gazman Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Any chance a viscount prestigue owner can post an audio clip/video on youtube or similar? There's one on YouTube:- http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TWeOA1Dg9f0 This is a continental version of the instrument and, unfortunately, doesn't demonstrate any of the quiter registers which are really rather pleasing. Viscount's English website also has some downloads available, but not of the Prestige series it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 There's one on YouTube:- http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TWeOA1Dg9f0 This is a continental version of the instrument and, unfortunately, doesn't demonstrate any of the quiter registers which are really rather pleasing. Viscount's English website also has some downloads available, but not of the Prestige series it seems. There are also some samples on http://www.prestigeorgans.com/SITE_PAGES/E...Library_ENG.htm but these aren't actually very good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 You fellows aren't talking about real toasters! Around 1975 I bought an unwanted electronic organ from St Marks Middleton Square London. This had an oscillator for every note and covered a range of seven octaves - it had over 90 valves! A peep in the inside looked like a furnace! When it was on in my kitchen (!) it beat any toaster and heated the room up to a tropical temperature. PS I only used one of the two speakers which were the size of wheely bins Hi My late lamented Jennings was a bit like that - not quite so big - 48 valves in the generators and probably around another 15 elsewhere in the circuit, and built-in speakers - it too generated a fair amount of heat (and a decent sond for the era - I guess it dated from the late '50's/early 60's. Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBarker77 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 There's one on YouTube:- http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TWeOA1Dg9f0 This is a continental version of the instrument and, unfortunately, doesn't demonstrate any of the quiter registers which are really rather pleasing. Viscount's English website also has some downloads available, but not of the Prestige series it seems. Thanks for that - I hadn't found that when I searched YouTube; Despite it being recorded on a handheld camera and then compressed to fit on YouTube it has a very pleasant sound... yes it would be nice to have heard some of the quieter stops but he did drop the registration slightly in the fugue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~oneskull/3.6.52.htm David Wyld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~oneskull/3.6.52.htm David Wyld. Very amusing from the now deceased Mr Bicknell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrick Coleman Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~oneskull/3.6.52.htm David Wyld. Just about sums up the discussion on Lytham St Cuthberts, don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 What's happened to Phoenix? Their website hasn't been updated since February. Are they still going strong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hector5 Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 What's happened to Phoenix? Their website hasn't been updated since February. Are they still going strong? Yes just very very busy. Have you noticed the number of pipe organ websites that are rarely updated, despite the fact that we know they're doing fine work? Best wishes from Provence, Hector (and Florence) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Good one pc!! (2 slice or 4?) AJJ Two. Four would be an extravagance (slightly to mis-quote Lady Whiteadder). And, no - I do not stick forks in my legs between courses.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vox Humana 8' Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 If you really (?) want to hear me playing mine, go to http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kWgR2fwK5Ug I videoed in widescreen, but youtube didn't like it so everything is a little fatter than it should be. Please excuse all the mistakes!Oliver. Heheheh... the old Thalben-Balls Elegy. I heard it the other week at Blenheim Palace on Old Father Willis, with full organ complete with full reed choruses on all departments... it nearly lifted the roof. Also, something which pertains to the attitude of many clergy that visitors to churches might be offended by any organ sound other than the Choir Dulciana with the box, if there is one, shut: the American tourists at the far end of the Long Library bust into applause at the end of this impromptu short recital! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Mine is an old 2-manual Wyvern B282 with dual Romantic and classical voicing, but with some changes to the standard spec and quite a bit of revoicing here and there, especially to the "classical" mode. I bought it in 1994 so it's way behind the state of the art and is also now beginning to fall apart. It's started to make various unpredictable pops, shrieks and fizzing noises and the stop lights sometimes fail. I fully expect it to blow up before long. Nevertheless it has served me well and, old though it is, not all the sounds on it are bad by any means. Here are three examples (the file sizes are a bit on the large side, I'm afraid; I don't know how to make them smaller): First, an attempt to play piece by Walcha on the grade 3 syllabus, on the rather nice classical 4' Great flute. Here is the Great + Swell diapason choruses in classical mode in a Chorale Prelude by Bach. Here is Wo soll ich fliehen hin showing the 8' and 2' flutes on each manual and the 4' Pedal reed. Lastly, especially for MM, some Howells to demonstrate the Romantic voicing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombarde32 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Mine is an old 2-manual Wyvern B282 with dual Romantic and classical voicing, but with some changes to the standard spec and quite a bit of revoicing here and there, especially to the "classical" mode. I bought it in 1994 so it's way behind the state of the art and is also now beginning to fall apart. It's started to make various unpredictable pops, shrieks and fizzing noises and the stop lights sometimes fail. I fully expect it to blow up before long. Nevertheless it has served me well and, old though it is, not all the sounds on it are bad by any means. You could always make an attempt to have it repaired, after all most faults on these Wyvern organs are eminently fixable, and the parts are usually in stock............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barry Williams Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Many of the Wyvern consoles are well built. Some are even of real wood! It might be worth investing in new technology built into the Wyvern console. Although this has traditionally been done by the very small 'one-man' companies, it is possible to get the larger businesses to undertake this type of project. What a pity that an electronic instrument is failing after so short a time. It is not a good advertisement for its maker. Barry Williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 It might be worth investing in new technology built into the Wyvern console. Although this has traditionally been done by the very small 'one-man' companies, it is possible to get the larger businesses to undertake this type of project. This is certainly one option I am considering. The console is indeed very solid and it would be wasteful to throw it out, especially since I would never get a larger one into the house without taking a window out. However new, good quality keyboards will be an absolute priority and I think this prove to be a problem. I did discuss this with Wyverns at Bideford (who made the instrument; this was before they became Renatus, obviously) and offered to pay whatever was necessary, but was told that the B282 keyboards were a slightly different dimension than the ones they used for their higher-quality instruments. What a pity that an electronic instrument is failing after so short a time. It is not a good advertisement for its maker. Maybe, but to be fair it's had really heavy use over the years and has been kept in a basement that doesn't get hoovered too often The ailings might well be due to dust, cobwebs, fried mice, or goodness knows what else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 You could always make an attempt to have it repaired, after all most faults on these Wyvern organs are eminently fixable, and the parts are usually in stock............ Even for technology this old? This is a pre-"BEST" system... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombarde32 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Even for technology this old? This is a pre-"BEST" system... I don't see why not - why not have a go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHM Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 This is certainly one option I am considering. The console is indeed very solid and it would be wasteful to throw it out, especially since I would never get a larger one into the house without taking a window out. However new, good quality keyboards will be an absolute priority and I think this prove to be a problem. I did discuss this with Wyverns at Bideford (who made the instrument; this was before they became Renatus, obviously) and offered to pay whatever was necessary, but was told that the B282 keyboards were a slightly different dimension than the ones they used for their higher-quality instruments.Maybe, but to be fair it's had really heavy use over the years and has been kept in a basement that doesn't get hoovered too often The ailings might well be due to dust, cobwebs, fried mice, or goodness knows what else. There is a market for 2nd-hand consoles which can be modified (or MIDIfied) for use with "virtual" organs. Alternatively - leaving aside for a moment the question of replacing the keyboards - one could have it rebuilt by someone like (e.g.) Hugh Banton (albeit still using (AFAIK) Bradford technology, though he is generally regarded as one of only a handful of people on the planet who know how to get the best out of it), or Phoenix (excellent value for money, despite being one of the best solutions currently on the market). If one wanted more flexibility, but has narrow doorways and not much space, one could consider a computer-based solution with a keyboard stack from one of the suppliers in Germany, Canada or the US. Some of these offer upgraded keyboards from Fatar or (for a price!) UHT, and some are portable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 This is me playing my 2 manual, 31 stop Viscount Organ from the early 90's. Air - S. Wesley Riguadon - A Campra Just click where it says 'Download'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrick Coleman Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 This is me playing my 2 manual, 31 stop Viscount Organ from the early 90's. Air - S. Wesley Just click where it says 'Download'. There is a lack of definition in the pedal (which would suit me for fast pedal passages!) but I had thought this piece was much faster (and hence lighter - almost dance-like) than this? Tell me I'm wrong because it makes it much easier to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggestelk Posted September 3, 2007 Author Share Posted September 3, 2007 Hmm, must be 'here's mine' time! Bach, Herzlich thut mich verlangen BWV 727. So, try http://www.biggestelk.com/bach1.wav (I can't trill, shake, turn or even boogie for toffee I'm afraid)! Current generation Wyvern Sonata, recorded on little digital multi track and wav'ed (if there is such a term...) A decent reverb unit is an absolute must in my opinion, it can help to distance you from the 'pipes' and help the sound blend more naturally. I've just ordered a Lexicon MX400 as a replacement for the TC current one I've got. If you want boring tech details, please do ask! Best wishes, Oliver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Hmm, must be 'here's mine' time! Bach, Herzlich thut mich verlangen BWV 727. So, try http://www.biggestelk.com/bach1.wav (I can't trill, shake, turn or even boogie for toffee I'm afraid)! Current generation Wyvern Sonata, recorded on little digital multi track and wav'ed (if there is such a term...) A decent reverb unit is an absolute must in my opinion, it can help to distance you from the 'pipes' and help the sound blend more naturally. I've just ordered a Lexicon MX400 as a replacement for the TC current one I've got. If you want boring tech details, please do ask! Best wishes, Oliver. I thought that was lovely, Oliver. The current generation of Wyvern organs is a million miles better than those awful analogues of the 70's & 80's. Yes, the Wesley should go much faster, but I like playing it at this speed. The lack of defination on the pedal is down to the compression from wav to mp3, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 I had thought this piece was much faster (and hence lighter - almost dance-like) than this? Tell me I'm wrong because it makes it much easier to play. Well, I've never heard it anything like that slow before! And, of course, it was written for manuals only, and Wesley didn't call it an "Air". Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 All this is quite true, of course. However, rather like those Bach-Busoni performances, it "works" on its own terms. If you are going to play an inflated arrangement with non-English registration, you are hardly respecting what Wesley wanted, so why worry about the "correct" speed? (And do we actually know at what speed Wesley would have played it?) I thought Lee's performance quite lovely actually. I would argue that there wasn't much Wesley there, but that's another issue and presumably one Lee is not particularly worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Blick Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 All this is quite true, of course. However, rather like those Bach-Busoni performances, it "works" on its own terms. If you are going to play an inflated arrangement with non-English registration, you are hardly respecting what Wesley wanted, so why worry about the "correct" speed? (And do we actually know at what speed Wesley would have played it?) I thought Lee's performance quite lovely actually. I would argue that there wasn't much Wesley there, but that's another issue and presumably one Lee is not particularly worried about. You are quite right Vox Humana, it was just an excuse to play a piece demonstrating some different combinations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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