German organ vocabulary

[Johannes Riponensis]

Could some kind bi-lingual organ builder advise on the English equivalent of a) Expressionen with reference to flue pipes and b) Bourdonpunkt with reference to the voicing of reed pipes?

 

Many thanks!

[tiratutti]

Hello,

"Expressionen": pipes with "Überlänge" (overlength) and "Stimmrolle" (tuning roll?). I don't know the english word (perhaps tuning slot) but can show you a picture, where the "Expressionen" are marked.

Cheers

tiratutti

[Johannes Riponensis]

Thank you so much.  Expressionen, I believe, are more common in Germany, as an alternative to tuning slides.

 

As for Bourdonpunkt, I think I understand what this means.  The voicer tries to find the optimum position of a) the tuning spring on the reed itself and b) the length of the resonator, so the two are in sympathy (Übereinstimmung). 

It explains why when voicing large reed pipes it helps to have two people - one to tap the tuning spring at the bottom, the other to adjust the tuning slot at the top, thereby achieving the desired optimum setting..

Now to put that into English - briefly!

 

[SlowOrg]

1 hour ago, Johannes Riponensis said:

Thank you so much.  Expressionen, I believe, are more common in Germany, as an alternative to tuning slides.

Tuning-slots, usually placed at one diameter of the pipe from its top, are also one of the main characterstics of the 19th century French organ building (Cavaillé-Coll).

Here is an excerpt from the Laukhuff catalogue with the relevant terminology:

 

[tiratutti]

1 hour ago, Johannes Riponensis said:

Thank you so much.  Expressionen, I believe, are more common in Germany, as an alternative to tuning slides

Expressionen are typical in German romantic organ building. The following picture shows the elements of flue pipes in German romantic design: