Pneumatic Actions

[pcnd5584]

Hi

 

That's not quite what I said - althoguh by the nature of things, there MUST be a delay due to the speed of sound propogation between pipes and the console - and inevitably, when a console is detached, the distance is greater, and hence the dealy is greater.

 

Tony

 

Not necessarily. The action on my 'own' church instrument is virtually instantaneous. By this I mean that there is no appreciable delay whatsoever. The repetition is also excellent. The only part of the action which is slightly weak, is that of the Pedal Organ. This is, I suspect, for two reasons. Firstly, the pipework of the Pedal ranks stands on several chests, all with separate under-actions. Secondly, after forty years' heavy wear, the pallet magnets have a problem with residual charge. That is to say that the magnets retain some of the effects of the current passed through them. Consequently, some become tardy in releasing notes.

 

To agree with Nfortin - Gloucester has an excellent action. In my opinion, for larger instruments, with an (electro-magnetic) action as good as this, I really do not see the need for mechanical action.

 

To return to my own church. Despite very heavy wear over forty years, the action still works perfectly. The repetition is superior to many new solid-state actions which I have tried. In addition, the repetition is considerably better than the new mechanical action at, for example, Bath Abbey. There, I was able to play repeated chords at a considerably faster rate than that with which the action could cope. Personally, I found this a hindrance, rather than being more 'in touch' with my playing.

 

Furthermore, after spending another week at the console of the organ of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, I remain unconvinced that mechanical action is superior in every circumstance.

 

Whilst it is true that this organ has an exceptionally well-designed and sensitive mechanical action, there are many flaws. The action is almost too sensitive. The distance a key needs to be depressed in order for a note to sound is barely 2mm. When pressing pistons, the utmost care needs to be exercised in odrer to avoid accidentally sounding a note.

 

Then there is the problem of couplers (as at Chichester). There are simply not enough unison inter-clavier/pedal couplers. The Bombarde (clavier IV) can only be coupled to the GO. Therefore there is no possibility of using the Bombarde reeds 8- and 4p as a cantus firmus against the coupled choruses. (At Chichester, the absence of a Swell to Choir coupler is rather more serious and the only irritation about this otherwise excellent instrument.)

 

Then there is the question of balance. I must disagree with Rev. Newnham, here. The problems of balance engendered by the en fenetre console at Christ Church, Oxford are difficult to overcome without constant reference to a friend walking around downstairs. (This is not always possible - none of the choir could be spared, and I saw no point in asking a busy verger.) From the console, this organ, more than many, is totally misleading. Even stops such as the GO Bourdon 16p and the 8p flute, which sound distant at the console, are quite loud and full-bodied at the console. This is also true of the Bombarde reeds which, again, at the console sound as if they are in another building, yet, in the nave, they scalp old ladies and set the altar candles aflame.

 

Problems of balance on this organ, particularly when accompanying, are many! At the console, there is nothing to suggest that the balance of many of the individual registers will be so different in the body of the cathedral. Whilst many organists are accustomed to play 'blind', as it were; at Christ Church, the simple expedient of a detached console would make organists' (especially visiting organists') lives considerably more easy.

 

It is worth noting that at Christ Church (as at so many other cathedrals) for obvious practical reasons, daytime practice is limited to quiet flutes and that night-time practice is generally not possible.

[deadsheepstew]

I guess that's the joy of werkprinzip... it all works downstairs but not up. Agree ref the action - this is easily adjustable by providing a good bit of lost motion at the top of the key to control the pluck. That's probably the largest instrument to which one can profitably apply tracker. It does seem the organ world swings constantly from one extreme to the other. I commend to you some of the articles on www.gillianweir.com - now there's a woman who knows what she's talking about - many of the articles are remarkably insightful and often unexpected but pretty generally always amusing.

[MusingMuso]

I guess that's the joy of werkprinzip... it all works downstairs but not up.  Agree ref the action - this is easily adjustable by providing a good bit of lost motion at the top of the key to control the pluck.  That's probably the largest instrument to which one can profitably apply tracker.  It does seem the organ world swings constantly from one extreme to the other.

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St Laurens, Rotterdam is a lot bigger, and that works with a crash gearbox.

 

MM

[pcnd5584]

The above looks rather like St Aldhelm, Branksone in Poole (A really quite effective 1990s rebuild by Lance Foy of a 1920s Gray and Davison that had some 'typical of its time' work done to it by Osmond - it also has a Choir to Pub coupler!! - nice church too.)

AJJ

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Yes - it does!

 

The Choir to Pub has still not been connected as at 31-vii-2005.

[Anthony Poole]

Well, I would like very much to play this instrument - I only know it from articles which I have read.

 

However, apart from not being able at present to afford the air fare to NYC; according to a documentary on the TV last night, the entire eastern seaboard of the US is in possibly imminent danger of annihilation by a mega-tsunami. So, I think that I will pass, until someone has sorted-out a way of assessing the time-scale...

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I think the US eastern seaboard may have been in danger of a tusnami for the past 10,000 years. But in a world of global warming, just about everywhere on the planet is under some sort of threat. The Netherlands is under constant threat of flooding, for instance, so I wouldn't let that stop you from travelling to New York.

 

You may find the air fares to New York and hotel accommodation more affordable off-season, especially during the winter. The second half of January and February are usually the cheapest times to go, provided you avoid half-term and President's Day week (often the same week). March is usually cheap too. You might just have to put up with snow and cold weather. Other good times to go are October, but avoid half-term week and November, before Thanksgiving. October often has the beast weather too.

 

If you want to pay more for your air fare, Olivier Latry is performing the entire works of Duruflé at St Ignatius on 7th May.

 

Seriously, if you do make it to New York, the music staff at St Ignatius are usually very accommodating to people wishing to visit the organ.

[pcnd5584]

Seriously, if you do make it to New York, the music staff at St Ignatius are usually very accommodating to people wishing to visit the organ.

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That is a refreshing attitude!

 

Actually, I was not entirely serious about the threat of a tsunami - I would like to visit the US. Perhaps I will start to save up for the air-fare. However, I think that I will have to content myself with a recording of Latry.