Vox Humana Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 3 hours ago, headcase said: ...the Positive (beautifully voiced by Roland Rawdings) was on direct electric action, which was supremely quick and easily outpaced the sluggish Swell main action. (In later years, Deane organ builders identified that the action valves exhausting the Swell power-motors were too small, choking their response). Ah, that explains a lot. The discrepancy was very noticeable at the console. As you say, the Positive was beautifully voiced and the console was indeed extremely comfortable. Synchronisation problems apart, I thought the HNB organ was very fine. Dudley Holroyd thought it was superb. 3 hours ago, headcase said: I should write a book.... Yes, please do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P DeVile Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 On 18/08/2020 at 12:05, headcase said: In later years, Deane organ builders identified that the action valves exhausting the Swell power-motors were too small, choking their response Another issue with the Swell being audibly slow at the console was because of where it was in the chamber. I was assistant to HNBs MD, Frank Fowler in the London office for 14 months and Dudley Holroyd (who was a great musician etc but could also be a tad awkward...) was convinced that this was due to badly adjusted actions. Frank thought otherwise and so we both went there and hung a microphone in the Swell connected to a small amplifier and headphones. When playing the organ normally, the swell was a fraction behind the great but when he put the headphones on, there was hardly any delay. Headcase will correct me but I think the swell box was behind the arch but the great under or in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 The transept organ of Cologne Cathedral (Klais, 1948 & 1956, refurbed 2002) has a high-pressure division - the "Hochdruckwerk" - which has no less than 5 tubas! Two of these - the "Tuba Episcopalis" (played when the archbishop enters) and a "Tuba Capitularis" (played at the entry of canons to mass) - are located at the west end of the cathedral and are, I understand, voiced on 39.3-inch (998.2mm) wind pressure. There is a YouTube clip - look for "Kölner Dom - Orgelmusik am Ostersonntag 2010" - where one of the Tubas, if not both, gets used at the end. Quite loud: worth hearing! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_L Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 7 hours ago, DaveHarries said: The transept organ of Cologne Cathedral (Klais, 1948 & 1956, refurbed 2002) has a high-pressure division - the "Hochdruckwerk" - which has no less than 5 tubas! Two of these - the "Tuba Episcopalis" (played when the archbishop enters) and a "Tuba Capitularis" (played at the entry of canons to mass) - are located at the west end of the cathedral and are, I understand, voiced on 39.3-inch (998.2mm) wind pressure. There is a YouTube clip - look for "Kölner Dom - Orgelmusik am Ostersonntag 2010" - where one of the Tubas, if not both, gets used at the end. Quite loud: worth hearing! Dave Wonderful - I didn't think that German organists played Bach like that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 13 hours ago, S_L said: Wonderful - I didn't think that German organists played Bach like that!!! No indeed but those Tubas in Cologne Cathedral are, it would seem, very effective for making the crowd shut up when you are playing! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiratutti Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 On 20/08/2020 at 02:01, DaveHarries said: The transept organ of Cologne Cathedral (Klais, 1948 & 1956, refurbed 2002) has a high-pressure division - the "Hochdruckwerk" - which has no less than 5 tubas! Two of these - the "Tuba Episcopalis" (played when the archbishop enters) and a "Tuba Capitularis" (played at the entry of canons to mass) - are located at the west end of the cathedral and are, I understand, voiced on 39.3-inch (998.2mm) wind pressure. There is a YouTube clip - look for "Kölner Dom - Orgelmusik am Ostersonntag 2010" - where one of the Tubas, if not both, gets used at the end. Quite loud: worth hearing! Dave the two tubas are voiced on 700mm (27,5 inch) wind pressure. Take a look with Cathedral Organist Winfried Bönig in Das Westwerk im Kölner Dom. Cheers tiratutti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Riponensis Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 I love the moment where the church mouse in the nave scuttles for cover from the onslaught of both Tubas together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 6 hours ago, Johannes Riponensis said: I love the moment where the church mouse in the nave scuttles for cover from the onslaught of both Tubas together! Didn't see a mouse - unless you are imagining things. Saying that I wouldn't blame any mouse for doing that! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robinson Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNRrV9FTeSc&ab_channel=KölnerDomorgeln I have to say in all honesty, that although impressively loud, to me those two west-end tubas do not sound greatly dissimilar. Perhaps it's my old ears, but I'd have preferred one to be far more free-toned, possibly even like the west-end trumpets at St Paul's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_L Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 9 hours ago, DaveHarries said: Didn't see a mouse - unless you are imagining things. Saying that I wouldn't blame any mouse for doing that! Dave At 4:41 - on the video I watched a red arrow appeared to show the mouse!! poor thing must have thought its end had come!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 To me, the demonstration of these two stops didn't do them justice. I don't speak German but what on earth was going on in the first demo where the guy was next to the chamade pipes wearing headphones? It sounded as though a small child was having a first go on an over-sized kazoo. And much of the rest of it was just too frantic and 'clever' for its own good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted November 26, 2020 Share Posted November 26, 2020 On 25/11/2020 at 08:49, Martin Cooke said: the guy was next to the chamade pipes wearing headphones? Presumably noise-cancelling headphones as a superior form of ear protection. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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