a shaft of Gold! Jumping in before someone else does - there is a Chamade on the main job.

 

Great (very near the console - and speaking on a very modest pressure!)

Contra Salicional 16

Spitzflute 8

Clarabella 8

Gemshorn 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Nazard TC 2.2/3

Fifteenth 2

Blockflute 2

Mixture 17.19.22 (Tierce drops out at G sharp 21)

 

Swell

Open Diapason 8

Lieblich Gedackt 8

Gamba 8

Celeste 8

Principal 4

Fifteenth 2

Mixture 19.22.26

Double Trumpet 16 (old unit)

Trumpet (now independent pipes)

Oboe

Clarion (now independent pipes)

 

I could probably squeeze one more drawstop in on the Swell ....what extra single stop would you have?

There will be a second soundboard providing a larger Swell playable from the five-manual console - I just have to restrict the urge to spoil my nice three-manual console!

 

Choir (enclosed)

Stopped Diapason 8

Cone Gamba 8 (on spare slide)

Gemshorn 4

Stopped Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

Nineteenth 1.1/3

Sesquialtera T.C. 12-17 (squeezing this one in!)

Clarinet 8

Orchestral Oboe 8 (on another spare slide)

Tuba (unenclosed) 8

 

Pedal

Bourdon unit at 16-10.2/3-8-4 and Grand Cornet of 32' IV

(Great) Salicional at 16-8-4

Swell Double Trumpet at 16

 

Yes, I know! It's a pity there will not be sufficient blower pressure for me to use the main Trombone from the big scheme, let alone the Bombarde 16' which is a diaphonic downwards extension of the Tuba.

 

Thoughts?

 

Try to be kind to me - I'm a nutter and I already know this.

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Guest Patrick Coleman
I could probably squeeze one more drawstop in on the Swell ....what extra single stop would you have?

 

I would have an Unda Maris or Fiffaro or some equally very different and relatively quiet stop to give variety.

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I like this scheme very much. As for the extra Sw stop, I don't have much time for 16' flues, so I would be torn between a 4' flute and a Vox Humana. I guess the repertoire more or less dictates the latter.

If space isn't a problem (except on the stopjambs!) I would go for a 16' Bourdon, although a 4' flute, a Vox Humana, or a softer 16' reed would all be contenders for that last drawstop.

 

Aside: it seems there is no convention for the capitalisation of organ stop names. Are they proper nouns, like Matthew, or instruments, like violin?

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I've been looking around on the forum and have not really found much (or maybe I just missed it) on house organs, but I apoligise if I have repeated another topic.

So I want to know what your dream house organ would be like.

There were a couple of threads a while ago on this subject but I could happily contribute a new dream spec every week. Off the top of my head, today's wouldn't-it-be-luvverly:

 

GREAT

Italian Principal 8'

Spitzflute 4'

Fifteenth 2'

Echo to Great (shove coupler)

 

ECHO (for want of a better name)

Bourdon 8'

Flute 4' (open)

Nazard 2 2/3'

Quarte de Nazard 2'

Tierce 1 3/5'

tremulant

 

PEDAL

Flute 8'

Bassoon 16'

Great to Pedal

Echo to Pedal

 

Manuals CC-c 61 notes

Pedal CC-f 30 notes

 

I don't know if the Echo should be enclosed.

The Great would be voiced quite sweetly.

The Bassoon would be the loudest stop on the instrument.

 

I would have to move house to accommodate this one, I think.

 

edited to add: THESE LINKS AREN'T WORKING AT THE MOMENT. COME BACK TOMORROW!

Hoping I'm not abusing our host's hospitality, some house and practice organs can be found:

Robin Jennings

Bancells (in French)

Richard Rensch (click on Übungsorgeln)

Giorgio Carli

Gianni Ferraresi

James Louder

Harrison & Harrison

Rini Wimmenhove (in Dutch)

 

The James Louder (great name for an organ builder) instrument has an Open Flute 8' as its sole pedal stop. As an open 8' must take up approximately the same space as a stopped 16' can anyone suggest the pros and cons? I know a stopped 16' can't really be used on its own as it produces no 8' tone; that might be the clincher for me.

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Guest Patrick Coleman

I would have the following - it would have to be strewn around the house, so mechanical action is out, but my technique is certainly not good enough for this to make very much difference!

 

Pedal

Open Wood 16 (all up the stairs and and on the landing)

C Bourdon 16 (extended from Swell)

 

Great (in the hallway)

A Open Diapason 8

A Principal 4

A Fifteenth 2

B Clarabella 8

B Wald Flute 4

B Twelfth 2 2/3

 

Swell (in the cellar with shutters under the stairs)

C Stopped Diapason 8

C Lieblich Flute 4

Mixture III

Unda Maris 8

Oboe 8

Trumpet en chamade 8 (over the front door)

 

As many couplers, octaves and sub-octaves as the electronics will allow. (Pedants please note that they would be for very sparing use only B) )

 

I think this would physically fit into the vicarage, and so would a console if I threw out all the theology books!

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There were a couple of threads a while ago on this subject but I could happily contribute a new dream spec every week. Off the top of my head, today's wouldn't-it-be-luvverly:

 

GREAT

Italian Principal 8'

Spitzflute 4'

Fifteenth 2'

Echo to Great (shove coupler)

 

ECHO (for want of a better name)

Bourdon 8'

Flute 4' (open)

Nazard 2 2/3'

Quarte de Nazard 2'

Tierce 1 3/5'

tremulant

 

PEDAL

Flute 8'

Bassoon 16'

Great to Pedal

Echo to Pedal

 

Manuals CC-c 61 notes

Pedal CC-f 30 notes

 

I don't know if the Echo should be enclosed.

The Great would be voiced quite sweetly.

The Bassoon would be the loudest stop on the instrument.

 

I would have to move house to accommodate this one, I think.

 

Hoping I'm not abusing our host's hospitality, some house and practice organs can be found:

Robin Jennings

Bancells (in French)

Richard Rensch (click on Übungsorgeln)

Giorgio Carli

Gianni Ferraresi

James Louder

Harrison & Harrison

Rini Wimmenhove (in Dutch)

 

The James Louder (great name for an organ builder) instrument has an Open Flute 8' as its sole pedal stop. As an open 8' must take up approximately the same space as a stopped 16' can anyone suggest the pros and cons? I know a stopped 16' can't really be used on its own as it produces no 8' tone; that might be the clincher for me.

 

Your links do not seem to work innate - shame as it would have been interesting to see what was at the end of them!

 

AJJ

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Your links do not seem to work innate - shame as it would have been interesting to see what was at the end of them!

Many apologies. Yes, the code doesn't include the urls. I'll try and correct them tonight when I'm back home. Anyone who can't wait can use Google B)

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I would have the following - it would have to be strewn around the house, so mechanical action is out, but my technique is certainly not good enough for this to make very much difference!

 

Pedal

Open Wood 16 (all up the stairs and and on the landing)

C Bourdon 16 (extended from Swell)

 

Great (in the hallway)

A Open Diapason 8

A Principal 4

A Fifteenth 2

B Clarabella 8

B Wald Flute 4

B Twelfth 2 2/3

 

Swell (in the cellar with shutters under the stairs)

C Stopped Diapason 8

C Lieblich Flute 4

Mixture III

Unda Maris 8

Oboe 8

Trumpet en chamade 8 (over the front door)

 

As many couplers, octaves and sub-octaves as the electronics will allow. (Pedants please note that they would be for very sparing use only :P )

 

I think this would physically fit into the vicarage, and so would a console if I threw out all the theology books!

 

This is an interesting scheme. I'll post my bigger scheme afterschool.

 

JA

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Aside: it seems there is no convention for the capitalisation of organ stop names. Are they proper nouns, like Matthew, or instruments, like violin?

For what it is worth, I try to adhere to the following guide-lines:

 

For example: 'Trumpet' or 'Open Diapason' I capitalise. If there are plurals, I do not - I do no think that they merit generic capitals.

 

Some printed specifications utilise capitals for each first word, but if a stop has two words in its name (or even three) then a lower-case character is used. I find this visually unsatisfactory.

 

Obviously, this is only my own idea of consistency.

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Pedal

Open Wood 16 (all up the stairs and and on the landing)

C Bourdon 16 (extended from Swell)

 

Great (in the hallway)

A Open Diapason 8

A Principal 4

A Fifteenth 2

B Clarabella 8

B Wald Flute 4

B Twelfth 2 2/3

 

Swell (in the cellar with shutters under the stairs)

C Stopped Diapason 8

C Lieblich Flute 4

Mixture III

Unda Maris 8

Oboe 8

Trumpet en chamade 8 (over the front door)

 

I think that, in practice, you would find this to be unsatisfactory.

 

If one has to employ extended ranks on the clavier divisions, it is inadvisable to extend stops at adjacent pitches - there will be too many missing notes.

 

If one were to extend a Clarabella to 2 2/3 pitch, the result would not be a Twelfth, but a type of flute quint - but not a 'true' Nazard, either.

 

In addition, you cannot really extend a Stopped Diapason - and expect to get a Lieblich Flute - the voicing is different, as are the harmonics.

 

The Mixture is unlikely to be of any real use, since there is no chorus work at all on the Swell.

 

However, I really like your idea regarding ditching the theology books....

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... I'll post my bigger scheme after school.

 

JA

 

While I await (with interest) this scheme, I recall that you mentioned a four-clavier instrument. With this in mind, I offer the following:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Sub Bourdon (Ext.) 32

Contra Bass (W) 16

Violone (M) 16

Salicional (Great) 16

Bourdon 16

Octave (M) 8

Violoncello 8

Flute (Ext.) 8

Fifteenth 4

Mixture (12-17-19) III

Contra Bassoon (W; ext.) 32

Grand Bombarde (M) 16

Bassoon 16

Trumpet 8

Shawm 4

Chaire to Pedal

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Bombarde to Pedal

 

COMBINATIONS

 

Pedal and Great Pistons Coupled

Pedal to Swell Pistons

Generals on Swell Foot Pistons

 

CHAIRE ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Wald Flute 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Prestant 4

Chimney Flute 4

Quint 2 2/3

Recorder 2

Tierce 1 3/5

Octavin 1

Cimbel (29-33-36) III

Tremulant

Swell to Chaire

Bombarde to Chaire

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Contra Salicional 16

Quintatön 16

Open Diapason 8

Rohr Flöte 8

Flûte Harmonique 8

Cone Gamba 8

Octave 4

Gemshorn (Conical) 4

Flûte Harmonique 4

Octave Quint 2 2/3

Super Octave 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29) IV

Bass Trumpet 16

Posaune 8

Clarion 4

Chaire and Great Exchange

Chaire to Great

Swell to Great

Bombarde to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Flauto Traverso 8

Viole de Gambe 8

Voix Célestes (CC) 8

Geigen Principal 4

Suabe Flöte 4

Fifteenth 2

Plein-Jeu (22-26-29) III

Corno di Bassetto 16

Hautbois 8

Voix Humaine 8

Tremulant

Cornopean 8

Clarion 4

Sub Octave

Unison Off

Octave

 

BOMBARDE ORGAN

 

Montre 8

Flûte à Pavillon 8

Principal 4

Furniture (12-15-19-22-26-29) VI

Cornet (1-8-12-15-17: TG) V

Cremona 8

Tremulant

Bombarde 16

Grand Ophicleide 8

Orchestral Trumpet 8

Orchestral Clarion 4

Sub Octave

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Many apologies. Yes, the code doesn't include the urls. I'll try and correct them tonight when I'm back home. Anyone who can't wait can use Google :P

Here are the plain urls as I ca't get the Post Link feature to work:

 

http://www.jennings-organs.co.uk/pages/chu...ouse_organs.htm

http://www.orgues-bancells.com/show?ar_id=26

http://www.renschorgelbau.com/ click on Übungsorgeln

http://www.carliorgani.it/practice5.htm

http://www.ferraresi-organi.com/stud1e.html

http://jameslouder.com/_wsn/page4.html

http://www.harrison-organs.co.uk/storr.htm

http://www.huisorgelbouw.nl/page/Orgelpositief_2/

 

Hope this works.

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While I await (with interest) this scheme, I recall that you mentioned a four-clavier instrument. With this in mind, I offer the following:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Sub Bourdon (Ext.) 32

Contra Bass (W) 16

Violone (M) 16

Salicional (Great) 16

Bourdon 16

Octave (M) 8

Violoncello 8

Flute (Ext.) 8

Fifteenth 4

Mixture (12-17-19) III

Contra Bassoon (W; ext.) 32

Grand Bombarde (M) 16

Bassoon 16

Trumpet 8

Shawm 4

Chaire to Pedal

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Bombarde to Pedal

 

COMBINATIONS

 

Pedal and Great Pistons Coupled

Pedal to Swell Pistons

Generals on Swell Foot Pistons

 

CHAIRE ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Wald Flute 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Prestant 4

Chimney Flute 4

Quint 2 2/3

Recorder 2

Tierce 1 3/5

Octavin 1

Cimbel (29-33-36) III

Tremulant

Swell to Chaire

Bombarde to Chaire

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Contra Salicional 16

Quintatön 16

Open Diapason 8

Rohr Flöte 8

Flûte Harmonique 8

Cone Gamba 8

Octave 4

Gemshorn (Conical) 4

Flûte Harmonique 4

Octave Quint 2 2/3

Super Octave 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29) IV

Bass Trumpet 16

Posaune 8

Clarion 4

Chaire and Great Exchange

Chaire to Great

Swell to Great

Bombarde to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Flauto Traverso 8

Viole de Gambe 8

Voix Célestes (CC) 8

Geigen Principal 4

Suabe Flöte 4

Fifteenth 2

Plein-Jeu (22-26-29) III

Corno di Bassetto 16

Hautbois 8

Voix Humaine 8

Tremulant

Cornopean 8

Clarion 4

Sub Octave

Unison Off

Octave

 

BOMBARDE ORGAN

 

Montre 8

Flûte à Pavillon 8

Principal 4

Furniture (12-15-19-22-26-29) VI

Cornet (1-8-12-15-17: TG) V

Cremona 8

Tremulant

Bombarde 16

Grand Ophicleide 8

Orchestral Trumpet 8

Orchestral Clarion 4

Sub Octave

 

I like this scheme, but you'd need something like a Mansion (or a very big room) to fit it all in. Then again you would with this one aswell:

 

GREAT ORGAN

Double Open Diapason 16' A

Large Open Diapason 8' (high press.)

Medium Open Diapason 8'

Small Open Diapason 8'

Claribel Flute 8'

Stopped Diapason 8'

Principal 4'

Flute Harmonique 4'

Twelfth 2 2/3'

Fifteenth 2'

Mixture IV (17-19-22-26)

Cornet V (1-8-12-15-17)

Trombone 16' (high press.)

Tromba 8' (high press.)

Harmonic Clarion 4' (high press.)

Swell to Great

Swell to Great Octave

Swell to Great Sub Octave

Choir to Great

Solo to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

Bourdon 16' B (high press.)

Diaphonic Diapason 8' (high press.)

Geigen Diapason 8'

Lieblich Gedact 8'

Salicional 8'

Vox Angelica 8' TC

Principal 4'

Lieblich Flute 4'

Fifteenth 2'

Mixture III (15-19-22)

Hautboy 8'

Vox Humana 8'

Contra Posaune 16' C (high press.)

Posaune 8' (high press.)

Harmonic Posaune 4' (high press.)

Tremulant

Super Octave

Unison Off*

Sub Octave

 

CHOIR ORGAN

Lieblich Gedact 8'

Echo Dulciana 8'

Dolce 8'

Viol d' Orchestre 8'

Voix Celeste 8' II

Unda Maris 8'

Flauto Traverso 4'

Harmonic Piccolo 2'

Schalmei 16'

Orchestral Clarinet 8'

Orchestral Oboe 8'

Tremulant

Super Octave

Unison Off*

Sub Octave

Swell to Choir

Solo to Choir

 

SOLO ORGAN

Harmonic Claribel 8'

Concert Flute 4'

Orchestral Trumpet 8'

Tremulant

Bombarde 16' (high press.)

Tuba Mirabilis 8' (high press.)

Tuba Clarion 4' (high press.)

Super Octave

Unison Off

Sub Octave

 

PEDAL ORGAN

Sub Bass 32'^ F

Open Diapason Wood 16' D

Open Diapason Metal 16' E

Violone 16' A

Bourdon 16' F

Echo Bass 16' B

Octave Diapason 8' D

Principal 8' E

Flute Bass 8' F

Fifteenth 4' D

Octave Flute 4' E

Contra Posaune 32' G (high press.)

Trombone 16' G (high press.)

Echo Posaune 16' C

Trumpet 8' G (high press.)

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Solo to Pedal

 

COMBINATION COUPLERS

Pedal to Great Combinations

Pedal to Swell Combinations

 

Wind pressures from 4" to 15"

 

Pressure-Pneumatic or Electro-Pneumatic Action

 

* Only installed if electro-pneumatic

^ Could be changed to Double Open 32' depending on space and funding

 

This would definately be my dream house organ. It is based on the design of the Wellington Town Hall, New Zealand, Norman & Beard 1906 organ. This would be the best restored organ in New Zealand. Norman & Beard also built the Auckland Town Hall organ which was a bit bigger than this but pretty much the same specification. The Auckland Town Hall is being rebuilt at the moment by Klais, as it was 'mothballed' in the 70s with only 11 original ranks still in the organ.

 

JA

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Guest Patrick Coleman
While I await (with interest) this scheme, I recall that you mentioned a four-clavier instrument. With this in mind, I offer the following:

 

er... whose house is this going to fit in?

 

I am sure your quibbles over nomenclature are accurate. The Mixture was intended principally for use with full organ rather than with the Swell alone. It would be better on the Great, I agree, but would not fit into the space, whereas there is more space in the cellar, though not enough tall space to have a full chorus in the 'Swell box' i.e. the cellar itself.

 

I would hope that the electronics would allow some flexibility over what to play from which clavier.

 

With regard to extension, I agree it is not ideal, but I have played some quite heavily extended organs that have genuinely worked - this one in particular.

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er... whose house is this going to fit in?

 

I know that it is rather large - but if Paul can have a 129-stop monster in his barn....

 

Perhaps a mansion large enough to contain the cathedral-sized instrument, currently residing in the west tribune at Sacré-Coeur, but which was originally constructed for the fabulously wealthy Baron Albert de l'Espée, an eccentric aristocrat, and placed in the cavernous organ-hall of the Chateau d'Ilbarritz on the rocky Atlantic coast near Biarritz.

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On the other extreme, this one is much more difficult:

 

A small house organ of only six stops (plus couplers), with the action of your choice, to be disposed in a room measuring twenty feet long by twenty feet wide by twelve feet high. Wooden floor-boards and hard plastered stone (or block) walls - NOT painted in magnolia....

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Sub Bass (M) 16

Open Flute 4

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell 4p to Pedal

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Stopped Diapason 8

Gemshorn (Conical) 4

Octave

Swell 16p to Great

Swell to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Hautboy 8

Tremulant

Sub Octave

 

Reversible pedal to Great to Pedal

Three adjustable general combination pedals

Electro-pneumatic action.

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Now I know I might be over my one a day limit on specifications, but I'll post one I've just come up with before I shut down the computer.

 

GREAT

Open Diapason LGE. 8'

Open Diapason SML. 8'

Stopped Diapason 8'

Principal 4'

Harmonic Flute 4'

Twelfth 2 2/3'

Fifteenth 2'

Mixture (17.19.22) III

Posaune 8'

Swell to Great

Choir to Great

 

SWELL

Lieblich Bourdon 16'

Open Diapason 8'

Lieblich Gedact 8'

Viola da Gamba 8'

Voix Celeste (TC) 8'

Principal 4'

Flautina 2'

Mixture (15.19.22) III

Contra Fagotto 16'

Trumpet 8'

Oboe 8'

Clarion 4'

Tremulant

Octave

Unison Off

Sub Octave

 

CHOIR

Wald Flute 8'

Violoncello 8'

Nason Flute 4'

Harmonic Piccolo 2'

Cornet (12.17) II

Clarinet 8'

Tremulant

Octave

Unison Off

Sub Octave

Swell to Choir

 

PEDAL

Open Diapason 16'

Bourdon 16'

Echo Bass 16' (Sw.)

Principal 8' (ext. 16')

Flute Bass 8' (ext. 16')

Fifteenth 4' (ext. 16')

Trombone 16'

Trumpet 8' (Gt.)

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Ped & Gt Pistons Coupler

 

All on about 3 1/2" w.p.

 

Has anyone heard of Arthur Hobday? He built some really nice organs around the 1900s, one of which I think would be good as a house organ.

 

JA

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Guest Cynic
On the other extreme, this one is much more difficult:

 

A small house organ of only six stops (plus couplers), with the action of your choice, to be disposed in a room measuring twenty feet long by twenty feet wide by twelve feet high. Wooden floor-boards and hard plastered stone (or block) walls - NOT painted in magnolia....

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Sub Bass (M) 16

Open Flute 4

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell 4p to Pedal

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

 

Stopped Diapason 8

Gemshorn (Conical) 4

Octave

Swell 16p to Great

Swell to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Hautboy 8

Tremulant

Sub Octave

 

Reversible pedal to Great to Pedal

Three adjustable general combination pedals

Electro-pneumatic action.

 

 

In exactly what way is that more difficult?

 

I find it a good scheme on the whole. I'd miss some sort of brightness on the Swell.

However, I suggest you go one step further, add a choir organ of

Gedackt 8 Open Flute 4 and Fifteenth 2 and you can leave out your Pedal 4' Flute and cover so much more repertoire.

 

I assume that you have chosen electric action so that you can have a detatched console. This is very enlightened, in my opinion; and I thoroughly agree. You can also save a deal of space...a few flute octaves shared in sensible places will cut down the builk of the instrument enormously. Your hardest rank to accomodate is the Swell Open. I suppose the lowest octave or so could be haskelled. Otherwise, you realise you are talking of both very bulky and quite tall pipes.

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In exactly what way is that more difficult?

 

I find it a good scheme on the whole. I'd miss some sort of brightness on the Swell.

However, I suggest you go one step further, add a choir organ of

Gedackt 8 Open Flute 4 and Fifteenth 2 and you can leave out your Pedal 4' Flute and cover so much more repertoire.

 

I assume that you have chosen electric action so that you can have a detatched console. This is very enlightened, in my opinion; and I thoroughly agree. You can also save a deal of space...a few flute octaves shared in sensible places will cut down the builk of the instrument enormously. Your hardest rank to accomodate is the Swell Open. I suppose the lowest octave or so could be haskelled. Otherwise, you realise you are talking of both very bulky and quite tall pipes.

 

1) In the sense that it is more difficult to design a very small scheme, which has real practical value.

 

2) Within the limit of six stops, a three-stop Choir Organ is out of the question! I take your point about brightness, but I wished strictly to limit myself to six speaking stops, with no extension.

 

3) Electro-pneumatic action - I was thinking more of comfort with the Sub Octave couplers, although it must be said that Chichester is fine all coupled through - including the use of the Solo Sub Octave.

 

4) Swell Open Diapason - this is intended to be only of moderate scale. The pipes will be double-mitred, the horizontal sections suspended from the roof of the box.

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