Dream Church Organ

[JWAnderson]

Again I have been looking around the forum about this particular topic and have probably missed it.

Anyways, I have been giving some thought into what a good scheme for my church would be and I have come up with the following:

 

GREAT ORGAN

Bourdon 16-ft A

Open Diapason 8 B

Hohl Flote 8 A

Dulciana 8

Principal 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Twelfth 2 2/3

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19:22)

Trumpet 8 C

Swell to Great

Swell Octave to Great

Swell Sub Octave to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

Violin Diapason 8

Rohr Flote 8

Echo Gamba 8 (common bass)

Voix Celeste 8 (tc)

Gemshorn 4

Mixture (15:19:22)

Contra Oboe 16 D

Cornopean 8

Oboe 8 D

Tremulant

Swell Octave

Swell Unison Off

Swell Sub Octave

 

PEDAL ORGAN

Acoustic Bass 32 E/A

Major Bass 16 (stopped wood) E

Bourdon 16 A

Principal 8 B

Bass Flute 8 E

Fifteenth 4 B

Trombone 16 C

Bassoon 16 D

Trumpet 8 C

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell Octave to Pedal

Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled

Sw & Ped Combinations Coupled

 

The organ would be at the rear of the church on a small gallery all ready there, but with some modifications.

 

So, what would your church organ be like.

(NOTE: there is no limit on size etc.)

 

JA

[Guest Cynic]

Again I have been looking around the forum about this particular topic and have probably missed it.

Anyways, I have been giving some thought into what a good scheme for my church would be and I have come up with the following:

 

GREAT ORGAN

Bourdon 16-ft A

Open Diapason 8 B

Hohl Flote 8 A

Dulciana 8

Principal 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Twelfth 2 2/3

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19:22)

Trumpet 8 C

Swell to Great

Swell Octave to Great

Swell Sub Octave to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

Violin Diapason 8

Rohr Flote 8

Echo Gamba 8 (common bass)

Voix Celeste 8 (tc)

Gemshorn 4

Mixture (15:19:22)

Contra Oboe 16 D

Cornopean 8

Oboe 8 D

Tremulant

Swell Octave

Swell Unison Off

Swell Sub Octave

 

PEDAL ORGAN

Acoustic Bass 32 E/A

Major Bass 16 (stopped wood) E

Bourdon 16 A

Principal 8 B

Bass Flute 8 E

Fifteenth 4 B

Trombone 16 C

Bassoon 16 D

Trumpet 8 C

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell Octave to Pedal

Gt & Ped Combinations Coupled

Sw & Ped Combinations Coupled

 

The organ would be at the rear of the church on a small gallery all ready there, but with some modifications.

 

So, what would your church organ be like.

(NOTE: there is no limit on size etc.)

 

JA

 

Not finding fault with your scheme, but some points to be going along with, particularly since everyone else seems to have passed up the chance!

 

A Choir organ of only four or five stops would justify its expense.

If you only had space for four stops, Flutes 8 and 4 with Viola 8 and Clarinet would be the traditional choice. For 18th century music, Flute 8, Gemshorn 4, Fifteenth 2 and Sesquialtera would be good. More space/funds, and of course you open up quite significant possibilities. The common scheme of 8 - 1.13/5 in flutes with 4 2 and III in principals with an 8' reed (Cremona, maybe) and at least one more 8' - Salicional or Gemshorn would be really useful. For me, a three-manual of a given number of stops nearly always offers more repertoire posibilities than the same stops on two manuals.

 

I think a II Mixture on the Great will not give you the satisfaction to be had from four proper ranks. These need not be either particularly powerful or very high-pitched. A mixture starting at 19.22.26.29 is the common solution, breaking back about three times. This really enriches the treble and brings out tenor and bass lines in contrapuntal music too. A typical 19.22 mixture often cuts back at middle C giving a dull treble, or treble C giving a major distortion to melody lines and a lack of fulness in the middle of the compass.

 

I see you have included an Acoustic Bass on the Pedal - why not a Contra Bourdon in stopped pipes right the way down? They don't take up all that much space (a polyphone takes even less) and the grandeur that this gives is well worth having. A contra Violone or Double Open Wood does the same, but with greatly increased space and finance implications.

 

 

You might be interested in a scheme which I am presently enjoying. It's not finished by any means, but represents more-or-less my ideal from 39 drawstops. The link is

http://pic6.piczo.com/PAULDERRETT/?g=47513557

and scroll to the bottom for the spec.

Obviously in a church the Great chorus would all be Principals and not Gemshorns/Spitzflutes.

[AJJ]

The ancient art of spec. concocting is not yet dead!!

 

GREAT

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8 *

Dulciana 8 *

Vox Angelica TC 8 *

Principal 4

Harmonic Flute 4 *

Fifteenth 2

Tierce Mixture 1-3/5 III *

Trumpet 8 *

 

CHOIR *

Claribel Flute 8

Viola da Gamba 8

Voix Celeste TC 8

Gemshorn 4

Flageolet 2

Chorus Mixture 1 III

Clarinet 8

Hautboy 8

 

PEDAL

Sub Bass 16

Open Flute 8

Trombone 16 *

 

* Enclosed

 

COUPLERS

Choir to Great

Choir to Great Suboctave

Choir to Pedal

Great to Pedal

 

Great Tremulant

Choir Tremulant

 

Balanced Choir Expression

Balanced Great Expression

 

Mechanical key/pedal action & some sort of combination device (probably pedals in Victorian style)

 

A village church with no other space for an organ apart from the chancel chamber where the existing 1 man. sits (also the clergy vestry). The Great 8, 4, 2 could be bracketed out with the two swell boxes side by side behind - flush with the the arch. Sound could then get out more than it does at present with at least some pipework in the same 'room' as the congregation and the ability is there to 'shut right down' when the choir are singing from the (small) chancel. Tonally the whole thing may seem a bit odd (multiple celestes etc.) - blame this on the sort of things I play and the way I improvise.

 

AJJ

[nazard]

These ideas are marvellous, but how much would they cost?

[AJJ]

???

 

AJJ

[gazman]

These ideas are marvellous, but how much would they cost?

Well, we could always ask Manders, couldn't we!

[JWAnderson]

Not finding fault with your scheme, but some points to be going along with, particularly since everyone else seems to have passed up the chance!

 

A Choir organ of only four or five stops would justify its expense.

If you only had space for four stops, Flutes 8 and 4 with Viola 8 and Clarinet would be the traditional choice. For 18th century music, Flute 8, Gemshorn 4, Fifteenth 2 and Sesquialtera would be good. More space/funds, and of course you open up quite significant possibilities. The common scheme of 8 - 1.13/5 in flutes with 4 2 and III in principals with an 8' reed (Cremona, maybe) and at least one more 8' - Salicional or Gemshorn would be really useful. For me, a three-manual of a given number of stops nearly always offers more repertoire posibilities than the same stops on two manuals.

 

I think a II Mixture on the Great will not give you the satisfaction to be had from four proper ranks. These need not be either particularly powerful or very high-pitched. A mixture starting at 19.22.26.29 is the common solution, breaking back about three times. This really enriches the treble and brings out tenor and bass lines in contrapuntal music too. A typical 19.22 mixture often cuts back at middle C giving a dull treble, or treble C giving a major distortion to melody lines and a lack of fulness in the middle of the compass.

 

I see you have included an Acoustic Bass on the Pedal - why not a Contra Bourdon in stopped pipes right the way down? They don't take up all that much space (a polyphone takes even less) and the grandeur that this gives is well worth having. A contra Violone or Double Open Wood does the same, but with greatly increased space and finance implications.

You might be interested in a scheme which I am presently enjoying. It's not finished by any means, but represents more-or-less my ideal from 39 drawstops. The link is

http://pic6.piczo.com/PAULDERRETT/?g=47513557

and scroll to the bottom for the spec.

Obviously in a church the Great chorus would all be Principals and not Gemshorns/Spitzflutes.

 

Yes Paul, I agree with most of your points here. I would include a Choir organ with the speci of 8-8-4-2-8 and possibly include a 2rk cornet if there was space, but at the moment I can't remember exactly how much space there would be on the gallery.

 

As for the Mixtures, space is a factor for this one as well. I would definately like to include a 3 or 4 rk mixture. I have heard/played an organ in town that has been restored and had the addition of a 19:22 mixture on the great and I have no problem with this, but a larger mixture would probably be better.

 

The Contra Bourdon on the pedal, I would like a proper 32' stop except height is again the factor and I would probably like to include a full-length 16' Diapason before a 32' was installed. My idea was that because there is lack of height and we do not want to block out much of the main window, a stopped rank could be provided but voiced stronger than the Gt Bourdon 16'.

 

I quite like your scheme, it would definately be a lot different to what I am used to with the Principal chorus etc. although I have seen a few church organs designed like this before.

 

JA

[MichaelDavidson]

Rather than invent yet another specification from scratch, let me point you at a very successful small 3 manual instrument which is actually quite similar to what you are proposing (assuming that you include a Choir organ).

 

Queens' College Chapel, Cambridge

 

The Great is essentially the same as your scheme, but with an 8' Viola instead of the Dulciana and an extra rank in the mixture (I agree with Cynic that 2 ranks here is unlikely to be satisfactory)

 

The Swell is also somewhat similar but with the addition of a 16' Bourdon and the omission of the 16' Contra Fagotto, and the provision of two 4' stops -a Salicet and a Suable Flute - instead of your Gemshorn.

 

The Choir is 8 8 8 4 2 8 8 with both a Clarinet and an Orchestral Oboe.

 

The 5 stop pedal organ is 16 16 10 2/3 8 8 and on paper looks a little small but actually works remarkably well.

 

If I could add only one stop to the Queens' instrument, I think that it would probably be a 16' Swell reed such as the Contra Oboe in your proposal, with a 16' Pedal Trombone coming a very close second.

[JWAnderson]

Rather than invent yet another specification from scratch, let me point you at a very successful small 3 manual instrument which is actually quite similar to what you are proposing (assuming that you include a Choir organ).

 

Queens' College Chapel, Cambridge

 

The Great is essentially the same as your scheme, but with an 8' Viola instead of the Dulciana and an extra rank in the mixture (I agree with Cynic that 2 ranks here is unlikely to be satisfactory)

 

The Swell is also somewhat similar but with the addition of a 16' Bourdon and the omission of the 16' Contra Fagotto, and the provision of two 4' stops -a Salicet and a Suable Flute - instead of your Gemshorn.

 

The Choir is 8 8 8 4 2 8 8 with both a Clarinet and an Orchestral Oboe.

 

The 5 stop pedal organ is 16 16 10 2/3 8 8 and on paper looks a little small but actually works remarkably well.

 

If I could add only one stop to the Queens' instrument, I think that it would probably be a 16' Swell reed such as the Contra Oboe in your proposal, with a 16' Pedal Trombone coming a very close second.

 

This looks to be a very good specification.

I have decided to add a Choir organ with the following specification:

Rohr Flote 8-ft

Viola da Gamba 8 (common bass)

Suabe Flote 4

Harmonic Piccolo 2

Sesquialtera (12:17)

Clarinet 8.

 

As for the Pedal, I am trying to decide between a 10 2/3 or a 32-ft resultant, but I am currently thinking that the former would be more useful.

Another addition would probably be the extension of the Trumpet 16-8 unit up another 12 pipes to include 4-ft for the Great as well.

 

The Bourdon would be something I would like to have on the Swell, except the bottom 12 pipes would have to be installed outside the Swell box as there would not be enough height unless they were mitred over. The Violin Diapason would have stopped basses from P1 to about P5.

 

JA

[Paul Walton]

The Bourdon would be something I would like to have on the Swell, except the bottom 12 pipes would have to be installed outside the Swell box as there would not be enough height unless they were mitred over. The Violin Diapason would have stopped basses from P1 to about P5.

 

JA

 

I have heard of an organ (Bath Abbey, I think) where the lowest pipes of the Swell Bourdon 16 are outside the box, but with the mouths fed into the back of the box so they are still under expression.

 

Paul Walton

[Ian Ball]

The Bourdon would be something I would like to have on the Swell, except the bottom 12 pipes would have to be installed outside the Swell box as there would not be enough height unless they were mitred over. The Violin Diapason would have stopped basses from P1 to about P5.

 

JA

I have heard of an organ (Bath Abbey, I think) where the lowest pipes of the Swell Bourdon 16 are outside the box, but with the mouths fed into the back of the box so they are still under expression.

 

Paul Walton

The bottom octave of the 8' stopped flute on the tiny enclosed Brustwert at Clifton Cathedral is handled in the same way (not that this is any way my dream organ!)

 

Ian

[pcnd5584]

This looks to be a very good specification.

I have decided to add a Choir organ with the following specification:

Rohr Flote 8-ft

Viola da Gamba 8 (common bass)

Suabe Flote 4

Harmonic Piccolo 2

Sesquialtera (12:17)

Clarinet 8.

 

As for the Pedal, I am trying to decide between a 10 2/3 or a 32-ft resultant, but I am currently thinking that the former would be more useful.

Another addition would probably be the extension of the Trumpet 16-8 unit up another 12 pipes to include 4-ft for the Great as well.

 

The Bourdon would be something I would like to have on the Swell, except the bottom 12 pipes would have to be installed outside the Swell box as there would not be enough height unless they were mitred over. The Violin Diapason would have stopped basses from P1 to about P5.

 

JA

Of course, one could have a Haskelled bass to the Pedal Open Diapason (or Contra Bass). It may be less weighty than open pipes, but tonally I would prefer it to another stopped rank.

 

The Contra Bourdon: I am not sure that this would be quite as slim as some are suggesting. I have recently received layout drawings for my own church instrument from a well-known firm. The space allotted to the lowest twelve notes of the Contra Bourdon is considerable. It was felt that, in our dry acoustic, a smaller-scaled stop would be unlikely to be effective.

 

The Swell Bourdon: why not mitre the pipes and hang them from the ceiling of the Swell box. I would prefer this to having them outside of the box. Or, at least have the mouths in the box, positioned tightly against slots in the back of the box.

 

The Violin Diapason: If there is room, why not include quietly-voiced open metal octave 'helpers' for the stopped lowest notes.

 

In addition, what about including a Double Clarinet (16 ft.) in the Swell Organ. H&H often did this in their small to moderate schemes. In fact, they have just made a new one for Abingdon Church, where they have returned one of their earlier Romantic instruments to normality after its unfortunate excursion into a quasi-Baroque scheme in the 1970s.

[Guest Cynic]

Of course, one could have a Haskelled bass to the Pedal Open Diapason (or Contra Bass). It may be less weighty than open pipes, but tonally I would prefer it to another stopped rank.

 

The Contra Bourdon: I am not sure that this would be quite as slim as some are suggesting. I have recently received layout drawings for my own church instrument from a well-known firm. The space allotted to the lowest twelve notes of the Contra Bourdon is considerable. It was felt that, in our dry acoustic, a smaller scaled stop would be unlikely to be effective.

 

The Swell Bourdon: why not mitre the pipes and hang them from the ceiling of the Swell box. I would prefer this to having them outside of the box. Or, at least have the mouths in the box, positioned tightly against slots in the back of the box.

 

The Violin Diapason: If there is room, why not include quietly-voiced open metal octave 'helpers' for the stopped lowest notes.

 

In addition, what about including a Double Clarinet (16 ft.) in the Swell Organ. H&H often did this in their small to moderate schemes. In fact, the y have just made a new one for Abingdon Church, where they have returned one of their earlier Romantic instruments to normality after its unfortunate excursion into a quasi-Baroque scheme in the 1970s.

 

I agree with all the above.

 

Regarding space for a 32' Bourdon I still think it ought to be possible for someone to build you (or acquire for you second-hand) a Compton-style polyphone. These are superb. The designs are now public knowledge and both Kenneth Jones of Bray, Ireland and Nicholsons of Malvern have made them in recent years.

 

Just so you can imagine the thing, I have one myself - it is about 9' tall and not more than 2' across at any point. They work best standing up, but still function perfectly well lying down - can be laid in all sorts of odd places and the effect is seriously good. At Bridlington Priory, for example, the polyphone is IMHO better than the alternate 32' flue which is in normal pipes and takes up a considerable amount of space.

[James Goldrick]

I know this thread implies a bit of the imagination to run free...

 

However, my dream church organ has already come into fruition...

 

The old Norman & Beard from St. Saviour's, Walton Place, Knightsbridge

now standing resplendent in St Patrick's RC Cathedral, Parramatta (Western Sydney).

St Patrick's Cathedral, Parramatta - Organ

 

I agree that an open or stopped 32' should be a high priority, but the Quint on this organ is very fine. On a recent recording of the Howells St Paul's Service, Bottom C with 12' Quint and Trombone makes a remarkably convincing 32' reed. ("...aaand to be the glor-Wham!)

 

But I suppose my absolute dream organ would be this instrument plus a full-length Double Open Wood and a Choir Unda Maris.

 

...

 

...or Truro

[pcnd5584]

I agree with all the above.

 

Regarding space for a 32' Bourdon I still think it ought to be possible for someone to build you (or acquire for you second-hand) a Compton-style polyphone. These are superb. The designs are now public knowledge and both Kenneth Jones of Bray, Ireland and Nicholsons of Malvern have made them in recent years.

 

Just so you can imagine the thing, I have one myself - it is about 9' tall and not more than 2' across at any point. They work best standing up, but still function perfectly well lying down - can be laid in all sorts of odd places and the effect is seriously good. At Bridlington Priory, for example, the polyphone is IMHO better than the alternate 32' flue which is in normal pipes and takes up a considerable amount of space.

 

Absolutely!

 

I have been 'converted' to these by a colleague (who is well-known as a superb organist). His rebuilt instrument at Christchurch Priory has one of these - although in this case, I believe that it is the original Compton unit, which has been restored.

 

Form the mobile console (even when it is positioned at the front of the Nave), I had thought that it was so ineffective as to be not worth bothering about. However, this summer, I had occasion to be in the building playing the instrument (with GM upstairs, fiddling around with the weather-proofing to the chamber) and, after he demonstrated it to me (whilst I wandered around the building), I realised how useful it is.

 

Whilst I did not measure the polyphone, I have an idea that this particular one might be even shorter than nine feet - is this possible, or is there a minimum length, below which it will not sound at the correct pitches?

[Ian Ball]

Absolutely!

 

I have been 'converted' to these by a colleague (who is well-known as a superb organist). His rebuilt instrument at Christchurch Priory has one of these - although in this case, I believe that it si the original Compton unit, which has been restored.

 

Form the mobile console (even when it is positioned at the front of the Nave), I had thought that it was so ineffective as to be not worth bothering about. However, this summer, I had occasion to be in the building playing the instrument (with GM upstairs, fiddling around with the weather-proofing to the chamber) and, after he demonstrated it to me (whilst I wandered around the building), I realised how useful it is.

 

Whilst I did not measure the polyphone, I have an idea that this particular one might be even shorter than nine feet - is this possible, or is there a minimum length, below which it will not sound at the correct pitches?

Oberlinger have patented a similar device at 16' pitch - the 'Cubus' - I think it's been discussed here before.

[Guest Cynic]

I know this thread implies a bit of the imagination to run free...

 

However, my dream church organ has already come into fruition...

 

The old Norman & Beard from St. Saviour's, Walton Place, Knightsbridge

now standing resplendent in St Patrick's RC Cathedral, Parramatta (Western Sydney).

St Patrick's Cathedral, Parramatta - Organ

 

 

I remember playing this orgn in its original home some years ago. I agree with you, it is a very fine instrument indeed, although no doubt it sounds a bit different now it's not tucked away in a chancel. Exciting installation, to judge from the photos. Well done to everyone concerned - you've saved this poor thing from the usual vandalism that awaits such instruments when they become redundant.

[Philip J Wells]

Absolutely!

 

I have been 'converted' to these by a colleague (who is well-known as a superb organist). His rebuilt instrument at Christchurch Priory has one of these - although in this case, I believe that it is the original Compton unit, which has been restored.

 

Form the mobile console (even when it is positioned at the front of the Nave), I had thought that it was so ineffective as to be not worth bothering about. However, this summer, I had occasion to be in the building playing the instrument (with GM upstairs, fiddling around with the weather-proofing to the chamber) and, after he demonstrated it to me (whilst I wandered around the building), I realised how useful it is.

 

Whilst I did not measure the polyphone, I have an idea that this particular one might be even shorter than nine feet - is this possible, or is there a minimum length, below which it will not sound at the correct pitches?

 

The NPOR has a picture of the Christchurch Priory polyphone here: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/PSearch...D06714&no=3

[pcnd5584]

The NPOR has a picture of the Christchurch Priory polyphone here: http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/PSearch...D06714&no=3

 

Thank you. Hmmm - it does look fairly long, after all.

[Charles Wooler]

Thank you. Hmmm - it does look fairly long, after all.

 

said the actress to the Bishop.............

[JWAnderson]

Of course, one could have a Haskelled bass to the Pedal Open Diapason (or Contra Bass). It may be less weighty than open pipes, but tonally I would prefer it to another stopped rank.

 

The Violin Diapason: If there is room, why not include quietly-voiced open metal octave 'helpers' for the stopped lowest notes.

 

Or it would be possible to have a Haskelled Violone 16', but I am not sure which I would find more useful.

Thinking of stopped ranks, I heard one on a Bevington & Sons organ in Christchurch just recently and for some reason I actually thought that the Sub Bass 16 was a full-length stop. It had quite a full tone to it, but this may have been the acoustics helping it.

 

How exactly would these octave 'helpers' work? I have only heard of one example of this.

 

JA

[Guest Cynic]

How exactly would these octave 'helpers' work? I have only heard of one example of this.

 

JA

 

 

What the ear misses when one compares a stopped pipe with an open one is primarily the first harmonic - the brightness in the tone and the definition of the actual note. An occasional trick (used by many different builders over the centuries) has been supplying that missing harmonic through providing additional smaller pipes - a Subbass of very fundamental tone can be augmented with (say) a narrow-scaled open pipe at 8' voiced quite softly. I have come across organs where this has been done for a few notes in the bass and been completely fooled by it. I have even heard this done in the 8' octave - a stopped pipe of 8' with a soft 4' combining to give the effect of the bottom of an 8' Diapason. It maybe shouldn't work, but sometimes it does. It is usually done for reasons of space.

 

I would endorse the haskell bass solution in preference, however. I have come across several of these. Sometimes one cannot get the same power, but they have (for me) always worked at producing 'open' tone. Not all builders have experience of them, this is why they are not so commonly used. I had a 16' Diapason octave which worked very well indeed on less than 3" pressure, and in my organ here I have a gorgous 16' salicional octave - it's like a soft orchestral Double Bass.

 

I've mentioned the one possible draw-back - i.e. possibly more difficult to get strong tone, but there is a bonus to balance this. A well-made haskell bass frequently speaks more promptly than the equivalent full length pipe.

[pcnd5584]

Indeed; a very clear explanation, Cynic.

 

Exeter Cathedral used to have such an arrangement to assist the speech of the largest pedal pipes; these were, as far as I know, the earliest examples of a nominal 32ft. rank (due to the limitations of compass) in the country.

[John Maslen]

We've all played this game, haven't we?! My ideas are as follows.

 

It would have three manuals, two enclosed, plus pedals, of conventional arrangement, assuming there was sufficient space and funds available. I believe that a church instrument is there to accompany the service, so I would have a detached console placed where the organist could hear both Organ and congregation well - not always easy I know. Action therefore electro-pneumatic on slider soundboards, still the best way of doing things in my judgment.

 

I would not wish to slavishly follow any school of Organ building, but would prefer the sort of thing the best of the Victorian and early 20th century builders were doing. It would have contrasting choruses on each manual, plus a range of attractive solo sounds. These might be single stops, or alternatively a combination of stops, maybe including mutations (depends on space and money), providing they weren't too loud. Some I have heard dominate the sound completely, which defeats the object to my way of thinking. I would ideally like a couple of gentle strings on each enclosed manual, but could live without, providing the softer stops sounded well with a tremulant. I would avoid extensions as far as possible, but space may dictate some on the Pedal, as usual.

 

It would have a Pedal dept. that had more than just wooden stops, and a good trombone for the last line of noisey hymns, plus, of course, noisey voluntaries! I'm not much of a fan of 32 stops except in a really big building, and I'm never likely to have to advise or choose for one of those! I'd rather have no 32 at all than an acoustic bass, thank you.

 

Above all, it would be voiced beautifully, with proper attention paid to blend of choruses both on a given manual, and also on coupled manuals. I would want as much variety as reasonable, and every stop to be the very best. Don't want much, do I?!

 

Playing aids? Half a dozen pistons per manual, programmed by capture system, plus generals, plus thumb and toe pistons for the most important couplers, is all I can ever see myself needing, and a general cancel would be useful. Crescendo pedals and sequencers are not for me, I'm afraid. They seem to me to simply make the players life more complicated, and I don't think I'm clever enough to cope!

 

I would hope that this would all finish up at around 35 - 40 speaking stops, plus the usual couplers, tremulants to Sw. and Ch. etc. The stoplist, though, I would want to discuss with the chosen builder, having listened to examples of his work, and make choices according to what I heard, and the building in question - I don't think a stoplist means much in isolation.

 

Regards to all

 

John

[pcnd5584]

My scheme is as follows:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Sub Bourdon (Ext.) 32

Contra Bass (M) 16

Bourdon 16

Violoncello (M) 8

Stopped Flute 8

Viole (M) 4

Grand Bombarde (W) 16

Clarion 8

Bassoon 8

Choir to Pedal

Choir 4ft. to Pedal

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

 

CHOIR ORGAN

(Enclosed)

 

Cone Gamba 8

Flauto Traverso 8

Gemshorn (conical) 4

Suabe Flöte 4

Flageolet 2

Cremona 8

Tremulant

 

BOMBARDE

(Unenclosed)

 

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

Bass Trumpet 16

Grand Ophicleide 8

Bombarde on Great

Bombarde on Swell

Swell to Choir

 

GREAT ORGAN[/b]

 

Quintatön 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Wald Flöte 8

Octave

Flûte Harmonique 4

Fifteenth 2

Furniture (15-19-22-26-29) V

Posaune 8

Choir and Great Exchange

Choir to Great

Swell 16ft. to Great

Swell to Great

Swell 4ft. to Great

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Contra Viola 16

Open Diapason 8

Rohr Flöte 8

Salicional 8

Vox Angelica (AA) 8

Geigen Principal 4

Mixture (15-19-22) III

Hautboy 8

Vox Humana 8

Harmonic Trumpet 8

Harmonic Clarion 4

Tremulant

Sub Octave

Unison Off

Octave

 

COMBINATIONS

 

Pedal and Great Pistons Coupled

Generals on Swell Foot Pistons