New Shanghai Rieger - Mander Connection

[chrisberry]

On 17th September I went to hear the first concert with the new V/88 Rieger in Shanghai. I've never been a fan of modern concert hall organs, but this didn't sound too interesting or characterful for its size, and actually managed to look like an electronic organ, even at a budget of around 2.5 M USD (see Rieger website).

 

What made me laugh was the fact that the colourful and well produced brochure for the concert had a single photograph of the new organ, measuring 11 mm by 8 mm. That is to say, you could only just see it. However on pages 3, 5 and 7 there was a full page colour photograph of St Ignatius Loyola organ (slightly fuzzy and perhaps downloaded off the web?). There was some text on these pages explaining the music and the instrument.

 

This seemed a very good advert for Manders (in the context of the opening of a Rieger organ), so 8 days and a little research later, in between watching my Aunt's flamenco troupe in New Jersey and an appointment with a very large fossil tree in the New York State Museum in Albany, I dropped in to hear Mr Tritle put the Mander through its paces.

 

The St Ignatius organ was the best 20th Century instrument I have heard, and was well played in a well judged recital that showed off not only it's French 'flavour' but how good classical organ music sounds on it too. Remarkable to my ears. And a warm welcome and tour of the organ for anyone interested afterwards.

 

So thanks Rieger, for indirectly sending me to hear this wonderful instrument. Well worth the journey to NY. Shame it is not in the UK!

[MusingMuso]

On 17th September I went to hear the first concert with the new V/88 Rieger in Shanghai. I've never been a fan of modern concert hall organs, but this didn't sound too interesting or characterful for its size.......

 

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Mmmmm!

 

An example of ANOTHER respected builder falling foul of modern acoustic design perhaps?

 

It really is profoundly worrying.

 

MM