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Dream Church Organ


JWAnderson

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A dream organ ?

 

Here is mine:

 

MANUAL EINS

 

Bourdon 16'

Montre 16'

Open Diapason I 8' (After Worcester, phonon type)

Open Diapason II 8' (Kerkhoff, basis of the chorus)

Open Diapason III 8' (italian)

Voce umana 8'

Stopped Diapason 8' (wood)

Flûte harmonique 8' (ACC)

Viola di Gamba 8' (Walcker)

Dolce 8' (Walcker)

Quinte 5 1/3'

Principal 4' I (Worcester)

Principal 4' II (Kerkhoff)

Tierce 3 1/5'

Plein-jeu 2 2/3' -2'- 1 1/3'- 1' (that is the Mixture for the Diapason chorus)

Contra Tromba 16' (A. Harrison)

Tromba 8'

Octave Tromba 4'

Harmonics 1 3/5'- 1 1/3'- 1 1/7'- 1' (Harrison) (that is the corroborating stop for the Tutti)

 

MANUAL ZWEI (enclosed)

 

Salicional 16'

Salicional 8'

Vox angelica 8' (Willis)

Traversflöte 8' (Walcker, wood)

Flûte octaviante 4' (ACC)

Salicet 4'

Octavin 2'

Cornet IIIr 2 2/3'-2'-1 3/5' (Willis St Paul Londres)

Bassoon 16' (Willis)

Orchestral Trumpet 8'

Orchestral Clarion 4'

 

MANUAL DREI (enclosed)

 

Dulciana 16'

Dulciana 8'

Lieblich Gedackt 8' (Walcker, double mouths)

Aeoline 8' (Walcker)

Voix céleste I 8'

Voix céleste II 8' (more rapid than I)

Dulciana Principal 4'

Zauberflöte 4' (Thynne)

Dulcet 2'

Dulciana Mixture 2 2/3'- 1 1/3'- 1'

Clarinette 8' (free reeds)

Cor anglais 8' (idem)

 

MANUAL VIER, FERNWERK (enclosed, at a distance from main case)

Flauto dolce 8'

Flute celeste 8' (Skinner)

Viole sourdine 8' (Thynne)

Celeste 8'

Flauto dolce 4'

Harmonia aetherea 2 2/3'- 2'- 1 3/5'

Voix humaine 8'

Physharmonika 8'

Voix séraphique 4'

 

SOLO (expressif)

 

Contra Viole 16'

Viole d'orchestre 8'

Viole celeste I 8'

Viole celeste II 8'

Flûte d'orchestre 8'

Viole 4'

Cornet de viols 2r 5 1/3'- 3 1/5'

French Horn 8'

Orchestral Oboe 8'

Corno di Bassetto 8'

Tuba 8'

Trompette militaire 8' (Outside the box))

 

PEDAL

 

Violone 32'

Soubasse 32'

Bourdon doux 32'

Grossquintbass 21 1/3'

Violone 16' (ext)

Contra Viole 16' (Solo)

Soubasse 16' (ext)

Bourdon doux 16' (emp. I)

Salicional 16' (II)

Dulciana 16' (III)

Quintbass 10 2/3' (ext)

Violoncelle 8' (I)

Diapason 8' (I)

Bourdon 8' (I)

Octave 8'

Terzbass 6 2/5'

Principal 4' (I)

Flûte 4'

Contra-Trombone 32'

Trombone 16' (ext)

Bassoon 16' (II)

Octave Trombone 8'

Clarion 4'

 

Pete Flower-Power

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There is at least one US firm that would build the above for you if you asked them nicely - perhaps also a digital version for your living room - touch screen etc.!!

 

AJJ

 

Thanks, but I prefer to avoid the toaster version....

Of course, there are U.S. builders who could build it,

but we do not need it.

All scales and details are already ready, we could order bits

and pipes in England, Germany and Slovenia with all the details

needed, and build it with Gerhard Walcker in Bliesransbach.

(we have 35 such projects in store. Mind you, as a jobless

obsolete thing, you have some time left to tinker with scales etc,

especially when you spent some years noting scales in several countries...)

 

After Mr Walcker's discoveries in Costa Rica, especially original 1880's mixtures,

I might want to add a second chorus Mixture, a "Goldene Mixtur" with Tierce rank,

but leaving the "Plein-jeu" without Tierce of course.

 

Pierre

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I have just come up with another specification, but this one is more in cathedral proportions I think:

 

Great Organ

Double Open Diapason 16

Open Diapason Large 8

Open Diapason Small 8

Principal 8

Hohl Flute 8

Corno Flute 8

Octave 4

Flute Harmonique 4

Twelfth 2 2/3

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29)

Cornet (1-8-12-15-17) Tenor G

Trombone 16

Tromba 8

Clarion 4

Swell to Great

Swell to Great Octave

Swell to Great Sub Octave

Choir to Great

Positive to Great

Solo to Great

 

Swell Organ

Bourdon 16

Diaphonic Diapason 8

Geigen Diapason 8

Lieblich Gedackt 8

Unda Maris (tc) 8

Echo Gamba 8

Vox Angelica 8 (aa)

Principal 4

Lieblich Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (15-19-22-26-29)

Oboe 8

Vox Humana 8

Contra Posaune 16

Posaune 8

Harmonic Clarion 4

Tremulant

Swell Octave

Swell Unison Off

Swell Sub Octave

Solo to Swell

Positive to Swell

 

Choir Organ

Stopped Diapason 8

Lieblich Gedackt 8

Viola d' Amour 8

Dulciana 8

Gemshorn 4

Chimney Flute 4

Piccolo Harmonique 2

Plein Jeu (19-22-26)

Cornopean 8

Tremulant

Choir Octave

Choir Unison Off

Choir Sub Octave

Swell to Choir

Solo to Choir

Positive to Choir

 

Solo Organ

Contra Violone 16

Flute Harmonique 8

Violoncello 8

Celeste (tc) 8

Flute Harmonique 4

Viola 4

Cornet (12-15-17)

Contra Bassoon 16

Orchestral Oboe 8

Bombarde 16

Tuba Mirabilis 8

Harmonic Trumpet 8 (en chamade)

Harmonic Clarion 4

Tremulant

Solo Octave

Solo Unison Off

Solo Sub Octave

Positive to Solo

 

Positive Organ (Floating)

Quintaton 16

Principal 8

Gedackt 8

Octave 4

Nason Flute 4

Block Flute 2

Larigot 1 1/3

Sesquialtera (12-17)

Cymbal (29-33-36)

Cremona 8

Tremulant

 

Pedal Organ

Gravissima 64 (resultant ext. 32')

Double Open Wood 32

Sub Bourdon 32

Open Wood 16 (ext. 32')

Open Metal 16

Open Diapason 16 (G.O.)

Violone 16 (Solo)

Bourdon 16 (ext. 32')

Echo Bourdon 16 (Sw)

Quintaton 16 (Pos)

Octave Wood 8 (ext. 32')

Principal 8 (ext. 16')

Violoncello 8 (Solo)

Bass Flute 8 (ext. 32')

Fifteenth 4 (ext. 16')

Octave Flute 4 (ext. 32')

Mixture (15-19-22-26-29)

Bombarde 16 (Solo)

Bassoon 16 (Solo)

Contra Ophicleide 32

Ophicleide 16 (ext. 32')

Clarion 8 (ext. 32')

Octave Clarion 4 (ext. 32')

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell to Pedal Octave

Choir to Pedal

Solo to Pedal

Positive to Pedal

Gt & Ped Combination Coupler

Sw & Ped Combination Coupler

 

About 8 thumb pistons to each manual division (4 each to Choir & Pos.)

8 Toe Pistons to Ped & Sw

10 General Thumb & Toe pistons

Thumb & Toe pistons to couplers

Peterson ICS-4000 Capture & Transmission system with sequencer.

 

JA

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I have just come up with another specification, but this one is more in cathedral proportions I think:

 

Great Organ

Double Open Diapason 16

Open Diapason Large 8

Open Diapason Small 8

Principal 8

Hohl Flute 8

Corno Flute 8

Octave 4

Flute Harmonique 4

Twelfth 2 2/3

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29)

Cornet (1-8-12-15-17) Tenor G

Trombone 16

Tromba 8

Clarion 4

Swell to Great

Swell to Great Octave

Swell to Great Sub Octave

Choir to Great

Positive to Great

Solo to Great

 

Swell Organ

Bourdon 16

Diaphonic Diapason 8

Geigen Diapason 8

Lieblich Gedackt 8

Unda Maris (tc) 8

Echo Gamba 8

Vox Angelica 8 (aa)

Principal 4

Lieblich Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (15-19-22-26-29)

Oboe 8

Vox Humana 8

Contra Posaune 16

Posaune 8

Harmonic Clarion 4

Tremulant

Swell Octave

Swell Unison Off

Swell Sub Octave

Solo to Swell

Positive to Swell

 

Choir Organ

Stopped Diapason 8

Lieblich Gedackt 8

Viola d' Amour 8

Dulciana 8

Gemshorn 4

Chimney Flute 4

Piccolo Harmonique 2

Plein Jeu (19-22-26)

Cornopean 8

Tremulant

Choir Octave

Choir Unison Off

Choir Sub Octave

Swell to Choir

Solo to Choir

Positive to Choir

 

Solo Organ

Contra Violone 16

Flute Harmonique 8

Violoncello 8

Celeste (tc) 8

Flute Harmonique 4

Viola 4

Cornet (12-15-17)

Contra Bassoon 16

Orchestral Oboe 8

Bombarde 16

Tuba Mirabilis 8

Harmonic Trumpet 8 (en chamade)

Harmonic Clarion 4

Tremulant

Solo Octave

Solo Unison Off

Solo Sub Octave

Positive to Solo

 

Positive Organ (Floating)

Quintaton 16

Principal 8

Gedackt 8

Octave 4

Nason Flute 4

Block Flute 2

Larigot 1 1/3

Sesquialtera (12-17)

Cymbal (29-33-36)

Cremona 8

Tremulant

 

Pedal Organ

Gravissima 64 (resultant ext. 32')

Double Open Wood 32

Sub Bourdon 32

Open Wood 16 (ext. 32')

Open Metal 16

Open Diapason 16 (G.O.)

Violone 16 (Solo)

Bourdon 16 (ext. 32')

Echo Bourdon 16 (Sw)

Quintaton 16 (Pos)

Octave Wood 8 (ext. 32')

Principal 8 (ext. 16')

Violoncello 8 (Solo)

Bass Flute 8 (ext. 32')

Fifteenth 4 (ext. 16')

Octave Flute 4 (ext. 32')

Mixture (15-19-22-26-29)

Bombarde 16 (Solo)

Bassoon 16 (Solo)

Contra Ophicleide 32

Ophicleide 16 (ext. 32')

Clarion 8 (ext. 32')

Octave Clarion 4 (ext. 32')

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell to Pedal Octave

Choir to Pedal

Solo to Pedal

Positive to Pedal

Gt & Ped Combination Coupler

Sw & Ped Combination Coupler

 

About 8 thumb pistons to each manual division (4 each to Choir & Pos.)

8 Toe Pistons to Ped & Sw

10 General Thumb & Toe pistons

Thumb & Toe pistons to couplers

Peterson ICS-4000 Capture & Transmission system with sequencer.

 

JA

 

 

Not much to moan about and a lot to like...the only thing that jumps out at me is that you have a fair few Tierce ranks but no independent Nazard.

This is sometimes called for specifically by (in particular, French) 20th century composers.

It is also a great colourant in the treble - Flute 8 + Nazard and a good Tremulant is a favourite for me in certain items. I would try to squeeze one in somewhere.

 

Hope you have a generous sponsor!

 

BTW I suggest you stop at organs of this sort of size - about 18 months ago we had a member from the USofA who kept dumping 200-stop schemes upon us. He wore out his welcome - admittedly not just for this. The thought that anyone could have those sort of funds to play with, or of course writing with that little touch with reality, put several people 'off' rather. [Mind you, he was pretty confrontational too.]

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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

 

I had the pleasure of hearing and playing the 'transported' organ last year in the company of Peter Jukes who installed it in its new home. I suspect it sounds even better in the generous acoustic of the new cathedral than it did in Knightsbridge - a magnificently opulent romantic sound.

 

JS

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Not much to moan about and a lot to like...the only thing that jumps out at me is that you have a fair few Tierce ranks but no independent Nazard.

This is sometimes called for specifically by (in particular, French) 20th century composers.

It is also a great colourant in the treble - Flute 8 + Nazard and a good Tremulant is a favourite for me in certain items. I would try to squeeze one in somewhere.

 

Hope you have a generous sponsor!

 

BTW I suggest you stop at organs of this sort of size - about 18 months ago we had a member from the USofA who kept dumping 200-stop schemes upon us. He wore out his welcome - admittedly not just for this. The thought that anyone could have those sort of funds to play with, or of course writing with that little touch with reality, put several people 'off' rather. [Mind you, he was pretty confrontational too.]

 

Yes I agree with you, there could possibly be a Nazard or Quinte added to the Swell or Positive. It does add a very good colour when used with the 8-ft or I sometimes even find it useful in the treble of a 16-ft flute.

This would definately be my dream organ, but if I ever tried to install something like this in my church, there wouldn't be a lot of space left.

 

Don't worry, I'm not planning to design any 200-stop organs. There is just no need for it somewhere like NZ.

 

JA

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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.

 

Yes these octave helpers would probably be worth having. The job I was thinking of was one of our host's (??) in the USA where the 16-ft Diapason had stopped pipes in bass and had the helpers.

Also the haskell bass diapason would be a very good idea. I was having a look around the space where the organ could go and there probably would be enough height for it. Just one question: How much height do such ranks take up or would they be half-length?

 

JA

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Yes these octave helpers would probably be worth having. The job I was thinking of was one of our host's (??) in the USA where the 16-ft Diapason had stopped pipes in bass and had the helpers.

Also the haskell bass diapason would be a very good idea. I was having a look around the space where the organ could go and there probably would be enough height for it. Just one question: How much height do such ranks take up or would they be half-length?

 

JA

 

Half-length - with a stopped tube suspended from the inside of the pipe. There is the advantage of space saving (obviously height) and, unlike a stopped pipe, the harmonic structure is left unchanged.

 

For further information on this and octave 'helpers', I recommend reading the following essay, which was written by the late Stephen Bicknell:

 

http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~oneskull/3.6.01.htm

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If the church was big enough, It would have to be something along the lines of the Wanamaker organ and the Midmer losh, preferably the M.L.

http://www.acchos.org/html/main_organ_reg_...list7index.html

 

 

This is an attitude I can sympathise with - the equivalent of climbing Everest because it's there.

I'm certainly planning my scheme (129 speaking stops) based on the amount of space both in the room and on the ex-Tewkesbury Abbey stopkey console. On the other hand, most people who plan new organs are not doing what I'm doing, which is bodging from start to finish and mostly only using what I can pick up for (near enough) free. There is quite a difference! The three-manual version I'm currently practising on has cost me a total of about £1k, maybe not even that - a certain amount of cable, leather and a few boxes of screws, plus costs of transport and looking after my helpers on dismantling days. Compare that with its brand new Kenneth Tickell replacement (an organ of the same number of stops) which must have cost £500k!

 

If one is building a huge organ in a (relatively) small space there are problems of a different kind. Firstly, there is access - a major consideration I assure you. Murphy's law states that something that cannot conveniently be reached will malfunction regularly. Secondly, volume - I don't want to do my hearing harm, nor antagonise neighbours. Pressures have to be modest on any unenclosed division unless the pipework is behind something else. Sound travels best in straight lines so deliberately putting something 'out of the way' helps tone it down. One has to work hard to make every stop count in a huge scheme. Artistically, there is little point in having divisions that duplicate others too much. We've all tried the odd big organ and come away thinking that too many stops sound the same. One of my CDs, for instance (made on a splendid large Hill) I sometimes know I am changing manuals (at high speed and with great effort) but the microphone hardly notices.

 

The reason planning an organ of medium size (under 50 stops) can be intellectually satisfying (even if the scheme doesn't get built) is that there's much more challenge to think of something new, or a combination of stops not usually met with. If one simply lists everything one can think of, there is no problem cramming everything into the spec, particularly if this is totally regardless of whether it would 'work' in practice on a given site.

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A little scheme impones, above all, a strong sense of priorities.

On the other hand, a big one allows the possibilities to try

new ideas, having some experimental Compound stops for instance.

The Wanamaker organ and Atlantic city are good examples, both

provided much opportunities for experimentation.

 

 

Here is a 20 (actual!) stops specification:

 

MANUAL I

 

Bourdon 16'

Open Diapason I 8' ( phonon)

Open Diapason II 8' (Basis of the chorus)

Bourdon 8' (ext 16')

Principal 4'

Plein-jeu 4 rangs

 

MANUAL II (enclosed, box N° 1)

 

Aeoline 8'

Voix céleste 8'

Traversflöte 8' (wood)

Flûte octaviante 4'

Octavin 2'

Trompette harmonique 8' (french)

Basson-Hautbois 8'

 

MANUAL III (enclosed, box N° 2)

 

Lieblich Gedackt 8' (double mouths)

Dulciana 8'

Vox angelica 8'

Lieblich Flöte 4' (ext.Liebl. Gedackt)

Cornet 3 rangs 2 2/3'-2'-1 3/5'

Clarinette 8' (free reeds)

 

DIVISION FLOTTANTE (floating division, enclosed in a box behind Box 1, so two times expressive)

 

Trombone en extension 16-8-4

Harmonics 4 rangs: 1 3/5'-1 1/3'-1 1/7'-1'

(Vox humana 8' ) Facultative 21st stop

 

PEDALE

 

Violone 16' (only actual stop))

Soubasse 16' (emprunt au I)

Octave Violone 8' (ext 16')

Bourdon 8' (emprunt au I)

Trombone 16, 8 et 4' (floating division)

 

Pierre

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How about for a small scheme:

 

Great Organ

Contra Salicional 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Principal 4

Fifteenth 2

Swell to Great

 

Swell Organ

Clarabella 8

Viola 8

Lieblich Flute 4

Mixture (15-19-22)

Contra Posaune 16

Tremulant

 

Pedal Organ

Open Diapason 16

Bourdon 16

Bass Flute 8

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

 

JA

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How about for a small scheme:

 

Great Organ

Contra Salicional 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Principal 4

Fifteenth 2

Swell to Great

 

Swell Organ

Clarabella 8

Viola 8

Lieblich Flute 4

Mixture (15-19-22)

Contra Posaune 16

Tremulant

 

Pedal Organ

Open Diapason 16

Bourdon 16

Bass Flute 8

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

 

JA

 

Wonderful though the Great Contra Salicional would be, I would have chosen a 16' Oboe or Clarinet on the Swell and a Trumpet 8' - i.e. same number of stops but a different 16' emphasis. I'm fairly convinced that the your first manual reed ought to be at 8'. Only an opinion, of course. I should have started by saying that as a scheme I think this would 'work' very well... the next stop I would miss would be a Celeste! If you had a Swell octave coupler, you could change the 4' flute for a Gemshorn or Principal. With a 61 note compass and the super-octave, you'd still be able to find 8' and 4' flutes with enough range to be satisfactory for accompaniment and most solo repertoire.

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Wonderful though the Great Contra Salicional would be, I would have chosen a 16' Oboe or Clarinet on the Swell and a Trumpet 8' - i.e. same number of stops but a different 16' emphasis. I'm fairly convinced that the your first manual reed ought to be at 8'. Only an opinion, of course. I should have started by saying that as a scheme I think this would 'work' very well... the next stop I would miss would be a Celeste! If you had a Swell octave coupler, you could change the 4' flute for a Gemshorn or Principal. With a 61 note compass and the super-octave, you'd still be able to find 8' and 4' flutes with enough range to be satisfactory for accompaniment and most solo repertoire.

 

There are quite a few changes I would make to this organ, so I've redesigned the specification a bit:

 

Great Organ

Contra Salicional 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Salicional 8 (ext.)

Principal 4

Twelfth 22/3

Fifteenth 2

Trumpet 8

Swell to Great

Swell Octave to Great

Swell Sub Octave to Great

 

Swell Organ

Geigen Principal 8

Clarabella 8

Viola da Gamba 8

Voix Celeste (tc) 8

Gemshorn 4

Contra Oboe 16 (or 8)

Horn 8

Tremulant

Octave

Sub Octave

 

Pedal Organ

Open Diapason 16

Bourdon 16

Bass Flute 8 (ext.)

Posaune 16 (moved from Swell)

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell Octave to Pedal

 

I think all of this could be acheived using Pressure-Pneumatic action.

 

I have heard an installation of the former specification (minus the Pedal Bass Flute 8) and I was surprised at the fact that there were no octave couplers. My thought would have been that if there was only one reed which was a 16', then you would want to have these accessories. But other than this it works rather well.

 

JA

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There are quite a few changes I would make to this organ, so I've redesigned the specification a bit:

 

Great Organ

Contra Salicional 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Salicional 8 (ext.)

Principal 4

Twelfth 22/3

Fifteenth 2

Trumpet 8

Swell to Great

Swell Octave to Great

Swell Sub Octave to Great

 

Swell Organ

Geigen Principal 8

Clarabella 8

Viola da Gamba 8

Voix Celeste (tc) 8

Gemshorn 4

Contra Oboe 16 (or 8)

Horn 8

Tremulant

Octave

Sub Octave

 

Pedal Organ

Open Diapason 16

Bourdon 16

Bass Flute 8 (ext.)

Posaune 16 (moved from Swell)

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell Octave to Pedal

 

I think all of this could be acheived using Pressure-Pneumatic action.

 

I have heard an installation of the former specification (minus the Pedal Bass Flute 8) and I was surprised at the fact that there were no octave couplers. My thought would have been that if there was only one reed which was a 16', then you would want to have these accessories. But other than this it works rather well.

 

JA

 

I think that I would prefer more upperwork on the G.O. before adding a reed. I would also not bother with the extension. This would give a G.O. of:

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Salicional 8

Principal 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29) IV

 

On the Swell, I would prefer your option of having the Oboe at 8ft. pitch - it is so useful as a colourant in accompaniment, for example. Simply out of preference, I would alter one or two other ranks:

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Wald Flute 8

Viole de Gambe 8

Voix Célestes (AA) 8

Gemshorn (conical) 4

Hautboy 8

Trumpet 8

 

On the Pedal Organ, on an organ of this size, I would dispense with the reed (particularly as I have also removed the Trumpet from the Great Organ) and add more upperwork:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Contra Bass (W & M) 16

Sub Bass 16

Quint (From SB) 10 2/3

Violoncello (M) 8

Stopped Flute (Ext.) 8

Viole (Ext.) 4

 

The couplers are fine as they are.

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I think that I would prefer more upperwork on the G.O. before adding a reed. I would also not bother with the extension. This would give a G.O. of:

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Salicional 8

Principal 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

Mixture (19-22-26-29) IV

 

On the Swell, I would prefer your option of having the Oboe at 8ft. pitch - it is so useful as a colourant in accompaniment, for example. Simply out of preference, I would alter one or two other ranks:

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Open Diapason 8

Wald Flute 8

Viole de Gambe 8

Voix Célestes (AA) 8

Gemshorn (conical) 4

Hautboy 8

Trumpet 8

 

On the Pedal Organ, on an organ of this size, I would dispense with the reed (particularly as I have also removed the Trumpet from the Great Organ) and add more upperwork:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Contra Bass (W & M) 16

Sub Bass 16

Quint (From SB) 10 2/3

Violoncello (M) 8

Stopped Flute (Ext.) 8

Viole (Ext.) 4

 

The couplers are fine as they are.

 

You throw the Pedal to the basement in 32', which is a good idea,

but without any 16' tone on the manuals (actual or 5 1/3'); structural problem!

 

Pierre

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You throw the Pedal to the basement in 32', which is a good idea,

but without any 16' tone on the manuals (actual or 5 1/3'); structural problem!

 

Pierre

 

I know - I would have liked to put a Bourdon on the G.O. I did once concoct one which utilised the lowest twelve notes of the Pedal Sub Bass for the 16ft. octave, with the rest being taken from the lowest eighteen notes of the Stopped Diapason. I realise that this sounds like a makeshift affair; however, in practice it works surprisingly well. So far, no-one who has played the instrument has noticed this 'cheat'.

 

In addition, I find 16ft. tone (or pitch) on the claviers very useful - not just for gravitas, but for things such as playing up an octave with either the 4ft. flute or the Fifteenth, as long as the compass permits.

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An alternative scheme could be:

 

PEDAL ORGAN

 

Contra Bass (W & M) 16

Sub Bass 16

Quint (From SB) 10 2/3

Violoncello 8

Flute (Ext.) 8

Viole (Ext.) 4

 

GREAT ORGAN

 

Quintatön 16

Open Diapason 8

Stopped Diapason 8

Salicional 8

Octave 4

Harmonic Flute 4

Fifteenth 2

 

SWELL ORGAN

 

Wald Flute 8

Viole de Gambe 8

Viole Céleste (AA) 8

Geigen Principal 4

Mixture (15-19-22) III

Hautboy 8

Trumpet 8

 

Couplers as before.

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....And as you have an open 16' on the Pedal,

you just need to borrow the 16' Bourdon on the I

(In place of the Quintatön I'd reserve for an enclosed manual)

as a Pedal Subbass, and you spare an expansive stop.

 

Pierre

 

Well - possibly. But I would still prefer the G.O. sub-unison rank to be separate and a little quiteter than the Pedal Sub Bass. The additional merit of this solution is that one then has another (quieter) 16ft. stop, which can be coupled to the Pedal Organ (for example, when playing on the Swell strings) - but the upper part can be used for a mid-range solo voice on the G.O.

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